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Jim Boeheim and his Syracuse team probably need a good showing in the Big East tournament to receive an NCAA bid.

Here’s a quick look at other programs that are usually building resumes at this time of year, rather than pacing in the waiting room:

Arizona (18-13, 8-10 Pac 10): Arizona’s streak of 23 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances – the longest current streak – is in jeopardy. The Wildcats have had a disjointed season, starting with the coaching change from Lute Olson to Kevin O’Neill. Injuries to Jerryd Bayless and Nic Wise have disturbed the flow. Arizona was 3-7 in its last 10 games, losing at Oregon Saturday to finish under .500 in the conference. No Pac-10 team with a 9-9 record has ever been selected for NCAA play. The Wildcats were 0-6 against RPI Top 25 teams. Arizona will be the No. 7 seed in the Pac 10 tournament and open against No. 10 Oregon State. The winner faces No. 2 Stanford. A team that looked like a certain participant just weeks ago has a big job ahead.

Kentucky (18-11, 12-4 SEC): Amazing. The Wildcats are likely headed to the dance after beating Florida 75-70 at Rupp Arena Saturday. All those Kentucky fans that gave up on coach Billy Gillispie in November should apologize. This is one of the most unbelievable turnarounds in recent memory. We are talking about a team that lost to Gardner-Webb and San Diego and now the Wildcats are in good shape. One more win in the SEC tournament should really lock things up. But I think Kentucky is in right now.

Florida (21-10, 8-8 SEC): It’s not so great to be a Gator today. The two-time defending national champions really found themselves in a play-in game Sunday at Kentucky and failed the test. They fell behind big and made a nice rally but that close doesn’t count in the committee room. Unless Billy Donovan can motivate his young team to win the SEC tournament, the Gators will become the first team since Kansas in 1989 not to defend their title (and the Jayhawks were on NCAA probation). Florida’s RPI and SOS simply are too low. But you know what? Florida won’t be gone long. Donovan will have the Gators back in the tournament next year. This is a strong program that had to absorb big losses after two sensational years.

Ohio State (19-12, 10-8 Big Ten): Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was asked if the Buckeyes deserved to be in the NCAA field after their 63-54 win over the Spartans Sunday. “Hands down,” Izzo said. Ohio State, which played Florida in last year’s national championship game, appeared out of the picture after losing four in a row. Then the Buckeyes beat Purdue in overtime Tuesday and added the win over Michigan State Sunday. Ohio State plays the Spartans again in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. This is a tough call. Ohio State’s big non-conference wins were over Syracuse and Florida. The Buckeyes lost to Tennessee, Texas A&M, North Carolina and Butler. The last time both the defending champion and the previous runner-up failed to earn bids was 1980 – when Michigan State and Indiana State couldn’t get back after Magic Johnson and Larry Bird left school.

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