Champ week has begun and with it daily eliminations. Yesterday saw three more teams bite the dust. Today will see between 10 and 15 teams’ national title hopes evaporate.

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Monday, February 27

We’ve entered single elimination mode for many teams. Yesterday the Atlantic Sun tournament kicked off and both NCAA tournament eligible teams lost to tournament ineligible teams.

Florida Gulf Coast fell to Queens University in the opening round by a score of 55-61. Although just a four point game with a minute and change, Florida Gulf Coast was not able to pull off the win. Junior Chase Johnston put up 24 points in 39 minutes, but the rest of his team had a cold shooting night. The loss drops Florida Gulf Cost to 16-15 (7-11) against Division 1 opponents. Their net ranking sits in the 170s and they are eliminated. Pat Chambers will have to try again next year and FGCU has now not made the tournament since 2017.

North Florida dropped a heartbreaker to Bellarmine 74-76. After dunking to tie the game at 74 with nine seconds left, North Florida watched Bellarmine drain the fadeaway with 0.4 seconds left. Brutal ending for the Ospreys and their tournament hopes. North Florida’s record moves to 13-16 against D1 competition and they are eliminated. The Ospreys streak of not making the tournament grows to 8 consecutive years.

In SWAC action, Florida A&M lost to Southern 58-60 at home when Southern made a basket with two seconds remaining. The loss keeps the Rattlers two games below the SWAC tournament field cutline with just one game remaining. At 5-21 (5-12), Florida A&M will not be getting an at-large bid. Their tournament drought continues at least another year and has now reached 16 years.

The fourth and final team facing elimination last night was Alabama State. Fortunately for them, Bethune Cookman lost to Grambling keeping Alabama State’s hopes alive until at least Thursday.

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Teams eliminated Monday, February 27:

1. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
2. North Florida Ospreys
3. Florida A&M Rattlers

That brings the numbers to...

Number of Teams Eligible for Auto Bids - 336 (92.56%)

Number of Teams Eliminated - 27 (7.44%)

Number of Teams Eliminated since Yesterday - 3 (0.82%)

Teams Under Consideration for At Large Bids Only - 0

The day ahead

Sun Belt Round 1 - games at 6PM/830PM Eastern

Win or be eliminated mode

#12 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (9-19, 5-13) v. #13 Arkansas State Red Wolves (9-19, 4-14)

#11 Texas State Bobcats (11-17, 6-12) v. #14 Georgia State Panthers (8-20, 3-15)

Horizon Round 1 - all games at 7PM Eastern

Win or be eliminated mode

#6 Robert Morris Colonials (13-16, 10-10) v. #11 IUPUI Jaguars (3-26, 2-18)

#7 Wright State Raiders (15-14, 10-10) v. #10 Green Bay Phoenix (3-28, 2-18)

#8 Detroit Mercy Titans (12-18, 9-11) v. #9 Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (15-14, 9-11)

Patriot Round 1 - all games at 7PM Eastern

Win or be eliminated mode

#7 American Eagles (15-14, 7-11) v. #10 Bucknell Bison (11-19, 5-13)

#8 Holy Cross Crusaders (8-21, 7-11) v. #9 Loyola MD Greyhounds (10-19, 7-11)

ASUN Quarterfinals - all games at 7PM Eastern

Win or be eliminated mode

#1 Kennesaw State Owls (21-8, 15-3) v. #9 Queens Royals (15-14, 7-11, ineligible)

#3 Eastern Kentucky Colonels (16-12, 12-6) v. #6 North Alabama Lions (15-13, 10-8)

#4 Stetson Hatters (15-12, 12-6) v. #5 Lipscomb Bisons (16-12, 11-7)

Win or join at-large bid only pile

#2 Liberty Flames (21-7, 15-3) v. #8 Bellarmine Knights (12-17, 9-9, ineligible)

America East Race

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NJIT or Albany will be eliminated tonight as America East only takes their top 8 teams. Albany has been flirting with an early elimination for most of February but have somehow clung to life this long. Unfortunately for them, they face a must win game against league champion Vermont and not only need to win that but also need NJIT to lose to New Hampshire.

MAC Race

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Four teams face elimination tonight in the MAC. The most likely team to be eliminated is Western Michigan. The Broncos need to beat Miami (OH), but they also need a lot of help just to stay alive. Bowling Green would also need to beat Eastern Michigan and Toledo would have to defeat Central Michigan just to keep Western Michigan in the running.

For Bowling Green, the math is simpler. A loss eliminates them. A win keeps them alive until at least Friday.

Miami (OH) is eliminated with a loss and either an Eastern Michigan or Central Michigan win.

Central Michigan is eliminated with a loss and an Eastern Michigan win.

Other conference races

Southland play wraps up on Wednesday

SWAC play resumes Thursday

Ivy League play wraps up on Saturday

I’ll cover each of these races on the day that they resume play.