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As we bid adieu to Vermont once again, it's time to reevaluate the Cinderella Watch. Exactly what are we watching? Teams who can pull off an upset, or two, in the NCAA Tournament, or teams that are simply Cinderella stories by making the NCAA Tournament?
Vermont falls into the second category, as do most Cinderella stories. But the NCAA Tournament draws closer, the Cinderella Watch should be looking, forecasting even, those teams that could become a Cinderella story in the NCAA Tournament. So, we've shifted gears a little this week.
And that means saying good bye to the Catamounts on a permanent basis. Vermont's fans put up the good fight each week to stay on the Watch, but we know when to close the book. We still hold a special place in our hearts for the 'Cats, and will keep watching 'em as they fight for bid out of the American East. But it's time to leave the space available for familiar aliases to Cinderella in March.
To view last week's vote results and read e-mails sent in last week in support of teams not on the Watch this week, click here. For those still new to the Watch, here is how it works: ESPN.com picks eight teams each week leading up to the NCAA Tournament. Teams can move off the Watch for three reasons:
1. Promotion: The team moves from being a Cinderella story to a favorite. Call it the "Gonzaga Rule."
2. Demotion: The team plays so poorly its status of making the tourney is in jeopardy. You can't be a Cinderella if you don't go to the dance.
3. The poll: In the spirit of democracy, the lowest vote-getter each week is removed from the Watch, no questions asked.
But be sure to follow along each week, these lists tend to change quite frequently. And, as always, we want your thoughts, compliments or gripes about this week's Watch. Click here to submit an e-mail. We'll post the best user responses with each week's Cinderella Watch.
Here is this week's list of teams we're watching. The RPI rankings are from Feb. 15 and team records are through Feb. 14 games.
Talk about nearly winding up in the dog house. What is it about the Bulldogs and playing at home? Two of Butler's three losses have come on its own court and it nearly dropped a third last week to lowly UW-Green Bay. But a narrow 77-74 victory, which featured nine ties and 27 lead change, kept Butler tied with a surging UW-Milwaukee atop the Horizon and extended its latest winning streak to seven games. Speaking of UW-Milwaukee, the Panthers' three conferences losses have come by a combined six points, including a one-point setback at Butler, which adds up to a dangerous team in the Horizon tournament. Don't worry, we've got our eyes on both.
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CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE
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Record
19-4 Overall
14-1 NEC
RPI
No. 73
Marquee Wins
None
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Like the Bulldogs, the Blue Devils got a scare in their only game last week. But this time, at least the foe was formidable. Defending NEC champion Monmouth took Central into overtime before the Devils escaped Jersey with a 63-62 victory. The victory was CCSU's 11th in a row (third-best in the country, behind a pair of fellow Cinderella Watch teams) and 14th straight in the NEC. Down 30-7 to start the game, this victory can be traced to an unlikely hero -- sophomore Ricardo Scott, who hit seven 3-pointers and finished with 29 points. Scott entered the game averaging just under 13 points a contest and had made just 22 treys before making 7 of 12 bombs in 38 minutes. Central remains the odds-on favorite to not only host the NEC title game, but make its second NCAA appearance in three years.
Well, we knew the trip to Ruston, La., could pose a problem for the Warriors and our suspicions were right. At least Hawaii is back on the Island for the next week -- a week that features its showdown with co-leader Tulsa. Before the Golden Hurricane, however, the Warriors have a score to settle with San Jose State, which pays a visit to the Island. Hawaii has won nine straight at the Stan Sheriff Center and 20 of its last 21 dating back to last season. How is it getting the job done? Well, the Warriors rank 18th nationally in scoring defense, holding teams to just over 62 points a game.
The Golden Flashes won a school record 10th straight game last time out and continue to shine as the class of the MAC heading into the postseason tournament. Kent is now three games up on Bowling Green with five regular season games remaining. But, as we said last week, starting March 4 it's still anyone's guess who'll win the automatic bid. But should Kent fall short (something we've come to expect from MAC division winners), the at-large resume will likely boast 20-plus wins. Even more impressive will be how the Golden Flashes were able to separate themselves from the rest of the MAC over the course of 18 conference games -- something that just doesn't happen very often in the country's most competitive mid-major conference.
Who has the longest winning streak in the country? Yeap, the Waves, at 13 and counting. Pepperdine didn't look ahead, and now can look Gonzaga straight in the eye Saturday. Win or lose, the Waves have shown mental toughness (ie: focus) in winning eight straight games since beating the Zags. Something it may have lacked after beating its SoCal neighbors in 2001. Jimmy Miggins and Devin Montgomery both scored 20 points in the Waves' tuneup at Portland. Pepperdine won for the ninth time this season on the road and have won seven consecutive road games heading into Spokane (ESPN2, 10 ET). Beating Gonzaga in Washington would be bigger than any of its previous wins this season, and all but lock up an at-large bid. But Pepperdine has WCC goals to take care of first.
The Golden Hurricane take the spot normally reserved for the Missouri Valley Conference. But Southern Illinois dropped the ball at SMS and Creighton can't make an argument for this spot, either. So, for at least a week, two WAC teams can be found on the Watch. But, with the pair playing in Hawaii on Feb. 21, one figures the dual membership is short-lived. Tulsa may change coaches more than the IOC changes its figure skating gold medalists, but one thing remains the same, its success. Tulsa has won 20 or more games for four straight seasons under three different coaches (Bill Self and Buzz Peterson before current coach John Phillips). And in its past three trips to the NCAAs (1998-2000), it's made it out of the first round, advancing to the Elite Eight under Self in 2000. Tulsa's 79 wins over the past seasons is second in the nation to only Duke's 87 victories. Another thing Tulsa has in common with Duke? Each won its final game of the 2000-01 season. The Hurricanes, however, hope they won't be around to defend their NIT title.
Utah State fans must be wondering what took so long. The Aggies were on the first Watch of six teams, but when we expanded to eight teams, the Aggies disappeared for three weeks. Well, their back. Likely to stay here a while longer. Technically a half-game behind the Anteaters (still a favorite of the Watch, by the way) in the Big West, the Aggies and Zots split their regular-season meetings (each winning on the other's home court) and both have three conference losses. Utah State gets this spot because of its dominance in-state more than anything else. The RPI remains high, despite playing in one of the lower RPI conferences in the country. The Aggies can't afford to count on an at-large bid, so winning its third straight Big West tournament is a good idea. Tony Brown, who moved into the 10th spot on the Aggies' all-time scoring list this season, continues to shoot lights out from long range, hitting 49.1 percent of his 3-pointers, which ranks 10th nationally. Desmond Penigar is another name to know come March. The forward leads the Aggies in scoring (17.7) and rebounding (7.5).
The Hilltoppers are poised to take quite a streak into the NCAA Tournament. With or without Chris Marcus, WKU has won 12 straight games and could be riding a 17-gamer when it matches up with its first potential "victim". The last two wins, however, were a little tight on the road in Arkansas. Last-place Arkansas State hung around until the end of a 50-46 WKU victory, while Western went into overtime with Arkansas-Little Rock, before escaping 83-79. Since his return produced 15 points in 15 minutes, Chris Marcus was held to just five points in 21 minutes against State after netting 12 in 24 minutes against Little Rock. No cause for concern in the Sun Belt, but the big fella better be at his best next month if the Hilltoppers are going to make some noise.
Ron Buck is the college basketball editor at ESPN.com.
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