4
6 AROUND THE NATION
Championship time Keep an eye on these tournaments
Kentucky is the favorite to win this year's SEC Tournament, but the Wildcats could be tested by Tennessee if the two teams meet up in the semifinals. The Volunteers defeated the Wildcats just two weeks ago and could give them trouble again if they played. The No. 2 seed, Vanderbilt, could also knock off John Wall and the Wildcats.
BIGTEN BIGTEN
After Purdue lost forward Robbie Hummel for the season, it looked like Ohio State had the inside track to the Big Ten Championship. But the Boilermakers still tied the Buckeyes for the conference crown, and the two teams could battle it out for the tournament title. Michigan State also has the experience to make a deep run.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Duke defeated North Carolina to secure the top seed in the ACC Tournament,but the Blue Devils will face some stiff challenges.Maryland defeated Duke just last week,and the Blue Devils lost to two other conference foes in the regular season. Several other teams could use the tournament to wrap up an NCAA Tournament berth.
in a down year for the Pac-10, any team could win this year's conference tournament. California claimed the top seed, but the Golden Bears were far from dominant in Pac-10 play. No.2 seed Arizona State has a good shot, but Washington or Arizona could get an automatic NCAA Tournament bid by winning the Pac-10 Tournament title.
PAC-10
Connecticut's Kemba Wamba drove past West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler in the second half of Connecticut's 73-62 victory on Feb. 22. Walker scored a game-high 21 points in the Huskers' victory against the Mountaineers.
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
CONFERENCE
No.1 seed Syracuse will face tough road to championship
Connecticut will have to win five games in five days to win the Big East Tournament and clinch an NCAA Tournament bid, but the Huskies are capable of getting on a roll. They have not gotten into a good rhythm all season, but anything can happen in this conference tournament. Syracuse is the No.1 seed,but the Orange are coming off their second loss to
No. 6 seed Louisville this season. The Orange could have a very tough semifinal matchup against Villanova, who faltered at the end of the season but is still a contender for the Final Four. Pittsburgh and West Virginia will likely battle it out in the semifinals to face Syracuse, but Notre Dame or Louisville could also make it out of the bottom half of the bracket.
THE WAVES 2010 NCAA TOURNAMENT PROJECTIONS
The 2010 NCAA Tournament is just a week away, and it's now time to start thinking about which teams will earn this year's top seeds. The Wave editor Scott Toland projects the top four seeds in each regional.
EAST
MIDWEST
1. Kentucky 1. Kansas
2. West Virginia 2. Ohio State
3. Gonzaga 3.Villanova
4. Michigan State 4. Georgetown
WEST
SOUTH
1. Duke 1. Syracuse
2. Kansas State 2. Purdue
3. Villanova 3. Pittsburgh
4. Tennessee 4. New Mexico
After Kansas State's loss to Iowa State last weekend, the Duke Blue Devils should have a clear path to a No.1 seed if they win the ACC Tournament. The Wildcats would need a Duke loss and a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament to have a chance at a top seed, but it really is Duke's to lose. Syracuse Kansas, and Kentucky still look like locks for No.1 seeds, while Villanova has likely fallen to a No.3 seed.
The Wave's Top 25 Wave editor Scott Toland ranks the nation's best teams
1. Kansas The Jayhawks dominated Missouri in front of a hostile crowd on the road on Saturday.
o. West Virginia Coach Bob Huggins has his Mountaineers looking good after a big win against Villanova last week weekend
11. Tennessee - The Volunteers have already defeated two teams ranked No. 1 during the regular season.
16. Georgetown The Hoyas have the talent to make a deep run in the Big East Tournament before the Big Dance.
2. Kentucky - Freshman John Wall is hiking to lead the Wildcats deep into the NCAA Tournament after a great regular season.
21. Northern Iowa - The Panthers won the Missouri Valley Tournament by defeating Wichita State on Sunday.
7. Ohio State Evan Turner makes the Buckeyes a legitimate threat to it the Final to make this season
12. Gonzaga - The Bulldogs should roll through the WCC Tournament and gain a lot of postseason momentum.
17. Temple - The Owls went 14-2 in conference play to win the Atlantic-10 regular season championship.
8. Kansas State  The Wildcats were upset by Iowa State, but they will be very tough to beat in postseason play.
3. Syracuse The Orange lost to Louisville again, but they are still the best team in the nation's deepest conference.
22. BYU - The Cougars played a game against New Mexico recently and will be a tough team to play in March.
13. Michigan State - The Spartan escaped with a two-point victory against Penn State last week.
9. New Mexico : The Lobos just keep winning and could be in line for a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance.
4. Duke - The Blue Devils looked like a named 1.0 seed during their thirashing of the North Carolina Tail Heels on Saturday.
18. Texas A&M The Angies
finished 11-5 in 12 play and
earned the fourth seed in the
conference tournament.
14. Pittsburgh - The Panthers quietly claimed the No. 2 seed in the Big East Conference Tournament.
23. Cornell  The Big Red won the ivy League and secured an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
19. Baylor The Bears secured the No. 3 seed in the big 12 Tournament by defeating Texas on Saturday.
24. **Xavier** The Musketeers are in good shape to make the NCAA Tournament after a strong finish to the regular season.
5. Purdue - The Boilermakers still won a share of the Big Ten title after losing forward Robbie Hummel for the season.
10. Villanova - The Wildcats have struggled lately, but their postseason experience should not be underestimated.
15. Butler The Bulldogs improved to 27-4 with a good victory against Milwaukee last weekend.
20. Vanderbilt - South Carolina knocked off the Commodores on Saturday, but they are still a dangerous team.
25. Richmond - The Spiders should make the Big Dance after going 13-3 in Atlantic-10 Conference play.
THE WAVE MARCH 10,2010
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN