Beltway Basketball Bonanza-- of Brackets and Burials...

Selection Sunday-- there's no other day like it in the world of sports. College basketball's field of 68 is announced with plenty at play: Are you in? What seed? What's the draw? And what's the road to the Final Four? Each question is as critical as the previous one...as matchups take precedence over actual talent in March.

Georgetown-- the Hoyas are figured as a #4 seed by the Washington Post and CBS Sportsline... and a #3 by ESPN. Despite a disappointing finish against Cincinnati in the Big East Quarterfinals... coach John Thompson III's team has displayed a defense that's been downright dominating at times. The question is, where will they be shipped to?

Alma Mater Update-- the bubble (well, not THE BUBBLE, but a bubble nonetheless) burst Friday night in the Big East Semifinals against Cincinnati as the Orange fell behind 28-15 before making a game of it... slipping 71-68. On the road to 31 wins SU has had more than its share of nailbiters-- six of their last eleven games have been decided by three points or less. I'd rather have that now than next weekend. The Orange should get a #1 seed in the East bracket-- with a first round trip to Pittsburgh.

End of season ACCounting-- Maryland saw its stay in Atlanta end with an 85-69 loss to North Carolina. The 17-15 finish about the best one could hope for...given the injuries... Defections and ineligibilities. A five player class is expected to make a major impact next season-- and another year to get used to coach Mark Turgeon's system. Virginia (22-9) awaits the Selection Committee's decision on where they'll be seeded... Various websites have the Cavaliers anywhere from a #9 to an 11. What amazed me this week is how long the Cavaliers have gone without reaching the ACC Semifinals-- they're last trip to Saturday came in 1995. Everybody- even the expansion schools, even Clemson (?)- has reached an ACC semi since. Virginia Tech (16-17) ended the season pretty much the way they began conference play-- losing a tough one to a luckier team. Against conference competition the Hokies finish 4-10 in games decided by five points or less. Nice to see Florida State break Duke and North Carolina's stranglehold on the conference tournament.

George Mason and American wrap up successful seasons by losing in their conference semifinals. The Patriots (24-9) seemingly peaked the night they beat VCU by one at home... as coach Paul Hewitt's team dropped three of their last five games-- including a pair to the Rams. Coach Shaka Smart's team is ticketed back to the big dance--instead of as one of the last four in, VCU goes as CAA champ to a likely 11th or 12th seed. AU (20-11) couldn't contain Patriot league MVP CJ McCollum (27 points and 10 rebounds) in an 85-66 loss at eventual champ Lehigh. Both schools are bubble NIT teams... although either would be a good fit one of the other postseason affairs.

George Washington and Howard wrapped up 10-win seasons looking forward to the future. While the Colonials finished the year on a 2-10 skid, the Bison won 6 of their final 10 games.

The Maryland women's basketball team wrapped up its first ACC Tournament title since 2009 by beating Georgia Tech in 68-65 in the finals. The Terps benefited from a busted bracket-- as top seed Duke and #2 Miami both fell in the quarterfinals. But a window of opportunity is only a window-- you have to jump through. Now coach Brenda Frese's team is a borderline 1/2 seed...can they leapfrog Notre Dame after the Fighting Irish fell in the Big East Tournament?

The Clock Ticks-- An era doesn't end but it's definitely winding down. Syracuse's days in the Big East are numbered... and one wonders where the best league in the 1980's went wrong. For a conference that did things so right for so long--I have a few pivot points...:

1-- Not admitting Penn State. Undercut the league from a football standpoint... as the Nittany Lions would abandon longstanding rivalries with Pitt and Syracuse for... Minnesota? I think they play Michigan State every fall for the "Land Grant Trophy". Bad deal for everybody, as the Big East could have used PSU's stability and reputation (the last year notwithstanding).

2-- Going to the experimental "six foul" rule in 1990. Ruined the rhythm of an already physical league-- switching back to five fouls was awkward at best and disastrous at worst. Final Fours in the 80's: eight. Final Fours in the 90's: two.

3-- Allowing Notre Dame as a "partial member"... aka sharing everything but football-- not only did it give the league the oh so divisible 13 team membership (NOT UNWIELDY AT ALL!), it created a second tier feel: how can you be considered an equal on the big stage when it's obvious you're not in the eyes of one of your own members?

4-- Not convincing Chaney-- Temple would have been a great boost basketball wise... and would have provided the league with a football team in the Philly market (yeah, Villanova-- thanks for participating). But for whatever reason they couldn't get John Chaney and his hoops program in the league... and wound up with another "partial member". We know how that works.

5-- Losing brand identity-- Say what you will about the ACC being Duke and UNC's private little lake... but at least the league recognizes the pecking order and has the Blue Devils wrap up the regular season with the Tar Heels. Syracuse-Georgetown? The two schools met just once this winter... and the two haven't wrapped up the regular season like they did in the 80's for some time.

6-- Losing the East... and the Big-- to maintain its membership after being robbed of arguably its three strongest football programs by the ACC... the Big East had to get creative on what "East" meant. Hello, Louisville and Cincinnati. The league figured, why stop there? Hiya, DePaul and Marquette. Sixteen schools! So easy to keep the rivarlies alive with just three home-and-homes for each school. Now with Pitt and Syracuse departing for the ACC... the red carpet is out for San Diego State and Boise State. So like a Holy Roman Empire that was neither Holy, Roman nor an Empire...the Big East Conference is no longer Big, East or a Conference.

It first upset me when I learned my alma mater would be leaving a league I loved. But when viewing what's left of what was absolutely awesome-- departing is the best decision. Thanks for the memories, BIG EAST. I'll always think of you fondly and cherish the next twelve months.