Here’s the Selection Sunday morning update:
Wisconsin moves into the final No. 1 seed position in the West Region. The Badgers may need to win the B10 title today to hold it; it’s likely the Selection Committee is building at least two or three brackets today. Beyond the late Big Ten final, Connecticut can still acquire a bid by winning the American Conference title. That would force the final at-large team “IN” right now, to be bumped out. The biggest concern for Virginia is the health of Justin Anderson. He doesn’t appear to be 100-percent, and that could prompt the Committee to reward Wisconsin with the final No. 1 seed. It’s also possible that UVA takes Duke’s spot as the regular-season ACC champ. But it’s hard to argue against the Blue Devils’ road wins at Virginia and at Wisconsin.
As for the bubble, the final seven to nine spots are somewhat of a pick’em. I’ll be going through them again once or twice today; and making a final plan for what happens if Connecticut wins. Television won’t allow earlier ending times for games, and the Committee will be under the gun today. The teams that appear most vulnerable among the final at-large teams: Texas, Colorado State, Boise State, Temple and BYU – along with Indiana, Ole Miss, and LSU, if your so inclined- or even Georgia or Davidson. You get the picture.
We’ll have a final bracket posted later today. It’s Selection Sunday. Enjoy the Madness.
UPDATED: March 15, 2015 | 8:30 a.m. (ET)
Note: Now that we’ve reached Championship Week, teams in CAPS represent the AUTOMATIC bid. Exceptions are made for teams that use an abbreviation (UCLA, BYU, etc). During conference tournament play, the highest remaining seed will earn the teams auto bid for the bracket until the tournament is completed.
FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS – Dayton (First Round)
- Texas vs. Colorado State | East Region
- Boise State vs. Temple | Midwest Region
- LAFAYETTE vs. MANHATTAN | South Region
- ROBERT MORRIS vs. HAMPTON | Midwest Region
BRACKET PROJECTION …
MIDWEST – Cleveland | EAST – Syracuse | |
Louisville | Pittsburgh | |
1) Kentucky | 1) Villanova | |
16) ROB MORRIS / HAMPTON | 16) NORTH FLORIDA | |
8) Oregon | 8) NC State | |
9) Ohio State | 9) Dayton | |
Seattle | Jacksonville | |
5) West Virginia | 5) Arkansas | |
12) WYOMING | 12) WOFFORD | |
4) Louisville | 4) Baylor | |
13) VALPARAISO | 13) HARVARD | |
Columbus | Pittsburgh | |
6) Butler | 6) Georgetown | |
11) Boise State / Temple | 11) Texas / Colorado St | |
3) Notre Dame | 3) Maryland | |
14) NORTH DAKOTA ST | 14) ALBANY | |
Omaha | Charlotte | |
7) Iowa | 7) Utah | |
10) Georgia | 10) Oklahoma State | |
2) Kansas | 2) Virginia | |
15) BELMONT | 15) NORTHEASTERN | |
WEST – Los Angeles | SOUTH – Houston | |
Charlotte | Charlotte | |
1) Wisconsin | 1) Duke | |
16) COASTAL CAROLINA | 16) LAFAYETTE / MANHATTAN | |
8) St. John’s | 8) VCU | |
9) Cincinnati | 9) Purdue | |
Jacksonville | Portland | |
5) Wichita State | 5) Providence | |
12) BUFFALO | 12) S.F. AUSTIN | |
4) North Carolina | 4) NORTHERN IOWA | |
13) Georgia State | 13) NEW MEXICO ST | |
Columbus | Omaha | |
6) Michigan State | 6) SMU | |
11) Mississippi | 11) Indiana | |
3) Oklahoma | 3) IOWA STATE | |
14) UC-IRVINE | 14) EASTERN WASHINGTON | |
Portland | Seattle | |
7) Xavier | 7) San Diego State | |
10) Davidson | 10) LSU | |
2) ARIZONA | 2) GONZAGA | |
15) TEXAS-SOUTHERN | 15) UAB |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Kentucky is the overall No. 1 seed followed by Villanova, Duke, Wisconsin. Next in line: Virginia, Arizona, Gonzaga, and Kansas.
Last Five teams in (at large): Indiana, Texas, Colorado State, Boise State, Temple
First Five teams out (at large): BYU, Miami-FL, Texas AM, UCLA, Connecticut
Next five teams out (at large): Tulsa, Old Dominion, Murray State, Illinois, Rhode Island
Breakdown by Conference …
Big 10 (7): Wisconsin, Maryland, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana
Big 12 (7): Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Baylor, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Texas
ACC (6): Duke, Virginia, Notre Dame, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State
Big East (6): Villanova, Georgetown, Providence, Butler, Xavier, St. John’s
SEC (5): Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss
Mountain West (4): WYOMING, San Diego State, Colorado State, Boise State
Pac 12 (3): Arizona, Utah, Oregon
Atlantic 10 (3): VCU, Dayton, Davidson
American (3): SMU, Cincinnati, Temple
Missouri Valley (2): NORTHERN IOWA, Wichita State
West Coast (1): GONZAGA
ONE BID LEAGUES: UAB (C-USA), Georgia State (SBELT), HARVARD (IVY), EASTERN WASHINGTON (BSKY), VALPARAISO (HZN), S.F. AUSTIN (SLND), WOFFORD (STHN), UC-IRVINE (BWEST), BUFFALO (MAC), MANHATTAN (MAAC), NORTH FLORIDA (ASUN), BELMONT (OVC), NORTHEASTERN (CAA), COASTAL CAROLINA(BSO), HAMPTON (MEAC), NORTH DAKOTA STATE (SUM), NEW MEXICO ST (WAC), ALBANY (AEAST), LAFAYETTE (PAT), ROBERT MORRIS (NEC), TEXAS-SOUTHERN (SWAC)