A Key to Kansas vs Richmond

Justin Harper and Dan Geriot vs the Morris Twins: For nearly every team that the Richmond Spiders have played this season, their opponents have had trouble matching up with Justin Harper and Dan Geriot. These two forwards, who are both 6-10, are the best two shooters on their team from three point land as they both average over 42 percent. They create matchup problems because they can be physical inside but also can step outside and make your big men guard on the perimeter. Many teams have to focus so much on stopping the versatile Harper, that it allows first team Atlantic 10 guard Kevin Anderson to score and penetrate into the line. However, Kansas is happy to guard Harper and Geriot out on the perimeter, as they have two of the most athletic forwards in college basketball with Marcus and his twin brother Markieff Morris. This will allow Kansas's defense to focus on Anderson, as one of the Morris brothers will be able to match up with Harper either on the post or outside. Richmond definitely has a chance to pull the upset on the top seeded Kansas because of their ability to shoot the three ball. Morehead St. guard Demonte Harper said about Richmond after they beat them in the third round of the tourney, "It's kind of difficult to guard them because they have so many good shooters on the floor. Each guy on their team can really shoot the ball." On the other end of the court, Richmond plays a matchup two three zone, which caused both Vanderbilt and Morehead St. havoc in the tournament. Even Chris Mooney admitted though, "Kansas is a different problem because they're so good, so strong, so physical... [The Morris twins] they're aggressive, really talented. Obviously, they're big- time bodies down there. We're up for the challenge. I think if we can just negate their rebounding and make them work for everything." It will be key for the Spiders to locate the Morris twins on defense because not only can they rebound and score inside but they can also shoot from three like the Richmond frontline.

Predictions for Conference Tournaments

Going into Thursday, 13 teams have clinched automatic bids to the NCAA tournament. There are still 19 automatic bids that have not yet been handed out to fill the 31 automatic bids into the field of 68. Here are my predictions on some of the major conference tournaments during Champ Week. (Teams that are underlined are competing for a top four seed, teams that are in italics are in the tournament but not competing for a top four seed, and bold teams are on the bubble).

Atlantic 10:

First Round:

9. Dayton over 8. Umass

5. George Washington over 12. St. Joseph's

7. St. Bonaventure over 10. La Salle

6. Rhode Island over 11. Saint Louis

Quarterfinals:

1. Xavier over 9. Dayton

5. George Washington over 4. Duquesne

2. Temple over 7. St. Bonaventure

3. Richmond over 6. Rhode Island

Semifinals:

1. Xavier over 5. George Washington

3. Richmond over 2. Temple

Finals:

1. Xavier over 3. Richmond

ACC:

First Round:                                                  

9. Miami over 8. Virginia

5. Boston College over 12. Wake Forest

7. Maryland over 10. NCST

6. Virginia Tech over 11. Georgia Tech

Quarterfinals:

1. North Carolina over 9. Miami

5. Boston College over 4. Clemson

2. Duke over 7. Maryland

6. Virginia Tech over 3. Florida St.

Semifinals:

1. North Carolina over 5. Boston College

2. Duke over 6. Virginia Tech

Finals:

1. North Carolina over 2. Duke

Big 12:

First Round:

8. Nebraska over 9. Oklahoma St.

5. Colorado over 12. Iowa St.

7. Baylor over 10. Oklahoma

6. Missouri over 11. Texas Tech

Quarterfinals:

1. Kansas over 8. Nebraska

4. Kansas St. over 5. Colorado

2. Texas over 7. Baylor

6. Missouri over 3. Texas A and M

Semifinals:

4. Kansas St. over 1. Kansas

2. Texas over 6. Missouri

Finals:

4. Kansas St. over 2. Texas

Big East:

First Round:

9. Uconn over 16. DePaul

12. Seton Hall over 13. Rutgers

10. Villanova over 15. South Florida

11. Marquette over 14. Providence

Second round:

9. Uconn over 8. Georgetown

5. St. John's over 12. Seton Hall

10. Villanova over 7. Cincinnati

11. Marquette over 6. West Virginia

Quarterfinals:

9. Uconn over 1. Pittsburgh 

5. St. John's over 4. Syracuse

2. Notre Dame over 10. Villanova

11. Marquette over 3. Louisville

Semifinals:

9. Uconn over 5. St. John's

2. Notre Dame over 11. Marquette

Finals:

2. Notre Dame over 9. Uconn

Big 10:

First Round:

9. Minnesota over 8. Northwestern

7. Michigan St. over 10. Iowa

6. Penn St. over 11. Indiana

Quarterfinals:

1. Ohio St. over 9. Minnesota

5. Illinois over 4. Michigan

2. Purdue over 7. Michigan St.

3. Wisconsin over 6. Penn St.

Semifinals:

1. Ohio St. over 5. Illinois

2. Purdue over 3. Wisconsin

Finals:

1. Ohio St. over 2. Purdue

Mountain West:

First Round:

9. TCU over 8. Wyoming

Quarterfinals:

1. BYU over 9. TCU

5. New Mexico over 4. Colorado St.

2. San Diego St. over 7. Utah

3. UNLV over 6. Air Force

Semifinals:

1. BYU over 5. New Mexico

2. San Diego St. over 3. UNLV

Finals:

1. BYU over 2. San Diego St.

Pac 10:

First Round:

9. Oregon St. over 8. Stanford

7. Oregon over 10. Arizona St.

Quarterfinals:

1. Arizona over 9. Oregon St.

4. USC over California

3. Washington over 6. Washington St.

2. UCLA over 7. Oregon

Semifinals:

1. Arizona over 4. USC

2. UCLA over 3. Washington

Finals:

1. Arizona over 2. UCLA

SEC:

First Round:

E4. Georgia over W5. Auburn

W3. Mississippi over E6. South Carolina

E5. Tennessee over W4. Arkansas

E3. Vanderbilt over W6. LSU

Quarterfinals:

E4. Georgia over W1. Alabama

E2. Kentucky over W3. Mississippi

E1. Florida over E5. Tennessee

E3. Vanderbilt over W2. Mississippi St.

Semifinals:

E2. Kentucky over E4. Georgia

E3. Vanderbilt over E1. Florida

Finals: 

E2. Kentucky over E3. Vanderbilt