Florida grabs a No. 1 seed in the East Region in our latest bracket projection. The other number one seeds are Kansas, Michigan, and Arizona. It’s shaping up to be quite a race for the top line. Indiana, Syracuse, and Duke are close behind. It would take some help, but it’s not impossible for Gonzaga or even Butler to be considered a top-line team if those two keep piling up wins. Several other teams are in the mix, too. An outright winner of the Big Ten will almost certainly garner consideration.
As for the bubble, wait a day, it’s bound to change. Consider Kentucky. The Wildcats numbers are pretty blah. By holding off LSU, UK stays in the field as one of our last five “in” today. With visits to Ole Miss and Texas AM up next, it’s a huge week for Big Blue Nation. Villanova and La Salle both join the field thanks to good weeks. Villanova beat Syracuse and Louisville back-to-back. La Salle beat Butler and VCU. While slotted only one spot different on the s-curve, Villanova drops to the 12-line to avoid conference conflicts.
Following the Super Bowl, the countdown to Selection Sunday will take center stage. Here’s to a great week of hoops.
UPDATED: January 29, 2013
Teams in CAPS represent the projected AUTOMATIC bid based on current standings. Exceptions are made for teams that use an abbreviation (UTEP, BYU, etc). Records are for games against Division I teams only.
FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS – Dayton (First Round)
- Saint Louis vs. Indiana State | East Region
- Iowa State vs. Arizona State | West Region
- NORFOLK STATE vs. CHARLESTON-SOUTHERN | East Region
- BRYANT vs. FLORIDA GULF COAST | South Region
BRACKET PROJECTION …
| EAST – Washington, DC | SOUTH – Dallas | |
| Lexington | Kansas City | |
| 1) FLORIDA | 1) KANSAS | |
| 16) NORFOLK ST / CHARL-SOUTHERN | 16) BRYANT / FLA GULF COAST | |
| 8) Notre Dame | 8) Wisconsin | |
| 9) Oklahoma State | 9) Colorado | |
| Austin | Austin | |
| 5) NC State | 5) Missouri | |
| 12) Saint Louis / Indiana State | 12) Villanova | |
| 4) Ohio State | 4) NEW MEXICO | |
| 13) LEHIGH | 13) OHIO | |
| Auburn Hills | San Jose | |
| 6) Kansas State | 6) Marquette | |
| 11) North Carolina | 11) Kentucky | |
| 3) Michigan State | 3) OREGON | |
| 14) DAVIDSON | 14) HARVARD | |
| Philadelphia | Dayton | |
| 7) UNLV | 7) Minnesota | |
| 10) MEMPHIS | 10) Oklahoma | |
| 2) SYRACUSE | 2) BUTLER | |
| 15) NORTHEASTERN | 15) SOUTHERN | |
| MIDWEST – Indianapolis | WEST – Los Angeles | |
| Auburn Hills | Salt Lake City | |
| 1) MICHIGAN | 1) ARIZONA | |
| 16) STONY BROOK | 16) LONG BEACH | |
| 8) Mississippi | 8) VCU | |
| 9) Colorado State | 9) Baylor | |
| Kansas City | San Jose | |
| 5) WICHITA STATE | 5) Cincinnati | |
| 12) MID TENNESSEE ST | 12) BELMONT | |
| 4) Louisville | 4) Creighton | |
| 13) SO DAKOTA STATE | 13) S.F. AUSTIN | |
| Salt Lake | Lexington | |
| 6) UCLA | 6) San Diego State | |
| 11) Temple | 11) Iowa State / Arizona State | |
| 3) GONZAGA | 3) MIAMI-FL | |
| 14) LOUISIANA TECH | 14) VALPARAISO | |
| Philadelphia | Dayton | |
| 7) Georgetown | 7) Pittsburgh | |
| 10) Illinois | 10) La Salle | |
| 2) Duke | 2) Indiana | |
| 15) NIAGARA | 15) MONTANA |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Kansas is the No. 1 overall seed followed by Michigan, Florida, and Arizona.
Last Five teams in (at large): Kentucky, Saint Louis, Iowa State, Indiana State, Arizona State
First Five teams out (at large): St. John’s, Boise State, Maryland, St. Mary’s, Wyoming
Next Five teams out (at large): Alabama, Charlotte, Virginia, Iowa, Southern Miss
Breakdown by Conference …
Big East (8): Louisville, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Villanova
Big Ten (7): Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Big 12 (6): Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oklahoma, Iowa State
Pac 12 (5): Arizona, Colorado, UCLA, Oregon, Arizona State
Atlantic 10 (5): Butler, VCU, Temple, La Salle, Saint Louis
Mountain West (4): San Diego State, UNLV, New Mexico, Colorado State
ACC (4): Duke, NC State, North Carolina, Miami-FL
SEC (4): Missouri, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi
Missouri Valley (3): Creighton, Wichita State, Indiana State
West Coast (1): Gonzaga
Conference USA (1): Memphis
Conference Automatic Qualifiers … BELMONT (Ohio Valley), LEHIGH (Patriot), MIDDLE TENNESSE ST (Sunbelt), SOUTH DAKOTA ST (Summit), VALPARAISO (Horizon), DAVIDSON (Southern), LOUISIANA TECH (WAC), NIAGARA (MAAC), STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (Southland), OHIO (MAC), FLORIDA GULF COAST (A-Sun), HARVARD (IVY), LONG BEACH (Big West), NORTHEASTERN (Colonial), STONY BROOK (American East), MONTANA (Big Sky), NORFOLK STATE (MEAC), CHARLESTON-SOUTHERN (Big South), BRYANT (NEC), SOUTHERN (SWAC)
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