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Who will make the NCAA Tournament? That's the question on college basketball fans' minds these days, and it's no different for fans of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the SWAC. This time of year can make or break a whole season, so every game is vitally important from here on out. It's the correct time to take a good, hard look at the standings to see which teams are in a position to either win the SWAC title and get to the NCAA Tourney, or even get a rare at-large bid. If you would like to see the SWAC teams compete in March Madness, make sure to head on over to
And now for some analysis:
Jackson State – Jackson State is a comeback story that's going to make all the Olympic coverage, with its traditionally sappy tales of overcoming adversity, seem like a horror film. J-State began the season in the dumps, with little chance of making anything at all, let alone the NCAA Tournament. On Dec. 22, Jackson State had lost their first 10 games. While some of their competitors were A-list like Memphis, Alabama, Baylor, Nebraska, and Tulsa, some of the teams on the list should have been easy enough to beat, including Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin and Wagner.
Luckily the Jackson State Tigers turned things around quickly, winning their next 17 of 18 games. With just two more meetings on the regular season schedule, Jackson State is looking at a 17-11 overall record and a 15-1 conference mark. We predict this team will make the NCAA Tournament with the SWAC automatic bid. The real question is: How far will this team go in the tourney?
Arkansas Pine Bluff – The Golden Lions are a long, long shot to get an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, so they're going to have to pray for a conference championship. They'll most likely have to get through the current conference title favorite, Jackson State, in order to get to The Dance. This won't be easy. Jackson State won both of their meetings with Pine Bluff this year. But then again, this is the month of March, and miracles oftentimes happen. If Arkansas Pine Bluff does make it to the NCAA Tournament, they'll be one of the biggest underdogs in the field. Many fans are expecting this to happen and already purchasing tickets to the NCAA Tournament. Then again, most Pine Bluff alumni and supporters are waiting to see if they can secure a spot in the tourney before they book their tickets and hotel rooms and travel arrangements.
The end of the year is shaping up to be a thriller. While there are certainly some teams in a good position to make a long run in the NCAA Tourney, as you know, this time of year an upset is always possible. So make an effort to see the fantastic finish to the year in person. SWAC teams are gearing up for the last, hard push of the year.
The Horizon League never seems to disappoint college basketball fans around NCAA Tournament time. This mid-major conference seems to perpetually have a couple of awesome underdog teams that do very well against the big boys on the grandest stage. This year isn't going to be any different.
Before the month of March gets underway, let's take stock of the Horizon League, see which teams are on a collision course
with the conference title and which teams might make the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid. Make sure you purchase some NCAA basketball tickets from StubHub.com to see the Horizon League Conference Tournament games this year
Butler – Far and away the best team in the Horizon League this season, Butler has an impressive resume. Even if the Bulldogs don't wind up winning the conference title and securing the auto-bid to the tourney, they're likely going to get a high seed in the bracket anyways with an at-large bid. Butler is ranked No. 18 in the latest AP poll, as of Feb. 21, 2010, and many believe that they are the best mid-major team in the nation right now.
They have an undefeated conference record and only four regular season losses. Impressive wins over UCLA, Xavier and Ohio State earlier in the year secured this team a high national ranking. Butler is solid all around, able to score inside and out, and play defense for the whole shot clock. Don't sleep on this team in your bracket pool.
Wright State – After Butler the field in the Horizon League drops off a bit, but leading the chase pack is Wright State, with an impressive 11-5 conference record. The Raiders have at times been shaky throughout the regular season, dropping games to Wisconsin Green Bay and Milwaukee in the middle of January. However, their last two games, against Youngstown State and Cleveland State should go well, so they'll end the year on a high note.
Green Bay – Wisconsin Green Bay is another team that could come from out of nowhere to make some noise. A solid shooting team, Green Bay has won four of their last five and will have two relatively simple games ahead of them—one against Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 25 and one against Loyola Chicago on the 27th.
Valparaiso – Valpo is a team you usually hear in the rumblings about this time of year, but this appears to be a slightly off season for the Crusaders. With a difficult early season schedule (including games against North Carolina, Michigan State, Butler and Purdue), Valpo didn't get a roll going until halfway through the season. However, since Jan. 14 they've gone 9-4, and they could improve things drastically with a win over Butler on the 26th of February.
In terms of likely NCAA Tournament teams, the Horizon League presents one clear favorite. The race for an at-large bid might get really interesting, though. Stay tuned to the season all the way through by getting some tickets to your favorite team's last few games. Enjoy the show!
This spring will mark the 35th anniversary of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach open-wheel race, and for the 33rd time during the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend, speed-hungry fans can bid on entering the field as a driver. The annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race takes part as one of the exciting events put on during the Grand Prix weekend's festivities, and with a starting bid of $25,000 anyone could get the chance to race alongside celebrities such as Dara Torres, Frankie Muniz and Dave Mirra, who have all won the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race on the celebrity side over the past few years (professionals are included in the race but have a 30-second delay time and compete in a separate category).
The winner of the Long Beach Grand Prix celebrity race auction (which ends Feb. 11) will get the chance to receive a custom-made driver's suit, airfare, tickets and hospitality for race weekend, a post-race reception and dinner and will also partake in a professional driver's training course at the Fast Lane Racing School at California's Willow Springs Raceway in March before jumping into the driver's seat at the Long Beach Road Course. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach, which provides funds for several charities in the Long Beach area of Southern California.
The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is a crowd-pleaser year after year for the festivities during Grand Prix weekend, but the main race of the weekend almost always includes names like Andretti, as the Long Beach Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious open-wheel races of the year. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach began in 1975 as a Formula 5000 race, becoming a Formula One race the next year. Since 1984, the Long Beach Grand Prix has been a CART/Champ Car event, but after the 2008 race Champ Car merged with the Indy Racing League (IRL), making the Grand Prix an event specific to the IRL calendar.
Last April in the last running of the Champ Car's Long Beach Grand Prix, everyone with Long Beach Grand Prix tickets watched Aussie Will Power (of KV Racing) as he crossed the checkered flag first, winning the road course for the last time with Champ Car. The 2008 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race first place award went to professional racer Mike Skinner, the No. 46 driver for Randy moss Motorsports, and celebrity Jamie Little, pit reporter for NASCAR coverage on ESPN/ABC.
This spring's Long Beach race will mark the beginning of the future of open-wheel auto racing, as the merged CART/Champ Car and IndyCar series cars will race under the banner of IndyCar after a 12-year split of the two. The 2009 Long Beach Grand Prix will be the second race of the IRL season and will take place April 16-19 in Long Beach, California. To watch the action of this monumental race from the stands, get tickets from !
