365 to 1: Championship Fortnight is Upon Us
Let the Madness Begin!
Previously on 365 to 1:
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Warning: Bad news for fans of lions in this article.
After today we will be switching to more frequent updates to the countdown as it's March and conference tournaments start later today with the Horizon. I'm not sure how frequent - daily updates are often a pain to get published and time is finite - so keep an eye on the comment section here for interim updates if an article doesn't get published. Future updates will only include pre conference tournament eliminations still in progress or decided since the last update.
Here's the rules we will be following as we get into the conference tournament season. 1) Finish with a .500 or better overall record. 2) Finish in the top 100 of the NCAA NET rankings. 3) Be in the top 70 of NET, KenPom, Torvik's WAB, or be an at-large on anybody's bracket on BracketMatrix. Do all three of those and you go into the "Under Consideration" pile when you lose in your conference tournament.
We have another update on the Utah Valley/WAC situation. A federal judge in Utah has ordered that the WAC allow Utah Valley to participate in the conference tournament. I'm sure the WAC will appeal, but that may not get sorted out prior to the start of the WAC tournament on March 11. For now Utah Valley will decide things on the court.
This week we saw more eliminations as some conference regular seasons have wrapped up and the others are getting close. Teams are increasingly finding themselves out of the running before the postseason.
Last Monday, the Southeastern Louisiana Lions were eliminated and became team #352 in our countdown following a 60-68 loss to Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Houston Christian's victory that same night. Following the Southland Monday night games, the Lions found themselves two games back of Lamar, Houston Christian, and Incarnate Word for the final Southland tournament spot with two games to play. Unfortunately for the Lions (then 8-21, 5-15) Lamar and Houston Christian can't lose out as they play each other tonight. The Lions have made just one NCAA Tournament in their history: 2005 when they lost to 2 seed Oklahoma State in the Round of 64.
The Long Beach State Beach - incredible team name - were eliminated on Thursday following a 92-102 loss to Cal Poly. The loss dropped the Beach to 8-21 (4-13) and put them five games behind Cal Poly with only three to play. Long Beach State (team #351) actually started Big West play 4-3, but this massive losing streak washed away their postseason hopes. The Beach last made the NCAA Tournament in 2024. That season Long Beach State announced before the Big West tournament that they had fired head coach Dan Monson effective at the end of the postseason. Monson's team went on a run in the Big West tournament to make it to the Big Dance. Monson is of course now coaching Eastern Washington to a competitive spot in the Big Sky. The Beach's best postseason finishes are 1971 and 1972 Elite 8s which they later had to vacate.
Friday night saw two Ivy League eliminations. Team #350 are the Brown Bears. Brown lost at Columbia 62-80 to drop to 9-16 (3-9). At the time they were three games behind Cornell with two to play following Cornell's shocking win over Yale Friday. The Brown Bears have made two NCAA Tournaments, but just a single one since the inaugural version in 1939. They haven't made the Big Dance in 40 years now.
The Princeton Tigers (team #349) were the second Ivy League elimination on Friday. Their 56-58 loss to Harvard after leading most of the game combined with the aforementioned Cornell win left the Tigers two games behind Cornell. Princeton could not win either a three way tie for fourth place (with Cornell and Dartmouth) or a four way tie for fourth place (add Columbia to the mix). Princeton recently made a Sweet 16 in 2023 as a 15 seed and were in the 1965 Final Four. The Tigers have made 25 NCAA Tournament appearances but outgoing transfers including a late preseason defection by Caden Pierce who decided to redshirt and use his final year of eligibility at Purdue next season left Mitch Henderson with a thin roster.
Our first power conference elimination is team #348. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ran their ACC losing streak to 10 on Saturday with a 71-80 loss against Florida State. Combined with Notre Dame's surprising victory and Pitts' slightly less surprising victory, Georgia Tech (11-18, 2-14) is two games behind Notre Dame and Pitt while needing to pass both in the final week. Since Notre Dame still plays 17th place Boston College, Georgia Tech could only end up in a 4-way tie for 15th where they would come in last on the first tiebreaker (1-2 record against tied teams). Remember when Georgia Tech was good? Georgia Tech hasn't had an at-large bid since 2010 (they did win the 2021 ACC tournament). The Yellow Jackets were the 2004 national runner-up and also made the 1990 Final Four.
The Saint Francis Red Flash make their final appearance in the countdown as team #347 as they are moving to Division III following this athletic season. Saint Francis ends their season 7-24 (5-13) and tied with Chicago State for 9th place in the NEC. 5th place New Haven isn't participating in the NEC tournament and Chicago State won the tiebreaker over Saint Francis. Saint Francis made two NCAA Tournaments in their Division I history including just last year. They went 0-2 in the Big Dance, but played an extremely entertaining game against Alabama State in the First Four last year. Happy trails Saint Francis and thanks for the memories! At least you were able to go dancing unlike the similarly named Saint Francis of Brooklyn.
The Binghamton Bearcats (team #346) needed to win out this week and get help from Bryant in order to make a run for the America East conference. Binghamton won twice this week, but Bryant pulled off the upset victory over NJIT on Saturday to end the Bearcats season. That makes Binghamton the first team that will end the season with a win (the NCAAT, NIT, Crown champions will as well and potentially another conference eliminated team or two) and the first team to be eliminated immediately following a win. Binghamton (8-23, 4-12) have made just one NCAA tournament - the 2009 version where they lost to Duke. Of course that 2009 team had a number of academic and ethical violations by both players and coaches that carried into the 2010 season and resulted in scandal/mass firings. Binghamton hasn't been competitive since.
In the Ohio Valley Conference, the battle for 8th (and 7th) came down to the wire. Tennessee Tech entered the week a game up on Eastern Illinois and tied with Little Rock. But while both Eastern Illinois and Little Rock won a game this week, Tennessee Tech went 0-2 with the final nail coming in a 73-89 loss to Southeast Missouri. The Golden Eagles end the season at 13-18 (7-13) and tied with Eastern Illinois for the final spot in the OVC tournament. Eastern Illinois swept the season series so Tennessee Tech finds themselves eliminated as team #345. Tennessee Tech has made two NCAA Tournaments but not since 1963. They have the second longest active drought among teams that have made the Big Dance but (spoilers for below) do not have the longest active drought among teams eliminated on Saturday.
Our second Southland elimination of the week and team #344 is East Texas A&M. The Lions lost to the UTRGV Vaqueros on Saturday to fall to 11-20 (6-15). They are eliminated for the same reason as Southeastern Louisiana. One game back with one to play, two of the teams they are chasing play each other and are guaranteed to finish in front of East Texas A&M. This is the first season East Texas A&M was eligible to participate in the NCAA tournament. Better luck next year!
The last two eliminations this Saturday occurred in the Ivy League. Dartmouth are team #343. The Big Green were blown out by Princeton on Saturday to drop to 11-15 (5-8). They now sit two games behind Cornell with just one to play. The Big Green were the 1942 and 1944 national runner-up and have made seven NCAA tournaments in their history but are in the midst of the longest tournament appearance drought among teams that have made the field. Dartmouth hasn't gone dancing since 1959. Dartmouth has also never won an Ivy tournament game.
Team #342 are the Columbia Lions. With an expected 54-60 loss to Yale, the Lions are 16-11 (5-8). The third group of Lions eliminated this week, Columbia finds themselves unable to catch fourth place Cornell. Like a couple of their Ivy League brethren, Columbia has a very long active NCAA tournament drought. Their last appearance was a Regional third place victory in 1968. Columbia has never won an Ivy tournament game. I'm starting to think the Ivy League is anti-competitive and these schools prevent upward mobility.
There were no eliminations on Sunday, the last elimination free day until the Monday after Selection Sunday.
341 Teams Remain!
24 Teams Eliminated
Conference Races
America East Conference
Conference games: 16
Teams participating in tournament: 8 of 9
7th - Bryant Bulldogs (5-10)
8th - New Hampshire Wildcats (4-11)
9th - Binghamton Bearcats (4-12) - eliminated 2/28
Binghamton entered the week needing to win both games and get some help elsewhere. The Bearcats did their job. Unfortunately for them Bryant defeated NJIT on Saturday leaving the Bearcats unable to earn a spot in the America East tournament. The Bearcats season is done. Even if New Hampshire loses on Tuesday, the pair of cats split the season series with the wild ones winning theirs in triple overtime. New Hampshire has the best win out of the two (UMass Lowell) and thus wins the potential tiebreaker.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: Maine, New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, NJIT
American Conference
Conference games: 18
Teams participating in tournament: 10 of 13
9th - Memphis Tigers (7-9)
10th - Temple Owls (7-9)
11th - Rice Owls (6-10)
12th - East Carolina Pirates (6-10)
13th - UTSA Roadrunners (1-16) - eliminated 2/18
Florida Atlantic and North Texas had good weeks to move themselves away from the cut-line. This isn't super shocking considering both programs really underachieved for much of the season.
Memphis has imploded. After starting American play at 7-4, they've lost 5 straight (and a non-conference game to Utah State) while being mostly non-competitive. All of a sudden, they are the ones being chased by Rice & East Carolina. It's a similar story for Temple who started the American at 7-3 before losing 6 straight. At least the Owls losses have been close. The latest to Rice was particularly damaging as it came at home and allowed the other Owls to peck their way back into the race.
On Sunday, Rice defeated Temple while East Carolina smacked around Memphis. Good job making the American race go the distance.
This week, Rice gets North Texas and last place UTSA. A fairly promising slate compared to the rest of the American hopefuls. but they need to win both to have a shot. The tiebreakers are unkind to Rice. East Carolina has a more challenging path with second place Tulsa and then UAB.
Memphis will try to hold on to their spot despite games against conference leader South Florida and the underrated Tulane. Temple also faces Tulane in addition to Tulsa.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: None
Atlantic Coast Conference
Conference games: 18
Teams participating in tournament: 15 of 18
15th - Pittsburgh Panthers (4-12)
16th - Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-12)
17th - Boston College Eagles (3-13)
18th - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-14) - eliminated 2/28
Stanford and Wake Forest both got wins this week to secure their spots in the ACC tournament. Notre Dame suffered their worst home loss since their inaugural season but rebounded by stunning NC State in overtime on Saturday. Pitt kept pace with the Irish by winning at Cal.
Georgia Tech has lost 10 in a row and has bad tiebreakers. They were eliminated following their loss and Notre Dame's win on Saturday. Boston College stayed alive by knocking off Wake Forest on Wednesday.
Boston College will play Virginia Tech and then Notre Dame this week. The Irish get Stanford before finishing with the Eagles. Pitt has Florida State and Syracuse.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: None
Big West
Conference games: 20
Teams participating in tournament: 8 of 11
8th - Cal Poly Mustangs (9-9)
9th - Long Beach State Beach (5-13) - eliminated 2/26
10th - UC Riverside Highlanders (5-14) - eliminated 2/21
11th - Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (2-16) - eliminated 2/19
Long Beach State had an opportunity few teams get when chasing someone in the standings - a head to head matchup. Giving up 102 points to Cal Poly probably wasn't a great idea.
The Big West tournament contenders are determined, we are just waiting for the bracket to be finalized.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: UC Riverside (eliminated)
Conference USA
Conference games: 20
Teams participating in tournament: 10 of 12
8th - Missouri State Bears (7-11)
9th - Florida International Panthers (7-11)
10th - New Mexico State Aggies (6-12)
11th - UTEP Miners (6-12)
12th - Delaware Blue Hens (5-13)
Florida International defeated Louisiana Tech on Saturday to get to seven wins. Combined with New Mexico State, UTEP, and Delaware continuing to lose (two losses each this week), FIU now sits in good shape. New Mexico State holds the head to head tiebreaker over UTEP.
This week both New Mexico State and UTEP play Jacksonville State and Kennesaw State. If either does better than the other they should be in great shape. Delaware has to face Sam Houston State and Louisiana Tech. They will need to win both games to have a chance to make the CUSA tournament.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: None
Ivy League
Conference games: 14
Teams participating in tournament: 4 of 8
4th - Cornell Big Red (7-6)
5th - Dartmouth Big Green (5-8) eliminated 2/28
6th - Princeton Tigers (5-8) - eliminated 2/27
7th - Columbia Lions (5-8) - eliminated 2/28
8th - Brown Bears (3-10) - eliminated 2/27
The Ivy League field is set over following four eliminations across Friday and Saturday.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: None
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Conference games: 20
Teams participating in tournament: 10 of 13
11th - Niagara Purple Eagles - eliminated 2/20
12th - Canisius Golden Griffins - eliminated 2/15
13th - Rider Broncs - eliminated 2/15
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: Quinnipiac, Merrimack, Sacred Heart
Mid-American Conference
Conference games: 18
Teams participating in tournament: 8 of 13
7th - Central Michigan Chippewas (6-10)
8th - Buffalo Bulls (6-10)
9th - UMass Minutemen (6-11)
10th - Ball State Cardinals (5-11)
11th - Western Michigan Eagles (4-12)
12th - Northern Illinois Huskies (4-12)
13th - Eastern Michigan Broncos (4-12)
Central Michigan helped themselves out by overcoming Buffalo in Buffalo. The victory leapfrogs them into 7th place.
UMass has now lost six in a row with three of those occurring in overtime. They host Ohio on Tuesday.
Ball State slaughtered Northern Illinois 79-43 on Saturday. Combined with their overtime victory midweek against UMass they appear to be the only team making a push for a MAC tournament slot.
Northern Illinois and Buffalo lost twice this week with Eastern suffered only a single defeat thanks to having the weekend off.
Western Michigan also split the week. They have the most convoluted path to the 8 seed out of the remaining teams - a six way tie for 8th appears to be their path forward.
Games this week:
Eastern Michigan plays Buffalo and Bowling Green
Buffalo also gets Toledo after Eastern Michigan
Northern Illinois tackles Kent State and Akron
Western gets Ball State plus Kent State
Ball State faces Western Michigan and Central Michigan
The Chippewas also see Akron
UMass has the single game against Ohio
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: None
Northeast Conference
Conference games: 18
Teams participating in tournament: 8 of 10
T3rd - Le Moyne Dolphins (10-8)*
T3rd - Mercyhurst Lakers (10-8)*
5th - New Haven Chargers (9-9)*^
8th - Wagner Seahawks (7-10)
9th - Chicago State Cougars (5-13)
10th - Saint Francis Red Flash (5-13)
^ineligible for NEC tournament
*ineligible for NCAA tournament
Chicago Sate survives to play in the NEC tournament despite the loss on Saturday. They edge out Saint Francis by virtue of having a victory over second place Central Connecticut.
Saint Francis ends their Division I tenure without a postseason just one year after winning the NEC tournament. The Red Flash are headed to Division III.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: Stonehill, Chicago State, Le Moyne, Mercyhurst, New Haven
Ohio Valley Conference
Conference games: 20
Teams participating in tournament: 8 of 11
7th - Little Rock Trojans (9-11)
8th - Eastern Illinois Panthers (8-12)
9th - Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (8-12) - eliminated 2/28
10th - Southern Indiana Screamin' Eagles (4-16) - eliminated 2/14
11th - Western Illinois Leathernecks (1-19) - eliminated 2/12
Headed into Saturday, we had a three way tie for 7th place with only two teams able to advance. Little Rock took care of business against Southern Indiana to move to 9-11 while Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech both lost.
Eastern Illinois won both matchups between them and Tennessee Tech this season so they advanced.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: Lindenwood, Tennessee Martin, Western Illinois (eliminated), and Southern Indiana (eliminated)
Southland Conference
Conference games: 22
Teams participating in tournament: 8 of 12
7th - Northwestern State Demons (8-13)
8th - Lamar Cardinals (7-14)
9th - Houston Christian Huskies (7-14)
10th - Incarnate Word Cardinals (7-14)
11th - East Texas A&M Lions (6-15) - eliminated 2/28
12th - Southeastern Louisiana Lions (5-16) - eliminated 2/24
Northwestern State knocked off Incarnate Word last Monday 54-49 to put themselves up at the 8 win marker. They fell to Corpus-Christi on Saturday to prevent them from securing their Southland tournament spot.
Houston Christian won at East Texas A&M Monday 69-68 before getting crushed by Stephen F. Austin over the weekend.
Lamar extended their losing streak to 7 with two losses this week by losing to Incarnate Word on Saturday.
The pride of Southland Lions were eliminated this week. First Southeastern Louisiana was eliminated Monday as they found themselves two games back with two to play. East Texas A&M was eliminated Saturday as they found themselves one game back with one to play. Unfortunately for both teams Houston Christian and Lamar face off in the final game of the season guaranteeing one of them will get to 8 wins.
Tonight, Houston Christian hosts Lamar, Incarnate Word needs a miracle home win over conference leader Stephen F. Austin, and Northwestern State travels to the Vaqueros.
Never Made the Tournament Club Members: Incarnate Word, Texas Rio Grande Valley, East Texas A&M (eliminated)
The List
365 - New Haven Chargers (transitioning)
364 - West Georgia Wolves (transitioning)
363 - Mercyhurst Lakers (transitioning)
362 - Le Moyne Dolphins (transitioning)
361 - Coppin State Eagles (APR)
360 - Western Illinois Leathernecks (eliminated from OVC contention 2/12)
359 - Southern Indiana Screamin' Eagles (eliminated from OVC contention 2/14)
358 - Rider Broncs (eliminated from MAAC contention 2/15)
357 - Canisius Golden Griffins (eliminated from MAAC contention 2/15)
356 - Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (eliminated from American contention 2/18)
355 - Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (eliminated from Big West contention 2/19)
354 - Niagara Purple Eagles (eliminated from MAAC contention 2/20)
353 - UC Riverside Highlanders (eliminated from Big West contention 2/21)
352 - Southeastern Louisiana Lions (eliminated from Southland contention 2/23)
351 - Long Beach State Beach (eliminated from Big West contention 2/26)
350 - Brown Bears (eliminated from Ivy contention 2/27)
349 - Princeton Tigers (eliminated from Ivy contention 2/27)
348 - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (eliminated from ACC contention 2/28)
347 - Saint Francis Red Flash (eliminated from NEC contention 2/28)
346 - Binghamton Bearcats (eliminated from America East contention 2/28)
345 - Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (eliminated from OVC contention 2/28)
344 - East Texas A&M (eliminated from Southland contention 2/28)
343 - Dartmouth Big Green (eliminated from Ivy contention 2/28)
342 - Columbia Lions (eliminated from Ivy contention 2/28)
