Washington fans keeping an eye on other conference tournaments

All right, Washington fans, time to work on your scoreboard-watching.

Yes, the Huskies have gotten hot at the right time and could win the Pac-10 tournament. If they don't, what happens in the crazy mosaic outlined below will have a major bearing on whether UW makes the NCAA tournament as an at-large team.

As other conference tournaments heat up Thursday, if purple is your color, this weekend you're anti-orange (Illinois and Florida are threats to you) and you have a distinct aversion to blue (Memphis, Rhode Island), red (Dayton), green (Alabama-Birmingham) and maroon (Mississippi State).

So far, there's been little that wasn't formful in league tournaments. The Huskies like it that way.

One-bid leagues

America East: Boston U. (19-12) at Vermont (24-9) Saturday.

Atlantic Sun: East Tennessee State (20-14) won tournament.

Big Sky: Montana (22-9) won tournament.

Big South: Winthrop (19-13) won tournament.

Big West: UC-Santa Barbara (18-9) is top seed.

Colonial: Old Dominion (26-8) won tournament.

Horizon: Butler (28-4) won tournament.

Ivy: Cornell (27-4) is top seed.

MAAC: Siena (27-6) won tournament.

MAC: Kent State (23-8) is top seed.

MEAC: Morgan State (24-9) is top seed.

Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa (28-4) won tournament.

Northeast: Robert Morris (23-11) won tournament.

Ohio Valley: Murray State (30-4) won tournament.

Patriot: Lehigh (21-10) hosts Lafayette (19-12) Friday.

Southern: Wofford (26-8) won tournament.

Southland: Sam Houston State (22-7) is top seed.

Southwestern: Jackson State (19-11) is top seed.

Summit: Oakland (26-8) won tournament.

Sun Belt: North Texas (24-8) won tournament.

Multi-bid leagues

Atlantic 10 (3 to 5 berths likely)

In: Temple (26-5), Xavier (23-7), Richmond (24-7).

Bubble: Dayton (20-11), with a blowout win over Xavier and single-digit losses to New Mexico, Villanova and Kansas State, might be in the clear with a quarterfinal win over Xavier, given a 49 RPI computer ranking and 35 strength of schedule. Rhode Island (22-8, 42 RPI), 0-4 against Temple, Richmond and Xavier, must further its case in quarters against Saint Louis (20-10).

Atlantic Coast (5 to 7)

In: Duke (26-5), Maryland (23-7), Florida State (22-8), Clemson (21-9), Wake Forest (19-9).

Bubble: Virginia Tech, at 23-7 and 10-6, might look like a lock, but a soft schedule makes for a 55 RPI and 130 strength of schedule. Hokies might need to beat Wake-Miami winner in quarters. Georgia Tech (19-11, 44 RPI, 19 SOS) needs at least an opening win against North Carolina, then would meet Maryland.

Big East (7 to 9)

In: Syracuse (28-3), Pitt (24-7), West Virginia (24-6), Villanova (24-6), Louisville (20-11), Georgetown (20-9).

Bubble: Marquette's (21-10) RPI is just 58, the result of mostly beating up mid- to lower-level Big East teams, but a win Wednesday over St. John's should augur well. Notre Dame (22-10) is iffy in RPI (57) but has wins over Pitt, Georgetown and Marquette and should feel safe after Wednesday win over Seton Hall. The Hall (19-12), which has played very evenly against almost everybody, probably needs a lot of help to slide in.

Big 12 (7)

In: Kansas (29-2), Kansas State (24-6), Baylor (24-6), Texas A&M (22-8), Missouri (22-9), Texas (23-8), Oklahoma State (21-9).

Big Ten (4 to 6)

In: Purdue (26-4), Ohio State (24-7), Michigan State (24-7), Wisconsin (23-7).

Bubble: Illinois (18-13, 75 RPI), inconsistent all year, is toast unless it can duplicate an earlier win over Wisconsin on Friday in the league quarters. Win, and it should be in. Minnesota (18-12) has wins over Butler, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Illinois but some bad losses, too, and probably needs wins against Penn State and Michigan State to merit serious discussion.

Conference USA

(1 to 3)

Bubble: Texas-El Paso (24-5), 44 RPI and 128 SOS, hasn't lost since Jan. 13 and should be safe with a 7-4 mark against the RPI top 100. Memphis (23-8), 7-5 vs. top 100, can't afford a tournament loss to Houston in the Thursday quarters. Alabama-Birmingham (23-7) lost its last five against the RPI top 100. If it meets Memphis in the C-USA semis, might be a winner-in, loser-out game.

Mountain West (3 to 4)

In: New Mexico (28-3), BYU (28-4), UNLV (23-7).

Bubble: San Diego State (22-8, 36 RPI, 71 SOS) is a sketchy 3-6 against the top 100 and must beat Colorado State in its MWC opener.

Pac-10 (1 to 3)

In: California (21-9).

Bubble: Arizona State (22-9), with a 54 RPI and 71 SOS, looks to be locked up with Washington (21-9) for the No. 2 berth in the league. Sun Devils are only 3-7 vs. top 100, with best win against San Diego State. The Huskies (21-9) are 6-5 vs. top 100, split with ASU and show an RPI of 50 with a 59 SOS. Getting to league final should get Washington a favorable nod.

Southeastern (3 to 5)

In: Kentucky (29-2), Vanderbilt (23-7), Tennessee (23-7).

Bubble: Florida (20-11, 53 RPI, 31 SOS) beat Florida State and Michigan State out of league but went just 1-5 vs. the three SEC locks. Mississippi State (21-10) has iffy numbers with a 69 RPI and 105 SOS, went 2-4 vs. SEC locks and bubble teams and lost four times to plus-100 RPI teams. Florida has an SEC opener with Auburn, then a key matchup with MSU. Mississippi (21-9, 56 RPI, 72 SOS) has wins against Kansas State and UTEP, but is 0-6 against the SEC's NCAA candidates and likely needs quarterfinal win over Tennessee.

Western Athletic

(1 to 2)

In: Nobody.

Bubble: Utah State (25-6) is widely being discounted as at-large possibility, but deserves consideration with a 32 RPI, 103 SOS and 7-3 mark vs. top 100. New Mexico State (19-11, 67 RPI) and Nevada (19-11, 64 RPI) probably need to win the tournament.

West Coast (2)

In: Saint Mary's (26-5), Gonzaga (26-6).

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com