Meier signs new five-year deal at Miami-Florida

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

06/10/2010 - Coral Gables, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Katie Meier signed a new five-year contract Thursday to remain the head women's basketball coach at the University of Miami.

Meier, hired in April 2005, led the Hurricanes to one their best seasons in 2009-10, as the team reached the WNIT Championship game -- a 73-61 loss to California.

"I am energized everyday by the possibilities and challenges of coaching Miami in the ACC," Meier said. "I have been blessed with such an incredible group of current and past players, and those people, along with my staff and the entire University of Miami community make this a great environment in which to be successful."

7decks NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Manuel, Girardi announce All-Star staffs
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi announced on Thursday their on-field staffs for the 2010 All-Star Game, to be played at Angel Stadium of Anaheim

<< Zenyatta versus five in Vanity
Inglewood, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Leading Horse of the Year candidate Zenyatta will go after a third straight win in Sunday's $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. The undefeated mare has five challengers in the 1 1/8-mile race on

<< Danks impressive in White Sox's win over Tigers
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Omar Vizquel and A.J. Pierzynski each homered to back seven shutout innings by John Danks, as the Chicago White Sox topped the Detroit Tigers, 3-0, in the rubber match of a three-game series. Danks (5-5) w

<< Sharapova lands in Birmingham quarters
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two-time titlist Maria Sharapova won a pair of matches on Thursday in order to reach the quarterfinals at the rainy $220,000 Aegon Classic. The second-seeded former world No. 1 Sharapova fin

<< United's Wallace out 2-3 months after surgery
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United announced Thursday defender Rodney Wallace underwent successful surgery on his fractured left fibula and will miss 2-3 months. Wallace suffered the injury on June 5 against Real Salt Lake

Bills finalize contract with Arthur Moats >>
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Linebacker Arthur Moats, the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award winner, signed his rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday. Moats, a sixth-round selection out of James Madison, was named the FCS defensive pla

Quintero helps Astros edge Rockies >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Humberto Quintero went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and knocked in two, as the Houston Astros held on for a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies in the finale of a four-game series at Coors Field. Tommy Manzella

Cahill shines as A's top Angels >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trevor Cahill pitched a career-high eight innings and held the Angels to one run, as the Athletics earned a split of a four-game series against their American League West rivals with a 6-1 win. Cahill (

Brewers edge Cubs in 10th on error >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Gomez scored the game-winning run on a throwing error in the bottom of the 10th inning, as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Miller

Blue Jays put McDonald on bereavement list >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday placed infielder John McDonald on the bereavement list and selected the contract of outfielder Dewayne Wise. McDonald was batting .250 with three RBI in 16 games fo

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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