FINAL Bracket

1 Ohio St., Kansas, Duke, Pitt

2 Notre Dame, San Diego St., Florida, UConn

3 Texas, North Carolina, Purdue, Kentucky

4 Louisville, Syracuse, BYU, Wisconsin

5 Arizona, West Virginia, St. John's, Vanderbilt

6 Texas A&M, Georgetown, Xavier, Kansas St.

7 Cincinnati, UNLV, Old Dominion, Washington

8 Missouri, Temple, UCLA, Tennessee

9 George Mason, Marquette, Villanova, Utah St.

10 Richmond, Florida St., Michigan St., Penn St.

11 Illinois, Michigan, Gonzaga, Colorado

12 Butler, Memphis, Virginia Tech / Georgia, USC / St. Mary's

13 Belmont, Oakland, Princeton, Indiana St.

14 Bucknell, Morehead St., Wofford, Akron

15 Long Island, St. Peter's, Northern Colorado, Boston U.

16 UC-SB, Hampton, UNC-Asheville / UT-SA, Arkansas-LR / Alabama St.

Last 4 In: VT, Georgia, USC, St. Mary's
First 4 Out: Clemson, VCU, Alabama, Boston College
Next Out: UAB, Harvard, Missouri St.

Before the Saturday games:

This will be the last bracket before the final one tomorrow!

1's: Ohio St., Kansas, Pittsburgh, Duke

2's: Notre Dame, UNC, Texas, BYU

3's: San Diego St., Florida, Purdue, Louisville

4's: Syracuse, UConn, Kentucky, Wisconsin

5's: Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Arizona, St. John's

6's: Kansas St., Old Dominion, Cincinnati, Temple

7's: Xavier, Texas A&M, Georgetown, UNLV

8's: Missouri, George Mason, Washington, Marquette

9's: UCLA, Utah St., Villanova, Tennessee

10's: Florida St., Michigan St., Michigan, Illinois

11's: Gonzaga, Butler, Virginia Tech, Richmond

12's: Georgia, Colorado / Clemson, UTEP, Penn St. / Alabama

13's: Oakland, Belmont, Harvard, Indiana St.

14's: Bucknell, Kent St., Morehead St., Long Island

15's: Wofford, Long Beach St., St. Peter's, Northern Colorado

16's: Boston U., UNC-Asheville, McNeese St. / Hampton, AK-LR / Alabama St.

Last 4 In: Colorado, Clemson, Penn St., Alabama
First 4 Out: St. Mary's, VCU, Memphis, Missouri St.
Next 4 Out: Boston College, USC, UAB, New Mexico

Best Day of Championship Week Tomorrow

Well, today I guess. Games all day, with most conferences getting going on quarterfinals and a couple championships to be decided as well. Pitt-UConn to start the day and Marquette-Louisville to end it? Why yes, I'd love that offering.

-After last year when the committee gave a 1 to Duke over what I thought was a more deserving West Virginia team, I'm going to keep them ahead of Notre Dame for now, obviously pending both teams' conference tournament results.
-Hopefully a reliable Chris Wright injury report will come out, because right now I have almost no clue on where to slot them. Phenomenal overall resume, but absolutely putrid (0-4 with miserable offensive numbers) since his injury. Just not a good team without him (although the losses have been to good Big East teams - Cincy 2x, Syracuse, UConn)
-Speaking of sinking teams, ready to wear those dark colored jerseys, Villanova?
-Very excited for the results of the bubble games this week, including tomorrow's games involving Colorado, Georgia, BC, Michigan St., Memphis, Colorado St., Penn St., Virginia Tech, and even USC.

1's: Ohio St., Kansas, Pittsburgh, Duke

2's: Notre Dame, Texas, North Carolina, Purdue

3's: BYU, San Diego St., Florida, Syracuse

4's: Wisconsin, Louisville, Kentucky, St. John's

5's: UConn, Xavier, Vanderbilt, West Virginia

6's: Arizona, Kansas St., Temple, UNLV

7's: Cincinnati, Georgetown, Texas A&M, Missouri

8's: Old Dominion, Florida St., Tennessee, UCLA

9's: Utah St., George Mason, Illinois, Washington

10's: Marquette, Villanova, Georgia, Butler

11's: Michigan St., Gonzaga, Michigan, Richmond

12's: Virginia Tech, UAB, Boston College / St. Mary's, VCU / Colorado

13's: Oakland, Belmont, Harvard, Indiana St.

14's: Bucknell, Kent St., Long Island, Long Beach St.

15's: Morehead St., Wofford, St. Peter's, Boston University

16's: No. Colorado, UNC-Asheville, Texas So. / AK-LR, McNeese St. / Bethune-Cookman

Last 4 In: BC, St. Mary's, VCU, Colorado
First 4 Out: Clemson, Penn St., Alabama, Missouri St.
Next 4 Out: Memphis, USC, Colorado St., ................

I honestly couldn't find another team I felt was worth considering. Maybe New Mexico? Southern Miss? Nebraska? Not gonna happen

Busy week

1's: Ohio St., Kansas, Pitt, Notre Dame

2's: Duke, BYU, Texas, Purdue

3's: North Carolina, San Diego St., Syracuse, Georgetown

4's: Louisville, Wisconsin, UConn, Florida

5's: St. John's, Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas A&M

6's: Xavier, UCLA, Arizona, Villanova

7's: Vanderbilt, Temple, UNLV, Kansas St.

8's: Cincinnati, Old Dominion, George Mason, Missouri

9's: Florida St., Illinois, Tennessee, Washington

10's: Utah St., Georgia, Richmond, Marquette

11's: Michigan St., Virginia Tech, St. Mary's, Michigan

12's: Boston College / Butler, Memphis / Gonzaga, UAB, Belmont

13's: Harvard, Oakland, Coll. of Charleston, Bucknell

14's: UW-Milwaukee, Kent St., Indiana St., Long Island

15's: Morehead St., Iona, Long Beach St., Boston University

16's: Northern Colorado, UNC-Asheville, Texas So. / Middle Tenn., Beth.-Cookman / McNeese St.

Last 4 In: Boston College, Butler, Memphis, Gonzaga
First 4 Out: Colorado, Clemson, Alabama, VCU
Next 4 Out: Penn St., Baylor, USC, Colorado St.

Monday, Feb. 28th

Conference tournaments start tomorrow!! It's officially getting to be that time of the year. **Although I'm editing this late Monday, I'm not going to change it to reflect the few results from tonight. Just adding the bottom 4 seed lines.

1's: Ohio St., Kansas, Pitt, BYU

2's: Duke, Texas, Notre Dame, Purdue

3's: San Diego St., Louisville, Wisconsin, Syracuse

4's: Florida, Georgetown, St. John's, UNC

5's: Villanova, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, UConn

6's: West Virginia, Xavier, Texas A&M, Missouri

7's: Arizona, UCLA, UNLV, George Mason

8's: Temple, Illinois, Old Dominion, Kansas St.

9's: Tennessee, Marquette, CIncinnati, Florida St.

10's: Richmond, Georgia, Utah St., Virginia Tech

11's: Washington, Michigan St., Gonzaga, Missouri St.

12's: St. Mary's, UAB, Colorado/Alabama, Boston College/Baylor

13's: Fairfield, Belmont, Princeton, Oakland

14's: College of Charleston, Bucknell, Kent St., Vermont

15's: UW-Milwaukee, Long Island, Coastal Carolina, Northern Colorado

16's: Murray St., LBSU, McNeese St. / Beth.-Cookman, Texas So. / FAU

Last 4 In: Colorado, Baylor, Alabama, Boston College
First Four Out: Memphis, Penn St., Butler, Clemson
Next Four Out: Michigan, Colorado St., Drexel, Southern Miss

The Bracket, Revisited

After talking with one of my cohorts, I have done a little bit of re-evaluation of teams, leading to some teams moving despite no action of their own or those around you. This is most pronounced down around the bubble area, where we agreed Baylor and Butler, among others, have despicable resumes. Further notes are at the bottom.

1's: Pittsburgh, Ohio St., Duke, Kansas

2's: Texas, BYU, San Diego St., Notre Dame

3's: Purdue, Florida, Wisconsin, Louisville

4's: Georgetown, Syracuse, UConn, UNC

5's: Villanova, Texas A&M, Missouri, Vanderbilt

6's: St. John's, Arizona, Kentucky, Xavier

7's: Temple, Tennessee, UNLV, West Virginia

8's: George Mason, UCLA, Illinois, Old Dominion

9's: Florida St., Cincinnati, Marquette, Kansas St.

10's: Georgia, Washington, Michigan St., Utah St.

11's: Memphis, Richmond, Alabama, Virginia Tech

12's: Gonzaga, Harvard, Nebraska / St. Mary's, Minnesota / Boston College

13's: Belmont, Missouri St., Oakland, Kent St.

14's: Fairfield, College of Charleston, Bucknell, UW-Milwaukee

15's: Coastal Carolina, Murray St., Vermont, Long Island

16's: LBSU, Montana, McNeese St. / FAU, Bethune-Cookman / Texas So.

Last Four In: Nebraska, St. Mary's, Minnesota, Boston College
First Four Out: UAB, Butler, Colorado St., Penn St.
Next Four Out: Wichita St., Southern Miss, Baylor, Maryland

-Very torn about the order of Kansas and Texas. The Longhorns leading the conference helps their argument, but I think the unbalanced schedule has partially contributed to that and Kansas has two less losses (none as bad as Texas getting spanked at USC).
-The last 7 bids were difficult to decide on (I feel pretty good about the first 30 being correct right now).
-The 8/9 lines are fairly weak, in my opinion, but there's no one else to put there.
-I would lean towards Memphis still making it if they were an at-large candidate right now.
-UWM as the Horizon bid definitely changes things. I'd be surprised if they won the auto-bid though, despite hosting the tournament.
-The bottom seeds will most likely shake out much clearer after there are a few conference tournament surprises down there.

So It's Been A While (Feb. 21, 2011)

It's almost March again! Here's my first projection of the year.

1's: Pitt, Ohio St., Kansas, Duke
2's: Texas, San Diego St., BYU, Purdue
3's: Notre Dame, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Florida
4's: Villanova, Vanderbilt, Arizona, Louisville
5's: North Carolina ,Texas A&M, UConn, Syracuse
6's: Xavier, Missouri, Kentucky, St. John's
7's: Temple, West Virginia, Florida St., George Mason
8's: Tennessee, Old Dominion, UNLV, UCLA
9's: Georgia, Cincinnati, Utah St., Kansas St.
10's: Marquette, Washington, Illinois, Richmond
11's: Michigan St., Boston College, Memphis, VCU / Baylor
12's: Alabama / Gonzaga, Missouri St., UTEP, Harvard
13's: St. Mary's, Cleveland St., Fairfield, Belmont
14's: Oakland, Coastal Carolina, Long Island, Murray St.
15's: Kent St., Vermont, Bucknell, College of Charleston
16's: LBSU, Florida Atlantic, Texas South. / Montana , McNeese St. / Beth.-Cookman

Last Four In: VCU, Baylor, Alabama, Gonzaga
First Four Out: Butler, Minnesota, Virginia Tech, Colorado St.
Next Four Out: Clemson, Michigan, Colorado, Maryland