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Top of the Arc - February 24, 2009

Feb. 24, 8:45 a.m.: Is Georgetown dead? Almost. The Hoyas hardly deserve mention on the at-large board, but we will include them because they are local. They sit in 12th place in the Big East with a 5-10 conference record after last night’s loss to Louisville. What do they need to do? Win the last three regular season games and the first two games in the Big East tournament to even have a chance.

Each morning, I will post my last four teams in the field and my first teams out. As you can tell, it is very difficult to separate these teams, and selection committee members often differ on which credentials they value most. (SOS means strength of schedule)

LAST FOUR IN
Penn State (19-8, 8-6)
Pros: 5-4 on road, 3 Top 25 wins
Cons: 62 RPI, 85 SOS

Cincinnati (17-10, 7-7)
Pros: Sweep of G-town, 20 SOS
Cons: 0-8 vs. top 25

Maryland (17-9, 6-6)
Pros: two top five victories
Cons: 1-5 on road

Temple (17-9, 9-3)
Pros: RPI 36, 8 road wins
Cons: 1 top 50 win

FIRST TEAMS OUT
Oklahoma State (17-9, 6-6)
Pros: 11 SOS, 31 RPI
Cons: 2-8 vs. top 50

Virginia Tech (16-10, 6-6)
Pros: 4 road wins
Cons: 66 RPI, lost three straight, 2-5 vs. top 50

Miami (16-10, 5-8)
Pros: 9 SOS
Cons: 5-8 in ACC, 2-7 vs. top 50

Kansas State (19-8, 7-5)
Pros: 3-3 vs. top 50, 5-3 on road
Cons: 109 SOS, 75 RPI

Texas A&M (19-8, 5-7)
Pros: 38 RPI
Cons: 0-3 vs. top 25, 5-7 in Big 12

Michigan (17-11, 7-8)
Pros: 18 SOS, 4 top 50 wins
Cons: 7-8 in Big Ten, 2 road wins

Southern California (16-10, 7-7)
Pros: 16 SOS
Cons: 2 road wins, 0 top 25 wins

Providence (16-11, 8-7)
Pros: 8-7 in Big East
Cons: 76 RPI, 1-6 vs. top 50

Notre Dame (15-11, 6-8)
Pros: pounded Louisville, 90-57
Cons: 72 RPI, 6-8 in Big East

Georgetown (14-12, 5-10)
Pros: 1 SOS, won at U-Conn.
Cons: 5-10 in Big East

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