Wednesday Morning Update - 3/9

New to the Field

• Fairleigh Dickinson (Northeast Conference Champ) - FDU won the NEC Title game as the Tournament's 8 Seed, knocking off Regular season Champion Wagner 87-79.
• Gonzaga (West Coast Conference) - The Zags avoided missing the tournament for the first time in 18 years by winning the WCC Title over St.Mary's.  St. Mary's joins the growing list of Mid Major Regular Season Champs (Monmouth, Valpo, Wichita State) that failed to win their Conference Tournament and find themselves on the Bubble. 
• UW Green Bay - Qualifies for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years by winning the Horizon League Championship over Wright State.
• South Dakota State - Won the Summit League Title beating North Dakota State 67-59.

Out of the Field:

• Wagner - NEC Regular season champs lost Tourney title game and is now headed to the NIT
• Valparaiso (For Now) - Entered last night as the last team into the field.  With Gonzaga claiming an Automatic Bid Valpo, at first glance, seems to be the victim of Gonzaga's Bid Thievery.

Current Bubble:

Last 4 Byes:  USC, Butler, Syracuse, Vanderbilt

Last 4 In:  Cincinnati, Wichita State, UConn, St.Mary's

First 4 Out:  Valpo, VCU, George Washington, Monmouth

Next 4 Out:  Michigan, Tulsa, Alabama, Florida

Out:  Virginia Tech (For Now)

Critical Wednesday Games:

• Syracuse vs PITT (ACC Round 2) - Pitt moved one spot off the bubble for the moment with Gonzaga's entry to the field as an automatic bid.  Syracuse still resides in the "Last 4 In'.  Winner probably clinches an at large bid.  Loser will sit and sweat until Sunday's Selection Announcement. (11:00 AM - ESPN)
• Holy Cross @ LeHigh (Patriot League Championship) - Winner claims the Patriot League Automatic Bid (6:30 PM CBS Sports Network)
• UCLA vs USC (PAC12 Round 1) - Any team currently on the bubble, as USC is, can ill afford a first round tournament loss to 50+ RPI Team.  USC is particularly vulnerable due to a lack of RPI Top 25 wins on it's resume'. (8:00 PM PAC 12 Network) 
• Florida State vs Virginia Tech (ACC Round 2) - These two teams are part of a group of 4 Power Conference Teams (Along with Georgia and Ohio State) that can force their way into At Large consideration with deep Conference Tournament runs.  (8:00 PM ESPN)