Another wild week awaits area hoops fans. The madcap, non-stop college hoops action of Thursday and Friday represents the pinnacle of sports viewing for many fans. Sneaking out of work, bracket in hand, for an extra hour of lunch is an annual ritual for many a weary office drone. At this point next week, our brackets will be hopelessly crumbled, highlighted and marked with cryptic marginalia. Right now, however, hope springs eternal. Don't forget to......

The field of 65 is set. While last night's selection show didn't reveal any surprise omissions or inclusions for our area teams (sorry, Maryland), it sure gave us plenty to consider in advance of our bracketeering. Did last year's 5-seed sweep end the 12-5 upset special? How far do you take local teams or alma mater? Will you trust veteran-led teams or take the young studs with NBA-level talent? Which would win in a fight,......

Yesterday we took a look at our area NCAA basketball teams that have already secured a spot in the Big Dance. In our second installment, we examine the bubble teams, as well as those unfortunate enough to miss the postseason. American University Eagles (20-11, 10-4) The AU Eagles kept rollin' on Sunday against Army, downing the fifth-seeded Black Knights in front a rockin' Bender Arena by a score of 72-60. Junior Guard Garrison Carr went......

Selection Sunday is a few days away, and college hoops action is heating up inside the Beltway. With 2-4 area teams destined for this year's NCAA Tournament and local teams' success in recent years, it's safe to say that we're living in one of the country's college hoops hotbeds. Let's take a look at our area teams and make a few predictions along the way. In our first installment, we'll find out what went right......

Last week's slate of games elicited emotions ranging from despair to jubilation for our area teams, and this week should be equally as tumultuous; the postseason fate of numerous squads hangs in the balance. This week's picks are listed below; feel free to add your own in the comments and email me with suggestions for next week. TUESDAY The Washington Wizards begin a 4-game homestand tonight against Milwaukee. The Bucks sit at a wretched 23-40......

This wild and historic season for the American University men's basketball team has nearly come off the rails twice in a week. Last Wednesday, with the chance to clinch the regular season Patriot League title (and with it, home court advantage throughout the conference tournament), the Eagles couldn't keep up with second-placed Navy and lost 83-68. But the Midshipmen then turned around and helped them out by losing to Colgate, meaning their win last Saturday......

With a number of area teams gearing up for a playoff run, it's an exciting time for sports in the Washington area. Here's what you should be watching this week. Don't hesitate to leave your own suggestions in the comments, and, if you're so inclined, shoot me an email with suggestions for next week. Tuesday Most of this week's slate is packed with some great action. Tuesday is an exception. For those that aren't reading......

Written by DCist contributor Brett Gellman Last night's game against Virginia Tech (15-11, 6-6 ACC) was a pivotal one for the Maryland Terrapins (17-10, 7-5 ACC). It was an opportunity for the recently resurgent Terps to lock up an important home victory, notch another win in their ACC record, and improve their RPI. Prior to last night, Maryland would've been considered a lock for the NCAA Tournament (most pollsters had them penciled in as a......

Written by DCist contributor Brett Gellman The Maryland Terrapins (16-8, 6-3 ACC) travel to Durham tonight to take on #2 Duke (21-1, 9-0 ACC) in a nationally televised conference showdown on ESPN. The Terps, who have been red hot after a dismal December that included losses to Ohio and American, have won six of their last seven games. Their lone loss during that stretch was, yep, to the Blue Devils. The first time Maryland and......

Written by DCist contributor Brett Gellman Well, who saw that coming? The Terrapins (12-7, 2-2 ACC) stunned the nation last Saturday by defeating the (now former) top team in the country, North Carolina, 82-80 in an instant classic in front of a nationally televised audience. And this was at The Dean Dome, no less. Gary Williams orchestrated one of his finest coaching jobs, as the future Hall of Famer guided his team to the program's......

Written by DCist contributor Brett Gellman Maryland Basketball (10-7, 0-2 ACC) snapped its four-game winning streak after losing to Virginia Tech last Saturday in heartbreaking fashion, 67-66. The Terps were missing Eric Hayes, the team's starting point guard, for the second straight game due to an ankle sprain, and it was highly evident from the results on the court. Greivis Vasquez took over the ball-handling duties and had a horrid night: 2 of 14 from......

One could argue that the GW Colonials men's basketball team put off their rebuilding year for awhile, and now it's caught up to them. Karl Hobbs' team reached #6 in the AP poll and the second round of the NCAA tourney in the 2005-2006 on the backs of Danilo Pinnock, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Mike Hall, and Omar Williams. When those four left after the season to graduation and the pros, the team was expected to finish......

By DCist contributor Hayden Alfano George Mason continued it's up-and-down season last night, blowing a 19-point second half lead and losing to Delaware, 73-68, in overtime. The loss dropped the Patriots to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in Colonial Athletic Association play. It's a familiar theme for the team, which led Georgia St. by 13 at the break last Wednesday but couldn't hang on, losing 66-64 at the buzzer. Those two troubling road losses sandwiched a......

By DCist contributor Brett Gellman The Maryland Terrapins (9-6, 0-1 ACC) have experienced their fair share of ups and downs now that we've reached the midway point of the season. After an encouraging win against Illinois in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge back in November, the Terps suffered a three-game losing streak which was punctuated with a stunning loss to American at the Comcast Center just a few days before Christmas. It was AU's first win......

The American University men's basketball squad may be heading into Patriot League play at 8-7, but you have to figure head coach Jeff Jones still isn't sure what kind of team he has. Is the real AU the team that dropped home games against Maryland-Baltimore County and labored to beat Jacksonville at home? Or is the real AU the team that knocked off the Maryland Terps and gave Atlantic 10 contender Dayton U a game......

George Mason capped a successful holiday week by beating South Carolina yesterday to take third-place in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. Will Thomas paced the Patriots with 22 points and 11 rebounds, solidifying his place on the All-Tournament team. George Mason kicked off their tournament with an 87-77 win over 18th-ranked Kansas State. John Vaughan's 21 points led the team, which put all five starters in double figures. Folarin Campbell's 25 points made......

The mid-November start to the NCAA basketball season tends to get lost in the universe of sports coverage. This is probably due to the staggered opening nights around the country, but can also be attributed to competition with other sports -- college football entering its stretch run, the NFL in midseason, even the NBA's opening weeks garner more attention than college hoops. We're not about to let this exciting time slip through the cracks. With......

The D.C. area was well-represented last year in the men's NCAA basketball tourney, with all three Georges winning at least one game, and of course, George Mason making an improbable run to the Final Four. However, the area women were no slouches either, as Maryland grew into a powerhouse, winning the national title, and perennial tourney team George Washington, who've made the tourney in 13 of the last 16 years, reached the second round. This......