In the final week of college basketball's regular season, many teams took huge steps towards securing their postseason destinies.
Top-ranked Kansas secured one of the best campaigns in recent history, culminating with a 95-92 victory at Missouri on Sunday. With the win, the Jayhawks enter the Big 12 tournament having completed the conference's first ever unblemished regular season. Kansas finished the tough conference schedule with a 16-0 mark, while going 27-2 overall. Regardless of its performance in the conference tournament, Kansas is a surefire number-one seed come March Madness after ending the regular season as the undisputed top team in college basketball.
The Maryland Terps, which scored two ACC wins last week, won its conference outright and enters the ACC Tournament on a collision course with rival Duke. Maryland easily handled Florida State and Virginia, scoring a combined 207 points in the pair of victories. Maryland also ended its tenure on its home court, the famous Cole Field House, with a 112-92 over the Cavaliers. The Terps had their best season ever, finishing number two in the polls with a record of 25-3 overall and 15-1 in the conference.
After dropping a contest to Louisville early in the week, number four Cincinnati bounced back, defeating tournament hopeful Memphis, 80-7. The win clinched the regular season Conference USA title for the Bearcats, who, with a good showing in the conference's tournament could win a top seed in the field of 64.
Out west, the Oregon Ducks won their first Pac-10 title since 1939. The Ducks beat USC and UCLA in consecutive games this week, both of which were decided by fewer than five points. Oregon finished the regular season 22-7 and 14-4 in the conference. UCLA's loss, coupled with an early-week defeat at the hands of Cal, will likely drop the Bruins to sixth place in the PAC-10.
In the Big East, UConn, perhaps the nation's most underrated team, defeated Seton Hall to clinch the East division title. The Huskies finished the regular season 21-6 with a 13-3 conference mark. Pittsburgh won the conference's west division title with an identical 13-3 conference mark, and a school best 25-4 record overall. Pitt will next take to the court on Thursday to face the Boston College/Rutgers winner. Both of those teams rest firmly on the NCAA bubble, and need strong showings in the conference tournament for any shot at a bid to the Big Dance.
Alabama, after wrapping up the SEC Conference Title last week, was blown out by the Ole Miss Rebels, which are making a late season run for the tournament. The Rebels own a meager 1-7 record on the road this season, but finished the season 20-9 and 9-7 in the SEC. After beating Florida 68-51, Ole Miss dropped a three-point game at LSU last Wednesday. A win over Alabama fortified the Rebel's NCAA credentials regardless of their conference tournament performance.
With a 10-0 run to end the game, the University of Illinois defeated Minnesota 67-66, to give the Fighting Illini a four-way share of the Big Ten regular season title. The Illini share the title with Ohio State, Indiana and Wisconsin, in what could be the most interesting conference tournament in the country.
Some teams went long ways last week to cement NCAA Tournament berths. Missouri probably will get in after defeating Oklahoma State early in the week. Despite a tough loss to Kansas, with a good conference tournament, Missouri should receive a tournament bid. Virginia, which witnessed an unprecedented fall from grace late in the season, upset Duke before losing to Maryland. With two wins in the ACC tournament, the Cavaliers also will most likely win a coveted spot. In the Big East, it appears St. Johns will get in despite mediocre talent. B.C., one of the nation's most disappointing teams, has work to do in its conference tournament before sealing a spot.
Nonetheless, it will be another great week of NCAA hoops, as teams play exciting conference tournament games before the real playoffs begin.
