History taken away.

Brackets all over the nation were almost busted within the first three hours of the NCAA Tournament.

That's because the the 15th seeded Robert Morris Colonials held an eight point lead over the 2nd seeded Villanova Wildcats with three minutes remaining. Scottie Reynolds had only one field goal at this point but was in double-digits for scoring because of foul shots.

Would this be the fifth time a 15 seed defeated a two seed? It sure looked like it.

Then the tide turned Villanova's way. Reynolds saved a loose ball - in which slid a foot, which you would think would be a travel - and was fouled shortly after, hitting two foul shots to make it 55-51. Then the Colonials gave up the ball and the former Oklahoma commit was fouled again, hitting both shots and making it a two-point contest with just 2:10 to play.

Eventually it was tied at 56 all, when freshman guard Karon Abraham got a nice screen and drove into the paint to hit an off-balance lay-up with 1:09 left. But on the following possession, Mouptharou Yarou got free inside and hit an easy shot to tie it once again.

Reynolds eventually hit his second field goal in overtime - a three as the shot clock was winding down - but the senior All-American ended up with 20 points. His stat line was very unusual (2-15 from the field, 1-8 from behind the arc) but his 15-16 performance from the line made the difference. How did he get to the foul line so much? Pictures like the one below tell the story.


It's pretty safe to say that he got the Michael Jordan treatment out there. I'm not saying that he wasn't fouled at all, but a lot of his foul shots came off of very, very questionable calls. In addition to the treatment they gave Reynolds, there were other numerous calls that went the Wildcats' way, most notably a tie-up in overtime that was called a jump ball at first, but was overruled by another official who signaled a Robert Morris reach-in foul.

So the referees played a major part in Villanova's win, we - besides Wildcat fans - all know that. But let's look at the positives for Robert Morris.

1) More exposure.

- Yeah, winning would have made this much better, but at least some people will remember who took Villanova to overtime in the first round; especially if the Wildcats make a deep run in the tournament. That could lead to more fan support and possibly more recruits interested in going to Robert Morris. No one will remember the other 15 seeds (North Texas, Morgan State, UC-Santa Barbara) that lost by double-digits.

2) Gained respect.

- Related a little bit to the first positive, this close game should make college basketball fans and other teams respect Robert Morris more. Usually NEC teams are looked upon as cup-cakes in out-of-conference scheduling, but you can't really lump the Colonials in that group after their performance. They'll only continue to improve their reputation.

3) A bright future.

- The senior class will go out as one of the most accomplished in NEC history. They won two conference regular season championships, two conference tournament championships, and were never dominated in a post-season game (2008 NIT, 2009 & 10 NCAA Tournament). But look who led the Colonials just about all year...a little freshman named Karon Abraham. The 5'9" combo guard has range from Los Angeles and if you leave him get a step on you, he'll get to the rim in a blink. He and fellow freshman starter Velton Jones will welcome another classmate in Russell Johnson to the starting lineup and should start the 2010-11 season as the conference favorite. If head coach Mike Rice doesn't bolt for a more prestigious job, could you imagine how good this team could be in 2012-13 (Abraham's senior year)?

The loss will always sting because of the way it happened, but one thing's for sure; Robert Morris basketball is ready to put their name out there on the national stage, or at least in the category of good/great mid-major programs. The question is...are you ready to accept that?

South Region Preview

The first three regions were pretty easy in regards to determining a winner. The South Region? Not so much. Who comes out of this mess with a spot in the Final Four?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Duke vs. [16] Arkansas-Pine Bluff
[8] California vs. [9] Louisville
[5] Texas A&M vs. [12] Utah State
[4] Purdue vs. [13] Siena
[6] Notre Dame vs. [11] Old Dominion
[3] Baylor vs. [14] Sam Houston State
[7] Richmond vs. [10] St. Mary's
[2] Villanova vs. [15] Robert Morris

This region is an absolute mess. Duke earned (I use that term very loosely) a number one seed and has a realistic opportunity to make the Final Four...or lose in the second round. Purdue would be a nice pick, but they've struggled without Robbie Hummel. Baylor's been gaining members for their bandwagon every day, and Villanova made the Final Four, but like Purdue they have struggled lately. Like I said, it's a mess.

Favorite: Villanova

- It's hard enough to pick a favorite for this region. Duke doesn't have a win over a "great" team and the best team they've faced this season beat them by a misleading 12 points (they really got dominated the entire contest). I'll go with the Wildcats as the favorite, just because they always know when to turn it on during the tournament. Scottie Reynolds is one of the best players in the nation and would love nothing more than to bring 'Nova a title in his last campaign. The lack of an inside game could hurt the Wildcats, but it really hasn't before in the post-season.

Best Player: Jon Scheyer, G, Duke

- If Duke wants to make their first Final Four since 2004, they will need the senior point guard to play his best basketball. He's really had a coming out party of sorts, finishing second in the ACC Player of the Year award while averaging 18.6 points per game and five dimes. He's lights out from behind the arc - a lot of their team is, that's what they rely on - and they'll need those long range bombs in order to get past a group of weak teams gunning for them.

Sleeper: Louisville

- The Cardinals are one of the most inconsistent teams in the field. They hold a sweep over Big East champion Syracuse, but they also have losses against Western Carolina and Charlotte. For Louisville to make a serious run in this tournament, they need Edgar Sosa and Samardo Samuels to be at the top of their game. Sosa's been known to turn the ball over a lot, but is usually clutch in late-game situations. Samuels has loads of talent, but doesn't seem to play hard all the time. If these two players are in sync, they should roll over California and give Duke a run for their money.

Cinderella: Siena

- Usually 13 seeds get nervous at the spotlight of the NCAA Tournament...not these guys. The Saints have won two straight first round games - one against Vanderbilt and one against Ohio State - and are looking to take advantage of a depleted Purdue squad. Although they don't hold a huge win this season, they still have the experience from their last two runs to not be fazed against the Boilermakers. They have four players over 13 points per game and their point guard Ronald Moore averages just under eight assists per game. They're very balanced and could make a nice run in their third straight Big Dance appearance.

Upset Alert: Purdue

- I already discussed Siena's shot at upsetting the Boilermakers, but just look at what they've done ever since Hummel went out for the season with a torn ACL. They lost by nine to Michigan State, barely beat Penn State in State College and got blown out in the second round of the Big Ten tournament by Minnesota. They still have the talent to get to at least the Sweet 16, but they're going to need to play a lot better than they are now.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Duke over [16] Arkansas-Pine Bluff
[9] Louisville over [8] California
[5] Texas A&M over [12] Utah State
[13] Siena over [4] Purdue
[11] Old Dominion over [6] Notre Dame
[3] Baylor over [14] Sam Houston State
[10] St. Mary's over [7] Richmond
[2] Villanova over [15] Robert Morris

Second Round Predictions:
[9] Louisville over [1] Duke
[5] Texas A&M over [13] Siena
[3] Baylor over [11] Old Dominion
[2] Villanova over [10] St. Mary's

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[5] Texas A&M over [9] Louisville
[3] Baylor over [2] Villanova

Elite Eight Predictions:
[3] Baylor over [5] Texas A&M

Final Four Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [1] Syracuse
[1] Kentucky over [3] Baylor

National Championship Prediction:
[1] Kansas 77, [1] Kentucky 73

East Region Preview

Half the bracket done, half of it to go. Who comes out of the East Region with a shot at the National Championship?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Kentucky vs. [16] East Tennessee State
[8] Texas vs. [9] Wake Forest
[5] Temple vs. [12] Cornell
[4] Wisconsin vs. [13] Wofford
[6] Marquette vs. [11] Washington
[3] New Mexico vs. [14] Montana
[7] Clemson vs. [10] Missouri
[2] West Virginia vs. [15] Morgan State

Looks like an easy road for Kentucky onto the Elite Eight. Texas has the talent to beat the Wildcats, but Rick Barnes has done a horrible job with the Longhorns this season. Wisconsin and Temple are nice teams but talent-wise, the boys from Lexington blow them out of the water. West Virginia and New Mexico look like they're on a collision course for a berth into the Elite Eight, but some hot shooting by Marquette could derail the Lobos' plans.

Favorite: Kentucky

- John Calipari has another talented team...what's new? After missing the NCAA Tournament last season and losing the SEC's leading scorer in Jodie Meeks, Coach Cal brought in the top recruiting class and turned a NIT team into a National Championship contender. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins are the headline names, but other players like Eric Bledsoe and Patrick Patterson put this team into the elite.

Best Player: John Wall, G, Kentucky

- After hitting a jumper at the buzzer to beat Miami of Ohio in Kentucky's season opener, you knew the young freshman point guard was destined for stardom. He lived up to the enormous hype surrounding him, averaging 16.9 points a game with 6.4 assists per contest; all while picking up the SEC Player of the Year award.

Sleeper: Marquette

- If the Golden Eagles are shooting well, watch out. They have three players averaging double-figures and all of them are outside threats. In the first round they get Pac-10 conference tournament champion Washington, and every college basketball fan knows that the Pac-10 has been down this season. Unless they completely choke, Marquette should get by the Huskies, staging a second round match-up against (most likely) New Mexico. The Lobos are also a small team, so the possible bout between these two teams could be one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament.

Cinderella: Cornell

- The Ivy League champion dominated their league this season, only falling once. They also were tested in OOC play, holding a 15 point loss at Syracuse and a five point loss at Kansas to their resume. The Big Red are a balanced team, with both scorers from the outside (Ryan Wittman) and the inside (Jeff Foote). Under-seeded at 12, they get another under-seeded team in Temple and their game should be the best of the first round. After that, they get Wisconsin or Wofford and there's no doubt in mine or anyone else's mind that they can get past them.

Upset Alert: Wisconsin

- The Badgers have a very nice team coached by one of the nation's best in Bo Ryan, but their opponent is a team that almost took down Pitt in Oakland and lost by only 12 at Michigan State. The Terriers are in the tournament for the first time and they are carried by junior Noah Dahlman, who is a great scorer inside. Despite being undersized, him and Wisconsin's Jon Lauer should have a very interesting battle in the paint all game.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [16] East Tennessee State
[8] Texas over [9] Wake Forest
[12] Cornell over [5] Temple
[4] Wisconsin over [13] Wofford
[6] Marquette over [11] Washington
[3] New Mexico over [14] Montana
[10] Missouri over [7] Clemson
[2] West Virginia over [15] Morgan State

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [8] Texas
[12] Cornell over [4] Wisconsin
[6] Marquette over [3] New Mexico
[2] West Virginia over [10] Missouri

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [12] Cornell
[2] West Virginia over [6] Marquette

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Kentucky over [2] West Virginia

West Region Preview

Who will come out of the West Region? Will it be Big East regular season champion Syracuse or will a surprise team like BYU steal the show?

First Round Match-ups
[1] Syracuse vs. [16] Vermont
[8] Gonzaga vs. [9] Florida State
[5] Butler vs. [12] UTEP
[4] Vanderbilt vs. [13] Murray State
[6] Xavier vs. [11] Minnesota
[3] Pittsburgh vs. [14] Oakland
[7] BYU vs. [10] Florida
[2] Kansas State vs. [15] North Texas

The Orange were a surprise fourth overall seed, as Duke jumped them on Selection Sunday. However, this bracket is probably the easiest to pick out of all the Regions, and the Big East regular season champion should have no problem advancing to at least the Elite Eight. Other teams that could stand in Syracuse's way are Kansas State, BYU and possibly Pittsburgh.

Favorite: Syracuse

- Who would have predicted the Orange to be a number one seed at the beginning of the season? They come in as the Big East regular season champion and have only four losses on their resume...all of them in conference. They have a good outside and inside game, but the status of Arinze Onuaku is still up in the air. If he's still not healed from his quad injury deeper into the tournament, then there might be a surprise team representing the West Region in the Final Four.

Best Player: Wes Johnson, F, Syracuse

- The Iowa State transfer has really stood out this year, placing his name beside the Evan Turner's and John Wall's of the world. The junior forward was named Big East Player of the Year and averaged 16 points with a little over eight boards a game. He doesn't get into foul trouble often and plays good defense in Syracuse's tough 2-3 zone.

Sleeper: BYU

- The Mountain West has been really nice this season, sending four teams to the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars get a surprising at-large in Florida for their first round game and although the Gators are a nice team, they are very inconsistent and could drop early. After that is most likely a match-up against Kansas State and if they could slide by the Wildcats, they would have home-court advantage for the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight in Salt Lake City.

Cinderella: UTEP

- Whenever you have an all-conference guard and big man, you'll have a chance. That's what C-USA regular season champion UTEP possesses and their depth can help them make a Cinderella type run. Randy Culpepper and Derrick Caracter lead the Miners against Butler, who currently are riding a 20 game winning streak. However, on common opponents, the Miners have defeated UAB twice where the Bulldogs fell in December to the Blazers. After the first round, they'd get either Vanderbilt or Murray State; another reasonable task.

Upset Alert: Vanderbilt

- The last time Vanderbilt played a 13 seed, they got ran out of the gym by a surprising Siena squad who has recently made a name for themselves for winning two straight first round match-ups. Now they get another talented 13 seed in Murray State; a team that already has 30 wins on the season. The Racers don't have a star player, but they have five guys averaging double-digits and a sixth who averages 9.5 points per game. They have balance both inside and outside, just like the Commodores. If the upset doesn't happen, at least it will be a good game.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [16] Vermont
[9] Florida State over [8] Gonzaga
[5] Butler over [12] UTEP
[13] Murray State over [4] Vanderbilt
[11] Minnesota over [6] Xavier
[3] Pittsburgh over [14] Oakland
[7] BYU over [10] Florida
[2] Kansas State over [15] North Texas

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [9] Florida State
[5] Butler over [13] Murray State
[11] Minnesota over [3] Pittsburgh
[2] Kansas State over [7] BYU

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [5] Butler
[2] Kansas State over [11] Minnesota

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Syracuse over [2] Kansas State

Mid-West Region Preview

Head to the printers and have a pencil handy...it's time to fill out your NCAA Tournament bracket. From college basketball junkies, to your co-worker that hasn't watched a game all year; everyone gets into picking who's going to go far in the big dance and who's looking at a historic upset.

I believe this year's bracket is probably the toughest I've had to fill out, especially the South Region. Could this be a redux of 2006 when an 11 seed in George Mason shocked the world and made the Final Four? Or will it be like 2008 when all four top seeds won their regions? It's hard to tell.

First Round Match-ups
[1] Kansas vs. [16] Lehigh
[8] UNLV vs. [9] Northern Iowa
[5] Michigan State vs. [12] New Mexico State
[4] Maryland vs. [13] Houston
[6] Tennessee vs. [11] San Diego State
[3] Georgetown vs. [14] Ohio
[7] Oklahoma State vs. [10] Georgia Tech
[2] Ohio State vs. [15] UC-Santa Barbara

Number one overall seed Kansas headlines this region, but they were also cursed with the toughest road to the Final Four. Big Ten champion Ohio State, surging Big East power Georgetown, and last year's runner-up Michigan State all are looking to knock off the Jayhawks. I do think Kansas will outlast the field and advance to the Final Four, but it's going to be a rough road.

Favorite: Kansas

- They are probably the most complete team in the field. Great starting line-up with talented guards and big men, a senior leader (Sherron Collins) who has Final Four experience, and a deep bench. There's a reason why they only lost two games all season.

Best Player: Evan Turner, F, Ohio State

- Turner had an incredible year and if he didn't get hurt mid-way through the season, we might be discussing one of the greatest seasons ever for a collegiate basketball player. He's cool in the clutch, does everything for his team and will carry the entire Buckeyes squad if his teammates falter.

Sleeper: Michigan State

- Never count out a Tom Izzo coached team. He got to the Final Four last season and almost everyone returns from that squad. Yeah, they didn't have the year everyone expected of them (I picked them to win the National Championship in the pre-season) but they are undefeated (5-0) as a five seed and if they get to the second round, they'll face a Maryland or Houston team with no tournament experience.

Cinderella: San Diego State

- There's really not a true Cinderella in this region. I only selected the Aztecs because they can win their first game and give their opponent (most likely the Georgetown Hoyas) trouble in the second. They're real hot right now, going from on the bubble to grabbing the Mountain West's automatic bid after defeating New Mexico and tournament host UNLV in the championship game. Oklahoma State is another team that could do some damage if James Anderson catches fire early.

Upset Alert: Tennessee

- Going into the tournament after getting beat down by rival Kentucky does nothing to help the Volunteers. I can't get a feel on these guys, because they're very inconsistent since losing Tyler Smith and crew mid-season. They hold wins over the Wildcats and Kansas, but have also lost by 15 at Georgia. I could see them getting past the Aztecs and giving Georgetown a game in the second round, or I can see them getting blown out.

First Round Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [16] Lehigh
[8] UNLV over [9] Northern Iowa
[5] Michigan State over [12] New Mexico State
[4] Maryland over [13] Houston
[11] San Diego State over [6] Tennessee
[3] Georgetown over [14] Ohio
[7] Oklahoma State over [10] Georgia Tech
[2] Ohio State over [15] UC-Santa Barbara

Second Round Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [8] UNLV
[5] Michigan State over [4] Maryland
[3] Georgetown over [11] San Diego State
[2] Ohio State over [7] Oklahoma State

Sweet 16 Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [5] Michigan State
[3] Georgetown over [2] Ohio State

Elite Eight Predictions:
[1] Kansas over [3] Georgetown

Tomorrow: West and East Region previews

Who wants to dance?

If you are near a television around 7:00 PM (EST) on Wednesday, tune into ESPN2. You will not regret it, trust me.

Robert Morris (22-11, 15-3 NEC) travels to Quinnipiac (23-8, 15-3 NEC) in a match-up between the conference's best. The winner will clinch an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, while the loser will [most likely] settle for the NIT.

The Bobcats defeated the Colonials, 87-79, in their only regular season bout behind sophomore James Johnson's 28 points. Quinnipiac shot over 50 percent from both the field and behind the arc, while Robert Morris's star freshman guard Karon Abraham struggled (3-11 FG).

However, despite having the head-to-head win over the Colonials, Quinnipiac might come in as a bit of an underdog. Their play in the tournament so far has impressed few and their inexperience in these types of games could cost them. Robert Morris comes in after demolishing a red hot Mount St. Mary's squad; plus they have the experience in this game after winning last year against those same Mountaineers.

Let's break down the main areas, shall we?

BACKCOURT
RMU - Freshman Karon Abraham (13.3 PPG), Freshman Velton Jones (8.3 PPG), Senior Mezie Nwigwe (8.4 PPG)
QU - Sophomore James Johnson (12.2 PPG), Senior James Feldeine (17.1 PPG), Senior Jeremy Baker (9.2 PPG)

Quinnipiac's stats are inflated a little because of their lack of bench production [more on that in a bit]. However, all three of their starting guards are good shooters from all around the court, whereas Abraham is the only true three-point threat on the Colonials. Jones and Nwigwe get most of their points driving towards the basket and are usually left open for long range shots.

Advantage: Quinnipiac

FRONTCOURT
RMU - Senior Rob Robinson (10.1 PPG), Senior Dallas Green (6.5 PPG)
QU - Junior Justin Rutty (15.2 PPG), Junior Jonathan Cruz (5.3 PPG)

Both teams possess a player that made the all-conference team. Robinson has been finding his stride lately after struggling part of the season and Green has been an offensive threat the last two games with double-digit efforts. On the other side, Rutty is an absolute stud and won the NEC Player of the Year award, but Cruz isn't much to worry about with only four games over 10+ points. He's a solid defensive player, but nothing special.

Advantage: Push

BENCH
RMU - Freshman Russell Johnson (7.2 PPG), Junior Gary Wallace (5.8 PPG), Senior Josiah Whitehead (3.9 PPG)
QU - Junior Deontay Twyman (7.2 PPG), Freshman Jamee Jackson (4.0 PPG), Freshman Dave Johnson (4.0 PPG)

This is a total mismatch. Robert Morris has the deepest bench in the conference with three guys that could start for various teams throughout the NEC. Johnson is a very athletic forward that can shoot from outside or drive towards the basket, Wallace is a good defender and floor general and Whitehead is a good jumpshooter from inside the arc. For Quinnipiac, Twyman provides some instant offense but the two freshmen aren't threats whatsoever.

Advantage: Robert Morris

COACHING
RMU - Mike Rice
QU - Tom Moore

Rice's experience in these types of games gets the check. A Jamie Dixon clone, the Colonials head coach has done a fine job adjusting his rotation after senior Jimmy Langhurst was lost with a knee injury during late Decemeber. He also boasts a 72-29 record in his three years at Robert Morris. Moore is a former assistant under Jim Calhoun at UConn and is looking to lead the Bobcats to their first NCAA Tournament. They haven't been in the NEC title game since 2002.

Advantage: Robert Morris

PREDICTION

These two teams have been the NEC's best the entire time and it was a shame they only faced each other once in the regular season. If Quinnipiac has another hot shooting night, they should take it, but you can't expect them to shoot over 50% from the field and behind the arc again against the same team. This has all the makings of a classic, but the Colonials' experience and the momentum they have going for them after smacking down Mount St. Mary's gives them just enough to win.

Robert Morris 65, Quinnipiac 60

RMU/Mount St. Mary's - Round Three

Doesn't this seem familiar?

Robert Morris (21-11, 15-3) faces Mount St. Mary's (16-14, 12-6) on Sunday for the chance to play for the NEC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Colonials defeated Central Connecticut State 71-63 behind 16 points from freshman Karon Abraham while the Mountaineers got 13 points and nine rebounds from Kelly Beidler in their 65-50 win over St. Francis (PA).

These two squads know each other far too well. Sunday will be the third time they've played this season and it will also mark the third time in a row they've matched up in the NEC Tournament.

In 2008, the Colonials came into the semi-finals of the NEC Tournament as the conference's number one seed. However, the fourth seeded Mountaineers rode a 54% shooting performance from the field (including 50% from behind the arc) as they obliterated Robert Morris, 83-65.

But there would be revenge...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8MVZ1D8WDY

In 2009, the same two teams met up against at the Charles L. Sewall Center; this time for the NEC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. With just seconds remaining, NEC Player of the Year Jeremy Chappell lost the handle trying to dribble in between two Mountaineer defenders and it was a loose ball. However, Dallas Green picked it up and hurried a shot, which calmly fell through the basket, giving the Colonials their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992.

In a game full of smack talk and technicals, Robert Morris got the best of Mount St. Mary's in their first match-up, 63-57. Senior Jimmy Langhurst led the Colonials with 11 points, but just a few weeks later the guard blew out his knee and his collegiate career was finished. The Mountaineers never held a lead the entire game, though it was close throughout the contest.

Then in a game played just last Saturday, the Mountaineers got a lay-up from junior Shawn Atupem to give Mount St. Mary's a 63-61 win over the defending NEC champions. Although the Colonials shot a much higher percentage than the Mountaineers (49% to 32%), the home team shot 35 foul shots to the visitor's 22, which made the difference.

Atupem and the Mountaineers come in on an 11-game winning streak while the Colonials have lost two of their last four. The stage is set for another great game and the victor should have all the momentum going into the NEC title bout against Quinnipiac or Long Island.

SEMI-FINAL PREDICTIONS
[2] Robert Morris over [3] Mount St. Mary's
[1] Quinnipiac over [4] Long Island

It's everyone's favorite time of the year.

Ah yes, it's conference tournament time. For some of the bigger schools, it's pretty confusing. Win so many games in the conference tournament and sweat it out on Selection Sunday. But for the smaller conference schools, it's much simpler.

Win the tournament or you're not invited to the dance.

The Northeast Conference doesn't possess the best talent but that doesn't stop the teams from providing exciting basketball. And the NEC Tournament should be no different; every team besides one has lost to one or more "inferior" (5th or worse in the NEC) teams in conference so don't be completely surprised to see some upsets.

8. Monmouth Hawks (11-18, 8-10)

Monmouth has some solid conference wins against Quinnipiac, Central Connecticut State, and St. Francis (PA) twice but come in as the bottom seed in the NEC tournament. However, that win at home against conference champion Quinnipiac gives them slight hope against the Bobcats in the first round, and having stud sophomore Travis Taylor (17.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG) back really helps.

Since returning from suspension, Taylor has put up 30 points twice but the Hawks have lost three straight. Overall, they are a dangerous team to pull the first-round upset with Taylor, but I couldn't see them going any farther.

7. Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (12-17, 9-9)

This only team I didn't see play live in this group. The Blue Devils needed a win on the last day against St. Francis (NY) to qualify for the tournament. They hold wins against Fairleigh Dickinson, Monmouth and Long Island, but used the two times they played Bryant (1-29, 1-17) to their advantage.

In their only match-up with the Colonials, they fell 60-69 despite junior Shemik Thompson's 16 points and seven assists. Again they will face the Colonials - this time in the Charles L. Sewall Center - and I don't think I can see an upset happening here.

6. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash (11-18, 9-9)

One word can describe this team: inconsistent. They hold wins over Mount St. Mary's, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island, Central Connecticut State, and Quinnipiac. However, they hold losses against Ohio State by 63, Monmouth twice by 10 and 29, and Wagner just on the last day of the conference schedule. They are fully capable of pulling the first round upset against the Mountaineers or they'll get blown out by 20.

Watching this team in person and looking over the statistics; it's obvious they depend on senior Devin Sweetney (16.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG) to do it all and they'll need him to be on his A-game otherwise it'll be a short NEC Tournament for the Red Flash.

5. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (11-20, 10-8)

A very balanced squad is locked into the #5 seed for the NEC Tournament. Fairleigh Dickinson hasn't gotten blown out by anyone in conference minus Robert Morris, but they don't have a win over the top four seeds.

Four players are scoring in double-digits, led by sharp shooting senior Sean Baptiste (16.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG). However, after their four top scorers, they really lack the offensive firepower and their bench isn't all that deep. Could they beat their first-round opponent? Yes. Could they go any farther than that? Doubtful.

4. Long Island Blackbirds (13-15, 11-7)

They aren't much of a sleeper at the four seed, but if anyone can break through the top three's stranglehold to get the NCAA automatic bid, it's Long Island. They have wins over Robert Morris and Mount St. Mary's, but they also fell to Wagner.

Senior Jaytornah Wisseh (17.3 PPG,. 5.7 APG) leads the Blackbirds into the tournament, but this guard oriented team will need more production from their big men (most productive: Freshman Jamal Olasewere - 8.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG) in order to make a run towards the NEC Championship.

3. Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (15-14, 12-6)

The Mountaineers are definitely the hottest team coming into the NEC Tournament, winning 10 straight games after losing on January 23rd at Long Island. They possess all the right pieces to make another run and ESPN pegged them as the favorites to take home the NCAA automatic bid.

Four-year starting guard Jeremy Goode (14.0 PPG, 4.4 APG) was pegged as the NEC Pre-Season Player of the Year by many media outlets and leads his team into a first-round match-up with the St. Francis (PA) Red Flash. He has help in the paint with junior Shawn Atupem (10.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG) and senior Kelly Beidler (10.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG). Atupem was actually the man who ended Robert Morris's reign at the top of the NEC standings as the junior hit a lay-up with seven seconds left to defeat the Colonials on Saturday night.

2. Robert Morris Colonials (20-11, 15-3)

No one is talking about the Colonials right now...probably just like they want it. The Colonials were picked to finish third in the NEC by multiple media sources and called it a "rebuilding" year of sorts for Mike Rice's team. However, they jumped into the conference lead early and didn't fall from the head until they lost Saturday night to Mount St. Mary's.

Robert Morris is a very deep team and plays usually nine players a game. Freshman Karon Abraham (12.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG) has been a pleasant surprise in his first campaign as the 5'9" combo guard has shown unlimited range from deep. Senior big man Rob Robinson (10.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG) is starting to find his game again late in the season and fellow senior Mezie Nwigwe (8.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG) is good for a few buckets every game.

This team has only lost to the top half of the conference, so don't expect them to fall to Central Connecticut State in the opener.

1. Quinnipiac Bobcats (21-8, 15-3)

Quinnipiac's the conference champ for a reason; an undefeated home record (12-0) and three players that can light a team up at any time.

Senior James Feldeine (17.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG) reminds me of Grevis Vasquez in a way, because both players wear their emotions on their sleeve. The 6'4" shooting guard has gone for 20 or more points in 13 games. Junior Justin Rutty (15.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG) leads the NEC in rebounds and is possibly the strongest and hardest working player in the conference. He can get any big man in foul trouble, but can always draw some offensive fouls himself. Sophomore James Johnson (12.0 PPG, 3.6 APG) opened some eyes when he exploded for 28 against Robert Morris a little more than two weeks ago.

The one weakness for the Bobcats is their inability to hold a large lead. They were up by 17 at one point against St. Francis (PA) before falling by five and held a 13 point advantage against Fairleigh Dickinson before almost blowing that in the final game of the regular season.

FIRST ROUND PREDICTIONS
[1] Quinnipiac over [8] Monmouth
[4] Long Island over [5] Fairleigh Dickinson
[2] Robert Morris over [7] Central Connecticut State
[3] Mount St. Mary's over [6] St. Francis (PA)