It’s been a volatile week atop the bracket. As a result, three new teams join Kentucky on the top line: Virginia, Villanova, and Gonzaga. Wisconsin and Duke now reside on the two-line, with Arizona dropping to the top 3-seed spot. Kansas and Louisville fill out the top two seeds in each region.
We continue to see some odd profiles, which creates interesting seeding debates. Texas is a good example. The Longhorns have lost back-to-back games and three of five, but all to quality opponents. Early this season, UT looked like a Top 10 team, and there’s enough talent to suggest the Longhorns may return to form. At the same time, the Longhorn’s currently own one victory (Iowa) or a team in today’s projected field. Previous wins at Connecticut and over California have waned a bit. It’s going to be a big week for Texas - in terms of bracket position - they play West Virginia, at TCU, and Kansas in their next three games.
A couple of other quick notes about the bracket:
- Tulsa and Western Kentucky are in the latest bracket as current conference leaders. As a result, Wyoming and Alabama are bumped into the First Five Out. This simulates - at least partially - what can happen as conference tournament play unfolds. With WKU in the field, Conference USA now has two representatives - Old Dominion becomes an at-large team.
- There’s not a lot of difference among the final ten teams in and the first ten teams out. So expect continued turnover in the coming weeks.
Enjoy another great weekend of college hoops.
UPDATED: January 16, 2015
Teams in CAPS represent the projected AUTOMATIC bid. Exceptions are made for teams that use an abbreviation (UCLA, BYU, etc).
Several new bracketing principles were introduced last year. You 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)
- Xavier vs. George Washington | South Region
- Washington vs. Georgia | West Region
- ALBANY vs. ND STATE | East Region
- ST. FRANCIS (PA) vs. COLGATE | Midwest Region
BRACKET PROJECTION ...
| MIDWEST - Cleveland | EAST - Syracuse | |
| Louisville | Charlotte | |
| 1) KENTUCKY | 1) VIRGINIA | |
| 16) ST. FRAN (PA)/ COLGATE | 16) ALBANY / ND STATE | |
| 8) Ohio State | 8) Old Dominion | |
| 9) Cincinnati | 9) Indiana | |
| Jacksonville | Portland | |
| 5) Iowa State | 5) Butler | |
| 12) TULSA | 12) E. WASHINGTON | |
| 4) VCU | 4) WICHITA STATE | |
| 13) WOFFORD | 13) HARVARD | |
| Portland | Pittsburgh | |
| 6) Northern Iowa | 6) Arkansas | |
| 11) LSU | 11) NC State | |
| 3) Arizona | 3) Maryland | |
| 14) NORTHEASTERN | 14) MURRAY STATE | |
| Columbus | Omaha | |
| 7) St. John’s | 7) Dayton | |
| 10) Oklahoma State | 10) Syracuse | |
| 2) Louisville | 2) KANSAS | |
| 15) NC-CENTRAL | 15) NEW MEXICO ST | |
| WEST - Los Angeles | SOUTH - Houston | |
| Seattle | Pittsburgh | |
| 1) GONZAGA | 1) VILLANOVA | |
| 16) TX-SOUTHERN | 16) NORTH FLORIDA | |
| 8) SAN DIEGO ST | 8) Michigan State | |
| 9) Iowa | 9) SMU | |
| Columbus | Jacksonville | |
| 5) Seton Hall | 5) Oklahoma | |
| 12) GREEN BAY | 12) S.F. AUSTIN | |
| 4) West Virginia | 4) North Carolina | |
| 13) IONA | 13) BUFFALO | |
| Louisville | Seattle | |
| 6) Baylor | 6) Texas | |
| 11) Washington / Georgia | 11) Xavier / Geo Washingon | |
| 3) Notre Dame | 3) UTAH | |
| 14) WESTERN KENTUCKY | 14) GA. SOUTHERN | |
| Omaha | Charlotte | |
| 7) Providence | 7) Georgetown | |
| 10) Miami-FL | 10) Stanford | |
| 2) WISCONSIN | 2) Duke | |
| 15) UC-DAVIS | 15) COASTAL CAROLINA |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Kentucky is the overall No. 1 seed followed by Virginia, Villanova, and Gonzaga. Next in line: Wisconsin, Kansas, Duke, Louisville
Last Five teams in (at large): NC State, Washington, George Washington, Xavier, Georgia
First Five teams out (at large): Wyoming, Alabama, Colorado State, Temple, Connecticut
Next five teams out (at large): Illinois, BYU, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee
Breakdown by Conference ...
ACC (8): Virginia, Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Syracuse, Miami-FL, NC State
Big 12 (7): Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma State
Big East (7): Villanova, Butler, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Georgetown, Providence, Xavier
Big 10 (6): Wisconsin, Maryland, Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana
Pac 12 (4): Utah, Arizona, Stanford, Washington
SEC (4): Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia
Atlantic 10 (3): VCU, Dayton, George Washington
American (3): Tulsa, Cincinnati, SMU
Missouri Valley (2): Wichita State, Northern Iowa
Conference USA (2): Western Kentucky, Old Dominion
Mountain West (1): San Diego State
West Coast (1): Gonzaga
ONE BID LEAGUES: Georgia Southern (SBELT), Harvard (IVY), Eastern Washington (BSKY), Green Bay (HZN), S.F. Austin (SLND), Wofford (STHN), UC-Davis (BWEST), Buffalo (MAC), Iona (MAAC), North Florida (ASUN), Murray State (OVC), Northeastern (CAA), Coastal Carolina (BSO), NC-Central (MEAC), North Dakota State (SUM), New Mexico State (WAC), Albany (AEAST), Colgate (PAT), St. Francis-PA (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)