February 25, 2011 Bracket

IT'S STARTING TO RATCHET UP! As the calendar will soon turn to March, some bubble teams fall by the wayside while others are being added. The bubble is truly soft this year and it is SO HARD to compare resumes sometimes. Many teams will be sweating on Selection Sunday. But as conference tourneys are held, things will begin to sort itself out.
Here's the bracket:

LAST FOUR IN: Florida State, Marquette, VCU, Butler
FIRST FOUR OUT: Richmond, Kansas State, Virginia Tech, Minnesota

SOUTHEAST REGION (New Orleans):
#1 Duke (26-2) vs. #16 Winner of Texas Southern (15-10)/Bethune-Cookman (17-11)
#8 Cincinnati (22-6) vs. #9 Georgia (18-9)
#5 Texas A&M (22-5) vs. #12 Winner of Butler (20-9)/VCU (21-9)
#4 Louisville (21-7) vs. #13 Cleveland State (23-7)
#6 Villanova (21-7) vs. #11 Colorado State (18-9)
#3 Notre Dame (22-5) vs. #14 Kent State (19-9)
#7 Utah State (25-3) vs. #10 Illinois (17-11)
#2 Kansas (26-2) vs. #15 Long Island (23-5)

SOUTHWEST REGION (San Antonio):
#1 Texas (24-4) vs. #16 Florida Atlantic (20-9)
#8 UCLA (20-8) vs. #9 Michigan State (16-11)
#5 Vanderbilt (20-7) vs. #12 UAB (19-7)
#4 Syracuse (23-6) vs. #13 Belmont (26-4)
#6 St. John's (18-9) vs. #11 Memphis (21-7)
#3 Florida (22-5) vs. #14 Charleston (22-8)
#7 Missouri (22-6) vs. #10 Wichita State (23-6)
#2 San Diego State (27-1) vs. #15 Fairfield (22-5)

WEST REGION (Anaheim):
#1 Ohio State (26-2) vs. #16 Montana (20-8)
#8 Tennessee (17-11) vs. #9 Southern Miss (21-6)
#5 Connecticut (20-7) vs. #12 Gonzaga (20-9)
#4 Arizona (23-5) vs. #13 Oakland (21-9)
#6 George Mason (24-5) vs. #11 Missouri State (22-7)
#3 Georgetown (21-7) vs. #14 Bucknell (21-8)
#7 West Virginia (17-10) vs. #10 St. Mary's (22-7)
#2 BYU (26-2) vs. #15 Long Beach State (18-10)

EAST REGION (Newark):
#1 Pittsburgh (25-3) vs. #16 Winner of Murray State (22-7)/McNeese State (17-9)
#8 Temple (21-6) vs. #9 Washington (19-8)
#5 Kentucky (19-8) vs. #12 Winner of Florida State (19-8)/Marquette (17-11)
#4 Wisconsin (21-6) vs. #13 Harvard (20-4)
#6 Xavier (21-6) vs. #11 Alabama (19-8)
#3 North Carolina (21-6) vs. #14 Vermont (22-6)
#7 UNLV (21-7) vs. #10 Old Dominion (23-6)
#2 Purdue (23-5) vs. #15 Coastal Carolina (25-4)

BIDS BY CONFERENCE
Atlantic 10 - 2
ACC - 3
Big 12 - 4
Big East - 11
Big Ten - 5
Colonial - 3
Conference USA - 3
Horizon - 2
Missouri Valley - 2
Mountain West - 4
Pac-10 - 3
SEC - 6
West Coast - 2
Everyone Else - 1 each

ALSO CONSIDERED
Richmond (21-7, 62): High computer numbers and only quality win against Purdue. One of last four out.
Duquesne (17-9, 88): High computer numbers; 1-4 vs. Top 50.
Dayton (19-9, 59): Only quality win came against George Mason; 1-4 vs. Top 50.
Virginia Tech (18-8, 63): 0-5 vs. Top 50. One of last four out.
Clemson (18-9, 65): 3 bad losses, 1-3 vs. Top 50.
Maryland (18-10, 80): 0-8 vs. Top 50, hanging by a thread.
Boston College (16-11, 49): 1-5 vs. Top 50, bad loss to Yale, lost to off the radar Miami.
Kansas State (19-9, 28): 1-6 vs. Top 50, but solid computer numbers. One of last four out.
Nebraska (18-9, 77): 2-6 vs. Top 50, 2 bad losses.
Baylor (17-10, 87): 1-4 vs. Top 50, 3 bad losses, hanging by a thread.
Michigan (17-12, 66): 2-9 vs. Top 50, bad loss to Indiana, hanging by a thread.
Minnesota (17-10, 48): 6-9 in Big Ten, 3 good wins but also 2 bad losses. One of last four out.
Hofstra (19-10, 82): 1-3 vs. Top 50, only quality win vs. George Mason.
Drexel (19-9, 60): Two good wins, but also two bad losses.
UTEP (20-8, 78): 0-3 vs. Top 50.
Marshall (19-9, 57): 3 quality wins, but too high computer numbers.
Valparaiso (20-10, 68): 3 quality wins, but 5 bad losses.
Mississippi (17-11, 73): 2-5 vs. Top 50, 3 bad losses.
Portland (20-9, 97): 0-2 vs. Top 50, 4 bad losses.

As March nears and conference tourneys begin, I will do a bracket every week leading up to Selection Sunday. Therefore, the next bracket will be up Friday, March 4. ENJOY THE MADNESS!!!

February 11, 2011 Bracket

I was going to wait until February 14, but yet I couldn't because everybody's talking brackets, plus so many teams have risen and fallen over these past couple weeks. Such is the way of NCAA basketball. Let's get to it!

LAST FOUR IN: Richmond, Clemson, Marquette, Southern Miss
LAST FOUR OUT: Baylor, Boston College, Michigan State, Colorado State

SOUTHEAST REGION (New Orleans):
#1 Kansas (23-1) vs. #16 Winner of Texas Southern (11-10)/Northwestern State (15-10)
#8 UTEP (18-5) vs. #9 St. John's (14-9)
#5 Wisconsin (18-5) vs. #12 VCU (20-6)
#4 Villanova (19-5) vs. #13 Valparaiso (18-7)
#6 Missouri (18-6) vs. #11 Old Dominion (19-6)
#3 Purdue (19-5) vs. #14 Belmont (22-4)
#7 Tennessee (15-9) vs. #10 Wichita State (20-5)
#2 Georgetown (19-5) vs. #15 Kent State (16-7)

WEST REGION (Anaheim):
#1 Duke (22-2) vs. #16 Long Island (19-5)
#8 Utah State (22-3) vs. #9 Washington (16-7)
#5 Syracuse (20-5) vs. #12 Winner of Clemson (17-7)/Richmond (19-6)
#4 Kentucky (17-6) vs. #13 Charleston (18-7)
#6 St. Mary's (21-4) vs. #11 Memphis (18-6)
#3 Arizona (20-4) vs. #14 Bucknell (17-8)
#7 Louisville (18-6) vs. #10 Georgia (16-7)
#2 BYU (23-2) vs. #15 Long Beach State (14-10)

SOUTHWEST REGION (San Antonio):
#1 Ohio State (24-0) vs. #16 Winner of Northern Colorado (14-9)/Hampton (18-5)
#8 West Virginia (15-8) vs. #9 UNLV (18-6)
#5 Texas A&M (18-5) vs. #12 Winner of Southern Miss (18-5)/Marquette (15-9)
#4 Connecticut (18-5) vs. #13 Princeton (17-4)
#6 UCLA (17-7) vs. #11 Florida State (17-7)
#3 Notre Dame (20-4) vs. #14 Oakland (17-9)
#7 Illinois (16-8) vs. #10 Cincinnati (19-5)
#2 San Diego State (24-1) vs. #15 Florida Atlantic (18-8)

EAST REGION (Newark):
#1 Pittsburgh (22-2) vs. #16 Murray State (19-6)
#8 Temple (18-5) vs. #9 Minnesota (16-8)
#5 Vanderbilt (17-6) vs. #12 Duquesne (16-6)
#4 North Carolina (17-6) vs. #13 Coastal Carolina (23-2)
#6 Xavier (17-6) vs. #11 Missouri State (19-6)
#3 Florida (19-5) vs. #14 Vermont (20-5)
#7 George Mason (20-5) vs. #10 UAB (17-6)
#2 Texas (21-3) vs. #15 Fairfield (18-5)

BIDS BY CONFERENCE
Atlantic 10 - 4
ACC - 4
Big 12 - 4
Big East - 11
Big Ten - 5
Colonial - 3
Conference USA - 4
Missouri Valley - 2
Mountain West - 3
Pac-10 - 3
SEC - 5
Everybody Else - 1 each

ALSO CONSIDERED
Dayton (17-8, 62): 1-3 against the Top 50 and two bad losses.
Maryland (16-8, 82): 0-7 versus Top 50.
Virginia Tech (15-7, 64): Two quality wins, but also two bad losses.
Boston College (15-9, 43): Losses to Rhode Island and Yale hang over resume.
Miami (15-9, 65): 4-6 conference record doesn't help.
Baylor (16-7, 74): Close, but need more quality wins.
Oklahoma State (16-7, 49): Losing conference record and two bad losses hurt.
Kansas State (16-8, 35): 0-7 versus Top 50. Get ready for the NIT, Jacob Pullen!
Colorado (15-10, 99): 4 quality wins, but way too high RPI.
Michigan State (14-10, 52): Bad loss to Iowa and 4-6 in their last 10.
Michigan (15-10, 58): 0-7 versus Top 50.
Penn State (12-11, 70): Hanging by a thread due to strong SOS (5th).
Northwestern (14-9, 81): 1-6 versus Top 50.
Hofstra (16-9, 92): 1-4 versus Top 50, two bad losses.
James Madison (18-8, 84): 0-4 versus Top 50.
Drexel (16-8, 67): Low SOS, loss to William & Mary doesn't help.
Cleveland State (21-5, 39): Won't get in unless they win Horizon.
Butler (17-9, 45): 5 bad losses make Bulldogs a real head-scratcher.
Northern Iowa (18-8, 69): 5 bad losses make last year's Cinderella a real head-scratcher.
Colorado State (16-7, 42): Wanted to put them in, but 3 bad losses are too glaring.
New Mexico (17-7, 68): SOS too low, 2 bad losses.
Washington State (16-8, 80): 3 bad losses, 1-4 versus Top 50.
Alabama (15-8, 88): Team on the rise, but 4 bad losses still glaring.
Mississippi (16-8, 56): Losing conference record, 5-5 in last 10.
Arkansas (14-9, 115): Need some more quality wins.
Gonzaga (16-9, 76): 2-6 versus Top 50 and 2 bad losses.
Portland (17-8, 83): 1-2 versus Top 50 and 3 bad losses.

NEXT BRACKET: Friday, February 25