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Bracketology: Big weekend for SEC/Big 12 bubble teams

NCAA tournament coronavirus

during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 16, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Christian Petersen

It’s a big weekend for currently positioned SEC and Big 12 bubble teams. In particular, the SEC race is “bunched” in the middle right now, so potentially separating wins - like those available in the SEC / Big 12 challenge this weekend - could prove critically important down the road.

Exhibit A: This morning, six SEC teams fall within 12 seed list positions of each other, and those positions happen to fall along the cutline. There’s no question the SEC is a stronger, deeper league than its been in recent years. And that will ultimately help send additional teams to the tournament. But where that break-line ends up, and how future results coincide with seeding, remains an unanswered question. Thus, the opportunity for quality non-conference wins looms additionally large.

UPDATED: January 26, 2018

FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS - Dayton (First Round)


  • South Carolina vs. Boise State | Midwest Region
  • SMU vs. Missouri | West Region
  • NICHOLLS ST vs. BETH-COOKMAN | East Region
  • FLA GULF COAST vs. ARK-PINE BLUFF | Midwest Region

BRACKET PROJECTION

EAST - BostonMIDWEST - Omaha
PittsburghDetroit
1) VILLANOVA1) PURDUE
16) NICHOLLS ST / B-COOKMAN16) FL GULF CST / ARK-PB
8) Florida State8) TCU
9) Texas9) Arkansas
BoiseSan Diego
5) RHODE ISLAND5) Gonzaga
12) BUFFALO12) So Carolina / Boise St
4) Ohio State4) Clemson
13) E TENNESSEE ST13) BELMONT
NashvilleDallas
6) Kentucky6) Seton Hall
11) Houston11) Alabama
3) North Carolina3) CINCINNATI
14) VERMONT14) NORTHEASTERN
PittsburghWichita
7) Creighton7) Arizona State
10) Washington10) Marquette
2) West Virginia2) Oklahoma
15) CANISIUS15) PENNSYLVANNIA
WEST - Los AngelesSOUTH - Atlanta
CharlotteCharlotte
1) Duke1) VIRGINIA
16) WAGNER16) RADFORD
8) NEVADA8) Michigan
9) Butler9) Providence
BoiseDallas
5) Florida5) Tennessee
12) NEW MEXICO ST12) LOYOLA-CHI
4) Michigan State4) Texas Tech
13) SOUTH DAKOTA ST13) LOUISIANA
San DiegoNashville
6) SAINT MARY’S6) Wichita State
11) Missouri / SMU11) MIDDLE TENNESSEE
3) ARIZONA3) AUBURN
14) MONTANA14) WRIGHT STATE
WichitaDetroit
7) Miami-FL7) Louisville
10) USC10) Kansas State
2) KANSAS2) Xavier
15) HAWAII15) BUCKNELL

NOTES on the BRACKET: Villanova is the No. 1 overall seed - followed by Purdue, Virginia, and Duke

Last Four Byes (at large): Marquette, Washington, Alabama, Houston

Last Four IN (at large): SMU, Missouri, South Carolina, Boise State

First Four OUT (at large): Texas AM, NC State, Syracuse, Georgia

Next four teams OUT (at large): Notre Dame, LSU, Virginia Tech, Western Kentucky

Breakdown by Conference ...

SEC (8): AUBURN, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina

ACC (7): VIRGINIA, Duke, North Carolina, Clemson, Louisville, Miami-FL, Florida State

Big East (7): VILLANOVA, Xavier, Seton Hall, Creighton, Providence, Marquette, Butler

BIG 12 (7): KANSAS, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas Tech, TCU, Texas, Kansas State

Big 10 (4): PURDUE, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan

American (4): CINCINNATI, Wichita State, Houston, SMU

Pac 12 (4): ARIZONA, Arizona State, USC, Washington

West Coast (2): SAINT MARY’S, Gonzaga

Mountain West (1): NEVADA, Boise State

Atlantic 10 (1): RHODE ISLAND

ONE BID LEAGUES: Loyola-Chicago (MVC), Canisius (MAAC), Middle Tennessee (C-USA), Louisiana (SBELT), Penn (IVY), Montana (BSKY), Wright State (HORIZON), Nicholls State (SLND), East Tennessee State (STHN), Hawaii (BWEST), Buffalo (MAC), Florida Gulf Coast (ASUN), Belmont (OVC), Northeastern (CAA), Radford (BSO), Bethune-Cookman (MEAC), South Dakota State (SUM), New Mexico State (WAC), Vermont (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), Wagner (NEC), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC)

Bracketing principles: read them for yourself at www.ncaa.com.