With Selection Sunday only two days away it’s time for me to post my advice to the busy committees, deciding what to do with Virginia’s better men’s basketball teams, tournament-wise.

So, using the always reliable SLANTblog Virginia Top Five as my guide, what follows will be my scouting report for those postseason bound teams. Once they read this report, the guys figuring out where to place the teams will have some of the info about Virginia’s teams they might need to finish putting the NCAA and NIT puzzles together. Naturally, I’m only trying to be helpful.

SLANTblog’s Virginia Top Five (Mar. 8, 2010)

No. 1: University of Richmond (24-7):

Should be a lock to make the field in the NCAA tournament. Beating Missouri, Florida and Old Dominion added luster to the Spiders A-10 resume, which included a win over Temple. Depending on how Richmond does in the ongoing A-10 tournament, it could be placed anywhere between a sixth seed and a ninth seed.

Richmond is a well balanced team led by the A-10’s Player of the Year, 5-11 junior Kevin Anderson (17.8 ppg) at point guard. Shooting guard, 6-4 senior David Gonzalvez, (14.3 ppg) is hard to stop in open court situations.

No longer an upset-minded Cinderella, the Spiders (RPI No. 25) are a real threat to win a game or two in the NCAAs.

No. 2: Old Dominion University (26-8):

The Monarchs have clinched a NCAA bid by winning the CAA tournament, but they are a legitimate dancer this year. If ODU had lost to Wm. & Mary in the final, it’s easy to believe the Monarchs (RPI No. 27) would have gotten an invitation, on their own merits. At the top of their list of wins is the one earned at Georgetown on Dec. 19 (61-57).

Statistically, 6-10 senior center/forward Gerald Lee stands out; he’s the face of this blue collar team (14.6 ppg). But rebounding is ODU’s strong suit, even their guards rebound well; 6-8 junior forward Frank Hassell (6.6 rpg) is the most effective of the board-crashing Monarchs. ODU’s game isn’t pretty but if the refs don’t call touch fouls these guys can bang with the best of them. The Monarchs should command a 10th or 11th seed and be a tough out.

No. 3: Virginia Tech (23-7):

In spite of its weak RPI (No. 52), Tech has to be inked in on the dance card as at least a 12th seed in the NCAA’s national championship tournament. Finishing tied for third in the ACC regular season still has to be worth something. If the Hokies win a game or two their conference tournament, but don’t win the championship, perhaps they could rate an eighth seeding.

Could Va. Tech win the ACC tournament?

Yes. With 6-3 junior point guard Malcomb Delaney (20.9 ppg) on the floor anything is possible. Delaney was a unanimous All-ACC pick this year.

Tech head coach Seth Greenberg has to be one of the most underrated coaches in collegiate basketball. At what had always been a football school, Greenberg has quietly been doing a great job of coaching hoops in the nation’s toughest conference.

No. 4: William & Mary (22-10):

Although Wm. & Mary lost to ODU in the CAA tournament final, with a No. 58 RPI and wins over Wake Forest, Richmond and Maryland, The Tribe has to be high on the list of potential NIT selections.

Senior guard David Schneider (15.3 ppg), 6-3, is the kind of money player who can beat anybody, when it comes down to one shot. Ask Northeastern.

No. 5: Virginia Commonwealth University (22-9):

The Rams should also be invited to the NIT. Their No. 65 RPI is good enough to put them in the field, in spite of their swoon since Feb. 9. The inconsistent Rams finished with three losses in their last six games.

One factor that should give VCU an advantage over teams with similar credentials, is the star power of junior forward/center Larry Sanders, who averages nine rebounds and 14.9 points per game. Clips from his highlight reel will help promote the NIT, in what may be its last year of existence.

Sanders has consistently been rated by pro scouts as a first-round NBA pick, should he choose to forego his senior year at VCU. Given the quality of his effort in the last month, or so, some VCU fans might say Sanders appeared to be saving himself for his next team. So, it’s hard to predict how Sanders, 6-10, might perform in what some see as a second-rate tournament.

That puts five of Virginia’s 14 Division I teams in postseason tournaments. If it turns out my calls are right, all in all, this is not a bad showing for the state.