March 16, 2008

NCAA Bracket

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - For the 14th time in Conference history and fifth since 2000, the Atlantic 10 Conference earned multiple at-large berths to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as league champion Temple was joined by Xavier and Saint Joseph's in the field of 65, it was announced on Sunday evening. The A-10 earned two of the six at-large bids awarded to non-BCS conferences.

The third-seeded Musketeers (27-6) will face SEC tournament champion Georgia (17-16) on Thursday in Washington, D.C. Xavier will make its 19th all-time appearance in the NCAA tourney and seventh in the past eight years. Last season, XU edged BYU in the opening round before falling to Ohio State in overtime in the second round.

Also making its 19th NCAA appearance in program annals and first since 2004 is Saint Joseph's (21-12), which earned a No. 11 seed and will square off against Oklahoma (22-11) on Friday in Birmingham, Ala. The Hawks are 3-1 in opening round contests of the NCAA Tourney under head coach Phil Martelli.

After claiming the 2008 Championship on Saturday as a result of its 69-64 win over Saint Joseph's, Temple (21-12) will make its league-leading 26th appearance in the tourney and first since 2001. Led by junior guard Dionte Christmas, the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship, the 12th-seeded Owls will take on No. 5 Michigan State (25-8) on Thursday in Denver, Co.

Also on Sunday, Charlotte (20-13), Dayton (21-10), Massachusetts (21-10) and Rhode Island (21-11) were among 32 teams selected to the Mastercard National Invitational Tournament. It marks the second-highest number of teams representing the A-10 in the NIT in league history. The Conference earned five NIT berths in 2002.

On Tuesday, Massachusetts hosts Stephen F. Austin (26-5) at 9:00pm (ESPN Classic), while Rhode Island visits Creighton (21-10) at 10:00pm (ESPNU). On Wednesday, Dayton entertains Cleveland State (21-12) at 6:00pm (ESPNU) and Charlotte travels to Nebraska (19-12) at 9:00pm (ESPN Classic).