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Bracketology: Gonzaga grabs WCC title, BYU waits

Tyler Haws, Kevin Pangos

BYU’s Tyler Haws (AP Photo)

AP

A couple of quick notes about today’s bracket (March 12) update:

After securing another West Coast Conference title Tuesday night, the Gonzaga Bulldogs can rest easy while waiting for the 68-team bracket to be revealed on Sunday night. The same can’t be said for Brigham Young. It’s going to be a tense few days for the Cougars. For now, BYU retains its spot in the First Four as one of the final at-large teams in the field. But the Cougars could be overtaken as further bubble games unfold between now and Selection Sunday.

Beyond Gonzaga, we official welcome Milwaukee, Mount St. Mary’s, and North Dakota State to the bracket as automatic qualifiers.

Today, several power conferences begin tournament play. The rest start tomorrow. While some teams are more secure than others, up to 13 spots remain uncertain for the stretch run. That should make for a lot of exciting action.

Teams in CAPS represent the AUTOMATIC bid based on conference tournament results. Exceptions are made for schools typically use abbreviations (UCLA, BYU, etc).

Several new bracketing principles were introduced after last year’s tournament. You 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)


  • Nebraska vs. Tennessee | Midwest Region
  • Xavier vs. BYU | South Region
  • Texas Southern vs. Weber State | Midwest Region
  • MT ST. MARY’S vs. COASTAL CAROLINA | East Region

BRACKET PROJECTION ...

SOUTH - MemphisWEST - Anaheim
OrlandoSan Diego
1) Florida1) Arizona
16) WOFFORD16) Utah Valley
8) Kansas State8) George Washington
9) Arizona State9) GONZAGA
SpokaneSan Diego
5) Ohio State5) Oklahoma
12) BYU / Xavier12) Toledo
4) Louisville4) Michigan State
13) S.F. Austin13) NORTH DAKOTA ST
BuffaloSan Antonio
6) New Mexico6) Baylor
11) Dayton11) Stanford
3) Syracuse3) Creighton
14) Boston University14) MERCER
MilwaukeeRaleigh
7) VCU7) Memphis
10) SMU10) Saint Joseph’s
2) Wisconsin2) Virginia
15) UC-Irvine15) Stony Brook
EAST - New YorkMIDWEST - Indianapolis
BuffaloSt. Louis
1) Villanova1) WICHITA STATE
16) CO CAROLINA / MT ST. MARY’S16) Weber State / Texas Southern
8) Oklahoma State8) Kentucky
9) Iowa9) Oregon
SpokaneOrlando
5) North Carolina5) Texas
12) Louisiana Tech12) HARVARD
4) San Diego State4) Duke
13) DELAWARE13) MANHATTAN
San AntonioRaleigh
6) Massachusetts6) Saint Louis
11) Arkansas11) Tennessee / Nebraska
3) Iowa State3) Cincinnati
14) EASTERN KENTUCKY14) Georgia State
MilwaukeeSt. Louis
7) Connecticut7) UCLA
10) Colorado10) Pittsburgh
2) Michigan2) Kansas
15) NC-Central15) MILWAUKEE

NOTES on the BRACKET: Florida remains the overall No. 1 seed followed by Arizona, Wichita State, and Villanova.

Last Five teams in (at large): Stanford, Nebraska, Xavier, Tennessee, BYU

First Five teams out (at large): California, Georgetown, Minnesota, Missouri, St. John’s

Next five teams out (at large): Providence, Southern Miss, Green Bay, Florida State, Illinois

Breakdown by Conference ...

Big 12 (7): Kansas, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma State

Pac 12 (6): Arizona, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State, Oregon, Colorado

Atlantic 10 (6): Massachusetts, VCU, Saint Louis, George Washington, Saint Joseph’s, Dayton

Big Ten (6): Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska

ACC (5): Duke, Virginia, Syracuse, North Carolina, Pittsburgh

American (5): Louisville, Memphis, Connecticut, Cincinnati, SMU

SEC (4): Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee

Big East (3): Creighton, Villanova, Xavier

Mountain West (2): New Mexico, San Diego State

West Coast (2): GONZAGA, Brigham Young

Missouri Valley (1): Wichita State

Conference Automatic Qualifiers ... Louisiana Tech (C-USA), EASTERN KENTUCKY (Ohio Valley), Georgia State (Sun Belt), Boston University (Patriot), NORTH DAKOTA STATE (Summit), MILWAUKEE (Horizon), WOFFORD (Southern), Utah Valley (WAC), MANHATTAN (MAAC), Stephen F. Austin (Southland), Toledo (MAC), MERCER (A-Sun), HARVARD (IVY), UC-Irvine (Big West), DELAWARE (Colonial), Stony Brook (American East), Weber State (Big Sky), NC-Central (MEAC), COASTAL CAROLINA (Big South), MOUNT ST. MARY’S (NEC), Texas Southern (SWAC)