Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

With three weeks to go until Selection Sunday the Tournament picture has cleared up for some Florida teams and become even murkier for one. USF and Miami are out, Florida will be a #1 or #2 seed. FSU remains the biggest question mark, and for the second straight year the Noles may be on the wrong side of the bubble.

USF: lost to Syracuse, DePaul

With their loss to DePaul on Saturday the Bulls are out of the Big East Tournament (barring a miracle) which means, much like the Bucs and Rays, it has come down to next year for the Bulls. When asked what was to blame for the Bull’s defeat, coach Robert McCullum pointed towards the turnover gap, “Nineteen to 11 on the turnovers,” McCullum said. “I think that was a difference in the ballgame.”

Up Next: at Seton Hall (Sat, 8:00)

UF: beat #25 Alabama, lost to #17 Vandy

First Joakim Noah takes a swipe at a Kentucky pom pom, then the Gators lose their first in conference game, and now guard Brandon Powell might have hit a Vandy fan. And I say bully to all three. Gators are still the best team in the nation, and should be the favorites to win the Tournament even if they lose their conference tournament.

Up Next: South Carolina (Wed, 8:00), at LSU (Sat, 3:45)

FSU: Lost to Georgia Tech, UVA

FSU should be the most interesting bubble team in the country. The Noles have a top forty RPI (#39), and two quality wins (Gators at home, Duke away), but the Noles also have a 5-8 conference record. Joe Lunardi (the Mel Kiper Jr. of March Madness) says FSU is one of the last eight teams out of the Tournament.

Up Next: at Maryland (Wed, 9:00), NC State (Sat, 1:00)

Miami: lost to Wake Forest

In a battle to decide the worst team in the ACC, the Demon Deacons came out ahead. At least Hurricane fans always have their football team to fall back on.

Up Next: UVA (Wed, 7:30), at Virginia Tech (Sat, noon)