November 9, 2006

2006-07 VITALE NCAA FIELD OF 65:

It is time to go out and make my bold predictions. Picking a field of 65 isn't easy in this day and age because there are a lot of talented teams. The NCAA selection committee has its work cut out for it. Of course, injuries can take a toll on a team.

Here is my projected list of 65 teams going to the 2007 big dance. There were a number of very difficult decisions in compiling this:

ACC (7): North Carolina, Duke, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Maryland, Virginia Tech

AMERICA EAST (1): Albany

A-10 (2): Xavier, Massachusetts

ATLANTIC SUN (1): Lipscomb

BIG TEN (4): Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan

BIG EAST (7): Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, Syracuse, Louisville

BIG SKY (1): Northern Arizona

BIG SOUTH (1): Winthrop

BIG 12 (6): Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas Tech

BIG WEST (1): Long Beach State

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (1): Hofstra

CONFERENCE USA (1): Memphis

HORIZON (1): Loyola-Illinois

IVY (1): Pennsylvania

MAAC (1): Marist

MAC (2): Akron, Toledo

MEAC (1): Delaware State

MID-CONTINENT (1): Oral Roberts

MISSOURI VALLEY (4): Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Creighton, Missouri State

MOUNTAIN WEST (2): San Diego State, BYU

NORTHEAST (1): Robert Morris

OHIO VALLEY (1): Samford

PAC-10 (4): UCLA, Arizona, Washington, Oregon

PATRIOT (1): Holy Cross

SEC (5): Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU

SOUTHERN (1): Appalachian State

SOUTHLAND (1): Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

SUN BELT (1): Western Kentucky

SWAC (1): Southern

WAC (2): Nevada, New Mexico State

WCC (1): Gonzaga

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.