Like it Is

Name teams poised to dominate NCAA bids

Kentucky guard Tyler Ulis (3) guards the ball after a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Auburn, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in Auburn, Ala. Auburn won 75-70. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

With less than six weeks left in college basketball's regular season, here's a prediction: Selection Sunday is going to be something to behold.

This is one of the craziest basketball seasons in a long time, maybe ever.

Consider Oklahoma was No. 1 last week, lost and was voted No. 1 again.

Or that Kentucky most likely will be a No. 4 seed, or better, and that the Wildcats' four losses are to teams that could miss the NCAA Tournament.

Or that last year at this time, there were still two undefeated teams (Kentucky and Virginia) and this year there are none.

Still, the rich will get richer because the tournament selection committee seems determined to keep as many Cinderellas away from the dance as possible.

The ACC and Big Ten will get the most teams in, followed by the Big 12 and Pac-12. For those keeping score at home, yes, that is four of the Big Five conferences.

The other, the SEC, once again isn't going to fare as well. Of course, that could change if an Arkansas or LSU goes on a run in the SEC Tournament and wins it.

Right now, the Razorbacks are a long shot to make the field of 68; LSU may be on the wrong side of the bubble.

The Razorbacks would need a Nashville miracle or the school's strongest finish ever to overcome an RPI rating of 116, but if you think that is disappointing to Razorbacks Nation, you can only imagine how the 5,211 LSU basketball fans feel.

The Tigers have four players averaging more than 10 points a game, including Ben Simmons, the country's best freshman, who was averaging 19.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game heading into Tuesday's game against Georgia. Despite his heroics, the Tigers were 12-7 with an RPI of 91 entering Tuesday's play.

It appears the SEC partygoers will be Texas A&M, Kentucky, Florida and South Carolina.

Side note on the senior-laden Aggies: watch for Jalen Jones tonight against the Razorbacks in Walton Arena. He's the main cog in their wheel, and this year he's playing fewer minutes, averaging more points and has added a three-point shot to his arsenal. He's made 16 this season after connecting on 12 all of last season.

There is still a lot of basketball to be played, but no matter what time of the season it is, yours truly is always for expanding the field. Ninety-six has a nice ring to it because there are now 357 Division I basketball programs.

All regular-season conference winners and conference tournament winners should get in.

If 60 percent of college football teams get to play in bowls, why do less than 20 percent of basketball teams play in the NCAA Tournament?

The way things are shaking out in the Sun Belt, either a very deserving UALR or Texas-Arlington team will be left out of the field, or both if they don't win their conference tournament.

In an expanded field, the Southland might get both Stephen F. Austin and Houston Baptist in March Madness. Houston Baptist is coached by Ronnie Cottrell, who graduated from Arkansas and worked for Nolan Richardson.

Cottrell, a native Arkansan, took over a Huskies program that stopped playing at the end of the 1989 season. He needed a year to get things back together, and when the team resumed play in 1991, he was its coach and has been ever since. This is Houston Baptist's third year as a member of the Southland Conference.

Those are the type of great stories that create interest in the NCAA Tournament.

When CBS announces the field of 64 with four teams playing to get in the bracket, there will be interest, elation and disappointment, especially in a year when it appears anyone can beat anyone, anywhere on any given day.

Sports on 01/27/2016