'Starting Five' - NCAA Tourney talk with Providence Journal Sports Writer Paul Kenyon
Talking Big East, bubble positioning for Providence and Rhode Island's late season clunker with Sports Writer Paul Kenyon of the Providence Journal.
FFToolbox.com, one of the leaders in fantasy football coverage, continues to expand our sports coverage beyond the pigskin perspective with a foray into college hoops heaven, better known as the NCAA Tournament. Led by our point guard Ben Standig, we will pose our "Starting Five" questions to a series of sports writers, contributors and fans across the country, assisting our readers as they gear up for the madness of March. The segment will provide an overview of the upcoming NCAA Tournament, from the power conference and mid-major perspective, including teams in both camps hoping that their major post-season bubble will not burst.
Postseason Roster:
3/11 - Paul Kenyon, Providence Journal - Rhode Island/Providence
3/11 - Greg Schimmel, The Diamondback - Maryland/ACC
Paul, thank you for your time and effort in helping FFToolbox.com with our college basketball post-season coverage. Ok, time for tip off...
1) This time of year, we always hear the chattering class arguing over which type of team should get those precious final at-large berths; a power conference team like Providence or a mid-major school like Rhode Island. What is your take on this bar room type argument and if, as some on the worldwide leader have suggested, the NCAA should do away with automatic bids?
Paul Kenyon - The tournament is what it is. It is a television show first and foremost. It is entertainment, expensive programming for CBS. It is only natural, then, that the prime goal is to get teams that will draw good ratings, teams people want to see. Obviously, that means the teams people know, the ones they see on TV all winter and can identify with.
We in Rhode Island get to see the difference with PC and URI. The two teams are virtually the same. They played a one-point game this season. But PC has a larger fan following, in part because of its history, in part because the fans get to see the team more often on television. URI fans get upset at times with lack of attention, but there is little to do about it, short of winning every game.
What I'm saying is that there are inequities built into the system. But, they are there for a reason. The tournament is a great show. Many of us hope it will stay as is for as long as possible. Having automatic bids for the small conferences is needed, very much needed to create a David or two to take on Goliath.
2) Your beat is the Rhode Island Rams, who could be the second or third Atlantic 10 squad in the NCAA field this season. Where on the bubble do you have them right now and if they have not already earned a bid in your eyes, what do they have to accomplish in the Atlantic 10 Tournament to ensure they receive one?
PK - Rhode Island was playing great basketball until losing the regular-season finale by one to Massachusetts. It was a huge loss. Had Rhody won to finish with 11 wins in its last 12 games_ and no bad losses all season_ it would have been in good shape just reaching the A-10 final. Now, it looks as it the Rams have to get to the final just to get back on the bubble. Even that might not be enough. They probably have to win the tournament to get in.
3) Atlantic 10 power Xavier in the field. How many other Atlantic 10 teams do you see joining the Musketeers?
PK - Dayton is 90 percent home. It just has to win its quarterfinal game to be safe. A URI-Dayton game would be big in the semis, but even if Rhody won that, to complete a season sweep over the Flyers, Dayton likely would stay ahead of the Rams in the big picture. The only way the conference might get three bids is if Temple, URI, and someone else not named Xavier or Dayton, wins the tournament.
4) The Providence Friars, who recently upset then #1 ranked Pittsburgh, are probably the one Big East team that can play themselves into the big dance with a solid Big East Tournament showing. How does the Friars resume stack up compared to other so-called bubble teams and do you think they will hear their name called on the Sunday selection show?
PK - I'm doing this Wednesday afternoon after watching the Friars beat DePaul despite not playing all that well. PC very likely has to beat Louisville to get in. The Friars hope they have done enough already, but they become very, very much a bubble team if they lose to Louisville.
5) The Big East has some serious heavyweights this year. Which of the teams do you think has the best chance to cut down the nets this season?
PK - This probably will sound foolish, but I like Louisville to win the Big East Tournament, but Pitt to go the deepest (the final?) in the NCAA Tournament. Different sites, different refs, different pattern of games.
Sixth Man Bonus Question – What are your Big East and Atlantic 10 Tournament Predictions?
PK - As I mentioned above, I'd go with Louisville in New York. In the A-10, where no top seed has won since 2002, I'd go with the winner of the Dayton-Rhode Island semi, assuming both get that far.