NCAA Basketball: Michigan, Ohio State highlight Monday Morning Mailbag

Yes. 100 percent yes. The strength of their game is certainly their offense but they’re more than capable defensively. And, in a year like this, their consistency and offensive firepower can carry them further than in past seasons.

I think the best team is Wichita State, though Houston can certainly stake claim to that given the way they’ve played of late and the kind of backcourt they have. Of course, Memphis is the most talented, but they have been so out of sync offensively that they’re creeping towards the bubble.

Ultimately, I think all three of them will get in along with Tulsa, who has been red-hot over the last few weeks.

Two at-large bids with three bids overall. Dayton is a no-brainer and will likely get a No. 2 seed. I ultimately think VCU will get in as well along with one of the Rhode Island/Richmond/Duquesne trio. If I had to pick between those three right now, I’m going with URI.

The Missouri Valley does because Northern Iowa has the best resume of any team in these conferences. Obviously, for any of these conferences to get two bids, the best team (Stephen F. Austin in the Southland, UNI in the MVC, and East Tennessee State in the SoCon) has to lose in the conference tournament and earn the at-large bid. The SoCon probably has the best chance of knocking off that top team with how good Furman and UNC Greensboro are.

I do think both the Missouri Valley and SoCon end up getting two bids, though.

No. I mean, their defense and physicality is tough to match up against, but they haven’t shown anything offensively that would scare me. But first things first – they have to get in the tournament before we can talk about teams being scared of them.

He’ll absolutely be back next year, yet Maryland fans don’t like him because he has almost never met expectations. Turgeon has been able to get talent to College Park but has never had them as a legitimate Final Four threat, despite having the personnel to potentially get there.

Sunday’s win over Indiana is the perfect example. They went up double digits early, inexplicably went away from what was working, lost the lead, and then won late thanks to some great individual play. The consistency simply isn’t there, and the ability to elevate his players isn’t always there, either.

No. I think we’re seeing this year just how big of a mess Cronin inherited at UCLA and it’s going to take some time for him to implement his system and get his players in. It’s going to be a long process – one I don’t think will work at UCLA and I don’t think they’ll give him the time he needs – but it might be two or three years before the Bruins are good again.