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

Bracketology: Syracuse keeps climbing

Florida State v Syracuse

SYRACUSE, NY - JANUARY 28: Tyler Roberson #21 of the Syracuse Orange dunks the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half at the Carrier Dome on January 28, 2017 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

Getty Images

As we ushered in 2017, Syracuse could easily have been asking, what happened? A preseason Top 25 team, the Orange were mired in a streak that produced loses to Connecticut, St. John’s, and Boston College. Early January wasn’t much better, as the Orange’s early league road schedule took a toll. Fast forward to February. It’s amazing what a five-game winning streak in the ACC can do for a team’s resume, especially when the field around them remains quite average. Syracuse’s last-second heroics at Clemson have the Orange at 8-4 in the league and, at least for the moment, a few slots above the cutline. We’ll see how the final month plays out.

No changes on the No. 1 seed line today. Kansas and Baylor bounced back with road wins . Come Saturday, we’ll all get a sneak peak at how the actual Selection Committee views the Top 16 teams (on their Seed List), noted as the top four seeds in each region. Every Committee is a little different, so it will be interesting to see how they view things. Some of us would prefer to see their look at the bubble, too. Then again, deciphering and explaining those concepts would require a show that’s too long for network television. Come Monday, the middle and lower half of the bracket could look quite different - again.

UPDATED: February 9, 2017

Regarding bracketing principles, 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)


  • Michigan vs. Seton Hall | South Region
  • Wichita State vs. Marquette | East Region
  • WEBER STATE vs. UC-DAVIS | Midwest Region
  • MT. ST. MARY’S vs. NC CENTRAL | East Region

BRACKET PROJECTION ...

EAST - New YorkWEST - San Jose
BuffaloSalt Lake City
1) VILLANOVA1) GONZAGA
16) NC-CENTRAL / M.S. MARY’S16) TX-SOUTHERN
8) VCU8) California
9) Oklahoma State9) Iowa State
OrlandoMilwaukee
5) Butler5) Duke
12) UNC-WILMINGTON12) VALPARAISO
4) FLORIDA4) WISCONSIN
13) MONMOUTH13) NEW MEXICO ST
BuffaloIndianapolis
6) Notre Dame6) Maryland
11) Wichita St / Marquette11) MID TENNESSEE ST
3) West Virginia3) Louisville
14) WINTHROP14) BELMONT
GreenvilleSacramento
7) USC7) SMU
10) Indiana10) Virginia Tech
2) NORTH CAROLINA2) OREGON
15) PRINCETON15) NO DAKOTA ST
SOUTH - MemphisMIDWEST - Kansas City
TulsaTulsa
1) Baylor1) KANSAS
16) SAM HOUSTON ST16) WEBER ST / UC-DAVIS
8) Northwestern8) Syracuse
9) Miami-FL9) Minnesota
IndianapolisMilwaukee
5) Creighton5) Purdue
12) AKRON12) ILLINOIS STATE
4) Kentucky4) CINCINNATI
13) VERMONT13) NEVADA
SacramentoGreenville
6) Saint Mary’s6) South Carolina
11) Michigan / Seton Hall11) Michigan State
3) UCLA3) Virginia
14) ARKANSAS STATE14) FLA GULF COAST
OrlandoSalt Lake City
7) Xavier7) Dayton
10) Kansas State10) TCU
2) Florida State2) Arizona
15) BUCKNELL15) FURMAN

NOTES on the BRACKET: Villanova is the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Gonzaga, Kansas, and Baylor.

Last Four Byes (at large): Miami-FL, Virginia Tech, Indiana, Michigan State

Last Four IN (at large): Seton Hall, Wichita State, Marquette, Michigan

First Four OUT (at large): Tennessee, Rhode Island, Georgia Tech, Arkansas

Next four teams OUT (at large): Wake Forest, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgetown

Breakdown by Conference ...

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

Big 10 (8): WISCONSIN, Purdue, Maryland, Northwestern, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan

Big 12 (7): KANSAS, Baylor, West Virginia, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Kansas State

Big East (6): VILLANOVA, Butler, Creighton, Xavier, Seton Hall, Marquette

Pac 12 (5): OREGON, Arizona, UCLA, USC, California

SEC (3): FLORIDA, Kentucky, South Carolina

Atlantic 10 (2): VCU, Dayton

American (2): CINCINNATI, SMU

West Coast (2): GONZAGA, Saint Mary’s

Missouri Valley (2): ILLINOIS STATE, Wichita State

Mountain West (1): NEVADA

ONE BID LEAGUES: Monmouth (MAAC), Middle Tennessee State (C-USA), Arkansas State (SBELT), Princeton (IVY), Weber State (BSKY), Valparaiso (HORIZON), Sam Houston State (SLND), Furman (STHN), UC-Davis (BWEST), Akron (MAC), Florida Gulf Coast (ASUN), Belmont (OVC), UNC-Wilmington (CAA), Winthrop (BSO), NC-Central (MEAC), North Dakota State (SUM), New Mexico State (WAC), Vermont (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), Mt. St. Mary’s (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)