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!!!