Anyone who doesn’t believe that almost every team gets invited to the “National” March Madness tournament, need only look at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers do not have a top 500 player on www.valueaddbasketball.com, and have not had a winning season in the Sun Belt Conference any of the past three season. Yet in the Sun Belt tournaments those same three years, they are 10-1, and Monday they were the 50th team to make the tournament (see list of all 50 below).
Jamal Cook, the team’s best player but only the 533rd best player in the country, scored 17 points while George Fant also scored 17 and added 13 rebounds in the 65-63 win.
Florida International had provided the first spoiler in the semifinals, by defeating 1-seed and NCAA lock Middle Tennessee in the semifinal.
Others will argue that our selection of Middle Tennessee as a lock was premature, since their two biggest wins are over Vanderbilt on a neutral court and Mississippi at home. However, the starting point for selections is the RPI, and by that count Middle Tennessee is the 27th best team in the country, and even when adjusting for the more scientific numbers at www.kenpom.com they rank as the 31st best team.
While lacking size, they may finish as the only team in the country with four guards in the Top 500 in Value Add with Marcos Knight (6-foot-2), Bruce MAssey (6-3), Tweety Knight( 6-1) and Raymond Cintron (6-0).
The following is the updated list of the 50 teams that are in the tournament. They are listed alphabetically, except the four teams that were added tonight are listed on top – Davidson, Iona, James Madison and Western Kentucky.
Team, Conf
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Davidson, SC
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Iona, MAAC
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James Madison, CAA
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Western Kentucky, SB
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Arizona, P12
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Belmont, OVC
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Butler, A10
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California, P12
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Cincinnati, BE
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Colorado, P12
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Colorado St., MWC
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Creighton, MVC
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Duke, ACC
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Florida, SEC
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Florida Gulf Coast, ASun
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Georgetown, BE
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Gonzaga, WCC
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Harvard, Ivy
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Illinois, B10
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Indiana, B10
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Kansas, B12
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Kansas St., B12
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La Salle, A10
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Liberty, BSth
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Louisville, BE
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Marquette, BE
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Memphis, CUSA
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Miami FL, ACC
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Michigan, B10
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Michigan St., B10
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Middle Tennessee, SB
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Minnesota, B10
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Missouri, SEC
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Nevada Las Vegas, MWC
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New Mexico, MWC
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North Carolina, ACC
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North Carolina St., ACC
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Notre Dame, BE
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Ohio St., B10
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Oklahoma, B12
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Oklahoma St., B12
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Oregon, P12
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Pittsburgh, BE
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San Diego St., MWC
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St. Louis, A10
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Syracuse, BE
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UCLA, P12
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Virginia Commonwealth, A10
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Wichita St., MVC
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Wisconsin, B10
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