With tip-off for the 2010-11 college basketball season upon us, we seem to know two things: Duke and Michigan State are strong favorites to make return trips to the Final Four. After that, there’s a lot of debate. Which is great, of course, because none of us knows how the season will unfold.
The No. 1 seed line features ... Duke, Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Ohio State. The Buckeyes move up to replace Purdue after the Boilermakers lost star Robbie Hummel to another season-ending knee injury. The Boilers still have a lot of talent and experience in West Lafayette, and open as a projected No. 3 seed in the Southwest Region. A solid No. 2 line features Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, and Syracuse. Both KU and UK are still awaiting elibility status on star recruits (Selby, Kanter). My guess is both play this season; how much we dont’ know.
What about the First Four? The opening games in Dayton will match the last four at-large teams and the four lowest-rated teams on the S-curve. In our projection those matchups are ... New Mexico vs. Dayton | USC vs. Maryland | Maine vs. Winthrop | Jackson State vs. SF Austin. The winners advance into the traditional 64-team bracket to play Thursday or Friday. Our Last 5 in: Northwestern, Maryland, New Mexico, USC, and Dayton. Our First 5 out: UNLV, UCLA, Connecticut, St. John’s, Mississippi.
NOTE: Teams listed in ALL CAPS are projected conference champions or teams that typically go by appreviations (BYU, USC, etc.)
2010-2011 PRESEASON BRACKET
| EAST -- Newark | SOUTHEAST -- New Orleans | |
| Charlotte | Chicago | |
| 1) DUKE | 1) MICHIGAN STATE | |
| 16) MAINE / WINTHROP | 16) JACKSON ST / SF AUSTIN | |
| 8) Wisconsin | 8) West Virginia | |
| 9) Georgia | 9) Washington State | |
| Tucson | Charlotte | |
| 5) BUTLER | 5) Texas | |
| 12) New Mexico / Dayton | 12) MURRAY STATE | |
| 4) Missouri | 4) North Carolina | |
| 13) FAIRFIELD | 13) OLD DOMINION | |
| Tampa | Tampa | |
| 6) Illinois | 6) Baylor | |
| 11) Texas A-M | 11) Missouri State | |
| 3) Florida | 3) Villanova | |
| 14) OHIO | 14) WOFFORD | |
| Washington, DC | Washington, DC | |
| 7) Virginia Tech | 7) BYU | |
| 10) Richmond | 10) NC State | |
| 2) Syracuse | 2) KENTUCKY | |
| 15) PRINCETON | 15) QUINNIPIAC | |
| SOUTHWEST -- San Antonio | WEST-- Anaheim | |
| Cleveland | Cleveland | |
| 1) PITTSBURGH | 1) Ohio State | |
| 16) MORGAN STATE | 16) AMERICAN | |
| 8) Florida State | 8) Xavier | |
| 9) Mississippi State | 9) Vanderbilt | |
| Denver | Denver | |
| 5) TEMPLE | 5) Georgetown | |
| 12) Northwestern | 12) USC / Maryland | |
| 4) WASHINGTON | 4) GONZAGA | |
| 13) UTAH STATE | 13) WEBER STATE | |
| Chicago | Tucson | |
| 6) Tennessee | 6) SAN DIEGO ST | |
| 11) Miami-FL | 11) Louisville | |
| 3) Purdue | 3) MEMPHIS | |
| 14) E. TENNESSEE ST | 14) UC-SANTA BARBARA | |
| Tulsa | Tulsa | |
| 7) WICHITA STATE | 7) Minnesota | |
| 10) Marquette | 10) Arizona | |
| 2) Kansas State | 2) KANSAS | |
| 15) OAKLAND | 15) NORTH TEXAS |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Duke is the No. 1 overall seed followed by Michigan State, Pittsburgh, and Ohio State. They are followed by Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, and Syracuse.
Last Five teams in (at large): Northwestern, Maryland, New Mexico, USC, Dayton
First Five teams out (at large): UNLV, UCLA, Connecticut, St. John’s, Mississippi
Also Considered: UTEP, Clemson, Northern Iowa, California, Arizona State, Notre Dame, St. Louis, Southern Mississippi, Rhode Island, Texas Tech, Colorado, VCU, Alabama, Indiana, Cleveland State, New Mexico State, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Santa Clara, St. Mary’s, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Bradley, Akron
Bracket adjustments: Several teams moved one line from their “true” seed to avoid conference conflicts, to balance the bracket, and or to play closer to home/region. BYU is always a challenge because the Cougars must be placed in Thursday-Saturday locations for all rounds.
Here is the team breakdown by Conference ...
Big East (7): PITTSBURGH, Syracuse, Villanova, Georgetown, West Virginia, Marquette, Louisville
Big Ten (7): MICHIGAN STATE, Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern
ACC (7): DUKE, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, NC State, Florida State, Miami-FL, Maryland
SEC (6): KENTUCKY, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Georgia, Vanderbilt
Big 12 (6): KANSAS, Kansas State, Missouri, Texas, Baylor, Texas A-M
Atlantic 10 (4): TEMPLE, Xavier, Richmond, Dayton
Pac 10 (4): WASHINGTON, Washington State, Arizona, USC
Mountain West (3): SAN DIEGO STATE, BYU, New Mexico
Missouri Valley (2): WICHITA STATE, Missouri State
West Coast (1): GONZAGA
Conference USA (1): MEMPHIS
Horizon (1): BUTLER
Auto Bid conference champions ... Utah State (WAC), Murray State (OVC), Fairfield (MAAC), Old Dominion (CAA), Ohio (MAC), Weber State (Big Sky), Wofford (Southern), Oakland (Summit), UC-Santa Barbara (Big West), Quinnipiac (NEC), East Tennessee State (Atlantic Sun), North Texas (Sun Belt), Princeton (Ivy), Winthrop (Big South), Morgan State (MEAC), American (Patriot), Maine (America East), Stephen F. Austin (Southland), Jackson State (SWAC)
For more bracket-related college hoops fun, visit Bracketville. Our initial Power 24 is also posted there. You can also follow BracketguyDave on Twitter. Here’s to a season!