Conference Tournament Predictions, Part 2

I wrote these predictions this afternoon while the Colonial tournament had just started, so I'm a little late. Sorry. I'm sure you were dying to get them in time.

America East
Dates: March 6-8, 14
Top seed: Binghamton
Projected winner: Vermont
Watch out for: Stony Brook
Thoughts: Binghamton and Vermont finished with identical conference records, but Vermont has the better offensive and defensive efficiency numbers and looked impressive to me in a Bracketbusters win against MAC leader Buffalo. The Catamounts only won the game by 8, but they were up a lot more before the Bulls made a late rally.

Big Sky
Dates: March 7, 10-11
Top seed: Weber State
Projected winner: Weber State
Watch out for: Portland State
Thoughts: Weber State lost just once in the conference during the regular season, and they get to host the tournament. That's a good combination for victory. Portland State figures to be the toughest competition. The Vikings won the conference tourney last year and own a victory over Gonzaga this year.

Colonial
Dates: March 6-9
Top seed: Virginia Commonwealth
Projected winner: Old Dominion
Watch out for: George Mason
Thoughts: This may turn out to be the most exciting conference tournament this year as the top six teams in the standings finished within four games of each other, and this league is getting only one bid. Many people may remember VCU from its upset of Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament two years ago. Guard Eric Maynor returns from that team and is a possible NBA draft pick. Despite this, I'm going with a slight surprise pick and taking fourth-seed Old Dominion, which has won five games in a row, including one against VCU. In that streak, ODU also had an impressive win against Liberty.

Metro Atlantic
Dates: March 6-9
Top seed: Siena
Projected winner: Niagara
Watch out for: Rider
Thoughts: Siena scored an upset over Vanderbilt in last year's NCAA tournament and have most of the players returning from that team, but they sure got schooled by second-seed Niagara last week on the road, giving up 100 points. In a college game ... with no overtime. Bad sign. Rider is a team to watch out for as they were on top of the league standings until late in the year, falling to a third seed. Last year's main man, Jason Thompson, was a first round pick in the NBA draft last year, and sometimes teams actually do better after losing that superstar.

Southern
Dates: March 6-9
Top seed: Davidson
Projected winner: Davidson
Watch out for: Chattanooga
Thoughts: I just can't pick against Davidson, even though the Wildcats definitely aren't as strong as last year. All that matters is they still have Stephen Curry. A stat that will surprise some is that Davidson's strength is actually defense. The Wildcats rank 38th in the country in defensive efficiency while they're not in the top 100 on offense. Weird when you have the nation's leading scorer. The Wildcats may want to hope they don't face Chattanooga in the finals, because that's where the finals are being held.

Summit
Top seed: North Dakota State
Projected winner: North Dakota State
Watch out for: Oral Roberts
Thoughts: North Dakota State has a great story. The Bison are in their first season of eligibility for the NCAA tournament and many of this year's seniors actually redshirted early in their careers to get this chance. I don't think they'll let it slip up. Ben Woodside is one of the most underrated players in the country and averages 23 points per game. Oral Roberts is the three-time defending champion of this tournament and can't be counted out.

West Coast
Dates: 6-9
Top seed: Gonzaga
Projected winner: Gonzaga
Watch out for: Saint Mary's
Thoughts: Gonzaga is just too good to lose this tournament, even if Patty Mills comes back for Saint Mary's as expected. I do think the Gaels will make it to the title game with Mills back, and they need to make it that far if they want a shot at an at-large berth in the NCAA tourney.

Conference Tournament Predictions

Screw Bowl Week ... errr Capital One Bowl Week ... or whatever it's called. Give me conference championship week any time (at least until they bring back the Copper Bowl and Freedom Bowl).
During the next two weeks, I'm going to give predictions on who I think will win all 30 conference tournaments. Here are some of the tournament scheduled to start this week.

Big South
Dates: March 3, 5, 7
Top seed: Radford
Projected winner: VMI
Watch out for: Liberty
Thoughts: VMI plays a frenetic full-court pressing style that rank's the team as the fourth-best in the country at forcing turnovers. Senior brothers Travis and Chavis Holmes are ready to finally lead this team to the NCAA Tournament. Liberty, however, does have Stephen Curry's little brother, Seth, so don't sleep on them.

Horizon
Dates: March 3, 6-7, 10
Top seed: Butler
Projected winner: Butler
Watch out for: Cleveland State
Thoughts: I just can't go against Butler in this one, even though the Bulldogs have had some problems in previous conference tournaments. They also don't need to win the tournament as they are in line for an at-large berth. Their biggest challenge will likely come from No. 3 seed Cleveland State, who beat Syracuse on a miracle buzzer-beater earlier this season and played tough at West Virginia. Butler beat the Vikings twice this season, but by only two points each time.

Ohio Valley
Dates: March 3, 6-7
Top seed: Tennessee-Martin
Projected winner: Tennessee-Martin
Watch out for: Murray State
Thoughts: Tennesee-Martin has the nation's second-leading scorer in Lester Hudson (26.6 ppg) and have the second best defense in the conference. That sounds like a good combination, although this conference has had some crazy shit happen in past tournaments. UT-Martin got waxed by Murray State last week.

Atlantic Sun
Dates: March 4-7
Top seed: Jacksonville
Projected winner: Belmont
Watch out for: East Tennessee State
Thoughts: Belmont has won the last three conference tournaments, so I'm going to stick with the pick that works. I think the team would love to get back to the big dance after last year's close call against Duke. It also helps that the tournament is being played in Nashville, where Belmont is located.

Patriot
Dates: March 4, 8, 13
Top seed: American
Projected winner: American
Watch out for: Holy Cross
Thoughts: American has won 10 games in a row and gave Tennesee a good game in last year's NCAA Tournament. American's lone conference loss came against Holy Cross, a former tournament mainstay.

Sun Belt
Dates: March 4, 7-10.
Top seed: Western Kentucky
Projected winner: Western Kentucky
Watch out for: Denver
Thoughts: Western Kentucky, even after the graduation of NBA pro Courtney Lee and the loss of coach Darrin Horn, has bounced back with a nice season that included a win against Louisville early in the year. No reason to believe it won't continue. Denver did beat the Hilltoppers earlier in the season, and the Pioneers have won four of their last five. They also are the slowest-paced team in the country and have the best efficiency field goal percentage in the country.

Missouri Valley
Dates: March 5-8
Top seed: Northern Iowa
Projected winner: Illinois State
Watch out for: Wichita State
Thoughts: Ahhh my beloved Missouri Valley. It's been crazy this year with Southern Illinois struggling, Northern Iowa coming out of nowhere, and Creighton starting the season as a disappointment and ending the season on fire. I think we'll see just as much chaos in "Arch Madness," as they call it (the tournament's in St. Louis). I'm going with No. 3 seed Illinois State, led by Osiris Eldridge, to pull through and reach the NCAAs after being a bubble team that fell short last year. Wichita State may be a No. 7 seed, but Shockers' coach Gregg Marshall has had great conference tournament success in the past with Winthrop, and Wichita State finished the season 9-4 after a horrid start.

Northeast
Dates: March 5, 8, 11
Top seed: Robert Morris
Projected winner: Robert Morris
Watch out for: Mount St. Mary's
Thoughts: The Colonials were the top seed in the conference tournament last year and failed to win it all, but I think that experience will helpl them this time around. Robert Morris gets to play every game at home, and the Colonials have lost only twice there all year and one of those games was against Duquesne, a tough opponent this year.