Welcome to Championship Week.
Duke rejoins the top line as a No. 1 seed in the West in our latest bracket projection. The Blue Devils and North Carolina tangle for the ACC title this weekend. It could have big-time seeding implications. Also, last year’s national runner-up Butler rejoins the bracket as one of our final at-large teams - slotted for the First Four in Dayton. The Bulldogs have somewhat backed their way in - with a lot of other bubble teams losing - but there will be no complaints about receiving a Dance ticket. Busy weekend ahead. We still have 11 spots available heading into the final eight days of the regular season.
UPDATED: Friday, March 4 | Records reflect Division I games only - through March 3.
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. Butler | Washington State vs. Michigan | Texas Southern vs. McNeese State | Northern Colorado 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.
Next Update: Monday, March 7.
BRACKET PROJECTION ...
| EAST - Newark | SOUTHEAST - New Orleans | |
| Cleveland | Cleveland | |
| 1) OHIO STATE (28-2) | 1) PITTSBURGH (26-4) | |
| 16) B-COOKMAN / NO. COLORADO | 16) McNEESE ST / Tx-SOUTHERN | |
| 8 UTAH STATE (26-3) | 8 Kansas State (19-9) | |
| 9) Marquette (18-12) | 9) Old Dominion (24-6) | |
| Tampa | Tampa | |
| 5) Vanderbilt (21-8) | 5) Georgetown (21-8) | |
| 12) Virginia Tech / Butler | 12) Michigan / Washington St. | |
| 4) St. John’s (19-10) | 4) FLORIDA (23-6) | |
| 13) BELMONT (28-4) | 13) CHARLESTON (22-9) | |
| Charlotte | Tucson | |
| 6) XAVIER (23-6) | 6) Villanova (21-8) | |
| 11) Boston College (18-11) | 11) Gonzaga (21-9) | |
| 3) Louisville (23-7) | 3) San Diego State (26-2) | |
| 14) MILWAUKEE (18-12) | 14) LONG BEACH (17-10) | |
| Tulsa | Chicago | |
| 7) Arizona (24-6) | 7) Missouri (21-8) | |
| 10) Michigan State (16-12) | 10) Florida State (20-9) | |
| 2) Texas (24-6) | 2) Purdue (25-5) | |
| 15) KENT STATE (19-10) | 15) VERMONT (23-7) | |
| SOUTHWEST - San Antonio | WEST - Anaheim | |
| Tulsa | Charlotte | |
| 1) KANSAS (27-2) | 1) DUKE (27-3) | |
| 16) FLORIDA ATLANTIC (19-9) | 16) MURRAY STATE (21-7) | |
| 8 UNLV (22-7) | 8 GEORGE MASON (25-5) | |
| 9) Tennessee (18-12) | 9) Washington (20-9) | |
| Washington, DC | Tucson | |
| 5) West Virginia (19-10) | 5) Kentucky (21-8) | |
| 12) UAB (21-7) | 12) MISSOURI STATE (23-7) | |
| 4) North Carolina (22-6) | 4) Connecticut (21-8) | |
| 13) PRINCETON (21-5) | 13) OAKLAND (21-9) | |
| Denver | Washington, DC | |
| 6) Temple (23-6) | 6) Texas AM (21-7) | |
| 11) ST. MARY’S (21-7) | 11) Richmond (23-7) | |
| 3) Wisconsin (23-6) | 3) Syracuse (24-6) | |
| 14) FAIRFIELD (23-6) | 14) BUCKNELL (23-8) | |
| Chicago | Denver | |
| 7) UCLA (21-9) | 7) Cincinnati (23-7) | |
| 10) Georgia (20-9) | 10) Illinois (18-12) | |
| 2) Notre Dame (24-5) | 2) BYU (26-3) | |
| 15) COASTAL CAROLINA (23-4) | 15) LONG ISLAND (25-5) |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Ohio State remains the No. 1 overall seed followed by Pittsburgh, Kansas, and Duke. The two seeds in order are Notre Dame, Purdue, Texas, BYU
Last Five teams in (at large): Boston College, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Butler, Washington State
First Five teams out (at large): Colorado, Alabama, Colorado State, Baylor, Clemson
Next in Line: Memphis, Penn State, Cleveland State, VCU
Bracket adjustments: Washington move up a line, Georgia down a line to avoid conference conflicts.
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
Big Ten (6): OHIO STATE, Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Michigan
Big 12 (5): KANSAS, Texas, Texas AM, Missouri, Kansas State
ACC (5): DUKE, North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College
SEC (5): FLORIDA, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Georgia
Pac 10 (4): ARIZONA, UCLA, Washington, Washington State
Mountain West (3): SAN DIEGO STATE, BYU, UNLV
Atlantic 10 (3): XAVIER, Temple, Richmond
Colonial (2): GEORGE MASON, Old Dominion
West Coast (2): ST. MARY’S, Gonzaga
Conference USA (1): UAB
Missouri Valley (1): MISSOURI STATE
Horizon (1): MILWAUKEE
Auto Bid conference champions ... Utah State (WAC), Murray State (OVC), Fairfield (MAAC), Kent State (MAC), Northern Colorado (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)