4 Teams That I Would Have Loved to See in the NCAA Tournament

Every year there are the classic tournament snubs. Some are from small conferences, others are from power 5’s, but this year it was all across the board. Here’s my list of teams that I would have liked to see in the NCAA tournament:

1.   Washington

They are an explosive team with lots of potential. They have a top 50 offense, but their defense does lack (note the 107-102 win in the NIT tournament on Tuesday night). I might be biased because I am a huge Washington fan, but this Washington team would have been a thrill to watch in the tournament. They are currently poised to go for a deep run in the NIT tournament as a 3 seed. I have high hopes for Washington next season.

2.       Monmouth

A team that was widely recognized as the biggest tournament snub this year, Monmouth has a very talented squad coming from the MAAC. Some thought that they were more talented than an over rated Tulsa squad that was an 11 seed in the tournament. What’s done is done, but no one could doubt that it would have been fun to watch Monmouth in this year’s tournament. With an early win against the then ranked #17 Notre Dame early in the season, and with another top 50 win against USC, their ceiling was high for this season. Monmouth was the epitome to the madness this season.

                Monmouth is currently a 1 seed in the NIT tournament and with a big win over Bucknell, they are looking to go deep in the NIT. Let’s just hope that next season leads them to a well-deserved tournament bid.

3.       St. Mary’s

One of the most efficient offenses in the nation, best record in the WCC, and one of the best group of guards in the country, and they couldn’t even make the NCAA tournament. St. Mary’s was one of the premier teams in the nation with a fantastic offense. Their defense oftentimes lagged, but it was compensated by their great offense, or so it seemed. Their defense ranked 5^th in the nation with 61 points allowed per game, but they constantly got beat on the boards during mismatches.

St. Mary’s is one of those teams with a ton of heart and enough skill that could have taken it as far as the Sweet 16. The Gaels will have another chance next season to make it to the tournament, especially if their build off of this season. Winning the WCC won’t be a cake-walk, but they will grow as a team enough to be a true competitor to Gonzaga for the conference title.

4.       San Diego State

The Aztecs had a super exciting team this year. They were 1^st in the Mountain West with no true star player on the team. Their offense lacked, only scoring 68.1 ppg, but their defense of elite, only allowing 60.3 ppg. Their offense may have been what robbed them of a tournament bid, but judging from past tournaments, their defense could have taken them far. Great defensive teams similar to SDSU, like the Virginia Cavaliers, are poised to make it far in the NCAA tournament. SDSU failed to perform their best in the Mountain West tournament, so they failed to get a tournament bid as a result. The Aztecs are consistently one of the best teams in the west year in and year out, so look out for them in the NCAA tournament next year, because they are poised to go far.

Currently, SDSU is currently a 2 seed in the NIT tournament, and they square off against the young Washington team next Monday night.