Conference Tournaments

• Mulva

  

  It's that time of year. Horizon and Big South tournaments start 3/1.
  
  Coastal Carolina is the obvious favorite in the Big South at 26-4 (16-2), but lost 2 of their final 4 regular season games. They open with Gardener-Webb... who was one of those 2 teams that beat them.
  
  I'd kind of like to see Detroit make a run in the Horizon, only because I'd like to get a chance to see Ray McCallum play. Kid's supposed to be a player and potential future lottery pick.
  
  Probably not too much interest in these smaller conference games, but I figured I'd get it started anyway.
• Laley23

  

  McCallum is good! If his dad didn't leave IU with Sampson and subsequently get the Detroit job, he would be playing at a big time program. Eli Holman is an IU transfer as well on Detroit with a lot of game.
• wildcats20

  

  Is McCallum the kid who turned down all the big schools to play for his dad?
• SportsAndLady

  

  wildcats20;695528 wrote:Is McCallum the kid who turned down all the big schools to play for his dad?

  
  No I think you're thinking of Trey Ziegler from Central Michigan, who turned down big time schools to play for his dad at CMU.
• dtdtim

  Both of them turned down offers to play for their dads, I think. I'm pretty sure the McCallum kid also considered Florida?
  
  I like the smaller conference tournaments. Most of these teams realize that it is their only shot at getting into the NCAA tournament and there are some pretty good games between the mid-major teams. The Southern and the MAAC come to mind as good smaller conference tournaments with pretty good semis/finals.
• Azubuike24

  

  Coastal Carolina's best player Desmond Holloway was suspended indefinitely a couple weeks ago and that has really hurt them. They were a decent sleeper with him. Still the favorite without him, but not the same threat. They also lost their starting point guard to a torn ACL so they definitely aren't what they could have been.
• Laley23

  

  wildcats20;695528 wrote:Is McCallum the kid who turned down all the big schools to play for his dad?

  
  Ziegler also did. McCallum at one point was ranked 25th in the country. Had offers from Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Arizona, and UCLA, and was recruited or looked at by some others. But it was apparant immediately he was following has pops. I think he ended up ranked idn the top 50 still, but did fall out of 5 star status.
  
  Edit: just looked on Rivals and he was 43rd in last years final rankings.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Laley23;695761 wrote:I think he ended up ranked idn the top 50 still, but did fall out of 5 star status.

  
  Prime example of why those ranking systems are so flawed...you drop out of the top 50 if you break a hand or something...not when you decide to go to a school that probably won't make your source (yahoo, espn, etc.) a lot of money.
• Laley23

  

  SportsAndLady;695763 wrote:Prime example of why those ranking systems are so flawed...you drop out of the top 50 if you break a hand or something...not when you decide to go to a school that probably won't make your source (yahoo, espn, etc.) a lot of money.

  
  Too be fair he was top 25 when he was a sophomore in HS. He was always ranked around whee he ended up before he committed to his dad. I think the McDonalds AA are way more flawed based on your school. I think Rivals has been pretty damn good at nailing basketball rankings.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Laley23;695767 wrote:Too be fair he was top 25 when he was a sophomore in HS. He was always ranked around whee he ended up before he committed to his dad. I think the McDonalds AA are way more flawed based on your school. I think Rivals has been pretty damn good at nailing basketball rankings.

  
  Yeah you're right, I was definitely thinking of McDonalds AA when I was thinking about rating players based on where they go to school.
• The Answer

  Ray McCallum was a McDonalds AA. I dont believe he had announced for Detroit yet though at the time of the game.
• ironman02

  McCallum might have went to Carolina if Larry Drew II's selfish ass would've transferred out last season. When the Drew II transfer rumors started last season, Roy and his staff were recruiting McCallum hard. Drew II ended up deciding to stay and the Heels backed off. He might have went to Detroit anyway, and it doesn't really matter now since Kendall Marshall is the real deal. McCallum is a great player though.
• Mulva

  

  Coastal Carolina only up 1 at half over Gardner-Webb. Cleveland State is rolling in the Horizon.
  
  Horizon semis/finals could be pretty good. Butler was 2-0 against CSU, and 0-2 against UW-Milwaukee this season.
• rugbywrestler

  Mulva;696371 wrote:Coastal Carolina only up 1 at half over Gardner-Webb. Cleveland State is rolling in the Horizon.
  
  Horizon semis/finals could be pretty good. Butler was 2-0 against CSU, and 0-2 against UW-Milwaukee this season.

  
  Wright State's in a dogfight with Green Bay right now.
• CinciX12

  

  I usually watch quite a bit of these tournaments when I find them on. I have to hold out on them until they get to the semi final stages usually though. It is just an insult to the game of basketball at the quarterfinal and above level normally.
• burt07

  https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ah5m9VzdXGLjdFdGRThpRUxseS0yTTllZ0pjMWptNFE&hl=en#gid=11
  
  The blog only has the brackets updated through the CUSA but this is usually my go to for conference tournament info. Should be updated soon.
• Azubuike24

  

  The Atlantic Sun final is set and it's a good one.
  
  Belmont goes to 28-4, 19-1 in the Atlantic Sun. They will play Friday against Campbell/Lipscomb. Lipscomb is the only A-Sun team to defeat them this year. Their only other 3 losses were to Tennessee twice and Vanderbilt. They may have 30 wins and be dancing.
• Mulva

  

  Azubuike24;698071 wrote:The Atlantic Sun final is set and it's a good one.
  
  Belmont goes to 28-4, 19-1 in the Atlantic Sun. They will play Friday against Campbell/Lipscomb. Lipscomb is the only A-Sun team to defeat them this year. Their only other 3 losses were to Tennessee twice and Vanderbilt. They may have 30 wins and be dancing.

  
  I'm confused. Campbell lost to East Tennessee State, and Friday is the semis.
• sportswizuhrd

  burt07;696924 wrote:https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ah5m9VzdXGLjdFdGRThpRUxseS0yTTllZ0pjMWptNFE&hl=en#gid=11
  
  The blog only has the brackets updated through the CUSA but this is usually my go to for conference tournament info. Should be updated soon.

  
  What blog is this from?
• Azubuike24

  

  Should have been Mercer not Campbell. Simple oversight. The rest is right though...multi-tasking, mis-typing...
• burt07

  It's from the Bracket Board, pretty solid.
• Mulva

  

  First 3 championship games are tomorrow. Belmont will take on the East Tennessee State/North Florida winner in the A-Sun, and Coastal Carolina faces UNC-Asheville in the Big South.
  
  The OVC championship is the 3rd one. Top seeded Murray State trails Tennessee Tech by 5 at the half in the first semifinal there.
  
  And Cleveland State beat Wright State today, so they'll face Butler in the Horizon semis manana as well.
• atomica600

  

  I sometimes like this week better than the NCAA tournament itself. I love watching those smaller schools gut it out in their championship games.
  
  3 tickets punched today:
  
  1. UNC Asheville-Big South
  2. Belmont-Atlantic Sun
  3. Morehead St. - Ohio Valley
  
  Princeton failed to clinch the Ivy League title tonight.
• Azubuike24

  

  A shame about Coastal Carolina. That team at 100% is probably the best mid-major squad in the country. Asheville is an early favorite for one of the play-in games.
  
  Belmont and Morehead State can play though. Both are serious threats to win a game or two.
• Azubuike24

  

  Finals tomorrow:
  
  1. Missouri State vs 3. Indiana State - Missouri Valley Championship
  
  Semifinals tomorrow:
  
  West Coast Conference
  Colonial Athletic Conference
  Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
  Southern Conference
  America East Conference