First Bracket of 2011 - January 14, 2011

Well, here it is! A groundbreaking, mind-smashing moment!
YES!
I'm back! Your favorite bracketologist (well, at least I HOPE I am to you) is back with the first EVER Pherson's 68!
Yes, the NCAA decided to fiddle with the field once again and add three more teams, along with three more first-round games.
However, the catch is that only 2 of the 4 games will compete for #16 seeds. The other two will vie for an at-large seed, such as a #11 or #12. This is where the "last four in" becomes important, because all four will technically be in the tournament, but will have to earn their way into the main 64 in Dayton.
SO, YES, THIS IS EXCITING STUFF!
As I normally do, I'll update this every 2 weeks leading up to Selection Sunday.
With apologies to Bud Light, HERE WE GO...

LAST FOUR IN: Colorado, Dayton, Marquette, Southern Miss
LAST FOUR OUT: Georgetown, Miami, Kansas State, Penn State

SOUTHEAST REGION (New Orleans)
#1 Kansas (16-0) vs. #16 Bethune-Cookman (8-8)/Binghamton (6-10) Winner
#8 St. John's (10-5) vs. #9 Xavier (10-5)
#5 West Virginia (11-4) vs. #12 Florida State (12-5)
#4 Illinois (13-4) vs. #13 Oakland (11-8)
#6 North Carolina (12-4) vs. #11 Wichita State (14-3)
#3 PURDUE (15-2) vs. #14 Belmont (15-3)
#7 UNLV (13-4) vs. #10 Drexel (11-4)
#2 Connecticut (13-2) vs. #15 Austin Peay (12-6)

EAST REGION (Newark)
#1 Syracuse (17-0) vs. #16 Long Island (12-4)
#8 UAB (11-3) vs. #9 Oklahoma State (13-3)
#5 Vanderbilt (12-3) vs. #12 Dayton (14-4)/Southern Miss (13-3) Winner
#4 Boston College (13-4) vs. #13 Hofstra (11-5)
#6 Butler (12-5) vs. #11 Georgia (12-3)
#3 Villanova (15-1) vs. #14 Ball State (10-4)
#7 Michigan State (11-5) vs. #10 Harvard (11-3)
#2 Duke (15-1) vs. #15 Fairfield (12-3)

SOUTHWEST REGION (San Antonio)
#1 Ohio State (17-0) vs. #16 Jackson State (8-8)/Chattanooga (9-8) Winner
#8 Missouri (15-2) vs. #9 Arizona (14-3)
#5 UCF (14-1) vs. #12 Virginia Tech (10-5)
#4 Kentucky (13-3) vs. #13 VCU (12-5)
#6 St. Mary's (15-2) vs. #11 Marquette (12-5)/Colorado (13-4) Winner
#3 Florida (13-3) vs. #14 Coastal Carolina (15-2)
#7 Texas (13-3) vs. #10 Wisconsin (12-4)
#2 Pittsburgh (16-1) vs. #15 Florida Atlantic (13-6)

WEST REGION (Anaheim)
#1 San Diego State (18-0) vs. #16 Northern Colorado (9-7)
#8 Gonzaga (12-5) vs. #9 Minnesota (13-4)
#5 Temple (12-3) vs. #12 Cincinnati (16-1)
#4 Notre Dame (14-3) vs. #13 Bucknell (11-7)
#6 Washington (12-4) vs. #11 Utah State (15-2)
#3 Texas A&M (15-1) vs. #14 Long Beach State (10-8)
#7 Missouri State (14-3) vs. #10 Louisville (13-3)
#2 BYU (17-1) vs. #15 McNeese State (10-5)

Stat of Note: The Big East has 10 - TEN! - bids in this bracket. Hey, it's no fluke that the conference is No. 1 in RPI this year; they have several good teams. But I do have Georgetown out because of their 1-4 record in conference play.

Next Bracket: Friday, January 28