2014 Barnes Bracketology - Mar. 7

You know it's been a fun 4 days of basketball when 3 of your top 12 teams lose and among your AT-LARGE group, only about half win. What does that mean? It means movement in and out of the field and in the seedings, and at a critical time as we are just 10 days away from Selection Sunday.

MY PROJECTED FIELD OF 68
(changes in italics)

LOCKS: Just as I did in the last post, we are adding teams here who have probably done enough to make the field as we approach the conference tournaments. 3 teams added to the group this week in Colorado, George Washington and Oklahoma State. All 3 beat teams currently projected into the field over the past week so they earned their way in.

These are in order so you have an idea of how I rank the teams.

LOCKS (33): Arizona, Florida, Wichita State, Kansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, Villanova, Duke, Syracuse, Creighton, Louisville, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina, San Diego State, Saint Louis, Oklahoma, UCLA, UMass, Texas, UConn, Kentucky, Memphis, New Mexico, Kansas State, VCU, Ohio State, Iowa, Colorado, George Washington, Oklahoma State


AUTOS: Made a few changes to this group. Changing to Florida Gulf Coast who will host the conference tournament championship game. Also, changed to Southern Miss in the CUSA as I think they have figured out their problems and are the best.

Teams that have clinched their berth will appear in bold

AUTOS (22): America East - Vermont, Atlantic Sun - Florida Gulf Coast, Big Sky - Weber State, Big South - High Point, Big West - UC-Irvine, Colonial - Delaware, Conference-USA - Southern Miss, Horizon - Green Bay, Ivy - Harvard, MAAC - Iona, MAC - Western Michigan, MEAC - NC Central, Northeast - Robert Morris, Ohio Valley - Belmont, Patriot - Boston Univ., Southern - Davidson, Southland - Stephen F. Austin, SWAC - Alabama State, Summit - North Dakota State, Sun Belt - Georgia State, WAC - Utah Valley, WCC - Gonzaga

AT-LARGE: Down to just 13 spots here so things are getting tight. Baylor and Oregon continue to rise from the ashes with great wins and are very close to locking up their spot. Pittsburgh and Stanford continue their descent as they are lucky to still be in my projected field. Nebraska and Missouri are now in while Xavier and California are out.

These are in order, so the last four teams will be playing in the "First Four" in Dayton

AT-LARGE (13): Arizona State, SMU, BYU, Baylor, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's, Arkansas, Dayton, Stanford, Nebraska, Tennessee, Missouri

BUBBLE WATCH

BUBBLE: The number keeps dwindling in this group. Some of that is because some are graduating into the LOCKS. Some of that is because bubbles are bursting. This time, it is Richmond who has not won a meaningful game in a while and find themselves in real trouble. Beyond that, still about 4-5 teams that are very close to getting in. It really is too close to call.

These are in order, so the teams after the last team in the AT-LARGE category are the first ones out.

BUBBLE (23): Arizona State, SMU, Gonzaga, BYU, Baylor, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's, Arkansas, Dayton, Stanford, Nebraska, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgetown, California, Xavier, Minnesota, Providence, St. John's, Florida State, LSU, Utah

SEEDING

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
  Big 12 (7), Pac-12 (6), A-10 (6), Big Ten (6), AAC (5), ACC (5), SEC (5), Big East (3), MWC (2), WCC (2)

 

(Click on bracket to enlarge)
WEST vs. EAST
SOUTH vs. MIDWEST

**Arizona is the overall top seed

Next update will come after Sunday's games.

 

MB