On the Brink

The Vipers can clinch a playoff spot as soon as Tuesday if Idaho loses at Sioux Falls. If not, it could happened Wednesday. Or Friday when the Vipers are at Reno.

Let me put it this way, it's going to happen.

The Vipers' magic number to clinch the Western Conference Championship is officially six (five to guarantee at least a tie with Austin, but since head-to-head record is the first tie breaker, and the Vipers won the season-series with the Toros 5-2, the magic number is technically five).

But wait, there's more. Don't look now, but Iowa's been stumbling lately and the Vipers are suddenly within 1.5 games of having the best record in the league. Iowa has five-straight home games against Dakota (three) and Sioux Falls (two) before closing out the season with two at Tulsa. The way Sioux Falls and Tulsa have been playing recently, that's no easy schedule. The Vipers have two at Reno (currently on the outside looking in, but with a legitimate shot at the final spot in the playoffs) this weekend, two at home against struggling-Los Angeles next weekend, games at potential eighth-seeds Utah and Idaho the following week followed by two at home against Dakota to close out the season. Tough to say for sure who has the more favorable schedule, but when you're talking about the top two teams, does/should schedule matter?

The Vipers are getting their guys back at the right time for that final push. Mike Harris and Will Conroy are back and doing what they do best - dominating the league. Antonio Anderson's second 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder is done, meaning if no other NBA team picks him up, he could be in uniform for the Vipers on Friday.

I don't think the Vipers will get Garrett Temple back at any point. The fact that he's on his fourth 10-day contract and third NBA team tells you how much interest there is in Temple. I have a feeling this is the start of a solid NBA career. The NBA Development League really worked for Temple. Basically did what it's supposed to do.

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Fearless NCAA Tournament Prediction - Boston University will go undefeated. *sigh*

EDIT
Boston University will win the third-annual College Basketball Invitational.

1st Round:
BU over Oregon State
Morehead State over Colorado State

Hofstra over IUPUI
Duquesne over Princeton

Saint Louis over Indiana State
Akron over Green Bay

George Washington over Virginia Commonwealth University
Charleston over Eastern Kentucky

2nd Round:
BU over Morehead State
Hofstra over Duquesne

Akron over Saint Louis
GW over Charleston

Final Four:
BU over Hofstra
GW over Akron

Championship:
BU over GW in three games

End Edit

As for the NCAA Tournament...

#16 Vermont will BEAT #1 Syracuse.