Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

NBC SPORTS BRACKETOLOGY: Oklahoma leads final push toward Selection Sunday

Lon Kruger

Lon Kruger

AP

With the Super Bowl in our rear-view mirror, eyes turn toward Selection Sunday - apologies to the diehard baseball fans who toss in the start of Spring Training ahead of March Madness. Anyway, we’re a month away from the annual NCAA Tournament Selection Show and few bracket positions have been secured. If you’re just joining the college hoops landscape, it’s been that type of season. Welcome, by the way.

Oklahoma continues to lead the Field of 68, but the No. 1 seed line is far from certain. At this point a year ago, we pretty much knew that Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Duke would be No. 1 seeds. This year, we can’t lock anyone into place. Positioning along the top three lines is very much in flux, even if we have a good idea about the contenders. The bubble is no different. Strap on your seatbelt; it could be a bumpy ride to the finish.

As a reminder, Louisville self-imposed a post-season ban last Friday, which eliminates the Cardinals from bracket consideration. SMU did the same before the season. Thus, two at-large teams will be Dancing on Selection Sunday courtesy of the Cards and Mustangs. Today, those two teams are Clemson and Saint Joseph’s. In the Tigers’ case, a solid group of ACC wins (mostly at home) is lifting up non-conference schedule ranked No. 341. Ultimately, that could cost Clemson a month from now - we’ve seen it before. When a team goes 7-5 against one of the worst non-conference schedules in the nation, it takes an exceptional conference season to overcome the disparity.

Enjoy your week of college hoops. You can find the complete Seed List at Bracketville.

UPDATED: February 8, 2016

Teams in CAPS represent the projected AUTOMATIC bid. In the event of a tie in the loss column, RPI is first tiebreaker. Notes: To simulate actual bracket conditions, we’ve used current conference leaders to receive the automatic bid. Exceptions are made for teams that use an abbreviation (ex: UCLA)

Several new bracketing principles were introduced a couple of years ago. You can read them for yourself at www.ncaa.com. For example: teams from the same conference may now meet before a Regional final, even if fewer than eight teams are selected. The goal is to keep as many teams as possible on their actual seed line.

FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS - Dayton (First Round)


  • Cincinnati vs. Saint Joseph’s | Midwest Region
  • Clemson vs. George Washington | East Region
  • BUCKNELL vs. WAGNER | Midwest Region
  • HAMPTON vs. TEXAS-SOUTHERN | South Region

BRACKET PROJECTION ...

SOUTH - LouisvilleMIDWEST - Chicago
Oklahoma CityDes Moines
1) OKLAHOMA1) Kansas
16) TX-SOUTHERN / HAMPTON16) BUCKNELL / WAGNER
8) WICHITA STATE8) VCU
9) Colorado9) Syracuse
RaleighDenver
5) DAYTON5) Arizona
12) VALPARAISO12) MONMOUTH
4) Miami-FL4) Texas AM
13) AKRON13) ARK-LITTLE ROCK
SpokaneSt. Louis
6) Providence6) Baylor
11) SAINT MARY’S11) Cincinnati / St. Joseph’s
3) OREGON3) Michigan State
14) UAB14) NC-WILMINGTON
BrooklynSt. Louis
7) Duke7) Pittsburgh
10) Seton Hall10) Washington
2) Maryland2) Xavier
15) BELMONT15) NEW MEXICO ST
EAST - PhiladelphiaWEST - Anaheim
BrooklynDes Moines
1) VILLANOVA1) IOWA
16) NORTH FLORIDA16) MONTANA
8) CONNECTICUT8) Florida State
9) Florida9) SAN DIEGO ST
ProvidenceSpokane
5) Kentucky5) USC
12) Clemson / Geo Washington12) CHATTANOOGA
4) Purdue4) Texas
13) STONY BROOK13) UC-IRVINE
ProvidenceDenver
6) Notre Dame6) Utah
11) LSU11) Gonzaga
3) WEST VIRGINIA3) Iowa State
14) YALE14) SO. DAKOTA ST
RaleighRaleigh
7) Indiana7) South Carolina
10) California10) Michigan
2) Virginia2) NORTH CAROLINA
15) NC-ASHEVILLE15) S.F. AUSTIN

NOTES on the BRACKET: Oklahoma is the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Kansas, Iowa, and Villanova. Next in line: Virginia, North Carolina, Xavier, Maryland

Last Four Byes (at large): California, Seton Hall, Michigan, Gonzaga

Last Four IN (at large): Cincinnati, George Washington, Clemson, Saint Joseph’s

First Four OUT (at large): Oregon State, Butler, UCLA, Wisconsin

Next four teams OUT (at large): Georgia, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Temple

Breakdown by Conference ...

ACC (9): NORTH CAROLINA, Virginia, Miami-FL, Notre Dame, Duke, Pittsburgh, Florida State, Syracuse, Clemson

Pac 12 (7): OREGON, USC, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Washington, California

Big 12 (6): WEST VIRGINIA, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State, Texas, Baylor

Big 10 (6): IOWA, Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana, Michigan

SEC (5): LSU, Texas AM, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida

Big East (4): VILLANOVA, Xavier, Providence, Seton Hall

Atlantic 10 (4): DAYTON, VCU, George Washington, Saint Joseph’s

American (2): CONNECTICUT, Cincinnati

West Coast (2): SAINT MARY’S, Gonzaga

Mountain West (1): SAN DIEGO STATE

MAAC (1): MONMOUTH

Missouri Valley (1): WICHITA STATE

ONE BID LEAGUES: UAB (C-USA), Ark-Little Rock (SBELT), Yale (IVY), Montana (BSKY), Valparaiso (HORIZON), Stephen F. Austin (SLND), Chattanooga (STHN), UC-Irvine (BWEST), Akron (MAC), North Florida (ASUN), Belmont (OVC), UNC-Wilmington (CAA), UNC-Asheville (BSO), Hampton (MEAC), South Dakota State (SUM), New Mexico State (WAC), Stony Brook (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), Wagner (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)