NCAA Conference Tournament Preview V

Mid-Continent Conference

Team to beat: Oral Roberts — Caleb Green has been the best player in the league for the past three years and he and fellow senior Ken Tutt comprise a deadly 1-2 punch. It'll be hard to imagine anyone knocking these guys off after they went 12-2 in league play.

Sleeper:Missouri-Kansas City. The Kangaroos have just the right balance, that if they are hitting they can cause problems...

Prediction: Oral Roberts — Oakland has a chance, but we're going with experience and talent and that means we're taking Oral Roberts and Caleb Green.

Tournament Schedule
Saturday March 3, quarterfinals at John Q. Hammonds Arena, Tulsa, Okla.
No. 1 Oral Roberts vs. No. 8 Centenary, 7 p.m. ET
No. 2 Oakland vs. No. 7 Western Illinois, 9:30 p.m. ET
Sunday March 4, quarterfinals
No. 4 IUPUI vs. No. 5 Southern Utah, 7 p.m. ET
No. 3 Valparaiso vs. No. 6 University of Missouri-Kansas City, 9:30 p.m. ET
Monday March 5, semifinals
No.1/No. 8 winner vs. No. 4/No. 5 winner, 7 p.m. ET
No. 2/No. 7 winner vs. No. 3/No. 6 winner, 9:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday March 6, championship 7 p.m. ET ESPN

Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Caleb Green, 6-8, 255, F, Sr., Oral Roberts
Rookie of the Year: Johnathon Jones, 6-0, 160, G, Fr., Oakland
Coach of the Year: Greg Kampe, Oakland

All-Mid Continent Conference team
Caleb Green, 6-8, 255, F, Sr., Oral Roberts — 20.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg
Quinton Day, 6-1, 180, G, Sr., UMKC — 14.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.1 apg
Steve Barnes, 5-10, 165, G, Sr., Southern Utah — 11.9 ppg, 6 apg, 3.4 rpg
Ken Tutt, 6-1, 200, G, Sr., Oral Roberts — 14.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.9 apg
Vova Severovas, 6-6, 225, F, Sr., Oakland — 16 ppg, 6.4 rpg

Mid Eastern Conference

Team to beat: Delaware State — The Hornets went 16-2 in conference play, finished with a seven-game winning streak and boast two of the league's top players in Jahsha Blountt and Roy Bright.

Sleeper: Morgan State. The Bears have the most balanced team. They may not have the most talented players in the conference but they do have the most balance and all their players can play.

Prediction: Delaware State — Roy Bright played at Cincinnati and Jahsha Blountt is good enough to play for anyone anywhere. AND Greg Jackson is evolving into one of the games better tacticians. I will be very surprised if the Hornets dont win it ... easily.

Tournament Schedule
at RBC Center (Raleigh, N.C.)
Tuesday, March 6 — First round
Game 1: No. 7 Hampton vs. No. 10 Howard, 6:30 p.m.
Game 2: No. 8 Coppin State vs. No. 9 Bethune-Cookman, 9 p.m.

Wednesday, March 7 — First round/Quarterfinals
Game 3: No. 6 Norfolk State vs. No. 11 Maryland-Eastern Shore, 6 p.m.
Game 4: No. 1 Delaware State vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m.
Game 5: No. 2 Florida A&M vs. Game 1 winner, 10 p.m.

Thursday, March 8 — Quarterfinals
Game 6: No. 3 North Carolina A&T vs. Game 3 winner, 6 p.m.
Game 7: No. 4 South Carolina State vs. No. 5 Morgan State, 8 p.m.

Friday, March 9 — Semifinals
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 6 p.m.
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 10 — Championship
Game 10: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 6 p.m. ESPN2

Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Jahsha Bluntt, 6-6, 220, G, Sr., Delaware State
Rookie of the Year: Mike Freeman, 6-8, 220, F, Fr., Hampton
Coach of the Year: Greg Jackson, Delaware State

All-MEAC team
Jahsha Bluntt, 6-6, 220, G, Sr., Delaware State — 15.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Tywain McKee, 6-2, 180, G, Jr., Coppin State — 17.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg
Steven Rush, 5-11, 170, G, Jr., N.C. A&T — 16.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg
Rome Sanders, 6-8, 240, C, Sr., Florida A&M — 16.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Rashad West, 6-1, 175, G, Jr., Hampton — 17.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.7

Southland Conference

Team to beat: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi — The Islanders won the regular-season title in their first year in the conference. Coach Ronnie Arrow (who happens to be one of my favorite coaches who never gets any press) and his team went 23-6 overall and 14-2 in Southland play and earned the No. 1 seed IN THEIR FIRST ELIGIBLE FOR THE TITLE. They have a quality guard in Josh Washington and a pair of the league's best frontline players in 7-footer Chris Daniels and 6-7 power forward Manuel "Scooby" Johnson. Now who wouldnt root for a team with a player named "Scooby"?

Sleeper: McNeese State — Joe Dumars may not be walking through the door, but John Ford will be — and the junior guard is one of the best players in the league.
Prediction: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi — It's tough to match up with any team with a guy named Scooby.

Tournament Schedule
At Houston, Texas (Campbell Center)
Thursday, March 8 — Quarterfinals
Game 1: No. 2 Sam Houston State vs. No. 7 Lamar, noon CT
Game 2: No. 3 Northwestern State vs. No. 6 Stephen F. Austin, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: No. 1 Texas A&M-CC vs. No. 8 Southeastern La., 6 p.m.
Game 4: No. 4 McNeese State vs. No. 5. UT-Arlington, 8:30 p.m.

Friday March 9 - Semi-Finals
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m.
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 11 — Championship
Game 7: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 1 p.m. ESPN

Geek's all-conference picks
Player of the Year: Chris Daniels, 7-0, 265, C, Sr., Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Rookie of the Year: Roger Guignard, 5-10, 160, G, Fr., Texas-Arlington
Coach of the Year: Ronnie Arrow, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

All-Southland team
Chris Daniels, 7-0, 265, C, Sr., Texas A&M-Corpus Christi — 15.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Ryan Bright, 6-6, 210, F, Jr., Sam Houston — 14.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.7 spg
Stefan Blaszczynski, 6-5, 215, G, Sr., Nicholls State — 19.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 3.2 apg
James Davis, 7-1, 340, C, Jr., Lamar — 15.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Luke Rogers, 6-1, 190, G, Sr., Northwestern State — 13.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3 apg