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Filling the Brackets
BILL TROCCHI
November 17, 2008
SI predicts the 45 automatic bids and at-large picks that will round out the tournament field
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November 17, 2008

Filling The Brackets

SI predicts the 45 automatic bids and at-large picks that will round out the tournament field

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50 CLEVELAND STATE // HORIZON // 4 //
Behind league's top two players—forward J'Nathan Bullock and guard Cedric Jackson—Vikings went from 21 losses to 21 wins in a year.

51 CAL STATE-- NORTHRIDGE // BIG WEST // 2 //
Matadors welcome back league's top rebounder, Tremaine Townsend (9.8 per game), and top assist man, Josh Jenkins (6.4).

52 MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE // SUN BELT // 5 //
Blue Raiders, led by junior forward Desmond Yates (16.0 ppg), have top six scorers back from team that went to conference title game.

53 KENT STATE // MAC // 3 //
The Golden Flashes add talented and controversial guard Tyree Evans, a juco transfer who was a coveted recruit before being convicted of three crimes.

54 AMERICAN // PATRIOT // 3 //
Eagles went to their first NCAAs in '08 and will make it back with smallish backcourt of Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer (a combined 30.8 ppg).

55 CORNELL // IVY // 3 //
Big Red, which won first outright Ivy title in 20 years, will miss guard Adam Gore (torn ACL), but league player of the year Louis Dale has enough help for repeat.

56 VERMONT // AMERICA EAST // 4 //
Michigan State transfer Maurice Joseph joins junior Marqus Blakely, nation's only returning player to average at least 19 points, 11 boards.

57 GARDNER-WEBB // BIG SOUTH // 4 //
Bulldogs, late of Atlantic Sun Conference, will stun new league with backcourt of Grayson Flittner (15.3 ppg) and Aaron Linn (12.5).

58 TENNESSEE-MARTIN // OHIO VALLEY // 4 //
Lester Hudson, who dropped 35 points on Memphis and 36 on Vandy last season, will lead Skyhawks to first NCAA tournament.

59 BELMONT // ATLANTIC SUN // 4 //
Bruins' relentless three-point attack (36.5%), which almost upset Duke in NCAAs, has quartet of seniors seeking fourth straight bid.

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