We're Baaaack!

It's been two years since my last Hoop Poop post, so it's high time I spouted off.

But you should know that there have been some changes.  First, I no longer follow the PAC-12 closely.  I'm a season ticket holder for Santa Clara in the White Catholic Conference, aka WCC.  (OK, they're the West Coast Conference, but take a look at the schools in the conference and you'll get where I'm coming from.)

Come to think of it, though, that religious based hegemony may be threatened from a rising behemoth in the east, as other schools will soon break out with their own Catholic 7 conference.  Could that be why the Pope is retiring? 

Second, I'm going to try not to pound on the Bee-One-Gee (B1G) Conference so much.  Really.  I promise.

Well, maybe at least until the Tourney selection is made. 

March Madness Crystal Ball
I'm here to tell you to keep an eye on the teams from the A-10.  Maybe no surprise to anyone who follows college ball, but I'm not just talking about VCI and Butler, two recent darlings of the underdog set.  The team to watch is St. Louis Billikens.  I watched them take apart a bunch of talented kids from LaSalle this weekend.  They play a great game of team basketball, with good playmakers and are very strong up front.  I can't wait for the A-10 tournament.  Should be a good one.  Either way, St. Louis is going deep in the NCAA Tourney, folks.  (OK, so what exactly is a Billiken and why does it look like that pig is winking at me?)

I've also been watching a slew of conference championship tournaments.  After watching the Colonial semis (James Madison v. Delaware; Northeastern v. George Mason), I'd have to say they seem to be no great threat to anyone.  But there was a very interesting game last night between four seed George Mason and one seed Northeastern.  (Northeastern?  Really?)  With about three and a half minutes left in the first half, GM was up 31-7.  I kid you not.  Early in the second half, it was knotted at...wait for it...33.  Close game the rest of the way with Northeastern pulling it out in the final seconds.  Fun to watch, if a bit bipolar.