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