The Final Bracket

Well, here it is - it took a lot of scrutinizing and decision-making, but my final prediction is done for what the bracket may look like come Selection Sunday. As long as I stick it to Joe Lunardi, that's all that matters, right?
Let's first get the bubble stuff over with:
LAST FOUR IN: Minnesota, California, Mississippi State, Utah State
LAST FOUR OUT: Illinois, Florida, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech
NEXT FOUR OUT: Ole Miss, Rhode Island, Wichita State, William & Mary

Enjoy the final few conference title games and good luck with your brackets this year! Can't wait for the true Madness to commence!
Automatic bids, determined or assumed, are marked with asterisks.

MIDWEST REGION (St. Louis)
#1 Kansas (32-2)* vs. #16 Winner of Winthrop (19-13)*/Arkansas-Pine Bluff (17-15)*
#8 Marquette (22-11) vs. #9 Florida State (22-9)
#5 Michigan State (24-8) vs. #12 Mississippi State (23-10)
#4 Temple (28-5)* vs. #13 Ohio (21-14)*
#6 Butler (28-4)* vs. #11 Georgia Tech (22-11)
#3 Villanova (24-7) vs. #14 Sam Houston State (25-7)*
#7 Texas (24-9) vs. #10 Old Dominion (26-8)*
#2 Ohio State (26-7)* vs. #15 Morgan State (27-9)*

EAST REGION (Syracuse)
#1 Duke (28-5)* vs. #16 Robert Morris (23-11)*
#8 California (23-10) vs. #9 Missouri (22-10)
#5 Vanderbilt (24-8) vs. #12 Minnesota (21-12)
#4 Georgetown (23-10) vs. #13 Oakland (26-8)*
#6 Xavier (24-8) vs. #11 San Diego State (25-8)*
#3 Baylor (25-7) vs. #14 Houston (19-15)*
#7 Northern Iowa (28-4)* vs. #10 Wake Forest (19-10)
#2 West Virginia (26-6)* vs. #15 Vermont (25-9)*

SOUTH REGION (Houston)
#1 Kentucky (31-2)* vs. #16 East Tennessee State (20-14)*
#8 Clemson (21-10) vs. #9 Notre Dame (23-11)
#5 Texas A&M (23-9) vs. #12 Cornell (27-4)*
#4 Wisconsin (23-8) vs. #13 Murray State (30-4)*
#6 BYU (29-5) vs. #11 Utah State (27-7)
#3 Purdue (27-5) vs. #14 Wofford (26-8)*
#7 Gonzaga (26-6) vs. #10 Louisville (20-12)
#2 Kansas State (26-7) vs. #15 North Texas (24-8)*

WEST REGION (Salt Lake City)
#1 Syracuse (28-4) vs. #16 Lehigh (22-10)*
#8 UNLV (25-8) vs. #9 UTEP (26-6)
#5 Maryland (23-8) vs. #12 Siena (27-6)*
#4 Tennessee (25-8) vs. #13 New Mexico State (22-11)*
#6 Richmond (26-7) vs. #11 Washington (24-9)*
#3 Pittsburgh (24-8) vs. #14 Montana (22-9)*
#7 Oklahoma State (22-10) vs. #10 St. Mary's (26-5)*
#2 New Mexico (29-4) vs. #15 UCSB (20-9)*

March 8, 2010 Bracket

This will be my last bracket before the FINAL one before Selection Sunday. I can't wait to see what Championship Week has in store. It will separate contenders from pretenders, and bubbles will either remain afloat or burst into oblivion. Each conference tourney outcome could change projections. In fact, they probably will. Quite simply, some teams that are in NOW aren't guaranteed it, and the teams currently on my Bubble list will have to be watched closely.

Current automatic bids are marked with an asterisk.

MIDWEST REGION (St. Louis)
#1 Kansas (29-2) vs. #16 Winner of Winthrop (19-13)*/Jackson State (19-11)
#8 Northern Iowa (28-4)* vs. #9 Louisville (20-11)
#5 Maryland (23-7) vs. #12 Illinois (18-13)
#4 Vanderbilt (23-7) vs. #13 Kent State (23-8)
#6 Gonzaga (26-5) vs. #11 Utah State (25-6)
#3 Pittsburgh (24-7) vs. #14 Oakland (24-8)
#7 Missouri (22-9) vs. #10 UNLV (23-7)
#2 Purdue (26-4) vs. #15 Morgan State (24-9)

EAST REGION (Syracuse)
#1 Duke (26-5) vs. #16 Quinnipiac (23-8)
#8 Oklahoma State (21-9) vs. #9 UTEP (24-5)
#5 Georgetown (20-9) vs. #12 Siena (26-6)
#4 Tennessee (23-7) vs. #13 William & Mary (22-9)
#6 BYU (28-4) vs. #11 Wichita State (25-9)
#3 Temple (26-5) vs. #14 Sam Houston State (22-7)
#7 Texas (23-8) vs. #10 Virginia Tech (23-7)
#2 West Virginia (24-6) vs. #15 Vermont (24-9)

SOUTH REGION (Houston)
#1 Kentucky (29-2) vs. #16 East Tennessee State (20-14)*
#8 Florida State (22-8) vs. #9 Marquette (20-10)
#5 Baylor (24-6) vs. #12 Arizona State (22-9)
#4 Michigan State (24-7) vs. #13 Cornell (27-4)*
#6 Texas A&M (22-8) vs. #11 St. Mary's (25-5)
#3 Ohio State (24-7) vs. #14 Wofford (25-8)
#7 Richmond (24-7) vs. #10 Georgia Tech (19-11)
#2 Villanova (24-6) vs. #15 North Texas (22-8)

WEST REGION (Salt Lake City)
#1 Syracuse (28-3) vs. #16 Lehigh (21-10)
#8 Wake Forest (19-9) vs. #9 California (21-9)
#5 Butler (27-4) vs. #12 Memphis (23-8)
#4 Wisconsin (23-7) vs. #13 Murray State (30-4)*
#6 Xavier (23-7) vs. #11 Notre Dame (21-10)
#3 New Mexico (28-3) vs. #14 Weber State (19-9)
#7 Clemson (21-9) vs. #10 Old Dominion (25-8)
#2 Kansas State (24-6) vs. #15 UCSB (18-9)

LAST FOUR IN: Illinois, Arizona State, Wichita State, William & Mary.

FIRST FOUR OUT: Rhode Island, UAB, San Diego State, Washington.

OTHER BUBBLE TEAMS: Saint Louis, Charlotte, Dayton, South Florida, Minnesota, Northwestern, Northeastern, VCU, Marshall, Tulsa, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Florida.

NEXT BRACKET: Saturday, March 13 (will be the FINAL one before Selection Sunday)