It’s a big day in the Valley. The Missouri Valley, that is. Illinois State and Wichita State square off for the MVC championship under the Arch in St. Louis. The winner punches its dance ticket. The loser figures to have an anxiously long wait until Selection Sunday. As of this morning, Wichita State retains its at-large spot in the bracket. Illinois State is in as the auto bid due to its No. 1 seed in the league tourney.
The questions are easy. The answers not so much. Both Wichita State and Illinois State have put together outstanding seasons. Unfortunately, the rest of the MVC was along for the ride; no other team cracked the Top 100 of the RPI. Which leaves this year’s Selection Committee with an intriguing debate. How to weigh consistency on the court over a full season versus the opportunities to collect notable wins in a more accomplished conference? We’ll have to see how it plays out.
UPDATED: March 5, 2017
Note: Now that conference tournaments have begun, teams in ALL CAPS will represent automatic bids as they are earned.
Regarding bracketing principles, can read them for yourself at www.ncaa.com. For example: teams from the same conference may now meet before a Regional final, even if fewer than eight teams are selected. The goal is to keep as many teams as possible on their actual seed line.
FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS - Dayton (First Round)
- Wake Forest vs. USC | South Region
- Vanderbilt vs. Xavier | West Region
- Mount St. Mary’s vs. New Orleans | East Region
- JACKSONVILLE STATE vs. NC Central | Midwest Region
BRACKET PROJECTION ...
| MIDWEST - Kansas City | EAST - New York | |
| Tulsa | Buffalo | |
| 1) Kansas | 1) Villanova | |
| 16) North Dakota | 16) Mt St. Mary’s / New Orleans | |
| 8) Northwestern | 8) Miami | |
| 9) Arkansas | 9) Michigan | |
| Milwaukee | Orlando | |
| 5) Notre Dame | 5) West Virginia | |
| 12) Illinois State | 12) Monmouth | |
| 4) Butler | 4) Florida | |
| 13) Princeton | 13) Vermont | |
| Greenville | Salt Lake City | |
| 6) Maryland | 6) Iowa State | |
| 11) Mid Tennessee State | 11) Syracuse | |
| 3) Duke | 3) Arizona | |
| 14) Bucknell | 14) Florida Gulf Coast | |
| Sacramento | Indianapolis | |
| 7) Creighton | 7) Wisconsin | |
| 10) Wichita State | 10) VCU | |
| 2) UCLA | 2) Louisville | |
| 15) South Dakota | 15) Green Bay | |
| WEST - San Jose | SOUTH - Memphis | |
| Salt Lake City | Greenville | |
| 1) Gonzaga | 1) North Carolina | |
| 16) UC-Irvine | 16) JACKSONVILLE ST / NC Central | |
| 8) South Carolina | 8) Dayton | |
| 9) Michigan State | 9) Marquette | |
| Buffalo | Milwaukee | |
| 5) Minnesota | 5) Cincinnati | |
| 12) Nevada | 12) UNC-Wilmington | |
| 4) Virginia | 4) Purdue | |
| 13) Akron | 13) UT-Arlington | |
| Orlando | Tulsa | |
| 6) SMU | 6) Saint Mary’s | |
| 11) Vanderbilt / Xavier | 11) Wake Forest / USC | |
| 3) Florida State | 3) Baylor | |
| 14) UNC-Greensboro | 14) Winthrop | |
| Sacramento | Indianapolis | |
| 7) Oklahoma State | 7) Virginia Tech | |
| 10) Seton Hall | 10) Providence | |
| 2) Oregon | 2) Kentucky | |
| 15) CSU-Bakersfield | 15) Texas-Southern |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Kansas is the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Villanova, North Carolina, and Gonzaga.
Last Four Byes (at large): Providence, Wichita State, Seton Hall, Syracuse
Last Four IN (at large): Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Xavier, USC
First Four OUT (at large): Kansas State, Rhode Island, Illinois, Iowa
Next four teams OUT (at large): Houston, Georgia, Ole Miss, California
Breakdown by Conference ...
ACC (10): NORTH CAROLINA, Louisville, Duke, Florida State, Virginia, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Miami-FL, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Big 10 (7): PURDUE, Minnesota, Maryland, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State
Big East (7): VILLANOVA, Butler, Creighton, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, Xavier
Big 12 (5): KANSAS, Baylor, West Virginia, Iowa State, Oklahoma State
SEC (5): FLORIDA, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Vanderbilt
Pac 12 (4): OREGON, Arizona, UCLA, USC
Atlantic 10 (2): DAYTON, VCU
American (2): SMU, Cincinnati
West Coast (2): GONZAGA, Saint Mary’s
Missouri Valley (1): ILLINOIS STATE, Wichita State
Mountain West (1): NEVADA
ONE BID LEAGUES: Monmouth (MAAC), Middle Tennessee State (C-USA), UT-Arlington (SBELT), Princeton (IVY), North Dakota (BSKY), Green Bay (HORIZON), New Orleans (SLND), UNC-Greensboro (STHN), UC-Irvine (BWEST), Akron (MAC), Florida Gulf Coast (ASUN), JACKSONVILLE STATE (OVC), UNC-Wilmington (CAA), Winthrop (BSO), NC-Central (MEAC), South Dakota (SUM), CSU-Bakersfield (WAC), Vermont (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), Mount St. Mary’s (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)
