I'm just questioning the validity of the rankings is all. Ithaca did beat SLU in Canton and Middlebury lost to them. SLU had their own warts with some bad loses, but who does the rankings and who have they seen play? If it's coaches, have they taken the time to watch and evaluate all teams? It seems odd that there can be such an accurate ranking system AND have, consistently, so many teams lose what are. Was SLU really the #28 best team at 18-4, having won 14 of 15 with a top 20 SoS, with 3 of those 4 loses coming to Ithaca home (nationally ranked), Widener neutral (MACC champs and NCAA team), and Ursinus neutral (before Hilton got hurt and ranked #12 in the country). Maybe, I'm just saying it doesn't seem that the rankings are really worth salt and just might be inaccurate in some cases. Hypothetically, would SLU transform from 84 in the Massey to 1 in they won the entire tournament, or is there maybe something that was miscalculated earlier.

Are these "top 25" rankings really to be believed? The final poll (unless there was one that came out the morning the pairings came out that I missed) had Ithaca at #8 and Middlebury at #12 and both those teams lost at home in their first game after having a first-round bye. SLU gets discreidted for wins vs. 2 teams that are ranked low in the polls, but the same SUNYIT team they beat, dropped #13 Elms the night before? I think having the 17th SoS with 22 wins and being alive with 16 teams to play should mean something with regard to "top 25" rankings.

I haven't gotten the chance to see many of the "flight conference" teams play (and that league is always loaded), but the NYU discussion should not be a discussion. Not a high-level team. And the discredit of Ithaca, saying that they'd get beat by 20, TO ANYBODY, is ridiculous. You're talking about a team that has 1 loss, to a very solid RIT team, that hit multiple buzzer beaters (shot clock, halves, etc.) I'm not trying to say that Ithaca deserved the win, but they realistically could be undefeated with an ALL-WORLD point guard. They are as talented an offensive team as I've seen in all my time in D3 and have the TALENT to be in the Final Four. That said, "Final Four" is not necessarily probable as they are beatable by very good, prepared teams as evidenced by their more recent close W's, but I'd have a hard time picking a team that you could favor vs. them... Just my opinion
Also, SLU has a very strong team and is capable of beating anyone on a given night. They consistently score and have 7 (insane by the way) kids that average double figures. If they can bring that same sense of urgency to the defensive end down the stretch, they are a team that can be a bit of a sleeper when talking on a national level. Again, not necessarily favored in all games, but find me someone who would want them in their side of the bracket.
All in all, I think  it's shaping up for some decent hoops down the stretch and I do whole-heartedly believe that the East region will be represented well in the national tourney. I think it'll have to be either IC or SLU, but I'd give good odds that one of them makes the final 8. Guess we have to wait and see...

I don't think St. Lawrence's has enough to handle the buzzsaw that is Ithaca. I've seen them play and I just don't know if they're freshman class is mentally tough enough to get ready for the upperclassmen Ithaca can bring and the 'big-game' atmosphere it's likely to have. It looks like they beat them last year at Ithaca in OT, but Burton didn't play. HUGE DIFFERENCE. He's the best player around in region and will have a decided advantage over anyone St. Lawrence tries to throw at him. That being said, I think the game will be very entertaining as both teams can fill it up, and I think Ithaca's assistant used to work for Downs at St. Lawrence which is always fun drama as a subplot. I'm hoping to make it up for the game, but my prediction is IC by 9 with free throws separating a 2 possession game late.