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New York Times
14-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch 2025: Florida leads charge for final No. 1 seed
(Editor's note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men's & women's NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For complete analysis of the teams around the cut line, check out Jim Root's Bubble Watch, publishing daily until the field of 68 is announced Sunday. Quickly on this bracket: North Carolina beat Wake Forest on Thursday yet managed to fall to the first team out of the field, leapfrogged by Boise State and Texas thanks to huge wins for both. Advertisement That drops Xavier as well after the Musketeers fell to Marquette in the Big East tournament. It's very close there. But Boise State now has a third Quad 1 victory, over San Diego State in the Mountain West tournament, to go with wins over Clemson and Saint Mary's. Texas now has seven Quad 1 wins after getting a second over rival Texas A&M, and yes, Texas also has 14 losses. If Tennessee and Rick Barnes hand close friend Rodney Terry a 15th on Friday, does that push the Longhorns back out? Perhaps. But right now the SEC should have a record 14 teams in the field. Also, Friday here at Bridgestone Arena, where the first two days of the SEC tournament have not felt like early days of a conference tournament, the big dogs take the court for the first time and resume their jousting for a No. 1 seed. Auburn's already got the No. 1 overall seed reserved. Duke's a lock No. 1, too. Florida, Alabama and Tennessee might have benefited from Houston getting shocked Thursday by Colorado, but that didn't happen, just as someone taking that No. 1 seed from Houston isn't happening. So it's Florida, Alabama and Tennessee for one spot. Florida (27-4) as of Friday morning: No. 4 in the NET rankings, 8-4 in Quad 1 games, 12-3 road/neutral, No. 4 in the new Wins Above Bubble (which is just as stated, the number of wins a team has above what a bubble team would have with the same schedule), No. 4 KenPom, No. 34 in KenPom strength of schedule. The Gators have wins at Auburn and at Alabama, with a home win over Tennessee. No one in the sport has three better. Alabama (24-7) as of Friday morning: No. 6 in the NET rankings, 10-7 in Quad 1 games, 12-4 road/neutral, No. 2 in Wins Above Bubble, No. 6 KenPom, No. 1 in KenPom strength of schedule. Like Auburn, Alabama has a win over Houston. Like Auburn, it has a win on its in-state rival's home floor — the Tigers and Tide split. But Alabama lost its only meeting with Florida and its only meeting with Tennessee. Advertisement Tennessee (25-6) as of Friday morning, No. 5 in the NET, 9-6 in Quad 1 games, 9-5 road/neutral, No. 5 in Wins Above Bubble, No. 5 KenPom, No. 14 in KenPom strength of schedule. Wins over Florida and Alabama at home, a loss to Florida on the road. A bit more work to do. Best bet for Tennessee: Beat Texas on Friday — for a hopeful shot at Auburn in the semis — and hope Missouri bounces Florida and Alabama gets dispatched immediately as well. Best bet for you: Watch the SEC Tournament on Friday. The Bracket Central series is sponsored by E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Will Richard: Matt Pendleton / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cortland Standard documented local history, will be missed
CORTLAND, N.Y (WSYR-TV) — It was a typed-up note on the door and a 3 a.m. article that announced the Cortland Standard was closing. The small staff was told hours prior on Wednesday afternoon, March 12, in an emergency meeting. EPA announces rollback of environmental regulations Central New York temperatures trending upward again Bubble Watch: Ohio State's loss is North Carolina's gain, plus a good day for the SEC Democrats speak out against funding bill ahead of Senate vote Concerns are brewing for CNY brewery following tariffs on steel, aluminum 'We found out that we had gone bankrupt, essentially,' Lily Byrne, a staff reporter for the Cortland Standard, said. 'Didn't really have any warning and were told we could only be paid until today just get your article done for the day, and it's been fun.' For Lily, seeing their name on the bylines of papers scattered around the county never got old. 'I've always felt that news is so much more special and personal when it comes from someone living on your street. I feel like I live within everyone I write about,' Lily said. For more than 157 years Cortland County's history was recorded by the punch of a key and the snap of a photograph. 'That's the kind of journalism that I love. When you find gold,' Bob Ellis, a photographer for the Cortland Standard for more than 30 years, said. Bob retired in 2017, but still, when he hears sirens, he feels the call to grab his camera and track down what's happening. From SUNY Cortland protests, to the burning of the clocktower downtown, and that rare unplanned, but magical moment, Bob captured it all through his lens. 'As I told some people it's like watching grandma or grandpa pass away really,' Bob shared regarding the Cortland Standard closing. 'You feel it in your heart. I spent a lot of time there I enjoyed it there and it's sad.' The roots of the Cortland Standard run deep. The first job of Jeff Davidson, a loyal reader of the paper, was throwing the standard at doorsteps. 'When I was 12 years old, I carried two bundles over my shoulders from this intersection to the other end of town,' Jeff said. 'The pulse of the community is going to be truly truly missed. I'm sad.' After recording a century and a half of history, the Cortland Standard's closing is an unfortunate sign of the times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Covington man killed in Washington Parish crash
WASHINGTON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A Covington man is dead following a crash that happened in Washington Parish on the morning of March 13. According to the Louisiana State Police, troopers with Troop L began investigating the crash, which happened on LA 21 near Easterling Landing Road, around 5:50 a.m. Woman arrested following St. Charles Parish fatal ATV crash The initial investigation shows that a 2014 GMC Yukon, which was being driven by 34-year-old Joshua J. Curry, was headed north on LA 21 when, for reasons that are still being investigated, the Yukon veered off of the road in a left-hand curve, flipped and crashed into a home. Curry was unrestrained and was ejected from the SUV, sustaining severe injuries. He was pronounced dead on scene. As part of the investigation, standard toxicology samples were taken from Orleans mother seeking answers in son's 2022 unsolved murder EPA announces rollback of environmental regulations Bubble Watch: Ohio State's loss is North Carolina's gain, plus a good day for the SEC Southern University student, band member to be laid to rest in Kenner service Covington man killed in Washington Parish crash Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
13-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Men's college basketball bubble watch: Ohio State in trouble; SEC hopefuls step up
Editor's note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men's & women's NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments. Welcome, Bubble Watch fans, to the equivalent of staying up all night and cramming for a final exam! Teams with NCAA Tournament hopes have one last chance to leave a lasting impression — good or bad — with the selection committee, and early-week losers will have an incredibly long and stressful wait until Selection Sunday. Advertisement The bubble action will be frequent and frenetic this week, so we'll be bringing you daily updates to the Bubble Watch all the way through Sunday morning. Who is making a case to get in? Who is really feeling the squeeze of the cutline? And who felt the painful pop of a bubble before Sunday even arrived? We'll try to answer all of those questions here, exploring each team's changing prospects as the week progresses. Many power conference bubblers got their tournament runs underway on Wednesday, so we have some movement to examine. The biggest result came at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, where Ohio State fell in the opening round to Iowa. The Buckeyes are in dire straits now with a 17-15 overall record. In the SEC, the push for a ridiculous NCAA-record 14 bids took a positive turn, as the most bubbly teams — Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma — all picked up victories. Even more action is coming on Thursday, including vital games in the ACC, Big East and SEC, and we will be back on Friday morning to sort through all the madness! For a projection of the actual bracket, make sure to check out Joe Rexrode's latest Bracket Watch. And here are some ground rules for navigating the Bubble Watch below. Up to Lock: None Up to Should Be In: Arkansas Up to In the Mix: None Added to On the Fringe: None Down to In the Mix: None Down to On the Fringe: None Dropped from On the Fringe: None Earned automatic bid: Gonzaga Locks: Clemson, Duke, Louisville Should Be In: None In the Mix: North Carolina, SMU, Wake Forest On the Fringe: None North Carolina Profile Strengths: Excellent nonconference strength of schedule, strong quality metrics. Profile Weaknesses: Gruesome 1-11 record vs. Q1, took a Q3 loss. Looking Ahead: UNC continues to smash inferior competition, quickly disposing of a young and exhausted Notre Dame squad 76-56 on Wednesday afternoon. Discussing the Tar Heels' resume feels like we're going in circles, though. Once again, UNC has to win through to a matchup with Duke in the semifinals, and after not getting the job done at the Dean Dome, the Heels would desperately need to take advantage of another chance to beat their hated rivals. Thursday's quarterfinal against Wake Forest feels like a quasi-elimination game. Advertisement SMU Profile Strengths: No bad losses, excellent road/neutral record. Profile Weaknesses: Zero Q1 wins, poor nonconference SOS. Looking Ahead: The Mustangs wrecked Syracuse in the second half on Wednesday night to pass the warmup portion of their final evaluation. That gives SMU another chance at its first Q1 win of the season, as Clemson awaits in the quarterfinals. A win there may not be enough for a resume that sorely lacks heft, so the Ponies probably need a win over Louisville in the semifinals, too. Clemson controlled the entire first meeting in Dallas, but SMU does have a healthy Boopie Miller this time around. Wake Forest Profile Strengths: Solid resume metrics. Profile Weaknesses: Poor quality metrics, only one win over a likely tournament team, two Q3 losses. Looking Ahead: Wake Forest stayed (barely) alive by smashing Georgia Tech in the regular season finale in Winston-Salem. The Deacons have 20 wins, including two against Quad 1, and are 8-8 against the top two quadrants. If Steve Forbes' squad beats UNC in the ACC tournament quarterfinals and somehow topples Duke in the semifinals, it will likely go dancing. Losing to UNC, though, would all but end Wake's chances. GO DEEPER This is Jon Rothstein: Is college basketball's ultimate insider in on the bit? Locks: Arizona, BYU, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech Should Be In: Baylor, West Virginia In the Mix: None On the Fringe: Cincinnati, TCU Baylor What They Need: Baylor manhandled frigid-shooting Kansas State on Wednesday for its 19th win of the season. The Bears now face Texas Tech on Thursday evening, removing any possibility of a questionable loss to close the campaign. We will not quite adorn Baylor with a Lock label, but it would take some wild circumstances — a blowout loss to TTU, other big bubble wins, a couple of bid stealers — for the Bears to slide out of the field. Tremendous quality metrics could end up bumping them to a decent seed, as well. West Virginia What They Need: You had to make it interesting, didn't you, Mountaineers? West Virginia led Colorado for 30-plus minutes on Wednesday, but its offense sputtered late in a disappointing 67-60 loss to the Big 12's last-place team. Fortunately, the Buffaloes are in Quad 2 territory, so it is not a 'bad' loss on the resume, but it's a worrisome closing statement to the Mountaineers' at-large argument. Six Q1 wins and no bad losses will probably still be enough, but WVU will be nervously rooting against bid stealers until Sunday. GO DEEPER What's up with the Big 12 tournament's court? Locks: Creighton, Marquette, St. John's, UConn Should Be In: None In the Mix: Xavier On the Fringe: None Xavier Profile Strengths: Zero bad losses, respectable metrics. Profile Weaknesses: Only one Q1 win. Looking Ahead: It was not overly convincing, but Xavier got by Providence on Saturday, 76-68. That set the stage for what could amount to a win-and-in opportunity against Marquette on Thursday in the Big East tournament quarterfinals, and the Musketeers have already beaten the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee. UConn's elevation into the NET top 30 (the Huskies are at No. 31 as of Thursday morning) would hand Xavier a second Q1 win, but there is no guarantee it gets there. Despite a current seven-game winning streak, Sean Miller's squad probably comes up short for an at-large bid with a loss Thursday. GO DEEPER A fireside chat with Dan Hurley: In UConn's quest for a dynasty, can the Huskies stand the smoke? Locks: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Purdue, UCLA, Wisconsin Should Be In: None In the Mix: Indiana, Ohio State On the Fringe: Nebraska Indiana Profile Strengths: Zero losses outside Q1, very competitive resume metrics. Profile Weaknesses: Only a 4-12 record in Q1 games. Looking Ahead: Mike Woodson's Hoosiers got a massive win against Ohio State in their regular season finale. Their ultra clean resume has just enough high-end heft (three Q1A wins) to offset having 12 losses (none of which are anywhere near 'bad' territory). They have no risk of a bad loss at the Big Ten tournament, either, opening with a Q1 game against Oregon, whom they nearly beat in Eugene last week. A win might even elevate the Hoosiers above the First Four, while a loss would make for a long wait until Selection Sunday. Advertisement Ohio State Profile Strengths: Strong quality metrics, multiple elite wins away from Columbus, great nonconference SOS, no bad losses. Profile Weaknesses: Only two games over .500 overall, 9-15 record against Q1/Q2. Looking Ahead: Oh, boy. Ohio State is in real trouble after dropping its Big Ten tournament opener to Iowa. Although that game in itself is no issue (just a Q2 defeat), it put the Buckeyes in the terrifying position of being just 17-15 overall, two games over .500. No team so close to neutral has ever received an at-large bid, meaning that Ohio State needs a mini-miracle to go dancing now. Based on the other strengths of this resume, we'll keep OSU in the mix, but some committee members may automatically eliminate the Buckeyes at this point. Locks: Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt Should Be In: Arkansas In the Mix: Oklahoma, Texas On the Fringe: None Arkansas What They Need: The Hogs flirted with disaster, allowing a 20-point lead over South Carolina to shrink all the way down to one late in the second half. Massive baskets from DJ Wagner and Trevon Brazile saved the day, though, and John Calipari's team can no longer pick up anything remotely resembling a bad loss. The Hogs move on to face Ole Miss on Thursday afternoon, and although a win there would seal the deal, Arkansas should be fine — though not quite comfortable — without it. Oklahoma Profile Strengths: Seven Q1 wins, competitive metrics, 11-11 vs. top two quadrants. Profile Weaknesses: Conference record eyesore? Looking Ahead: Oklahoma shot the lights out in the first half of a 81-75 win over Georgia on Wednesday night, burying 11 triples en route to a narrow lead at the break. The Sooners held on to beat Georgia, adding another neutral-site Q1 win (and a 20th overall win) to the Sooners' impressive resume. Porter Moser's team is looking good in every category that truly matters, but the committee could still pull the rug out from under the Sooners' feet if they decide 6-12 in the SEC is not good enough. If OU can take down Kentucky on Thursday night, it will assuredly be dancing. Texas Profile Strengths: Outstanding quality metrics, six Q1 wins, no bad losses. Profile Weaknesses: Poor nonconference SOS, 9-14 record against top two quadrants. Looking Ahead: The Longhorns earned a desperately needed win against Vanderbilt in their SEC tournament opener on Wednesday. That was Texas' sixth Q1 victory, though its combined Q1/Q2 record is still a limiting factor, as are lagging resume metrics. Texas also did nothing of note in the nonconference slate, and a season-ending home loss to Oklahoma could be a harmful tiebreaker. The Longhorns need to keep winning. Next up: in-state rival Texas A&M. Locks: Drake (auto-bid), Gonzaga (auto-bid), Memphis, New Mexico, Saint Mary's, Utah State Should Be In: None In the Mix: Boise State, Colorado State, Dayton, San Diego State, VCU, UC Irvine, UC San Diego On the Fringe: George Mason, North Texas, San Francisco Boise State Profile Strengths: Two key nonconference wins, solid predictive metrics. Profile Weaknesses: One Q3 loss, resume metrics still slightly low. Looking Ahead: Boise State lost a critical home game to resurgent bubble rival Colorado State to close the regular season. That leaves the Broncos in a tenuous position, almost certainly needing a win (or, more likely, two) at the Mountain West tournament to earn a bid. Their opener: another swing game against a bubble foe in San Diego State. The Aztecs swept the Broncos during the regular season, so Leon Rice's team will be desperate for revenge. Advertisement Colorado State Profile Strengths: Strong 7-7 record against the top two quadrants, improving metrics. Profile Weaknesses: Two Q3 losses, very little of note in the nonconference. Looking Ahead: Colorado State has done enough to warrant mention here, winning seven straight games to close the year. That included Friday's regular-season finale at Boise State, where the Rams secured their first Q1 win. It is likely too little, too late for CSU, but if they pick up two more key wins en route to a loss in the Mountain West tournament championship game, they could have a case. Dayton Profile Strengths: Strong nonconference SOS, 3-3 record vs. Q1. Profile Weaknesses: Poor metrics all around, one Q3 loss. Looking Ahead: The Flyers are still a mega-long shot, but Friday night's win at VCU lifts them back onto the fringes of the discussion. Unfortunately, Dayton would not get another crack at VCU until the championship game; at that point, another victory would do a lot more than simply bolster the Flyers' at-large resume. It's tough to envision Dayton getting in just by adding wins over Saint Joseph's in the quarterfinals and George Mason in the semifinals, but I suppose crazier things have happened. San Diego State Profile Strengths: Elite win vs. Houston, 8-7 vs. top two quadrants, elite nonconference SOS. Profile Weaknesses: Middling predictive metrics, one Q3 loss. Looking Ahead: The Aztecs bounced back from a loss at UNLV by dismantling a veteran Nevada squad, likely keeping them on the right side of the bubble at this juncture. A crucial matchup with Boise State awaits in the 4/5 matchup of the Mountain West tournament; SDSU is probably safe if it manages to win. A loss against the desperate Broncos, though, would leave SDSU in the committee's crosshairs. VCU Profile Strengths: Strong overall and road/neutral record, 6-5 against top two quadrants. Profile Weaknesses: Almost no Q1 games at all, Q4 loss. Looking Ahead: The Rams took a surprising home loss to Dayton to close the regular season, sending them right back into the thick of the bubble discussion. Fortunately, the Flyers have played themselves into Q2 loss territory. VCU is still the presumptive favorite in the A-10 tournament, but if the Rams do need an at-large bid, the conversation could be polarizing for a team that has not played a single Q1A game and has wobbly resume metrics already. I would not suggest losing in the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament. UC Irvine Profile Strengths: Q1A win at Big West foe UCSD, 17-3 road/neutral record. Profile Weaknesses: Two Q3 losses, limited opportunities to improve their stock. Looking Ahead: The Anteaters smoked UC Davis on Thursday and dug deep to come back and beat UC Santa Barbara on Saturday night, narrowly keeping their at-large dreams alive. UC Irvine is currently only in consideration because of its resume metrics, but even those aren't quite good enough to get the Anteaters inside the cutline. A win over UC Riverside in the Big West tournament semifinals is unlikely to make a major difference. GO DEEPER Making the NCAA Tournament is hard. UC San Diego might kick the door down UC San Diego Profile Strengths: Top-notch road win at Utah State, gaudy overall record, quickly improving metrics. Profile Weaknesses: Limited big win opportunities, one Q3 loss. Looking Ahead: With Drake locking up the Missouri Valley's automatic bid, UC San Diego is now set up to be the firebrand of the selection process. Eric Olen's squad could get to 29 wins with a Big West tournament semifinal victory, and there's a chance a neutral-site game against CSUN would sneak into Q2. Would that be enough if the Tritons lose in the title game to UC Irvine (nowhere near a bad loss)? Mid-major fans everywhere hope so, but in practice, the committee could end up defaulting to teams with more big wins. Here's hoping UCSD renders that conversation meaningless by simply earning the Big West's automatic bid. The Bracket Central series is sponsored by E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photos: Grace Smith / IndyStar / USA Today Network via Imagn Images; Steve Roberts / Imagn Images)
New York Times
10-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch 2025: Teams with the most and least to gain this week
(Editor's note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men's & women's NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.) Drake's in, so we can dispense with the arguments about whether Ben McCollum's Bulldogs would have made the field of 68 without winning the Missouri Valley tourney (they probably wouldn't have), save follow-up discussions about the plight of the mid-major and tournament expansion for another day and simply appreciate the fact that this tournament is better with Drake in it. Advertisement Lipscomb's in, too. And High Point. And SIU-Edwardsville. And Omaha. With the Sun Belt and Southern Conference scheduled to produce champions Monday. And on through the week we'll go, into power conference tournaments and finishing on Selection Sunday. The teams playing for those automatic bids and the at-large hopefuls right around the bubble have the most at stake this week, of course — check for regular updates this week on Jim Root's Bubble Watch. But what about the stakes in safe parts of the bracket? Here are five teams that have much to gain in their conference tournaments and five that don't. Florida: I've got Florida as the last No. 1 seed after an enormous win at Alabama, and a No. 1 seed is worth it simply to guarantee Auburn/Duke avoidance. Though I'm not sure Florida should be worried about avoiding anyone, the way the Gators are playing. Alabama: It's so close between Florida and Alabama. If things go the way this bracket unfolded, it wouldn't much matter because the No. 4 overall seed and No. 5 overall seed got shipped out West together. But it doesn't have to unfold that way. The only clear rule is that No. 5 overall can't be with No. 1 overall. Tennessee: It's so close between Alabama and Tennessee, too. These three appear to be fighting for one spot because Houston is inching toward No. 1 lock status. But it's worth it for the Vols to be a higher No. 2 than Alabama — that's the difference right now between starting in Lexington or Cleveland. Wisconsin: The Badgers need to get their swagger back. Also, a No. 3 seed is still very attainable and worth pursuing. UConn: The Huskies need to maintain momentum. And get the heck out of having to play in an 8/9 game. Auburn: Two straight losses haven't changed the fact that this is the clear best resume in the sport. You're outright SEC champs. Rather than beat yourself up over three days, tell everyone your bus broke down and get Johni Broome's left ankle some rest. Advertisement Duke: The No. 1 overall seed could be attained, I suppose. But so what? Duke will be a No. 1 seed with a Raleigh-Newark path. Auburn will be a No. 1 seed with a Lexington-Atlanta path. This week is nothing but injury exposure. Michigan State: I don't see the Spartans cracking the top line — though they can be pushy! I also don't see how they fall to a No. 3 seed. Another outright champ that doesn't need the hassle. St. John's: A start in Providence should be assured with a No. 3 seed. So rather than go all out for a No. 2, maybe get a few thousand shots up instead? Houston: OK, go hard for one win, just to make sure on that No. 1 seed. We'll be back Thursday with a new bracket, and then it's every day until the big day. The Bracket Central series is sponsored by E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Walter Clayton Jr: Matt Pendleton / Imagn Images)
