Need an example of just how volatile this college basketball season has been? The past 4 days should explain it. Iowa and Maryland lose on the road to awful Big Ten teams. North Carolina loses to a very short-handed Duke team on their home floor. Alabama and Texas Tech were left for dead 3 weeks ago and now both are making a late-season charge that commands your attention. And did I mention, we're just barely past the halfway point of February? It's going to be a wild few weeks until the conference tournaments begin. And I can't wait to see how it unfolds!
MY PROJECTED FIELD OF 68
(changes in italics)
LOCKS: Expect with every new post that a new team gets in here. This time, we add 3 and for good reason. Texas well-deserving after a win vs. West Virginia. The Longhorns have been very close the last couple of posts. Also new to the group, Baylor. The Bears beat Iowa State and they've done enough. Also in, California thanks to their win at Washington.
LOCKS (25): Kansas, Villanova, Virginia, Oklahoma, Xavier, Oregon, Iowa, Michigan State, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Kentucky, Notre Dame, Maryland, Duke, West Virginia, Utah, Iowa State, Dayton, Purdue, Arizona, Texas, Texas A+M, California, Providence, Baylor
AUTOS: Just a couple changes as IPFW and Weber State come in.
Teams that have clinched their berth will appear in bold
AUTOS (25): America East - Stony Brook, American - Temple, Atlantic Sun - North Florida, Big Sky - Weber State, Big South - Winthrop, Big West - Hawaii, Colonial - UNC-Wilmington, Conference-USA - UAB, Horizon - Valparaiso, Ivy - Yale, MAAC - Monmouth, MAC - Akron, MEAC - Hampton, Missouri Valley - Wichita State, Mountain West - San Diego State, Northeast - Wagner, Ohio Valley - Belmont, Patriot - Bucknell, Southern - Chattanooga, Southland - Stephen F. Austin, SWAC - Texas Southern, Summit - IPFW, Sun Belt - AR-Little Rock, WCC - Gonzaga, WAC - New Mexico State
AT-LARGE: Down now to just 18 spots left in this group. Should be down to about 10 in a couple of weeks, depending on if these teams decide to get some big wins. Alabama and Texas Tech did and are new additions. Tulsa also gets in but barely. Big jump for Saint Joseph's with a great win vs. Dayton and a decent fall for South Carolina. Terrible loss to Missouri. Michigan also with a not-so-good loss at Ohio State.
These are in order, so the last four teams will be playing in the "First Four" in Dayton.
These are in order, so the last four teams will be playing in the "First Four" in Dayton.
AT-LARGE (18): Florida, USC, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's, Indiana, Syracuse, UConn, Oregon State, Texas Tech, VCU, Alabama, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Seton Hall, Michigan, Butler, TulsaBUBBLE WATCH
BUBBLE: Well, the bad news for LSU, Vanderbilt and Washington is that they are no longer in my projected field. The good news is that their losses did not eliminate them completely. They now find themselves on the BUBBLE, which in mid-February is not the worst spot in the world. In March, it's no much fun.
These are in order, so to figure out the first teams out, head to the final team from the AT-LARGE category and look for all the teams behind them.
BUBBLE (34): Florida, USC, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's, Indiana, Syracuse, UConn, Oregon State, Texas Tech, VCU, Alabama, Wisconsin, Wichita State, South Carolina, Gonzaga, Seton Hall, Michigan, Butler, Tulsa, Monmouth, Saint Mary's, Temple, San Diego State, LSU, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, BYU, Cincinnati, Florida State, Washington, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Kansas State
These are in order, so to figure out the first teams out, head to the final team from the AT-LARGE category and look for all the teams behind them.
BUBBLE (34): Florida, USC, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's, Indiana, Syracuse, UConn, Oregon State, Texas Tech, VCU, Alabama, Wisconsin, Wichita State, South Carolina, Gonzaga, Seton Hall, Michigan, Butler, Tulsa, Monmouth, Saint Mary's, Temple, San Diego State, LSU, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, BYU, Cincinnati, Florida State, Washington, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Kansas State
SEEDING
CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
ACC (7), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (7), Pac-12 (7), SEC (6), Big East (5), A-10 (3), American (3)
CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
ACC (7), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (7), Pac-12 (7), SEC (6), Big East (5), A-10 (3), American (3)
COMING IN:Texas Tech, Alabama, Tulsa
GOING OUT: LSU, Washington, Vanderbilt
Teams highlighted in green moved up in seeding since last bracket.
Teams highlighted in red moved down in seeding since last bracket.
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