No other than ESPN’s Joe Lunardi who coined the phrase “bracketology” and developed the “science” behind it has placed Gonzaga within his “last four in” category, representing teams which he believes should still make the tournament at the rate that they are playing.[1] Of course, beating St. Mary’s tonight on the road would be huge for the Zags whose fans have been on the edge of their seats over the past few weeks.

Let’s take a look at how the other “precipice teams” are faring and review the prospects of several other bubble sitters:

Baylor — Losing to Texas Tech hurt the Bears as did its much earlier in the season loss to Gonzaga. If it came down to Bears v. Zags, Gonzaga would go to the dance. Last night’s game against Missouri (too late for this publication) would have bolstered Baylor’s chances if they won. In any case, Baylor needs to pull off some upsets down the line to keep their fading chances alive.

Richmond – The Spiders have a signature win over the Purdue Boilermakers, but they are behind Xavier and Temple in the Atlantic 10 conference. That may not be good enough for Richmond as the A10 seems likely only to send two teams to the Big Dance this year. Yes, Richmond may end up being one of the very few 25 win schools whose hopes on post season play rest squarely on an N.I.T. invite.

Illinois — The Illini beat Gonzaga in December and have also beaten Wisconsin. Two quality wins, but at 17-11, they may have to win two more regular season games and hope that Minnesota continues to choke. Either scenario alone may be enough to help Illinois get in.

New Mexico — Three consecutive losses (last night’s game against UNLV not included) have hurt the Lobos who now find themselves as a tournament long shot. You can blame teams such as Butler and Memphis for getting hot down the stretch, forcing everyone to shake up their own bracket projections, perhaps removing New Mexico from post season consideration completely.

The Rest — Besides Butler and Memphis helping their respective causes, Maryland and Boston College may make it in, perhaps both. UAB, Tennessee and Valparaiso are other schools sitting on the bubble, teams with a ratings percentage index (RPI) below 50. Oddly, the Ivy League may place two teams in the tournament this year as both Harvard (#40) and Princeton (#54) have good RPIs.

About 10 days remain in the regular season for most teams with conference tournaments pending. Bubble teams can improve their respective positions by finishing strong down the stretch. Of course, winning a tournament is an excellent alternative as 31 tournament and conference champions will be awarded automatic bids this year.[2]

References

[1] ESPN: Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology

[2] SayCampusLife.com: NCAA Bubble Watch: Precipice Teams

Most of the big conferences will snap up a significant portion of the 37 at-large berths. The Big East Conference may place eight teams in the tournament, with other conferences securing perhaps 4, 5 or 6 spots. We’re looking at perhaps seven spots up for grabs come “Selection Sunday,” with the following teams holding destiny in their hands:

Gonzaga — Long the darling of NCAA upstart faithful, Gonzaga’s Cinderella status is no more. Credit higher expectations each year for cracking that crown, which means opponents go into each contest against the Zags expecting a full blown fight. The West Coast conference is not strong enough to win two post season berths, putting the 17-9 Zags in a position where they have to win out their remaining games.

Richmond – The Spiders are 20-6 and just behind Temple and Xavier for the Atlantic 10 lead. The team’s current position suggests that they would make the tournament, but finishing strong can certainly help Richmond’s portfolio. Xavier and Temple will get in, but a third Atlantic 10 team isn’t always a guarantee.

Illinois — The Illini are in fourth place in the Big Ten, which in most years would mean a post season bid for that finisher. However, the teams in the middle of the pack have been beating each other up this year and Illinois is just 7-6 in the conference and 17-9 overall. Losses on the road to Ohio State and Purdue seem likely, leaving three games at home against Michigan State, Iowa and Indiana as must wins.

Baylor — The Big East gets a disproportionate amount of attention, but it is the Big 12 with the two top-rated teams in the nation: Texas and Kansas. Texas A&M and Missouri are also ranked, but there is a significant drop off in tournament readiness with Baylor, Nebraska and Kansas State battling for one more place. Baylor is 17-8 and has four challenging games left. Getting to 20 wins is critical, if not a long shot.

New Mexico — The Mountain West conference boasts a pair of top ten teams: San Diego State and Brigham Young. Colorado State and UNLV are likely to make the post season, putting 17-9 New Mexico in a precarious situation. Lucky for the Lobos the conference’s power ratings are up among the elite which means that if New Mexico finishes strong and does well in the tournament, they may receive an invite.

The bubble watch is subject to change with current hot prospects possibly bursting and new bubbles forming. Forget the game: the behind the scenes anticipation trumps court action. Or not.

For instance….

Michigan 67, Illinois 65

Navy 76, East Carolina 35

Duke 55, Virginia 48

Sure, these were only a small number of the games played, but these scores are indicative of a trend we’re seeing — offense is in and defense is, well, becoming more difficult to find.

The Michigan game wasn’t too much of a surprise given the team’s inability to find much success on defense. The Wolverines have one of the most prolific offenses, but their defense is woeful. Still, when it counted, Michigan blitzed Fighting Illini QB Nathan Scheelhaase when he attempted to go for a two-point conversion, ending the game. In 131years of Michigan football, this was the most points put up in a game.

Navy isn’t an FBS powerhouse, but they do give some teams fits with their triple-option offense. On Saturday, East Carolina learned that mistake will cost you, finding its half-time deficit increased from 28-21 to 45-21 based on three miscues. That Navy put up the most points it has ever scored against a major college team is notable, but doing it against one of the better teams in Conference USA is remarkable.

Duke played Navy the week before and quickly learned that going up 24-0 against the Midshipmen is no guarantee of a victory. Following its 34-31 win, Duke outscored Virginia 55-48 in regulation.

The fans don’t seem to mind high scoring games as long as their team is still in the battle. Once the Pirates fell far behind the Midshipmen, fans began to leave. Had they stayed longer, they would have seen East Carolina score two touchdowns. Then again, Navy still had another 31 points to score.

The biggest statement on Saturday wasn’t the score of these three games. Rather, it was the showdown between TCU and Utah where the Horned Frogs prevailed on the road 47 to 7. That game legitimized TCU as a national title contender although if the season were to end today, Oregon would play Auburn. Boise State continues to win too, but they’ll need some help if they’re to get a shot for the national title.

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Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts recently celebrated its 175th commencement, welcoming NBC news anchor and journalist Ann Curry to the school to address its 405 graduates and their guests.

Other Wheaton

But in her commencement address the “Today” show host mistakenly referenced notable alumni from the “other” Wheaton school, the Illinois based Christian evangelical school attended by Billy Graham, Dennis Hastert and Wes Craven. Those “Wheaton” grads were among five “distinguished alumni” who did not graduate from the Massachusetts school although Curry did correctly cite Lesley Stahl as someone who is an alumnus.

Following her speech Curry received a standing ovation, but soon learned she had referenced graduates from the wrong college. In short order, Curry issued a heartfelt written apology to the school which they quickly accepted.

Curry said in her apology, “I am mortified by my mistake, and can only hope the purity of my motive, to find a way to connect with the graduates and to encourage them to a life of service, will allow you to forgive me.”

Liberal Arts

Both Wheaton schools are liberal arts institutions, but the Illinois Wheaton is based on Christian values while the Massachusetts school is secular. The Massachusetts college was founded as a school for women, welcoming men for the first time in 1988, years after most of the alumni mentioned would have graduated.

Though the Wheaton schools will quickly put this issue behind them, someone else likely wrote the speech for Curry and should be admonished for improper fact checking. Curry’s position as a journalist means she is familiar with verifying facts and though her apology has been accepted, the question remains: what other information presented by Curry on the Today show may not have been properly researched?

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Incoming IIT students will receive an Apple iPad this fall.

Quick! Plan on registering for fall classes at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago if getting a brand spanking new Apple iPad is important for your education experience.

Apple iPads

The Chicago school announced earlier this week that all incoming freshmen students will receive an Apple iPad as part of that school’s initiative to integrate new technologies into the classroom in a build to promote innovation among faculty members and students. Many technical colleges and universities have long since required or offered laptops to students in an effort to keep students and staff connected. IIT is believed to be the first university to offer Apple iPads for new students.

IIT Provost Alan Cramb explained the reasons why the school has chosen the iPad saying, “University education is much different today as compared to even ten years ago. Students live in a world where technology is seamlessly integrated into virtually every aspect of their lives, where information and collaboration are available anywhere, anytime. IIT is committed to providing students with the tools and support to thrive in a constantly evolving technological landscape.”

IIT App

The university has plans to release its own app for iPhone/iPod and iPad that provides students and visitors with access to news, events, maps, course listings, and more. The application will also enable the university to push emergency alerts straight to iPod/iPhone/iPad devices, heightening the current emergency alert capability through SMS text email and voice messages.

Apple is selling the iPad through its store for $499 with a carrying case costing $39 and a keyboard retailing for $69. IIT hasn’t said whether students will get these or other features with their devices or whether students will be charged a separate monthly charge for a connection.

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Photo Credit: Glenn Fleishman

With Selection Sunday just 12 days away, several teams remain on the cusp as the regular season winds down and conference tourney play begins. Smaller conferences are already gearing up for their tournament runs with those first games scheduled this weekend.

Fun Five

Several games this week could help polish the resumes of teams likely bound for the tournament while a number of match ups could allow some teams on the bubble to prove whether they belong in the field of 65 or not. 34 bids are awarded to conference slots with the remaining 31 consisting of “at large” schools. At least two dozen of these positions are probably already decided leaving just ten slots available.

Games you are going to want to watch this week:

Illinois (18-11) at Ohio State (23-7) – Beating the Buckeyes at Columbus would be huge for the Illini, a win that would likely punch their ticket for the post season. After that, it is a home game against the Wisconsin Badgers (21-7), not a sure victory either. Win both games and the Illini can play much more relaxed basketball during the Big Ten tournament.

Connecticut (17-12) at Notre Dame (19-10) – The Huskies were on everyone’s list of tournament bound teams at the beginning of the season, but Big East conference play has been tough for UConn. At 7-9 in the Big East, the Huskies aren’t likely to get to the tournament unless they beat the Irish and South Florida (17-11) for their last two regular season games and win at least one game in the Big East tournament. Notre Dame is in if they win; South Florida is in if they win and advance at least one round in the tournament too.

NC State (16-13) at Virginia Tech (21-7) – Once considered a virtual lock three games back, the Hokies have lost three straight and need to get a monkey off of their backs by knocking off the Wolfpack at home. There are four ACC teams breathing down the Hokies back; a late season collapse could mean that the VT is out while those currently following are in. Hokie junior guard Malcolm Delaney needs to have the kind of game he had against Wake Forest last month when he scored 31 points.

Charlotte (19-9) at Rhode Island (20-7) – The fourteen team Atlantic 10 will send Temple and Xavier to the NCAA tournament with Richmond at 22-7 having a decent shot. There is a possibility a fourth A10 team will get in, which likely means that Wednesday’s match up between the 49ers and Rams will eliminate one team from content. By the way, Saint Louis (19-9) and Dayton (19-9) are also on the bubble. A Saint Louis victory over the #16 Temple Owls (24-5) helps their case.

Oklahoma State (20-8) at Texas A&M (20-8) – In all likelihood the Cowboys secured an at large bid by beating then #1 Kansas at home on Saturday. But if they lose to the Aggies, are upset by the Huskers and collapse in the first round of the Big 12 tournament, that win against KU may mean that the selection committee won’t be interested in a 20-11 Cowboy team. But that’s a doubtful scenario as junior guard James Anderson will continue to make a huge impact for OU.

March Madness

Of course, even after this week’s action is over, several teams will emerge and others will find themselves submerged. A handle of conference upsets will scramble the field further which means those team’s in the driver’s seat need to keep winning if they have a chance of being a part of March Madness.

Opportunities For College Students

By a vote of 235-187, H.R. 2410 passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday, a bill that will double the size of the Peace Corps; provide scholarships for students from various regions around the world to study in the U.S.; increase the authorization for the U.S. Department of State’s educational and cultural exchange programs; authorize the hiring of an additional 1,500 foreign service officers over the next two years; improve the State Department’s tools for recruiting and training these officers; and require the president to issue a report to Congress on plans to streamline U.S. export controls to better serve the needs of the U.S. scientific and research communities.

Quoting NAFSA (Association of International Educators) Executive Director and CEO Marlene M. Johnson concerning the passage of the bill, “NAFSA commends Representative Berman and the House of Representatives for their leadership on this legislation that provides a much-needed boost in our capacity to engage with the world. We especially applaud the inclusion of the Simon Study Abroad Act, which will increase fourfold the number of students studying abroad each year in quality programs across the globe and will ensure that our college graduates have the skills they need to meet today’s global demands.”

Off To The U.S. Senate

The bill is now heading to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a vote. The Senate version of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act of 2009 (S.473) was introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) earlier this year. President Barack H. Obama has promised to sign the final version of the bill when it placed before him.

So if you’re someone who has always wanted to study abroad and didn’t have the means to do so, the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act may open up the door for you to do just that.

Source: NAFSA: Association of International Educators

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No, it wasn’t the Fighting Illini’s 47-21 Saturday gridiron thrashing of in-state rival, EIU, rather it was the Sunday decision by eight credit unions to join with two state agencies to create a $100 million aid fund for students.

Overcoming The Current Credit Crunch

The fund was established to help students who are currently having difficulty getting credit to obtain student loans in the face of tougher borrowing restrictions imposed by lenders as a result of the current economic climate. As many as 20,000 students are expected to be helped through the fund, especially those with low incomes.

In a prepared statement, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevick said, “This financing package will enable thousands of students to attend college this year, knowing they can pay their tuition.”

Students who need additional funding assistance can also ask their parents to apply for a PLUS loan or apply for help from Sallie Mae. PLUS loans allow parents to borrow as much as 100% of college costs which includes tuition, room and board, books, and related fees.

Speaking of Football…

Getting back to football, Illinois’ pounding of EIU was just the right medicine the team needed following its 52-42 opening week loss to #6 Missouri.

Last week, Illinois was able to keep pace with Missouri, but they still yielded 549 yards, not quite as bad as the 633 ceded to USC in a 49-17 Rose Bowl drubbing last year, but still a major concern. On Saturday, the Illini still gave up well over 400 all purpose yards to EIU, but with Louisiana-Lafayette next up, the team will have an extra week to pound a weaker opponent, letting Juice Williams rack up additional yardage and scores while giving the defense a chance to get everything right before the team embarks to Happy Valley on September 27th to take on the Nittany Lions.

(Source: State of Illinois)