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| Sunday, March 3 Those who also should be Watched ESPN.com |
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After uncovering the ESPN.com supercomputers from the deluge of Cinderella Watch email, we've skimmed off the best responses for your enjoyment and edification.
"How 'bout them Cowboys, I mean the Wyoming Cowboys. This team is the most overlooked, yet feared, team in the Rocky Mountain Region. Why? Currently, they lead the MWC, are loaded with talent, and have the best road record in the Mountain West. Yet, they are on the 'Bubble' and are not on the Cinderella Watch. Come on, people! Look beyond Utah for a change. Wyoming beat Utah in Salt Lake, and when they beat BYU and Utah (which would constitute a series sweep over Utah by the way) I better see them on the Cinderella Watch and off the Bubble to an at-large position. Hopefully, the press biases and the NCAA politics will not hinder the nation from witnessing one of the best teams in the West."
"Well well well, I see that MSU has been left out of the Watch. I don't mean Michigan State, I mean Montana State. Perhaps you have heard of them, they are atop the Big Sky conference and are gaining momentum as the season goes on. We knocked off Hampton and San Diego at our holiday tourney and then went on to topple the other two Big Sky conference contenders on their home courts. If you recall a few years back we made a run at the runner up of the tourney in the first round, one Syracuse with John Wallace. Look for the Cats to make the big dance and maybe land a 13 or 14 seed, and do a bit of party crashing. Cheers."
"At least Pepperdine is getting some credit somewhere. Your readers are right on the money having them as the No. 1 bubble team to watch right now. You are the only place that really even mentions this team that has beaten Gonzaga, UCLA, USC, BYU and was 13-1 in conference play. Pepperdine had one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, but right now is only picked to be an 11 seed in the tournament. I understand the WCC is a weak conference, but with their schedule they have really had a better season than Gonzaga (who have had a pretty weak schedule themselves), yet they get almost no credit. Can you please explain to me why Pepperdine's success is ignored everywhere else?"
"Where is Hampton. This team (was) undefeated in their conference and they still get no respect, and by the way their guys can wipe the floor with most of these teams put Hampton on the list. I am starting up a Hampton Crusade. There should be no conversation with Cinderella and Hampton should not be in it. Come on, what has Western Kentucky, Yale and all these overrated schools done and look at who they played. Now, I admit that Hampton has only played mid-conference teams, but hey, we wipe the floor clean with them too. So give us some respect, or by tournament time you will see the Hampton Extremist Loyalist laugh and say I told ya so "
"Hey, I can't help but notice that everyone seems to be ignoring the UNCW Seahawks. I don't see why they couldn't be on the watch for a Cinderella team. I mean, Joe Lunardi has kept them on the bracket all winter; and they are the CAA champs. Someone needs to talk about Brett Blizzard. This guy is one of the purest shooters I've seen. And the Seahawks have the size to bounce with the big boys with Craig Callihan, Anthony Terrell, and Aaron Coombs. Look, they beat Minnesota and almost beat Wake Forrest. They have a chance to make some noise against one of these perennial early exiters (like UCLA or Indiana). Give some respect to my Seahawks!"
"You take CCSU off the watch and they win three more games, have the longest winning streak in Div I, have the most wins ever in the NEC, have a solid RPI and win there conference. No they do not have a marque win. However, the loss to Oklahoma was early in the year and CCSU was winning that game midway through the second half. Central is a fairly young team and the players have come together well. They have won the close ones and shown an ability to do what it takes to come away with the win where ever they are. Yale goes on the list and drops two. With a 24-4 record, how can the real Blue Devils not be on the Watch?"
"Why can't Penn get any love? We're 21-6 right now with wins against St. Joe's, Temple, Iowa State, Nova, and Georgia Tech. And we have NBA-quality talent (see: Ugonna Unyekwe). We'll probably win the Ivy League and get in any way, but what if we end up 23-7 and don't win the league? By the way, you had Yale as a Cinderella Watch team, and we smashed them."
"Now that the Ivy League has caught your attention with Yale making it onto the Cinderella Watch, you have to look towards the real Ivy champs: Pennsylvania. They started with strong out of conference play, but stumbled into the Ivy season. In the past 3 weeks they have turned it around and are now killing the competition (averaging 21 points over the competition). Look for them to finish off Princeton and make a nice little run in the NCAA Tournament."
"I find it hard to believe that Valparaiso, affectionately called Valpo, is not and has not been on The Watch. Valpo sits at 13-2 in the Mid Continent Conference (not the strongest conference, but consider history), and 21-7 overall, and the key intangible, is led by coach Homer Drew. How quickly we forget the teams that pulled off upsets in the past. Valpo could easily do that again this year as a 14 or 13 seed. They are talented, and mark my words, will give whoever they play in the tourney a battle."
"What about the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, who have already exceeded the preseason expectations of the WAC media polls. La Tech was picked to finish in sixth place, has proven everyone but the loyal Tech fans wrong. Head coach Keith Richard has his team on the verge of a conference title. I don't want to take anything away from the other teams but at least give credit where credit is due."
"I will again write to you in an effort to have Davidson added to the Cinderella Watch. Just this past week, the Wildcats secured the top seed in the Southern Conference tournament. Their RPI has risen from the 80's to about 100 recently, but that should include a loss at VMI after locking up the No. 1 seed with a tough win at the College of Charleston. Earlier in the season, they handed Penn a loss at the Palestra, and if Yale can be in the Watch, there should be no reason to leave Davidson off. They are in no way an option for an at large bid, but that does not seem to be a requirement to be in the Watch. They are 18-9 and 11-5 in the Southern Conference with a couple of those losses to NCAA tourney teams like Duke and Charlotte (and St. Bonaventure, but where they will be postseason is TBD). In the end, the 'Cats have a better chance of knocking off a four or five seed than any team from the Ivy League -- and for that matter, many of the of the automatic bid conferences -- exactly what you are looking for in a Cinderella team."
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