Seeing guys like Joe Lunardi from ESPN constantly spout off during games about this and that which can effect a college basketball team’s NCAA Tournament seed always annoyed me. I figured…how hard could it really be to analyze some stats, make a few projections, and forecast the future?
And after taking nearly four hours to put together the following of how I PROJECT the field to look when announced on Sunday, March 12th, let me say that Bracketology is REALLY HARD.
Take a look below and I’ll share some additional thoughts towards the end:
Final Four matchups:
East (1) vs. West (4)
South (2) vs. Midwest (3)
East
1 Villanova
16 Rider vs. Grambling
8 Alabama
9 Florida State
(First two rounds played in Pittsburgh)
5 Nevada
12 Utah vs. NC State
4 Rhode Island
13 Vermont
(Boise)
6 Michigan
11 Buffalo
3 Texas Tech
14 Wright State
(Dallas)
7 ASU
10 Middle Tennessee
2 North Carolina
15 Penn
(Charlotte)
West
1 Duke
16 UNC-Asheville
8 Texas A&M
9 Seton Hall
(Charlotte)
5 Tennessee
12 Louisiana
4 Gonzaga
13 New Mexico State
(Boise)
6 Missouri
11 Nebraska
3 Arizona
14 UCSB
(San Diego)
7 Creighton
10 Virginia Tech
2 Kansas
15 Montana
(Wichita)
South
1 Virginia
16 Lipscomb
8 Houston
9 Arkansas
(Nashville)
5 Ohio State
12 Providence
4 Auburn
13 ETSU
(Dallas)
6 St. Mary’s
11 Texas vs. Syracuse
3 Wichita State
14 Bucknell
(San Diego)
7 TCU
10 Butler
2 Purdue
15 Stephen F. Austin
(Detroit)
Midwest
1 Michigan State
16 Wagner vs. NC A&T
8 Oklahoma
9 Miami
(Detroit)
5 Kentucky
12 Loyola-Chicago
4 Clemson
13 South Dakota St
(Nashville)
6 West Virginia
11 St. Bonaventure
3 Cincinnati
14 Murray State
(Wichita)
7 Florida
10 USC Pittsburgh
2 Xavier
15 Northeastern
(Pittsburgh)
Last Four In
Texas
Syracuse
NC State
Utah
First Four Out
Kansas State
Baylor
Louisville
UCLA
-Their RPI may be in the teens right now but I think Michigan State still has a reasonable path to a #1 seed. At this point if they win the Big Ten Tournament in two weeks, they should receive the benefit of the doubt. Purdue, if they win out, also has a shot to switch places with MSU.
-Choosing the fourth #1 seed was darn near impossible but I project Duke to come around and win the ACC Tournament.
-I’m putting Arizona as a #3 seed assuming they don’t lose again through the Pac-12 Tournament. I expect ASU, USC, and Utah to make up the conference’s final four in Las Vegas and hence all of them make The Big Dance.
-Based on this bracket, my Final Four would be Villanova, Arizona, Purdue, and Michigan State. I’ll go with Nova over Michigan State in the Championship for now.
-I’ll never question those who make these projected brackets ever again. Trust me folks, it’s harder than it looks.
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Cohen's Corner 