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Click below for all the conference tournament predictions to date:
Big Ten, Northeast & Ohio Valley
MAAC, Missouri Valley, Southern & West Coast
America East, Colonial Athletic Association & Summit League
Another trio of tournaments tip-off on Tuesday with the ACC, Big Sky and SWAC getting going. Here's a look at how I see the results from each league.
ACC Tournament
It's time to fully embrace the essence of March Madness, and what better way than with the ACC. Syracuse comes in on the bubble for the big dance, per usual, and while it's easy to see the Orange making another historic run in this tournament, I think they will find a road block against North Carolina. OK, OK, I've buried the lead. I'm predicting a major upset in the quarterfinal round with Florida State knocking off Virginia. Let me explain. Teams playing desperate in these conference tourneys can really disrupt things. On the flip side, teams that are all but locked into a top seed can get snubbed. FSU will be the more desperate team and the fact that Virginia plays such a slow, defensive style means even losing teams (and there have been a lot against the Cavaliers) are hardly ever out of the game. The Seminoles will keep it close and give them as good a chance as anyone to knock off Virgina. In the end, Duke will prove to be the best team, knocking off a rising NC State squad in the title match.
Big Sky Tournament
It's the last go-around for North Dakota in the Big Sky before they depart for the Summit League next season. A first round matchup against a Montana State team in disarray will get the Fighting Hawks to the quarters, but #1 seed, and my champ prediction Montana, will prove to be much too much. Other teams to watch are Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington, two teams I think are playing well going into the postseason. But as I mentioned, Montana stands out as the Big Sky champion pick.
SWAC Tournament
The SWAC proves to be a difficult tournament to navigate. Two teams are ineligible for the tourney, including regular season champion Grambling. That moves Arkansas-Pine Bluff into the #1 seed of the tournament, but the fact is, there's a number of teams that could make a run to the ultimate prize. In the end I'm going with Texas Southern, though to be honest, one of the reasons I'm going with them is because the semifinals and championship are played in their home state. It's a coin flip between them, Prairie View A&M, and Arkansas Pine Bluff. Go Tigers.
Up next: It's a Super Tuesday tomorrow as 10, yes TEN, tournaments tip-off on Wednesday. A breakdown for these leagues will be coming your way - Atlantic 10, Big East, Big 12, Conference USA, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC, Southland, Sun Belt, and WAC. Enjoy!