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Bracket Update: Ole Miss, Maryland, Alabama need a win

SEC Basketball Tournament - Quarterfinals-Tennessee-Alabama

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 15: Trevor Releford #12 of the Alabama Crimson Tide shoots the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers during the quarterfinals of the SEC Baketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 15, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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If anything, Friday complicated an already complicated bubble picture. The SEC could end up with five teams or two. Both are in play at this point. How will the NCAA Selection Committee handle Middle Tennessee State and Saint Mary’s? And how will they compare those teams against La Salle, Boise State, and even Oklahoma? These are questions we can try to answer, but none of us has a vote that matters.

Heading into action on Saturday, there are three particular wildcards in play: Southern Mississippi, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Any of those could still earn automatic bids to the Field of 68. And that might be what it takes. Vanderbilt is more of a longshot, but the Commodores are a victory over Ole Miss from playing for an SEC title. We’ve seen this type of mayhem before. We also can’t completely forget about Akron should the Zips lose in the Mid-American championship game to Ohio. Clear as mud, right?

We’re going to start here for now: the Last 5 IN today are Boise State, Tennessee, La Salle, Saint Mary’s, and Middle Tennessee. The First Five OUT are Ole Miss, Kentucky, Alabama, Massachusetts, and Virginia. All of these resumes have issues. Which issues the collective Committee values more could help shape the final at-large spots. Tomorrow is a new day. We’ll review everything again and see how it looks.

Enjoy the games. Selection Sunday is almost here.

UPDATED: March 16, 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)


  • La Salle vs. Saint Mary’s | Midwest Region
  • Tennessee vs. Middle Tennessee | South Region
  • JAMES MADISON vs. LIBERTY | Midwest Region
  • Southern vs. Morgan State | South Region

BRACKET PROJECTION ...

EAST - Washington, DCMIDWEST- Indianapolis
PhiladelphiaDayton
1) Duke1) Indiana
16) LIU-BROOKLYN 16) LIBERTY / JAMES MADISON
8) Illinois8) Oregon
9) Memphis9) San Diego State
AustinSan Jose
5) UNLV5) Oklahoma State
12) BELMONT12) Saint Mary’s / La Salle
4) Syracuse4) Marquette
13) Akron13) New Mexico State
AustinLexington
6) Butler6) UCLA
11) Oklahoma11) Temple
3) Florida3) Miami-FL
14) HARVARD14) VALPARAISO
Auburn HillsPhiladelphia
7) CREIGHTON7) Colorado State
10) Villanova10) Minnesota
2) Michigan State2) Georgetown
15) Vermont15) IONA
SOUTH - DallasWEST - Los Angeles
LexingtonSalt Lake
1) Louisville1) GONZAGA
16) Southern / Morgan State16) WESTERN KENTUCKY
8) North Carolina8) Missouri
9) Wichita State9) Cincinnati
Kansas CitySan Jose
5) Saint Louis5) Arizona
12) Tennessee / Mid Tennessee12) BUCKNELL
4) Kansas State4) Wisconsin
13) DAVIDSON13) S.F. Austin
DaytonAuburn Hills
6) Notre Dame6) Pittsburgh
11) California11) Boise State
3) Ohio State3) Michigan
14) FLA GULF COAST14) SOUTH DAKOTA ST
Salt LakeKansas City
7) VCU7) NC State
10) Iowa State10) Colorado
2) New Mexico2) Kansas
15) Pacific15) Montana

NOTES on the BRACKET: Indiana is the No. 1 overall seed followed by Duke, Gonzaga, and Louisville. Next in line: Kansas, Georgetown, New Mexico, and Michigan State.

Last Five teams in (at large): Boise State, Tennessee, La Salle, Saint Mary’s, Middle Tennessee

First Five teams out (at large): Ole Miss, Kentucky, Alabama, Massachusetts, Virginia

Next five teams out (at large): Maryland, Baylor, Iowa, Southern Miss, Arizona State

Breakdown by Conference ...

Big East (8): Louisville, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Villanova

Big Ten (7): Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois

Mountain West (5): San Diego State, UNLV, New Mexico, Colorado State, Boise State

Pac 12 (5): Arizona, Colorado, UCLA, Oregon, California

Big 12 (5): Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State

Atlantic 10 (5): Butler, VCU, Temple, La Salle, Saint Louis

ACC (4): Duke, NC State, North Carolina, Miami-FL

SEC (3): Missouri, Florida, Tennessee

Missouri Valley (2): CREIGHTON, Wichita State

West Coast (2): GONZAGA, Saint Mary’s

Sun Belt (2): WESTERN KENTUCKY, Middle Tennessee

Conference USA (1): Memphis

Conference Automatic Qualifiers ... BELMONT (Ohio Valley), BUCKNELL (Patriot), SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (Summit), VALPARAISO (Horizon), DAVIDSON (Southern), New Mexico State (WAC), IONA (MAAC), Stephen F. Austin (Southland), Akron (MAC), FLORIDA GULF COAST (A-Sun), HARVARD (IVY), Pacific (Big West), JAMES MADISON (Colonial), Vermont (American East), Montana (Big Sky), Morgan State (MEAC), LIBERTY (Big South), LIU-BROOKLYN (NEC), Southern (SWAC)