The field of 68 for the 2011 NCAA Tournament will be finalized on Sunday, but Thursday's action in the Pac-10 Tournament provided some good news and some bad news for the two local teams. The UCLA Bruins were upset by Oregon last night, but they are still projected to make the NCAA Tournament, per the latest Bracketology by Chris Dobbertean at SB Nation. Meanwhile, the USC Trojans are firmly on the bubble, but a win tonight over Arizona could punch the Trojans' ticket to March Madness.
The Bruins are projected as a No. 10 seed in the East (down from a No. 8 seed before the loss to the Ducks), which would mean a trip to Charlotte to face Old Dominion. Should the Bruins win their first-round matchup, they would likely have the unenviable task of facing No. 2 Duke in round two, in Charlotte.
USC is currently the first team on the outside looking in, in Dobbertean's bracket. A win over Arizona tonight might be enough for the Trojans, but it will be close. Two more wins, of course, for USC would automatically punch their ticket, as the Pac-10 tournament champs.
The other Pac-10 Tournament teams projected to be in the tournament are Arizona, a No. 5 seed in the West, and Washington, a No. 11 seed in the Southwest.
For more local NCAA hoops news and information, be sure to read Bruins Nation and Conquest Chronicles.