March is just a few days away. It’s crunch time, and we have a lot to be decided. Here’s to hoping these next two weeks clarify the bubble picture. There are several huge matchups this weekend - some for bracket spots, others for seeding. The biggest positioning game is BYU visiting San Diego State. Both are going to be high seeds when the bracket is announced, but who claims the West Region is up for grabs. And it may not be decided until after the Mountain West tournament - especially if SDSU wins Saturday, evening the season series. BYU can only be placed in the Southeast or West because the Cougars have to be assigned to Thursday-Saturday sites. Could either earn a No. 1 seed? Not out of the question, but they’ll need some help from the teams in front of them. Next bracket update is Monday, February 28.
UPDATED: Friday, February 25 | Records reflect Division I games only - through February 24.
Teams in CAPS represent the projected conference champion for this bracket. Exceptions are made for those teams that traditionally use an abbreviation (UTEP, BYU, etc).
NOTE: In the new 68-team format you will notice two pairing games that represent the First Four pairings. In this bracket the First Four games in Dayton would be ... Virginia Tech vs. Southern Mississippi | Colorado State vs. UAB | Texas Southern vs. McNeese State | Long Beach vs. Bethune-Cookman. The final four at-large teams are paired along with the teams seeded 65-68 on the S-curve. The matchups are indicated in the bracket below.
BRACKET PROJECTION ...
EAST - Newark | SOUTHEAST - New Orleans | |
Cleveland | Cleveland | |
1) OHIO STATE (26-2) | 1) PITTSBURGH (25-3) | |
16) MURRAY STATE (20-7) | 16) LONG ISLAND (23-5) | |
8 UNLV (21-7) | 8 Washington (19-8) | |
9) Old Dominion (23-6) | 9) Kansas State (18-9) | |
Tucson | Washington, DC | |
5) Texas AM (21-5) | 5) Villanova (21-7) | |
12) Richmond (21-7) | 12) Colorado State / UAB | |
4) Syracuse (23-6) | 4) North Carolina (21-6) | |
13) CHARLESTON (22-8) | 13) FAIRFIELD (22-5) | |
Charlotte | Tampa | |
6) Kentucky (19-8) | 6) XAVIER (21-6) | |
11) MEMPHIS (21-7) | 11) Michigan State (15-11) | |
3) Georgetown (21-7) | 3) FLORIDA (22-5) | |
14) COASTAL CAROLINA (21-4) | 14) BUCKNELL (21-8) | |
Charlotte | Denver | |
7) Cincinnati (22-6) | 7) West Virginia (17-10) | |
10) Illinois (17-11) | 10) Florida State (19-8) | |
2) DUKE (26-2) | 2) BYU (25-2) | |
15) VERMONT (22-6) | 15) FLORIDA ATLANTIC (18-9) | |
SOUTHWEST - San Antonio | WEST - Anaheim | |
Tulsa | Tulsa | |
1) TEXAS (24-4) | 1) Kansas (26-2) | |
16) L. BEACH / BETH-COOKMAN | 16) TX-SOUTHERN / McNEESE ST | |
8 UCLA (20-8) | 8 Tennessee (17-11) | |
9) Marquette (17-11) | 9) UTAH STATE (24-3) | |
Tampa | Denver | |
5) Vanderbilt (20-7) | 5) ARIZONA (23-5) | |
12) Va. Tech / So. Mississippi | 12) MISSOURI STATE (22-7) | |
4) Louisville (21-7) | 4) Connecticut (20-7) | |
13) BELMONT (26-4) | 13) OAKLAND (20-9) | |
Chicago | Washington, DC | |
6) Missouri (21-6) | 6) St. John’s (18-9) | |
11) ST. MARY’S (20-7) | 11) Gonzaga (19-9) | |
3) Purdue (23-5) | 3) Wisconsin (21-6) | |
14) MILWAUKEE (17-12) | 14) PRINCETON (19-5) | |
Chicago | Tucson | |
7) Temple (21-6) | 7) GEORGE MASON (24-5) | |
10) Georgia (18-9) | 10) Alabama (19-8) | |
2) Notre Dame (22-5) | 2) SAN DIEGO STATE (25-1) | |
15) KENT STATE (18-9) | 15) MONTANA (18-8) |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Ohio State remains the No. 1 overall seed followed by Pittsburgh, Texas, and Kansas. The two seeds in order are Duke, San Diego State, BYU, Notre Dame
Last Five teams in (at large): Richmond, Colorado State, Virginia Tech, Southern Mississippi, UAB
First Five teams out (at large): Penn State, Michigan, VCU, Boston College, Butler
Next in Line: Clemson, Baylor, Wichita State, Washington State, Colorado, Minnesota, Cleveland State
Bracket adjustments: St. John’s moves down one line and Arizona up one line because of Big East grouping in the middle of the bracket.
Here is the team breakdown by Conference ...
Big East (11): PITTSBURGH, Connecticut, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Villanova, West Virginia, Louisville, St. John’s, Cincinnati, Marquette
SEC (6): FLORIDA, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama
Big 12 (5): KANSAS, Texas, Texas AM, Missouri, Kansas State
Big Ten (5): OHIO STATE, Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State
Mountain West (4): SAN DIEGO STATE, BYU, UNLV, Colorado State
ACC (3): DUKE, North Carolina, Florida State
Pac 10 (3): ARIZONA, UCLA, Washington
Atlantic 10 (3): XAVIER, Temple, Richmond
Conference USA (3): MEMPHIS, Southern Mississippi, UAB
Colonial (2): GEORGE MASON, Old Dominion
West Coast (2): ST. MARY’S, Gonzaga
Missouri Valley (1): MISSOURI STATE
Horizon (1): MILWAUKEE
Auto Bid conference champions ... Utah State (WAC), Murray State (OVC), Fairfield (MAAC), Kent State (MAC), Montana (Big Sky), Charleston (Southern), Oakland (Summit), Long Beach (Big West), Long Island (NEC), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt), Princeton (Ivy), Coastal Carolina (Big South), Bethune-cookman (MEAC), Bucknell (Patriot), Vermont (America East), McNeese State(Southland), Texas Southern (SWAC)