Two Team Enter.... One Team Leave...

This weekend features several battles to the Buffet Line Death..

Waiting Line Elimination Games...

The 12 Days of Conference Tourneys begin with the people you've never heard of. The Mad-Bomber Jack Leasures, Justin "JT1" Thompson, the Arizona "AZ" Reid, and continues with others -- the west coast version of the Mad-Bomber, former NAU Lumberjacker, Stephen Sir, Pooh Jeter, and an all-time Buffet favorite, Turner Battle (he of the heartbreaking MAC tournament final collapse). But the final 5 days are marked by another Buffet favorite -- the Waiting Line Eliminators.

2 Teams Enter. One Team Leaves.

We've already witnessed one likely Eliminator -- Syracuse's Houdini 2nd half -- giving up 55 second half points and losing by 20 points in a critical game is not only likely to turn the committee off but is the surest-fire way to lose the Buffet's respect. The Buffet disagrees with pundits who say the Syracuse game was a win and in for Villanova, the Buffet still believes they need at least one more, or at least a non-Syracuse showing against them.

**And for any readers who argue that major conference teams have better talent, a better shot at doing something, and more of them should go than small conference teams -- do the Buffet a favor, stop losing crucial games by 19 points inside the very state you are from (and on a court you play on several times) -- if these teams simply won more, the argument wouldn't exist**

The other morning Eliminator saw Dayton do everything they could to ruin their excellent season start, blowing their 9-point halftime lead, and then scoring only 8 points in OT, luckily, they gave up 7, and which leads them to their quarterfinal game, which just happens to leads us to...

The Elimination Slate:

Wednesday, March 12

Providence vs. West Virginia, Big East opening round -- (currently airing on ESPN, Providence leads 26-21 at the 3:28 TV timeout) -- some experts consider this to be a "Bubble" game. The Buffet does not, it has extended an invitation for West Virginia to leave the Waiting Line and enter the Buffet, plate in hand. If WVU wants to try avoiding being a double-digit seed, however, they should probably not lose to PC, even if the team is filled with several total chillers from Rhode Island.

Fordham v. St. Joe's, Atlantic 10 opening round -- (currently airing on WFUV (90.7 FM) Public Radio in New York City, 14-11 Saint Joseph's, early in the first half) -- this is an Eliminator, this is NOT a qualifier. And its a bad draw for St. Joe's, even though they took out Fordham by 15 at home in February, held Fordham to 37% shooting, and shot 51% themselves, anytime you have 40 minutes to face a team with a player the caliber of Bryan Dunston, conference tourney games can become dicey. St. Joe's stumbled mightily down the stretch, this Fordham game is a must, the Hawks lost 6 of 9 down the stretch, and the non-league losses (Creighton, Charlotte, Gonzaga, Syracuse) took a big hit with Syracuse's 20 point debacle this morning, as only Gonzaga is a tourney team. St. Joe's has to get this one, beat Richmond (a fairly easy draw for the Hawks, if they can control Dunston), and then we'll revisit come Friday and a matchup with Xavier (if Xavier defeats Dayton)

Oregon St. at Arizona, Pacific 10 opening -- Wow. Tucson is a circus. Lute Olson is coming back. Which is apparently news to Kevin O'Neill since the two don't speak. Also, Lute has been holding player meetings, where he publicly airs his displeasure that O'Neill has gone to set plays and man-to-man defense, as opposed to Lute's motion sets and zone D. Now I understand, Lute has the track record, but didn't he turn his team over to O'Neill, so he could take the double-secret probation leave of absence? It's not like Kevin O'Neill won a sweepstakes to become the next UofA coach, O'Neill has coached before, in college, in the NBA, under Lute, and now over Lute -- should Lute have anticipated that O'Neill was going to implement what he has always implemented? Apparently, O'Neill may not be the golden successor anymore -- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/seth_davis/03/04/arizona/index.html --

In any event -- Arizona played the nation's #2 schedule, and 6th toughest non-conference slate. They swept Washington St, won at UNLV and Southern Cal, and beat Texas A&M (although that A&M win is dwindling in power) -- also, and unknownst to the Buffet if the Committee will account for this, but the November 3pt Virginia home loss came at a time when the Sean Singletary Experience was playing out-of-their minds (think Circa 2003 Florida November Basketball). Also, Nic Wise & Jarryd Bayless have missed a variety of game (UofA is 15-5 when both play), and it'll be up to Dan Guerrero (UCLA AD and committee member) to educate the cmte on this. UofA CANNOT lose to Oregon St if they want to keep their bid. The Stanford game is not must-win, but San Diego & Western Kentucky's autobids did not help their cause.

Thursday's Eliminators to come...