2018 Championship “Week” Update: February 28

Out of the four conference tournament games going on last night, we got one upset. #10 seed Longwood went into #7 seed High Point’s barn and came out with the 68-55 victory to advance in the Big South tournament.

Since both the Big South and Patriot League tournament games last night were on campus sites, that means we move on to a few new tournaments today. Two are on a neutral floor, with a third playing at campus sites.

We should probably address the elephant in the room. The Big Ten men’s basketball tournament, hereforth referred to as “The Rutgers Invitational,” gets started today from Madison Square Garden. It has been over three years since the Big Ten announced this move, done completely and totally with the idea of pleasing Rutgers, and now, the moment is finally here. It warms the cockles of my heart to see very smart guys like Gregg Doyel launch a full offensive against the Big Ten for their very stupid plan of playing their men’s basketball tournament a week early just to be able to play at MSG.

I have made every joke imaginable about this thing, except for one: In exchange for the tournament being placed less than 50 miles away from their campus for no other reason that just to make them happy, Rutgers returned the favor by finishing dead last in the Big Ten this season. They play in the second of two games at MSG today, and if that game goes chalk, Rutgers’ season will be over even before March starts.

IT’S SO FUNNY.

Here’s your schedule for the day!

THE RUTGERS INVITATIONAL FIRST ROUND (Big Ten Network)

4:30pm: #12 Iowa vs #13 Illinois
7pm: #11 Minnesota vs #14 Rutgers

NEC QUARTERFINALS (NEC Front Row)

6pm: #8 Central Connecticut St. at #1 Wagner
6pm: #7 Robert Morris at #2 Mount St. Mary’s
6pm: #6 Fairleigh Dickinson at #2 St. Francis (PA)
6pm: #5 St. Francis-Brooklyn at #3 LIU Brooklyn

OHIO VALLEY FIRST ROUND (OVC Digital Network)

6:30pm: #5 Tennessee Tech vs #8 SIU Edwardsville
9pm: #6 Tennessee State vs #7 Eastern Illinois