Conference Tournaments Starting March 4th

Many remember the joy and disappointment provided by a scrappy Belmont squad last season when they took the evil Duke Blue Devils down to the wire in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Located in Nashville, Belmont University became part of the college basketball lexicon for many that night. But if you had been reading this blog...you would have known about Belmont well before that, when I picked them to win the Atlantic Sun Tournament. One of the reasons I fill out 30 Conference Tournament brackets is because the act of doing so is ridiculous. Another reason is that it provides an opportunity (for the readers and for myself) to know about these smaller schools before their coming out party in the Big Dance. You're welcome in advance. Three more Conference Tournaments begin tonight in the Patriot, Atlantic Sun, and Sunbelt. As always, my predicted champion is in bold.

• Patriot League - American - I'm predicting them to win the Patriot League Championship game...providing a dramatic conclusion to my "Props To The Patriot League #2" column. Unfortunately for Bill Simmons, Bob Casey Jr., and many other Holy Cross alumni, American University is better. Should be a good tournament though...last year, all four first-round games were decided by three points or less. Notable Seeds: #1 American, #2 Holy Cross (props to Chaz), #3 Navy, #5 Lehigh, #7 Bucknell (props to Josh)

• Atlantic Sun - Belmont - Jacksonville is somehow the #1 seed in this tournament, but I GUARANTEE they don't win it all. Belmont has won this conference tournament and reached the NCAA's for three consecutive seasons. Mercer is a very intriguing 6 seed as they defeated both Alabama and Auburn on the road this season. Lipscomb is a great sleeper pick here as the #4 seed. They have won 8 games in a row, including victories over all three teams above them in the seeding. I'm going with Belmont to do it again. They've been here many times before and they know what it takes. This class of seniors will cap off their careers by making the Big Dance four times. Notable seeds: #1 Jacksonville, #2 East Tennessee State, #3 Belmont (props to Ben), #4 Lipscomb, #6 Mercer

• Sun Belt - Western Kentucky - South Alabama was one of my bracket busters last season, but they have fallen on hard times. Most of these teams are of no consequence except for Western Kentucky or Troy. Located in Alabama, Troy University is on fire...losing only 2 games since New Year's Day, by a total of 3 points. Western Kentucky is notorious for defeating my adopted Drake team last season in a classic #5 vs. #12 upset. If I can't beat them, I'm going to join them. Notable Seeds: #1 Western Kentucky, #2 Arkansas-Little Rock, #3 Troy, #4 North Texas, #6 South Alabama, #7 Denver, #10 New Orleans, #12 Arkansas State

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