re: Bracketology - UPDATED 3/15

My MODIFIED bracket projections after Sunday, February 22

NOTES:
-Kansas jumps and swaps out with Wake Forest
-LSU up to a 5, but gets shipped west for round 1
-All top seeds the same, but Pitt takes overall number one
-Miami jumps in as the last team with a projected 8-8 ACC record; but since they can't play in Miami, they get shipped to the northwest for the first round
-The mediocrity of a couple of conferences is matching up a lot of "BCS" conference teams in the first round = good stuff
-Based on my best understanding of the stupid-arse "pod" system.

Projected Auto Bids are in CAPS.

SOUTH (Memphis)

Greensboro
(1) NORTH CAROLINA vs. (16) RADFORD
(8) Wisconsin vs. (9) South Carolina

Portland
(5) Washington vs. (12) UTAH STATE
(4) Missouri vs. (13) WESTERN KENTUCKY

Miami
(6) UCLA (non-auto) vs. (11) Penn State
(3) Clemson vs. (14) NORTH DAKOTA STATE

Boise
(7) California vs. (10) Tennessee
(2) Kansas vs. (15) VERMONT


WEST (Arizona)

Kansas City
(1) OKLAHOMA vs. (16) CORNELL
(8) UTAH vs. (9) Arizona

Portland
(5) LSU vs. (12) San Diego State
(4) GONZAGA vs. (13) GEORGE MASON

Miami
(6) West Virginia vs. (11) SIENA
(3) Wake Forest vs. (14) UT-MARTIN

Kansas City
(7) Texas vs. (10) Minnesota
(2) MEMPHIS vs. (15) STEPHEN F. AUSTIN


MIDWEST (Indianapolis)

Dayton
(1) PITTSBURGH vs. ALABAMA STATE/ROBERT MORRIS
(8) Boston College vs. (9) Ohio State

Boise
(5) XAVIER vs. (12) St. Mary's
(4) ARIZONA STATE vs. (13) Miami

Minneapolis
(6) Florida State vs. (11) CREIGHTON
(3) Marquette vs. (14) WEBER STATE

Minneapolis
(7) Syracuse vs. (10) Kentucky
(2) MICHIGAN STATE vs. (15) MORGAN STATE


EAST (Boston)

Philadelphia
(1) Connecticut vs. (16) LONG BEACH STATE
(8) BYU vs. (9) Dayton

Philadelphia
(5) Purdue vs. (12) Maryland
(4) Villanova vs. (13) AMERICAN

Greensboro
(6) Illinois vs. (11) DAVIDSON
(3) Duke vs. (14) BUFFALO

Dayton
(7) BUTLER vs. (10) Florida
(2) Louisville vs. (15) JACKSONVILLE


Last Five In:
Penn State
Maryland
San Diego State
St. Mary's
Miami

First Five Out:
UAB
Kansas State
Virginia Tech
Temple
Providence

Next Five Out:
Oklahoma State
New Mexico
Cincinnati
UNLV
Notre Dame

quote:

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Why would Purdue be the #4 seed in the South and LSU be the #4 seed in the Midwest?

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Keep in mind, the regional sites don't matter as much to the tournament selection committee these days. It's the first and second round they want to cut down travel on. I wish they would go back to the old regionals. Who cares if LSU plays Florida in the second round?

quote:

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Keep in mind, the regional sites don't matter as much to the tournament selection committee these days. It's the first and second round they want to cut down travel on. I wish they would go back to the old regionals. Who cares if LSU plays Florida in the second round?

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That's the most difficult part of doing brackets...ensuring that you have two teams from the same conference on opposite sides of the bracket (not meeting up at least until the Elite 8). This is why there will always be teams shippd out west and visa versa.

I like your first round game, Texas-Florida. Very intruiging to say the least.

The committee could totally shock us all and put in Gtown and make Tennessee a 6-8. Meanwhile, I could see them putting us in as an 8 or 9. They have an agenda. Just don't know what it is.

From my post in another thread:

It goes beyond LSU's seeding. So many things are wrong. To randomly project a conference tournament is absurd and shows the lack of knowledge roaming around the ESPN campus. They put so much faith in numbers and processes that common sense goes by the wayside.

Common sense tells you Georgetown and Notre Dame (less so than G'Town) need a miracle to get in the dance.

LSU getting shipped west doesn't shock me. Matter of fact, my predictions had us as a 5 in the West region, and playing opening-round games in Portland. It happens. Whatever.

Niagara getting the auto bid in the MAAC is a possibility (over Siena), but as an 11 seed? I think not. Siena could theoretically be an 11, but not Niagara.

G'Town in period is a joke, but as a 9 is a laugher. Even more funny? The projection has them winning the Big East tourney. ESPN sucks off the ACC and Big East to no end, and this is an example. At this rate, G'Town has to play on Tuesday in the Big East tourney and will have to win FIVE straight to get the bid. I know we've seen 4 (Syracuse), but this would be a stretch.

UNLV as high as 8 is also ridiculous. By the way, the auto bids are in caps and if you look carefully you see (11) MINNESOTA. If the Gophers win the Big Ten tourney, no way they are seeded as low as 11.

Kentucky as a 7? Sorry, but no. Especially if LSU beats them.

Yup. They're histy!

I'll update again tomorrow night...Kansas can def get on the 2 seed cloud now.

Going as well...gonna have my phone keeping me updated all night.

I was at the game, not even wanting to check my Blackberry. Little did I know, Providence was on their way to upsetting, what I feel, is the best team in the country. Congrats, Fryars. You're in.

BC with a much needed home win over a very underrated FSU, to get them some breathing room.

I have to think that A&M is now my last team in...big win tonight in Huskerville. They have 20 wins and enough qw's to get in the dance, IMO. They need one more good win, somewhere, to get in there.

Right now, UNLV is NOT in. Keep in mind, I have SDSU asw my auto bid, so many projectors will have the Rebs in. Not I. I also have to get rid of KSU...AGAIN. I'm just gonna have to give A&M the edge right now, despite a lesser record in Big XII play.

Jimmer Fredette tied his season high with 28 points and BYU came back to win by 10. The Coogs are a lock and SDSU is out, barring the auto bid.