Wichita State took care of business Sunday in St. Louis, locking up the Missouri Valley’s automatic bid, and with it, a ticket to the Big Dance. Winners of 15 straight, the Shockers enter the 2017 tournament on quite a roll. Advanced metric models like their profile more than the RPI. We’ll know more about how the Selection Committee views them when seeding is revealed on Sunday. Regardless of where they fall, the Shockers will be a dangerous opponent.
Meanwhile, Illinois State begins a long, arduous wait. The Redbirds’ body of work is complete. All they can do is watch what unfolds in the Big 12, Big Ten, Atlantic 10, SEC, and even the Pac-12. They’ll be rooting for league favorites to advance.
UPDATED: March 6, 2017
Note: Now that conference tournaments have begun, teams in ALL CAPS will represent automatic bids as they are earned.
Regarding bracketing principles, 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)
- Illinois State vs. USC | South Region
- Vanderbilt vs. Xavier | Midwest Region
- Mount St. Mary’s vs. New Orleans | East Region
- JACKSONVILLE STATE vs. NC Central | Midwest Region
BRACKET PROJECTION ...
MIDWEST - Kansas City | EAST - New York | |
Tulsa | Buffalo | |
1) Kansas | 1) Villanova | |
16) North Dakota | 16) Mt St. Mary’s / New Orleans | |
8) Michigan | 8) Miami | |
9) Arkansas | 9) Northwestern | |
Milwaukee | Orlando | |
5) Notre Dame | 5) West Virginia | |
12) UT-Arlington | 12) UNC-Wilmington | |
4) Butler | 4) Florida | |
13) Princeton | 13) Vermont | |
Greenville | Salt Lake City | |
6) Wisconsin | 6) Iowa State | |
11) Vanderbilt / Xavier | 11) Syracuse | |
3) Duke | 3) Arizona | |
14) Bucknell | 14) Iona | |
Sacramento | Indianapolis | |
7) Creighton | 7) Maryland | |
10) WICHITA STATE | 10) VCU | |
2) UCLA | 2) Louisville | |
15) South Dakota | 15) Northern Kentucky | |
WEST - San Jose | SOUTH - Memphis | |
Salt Lake City | Greenville | |
1) Gonzaga | 1) North Carolina | |
16) UC-Irvine | 16) JACKSONVILLE ST / NC Central | |
8) South Carolina | 8) Dayton | |
9) Michigan State | 9) Marquette | |
Buffalo | Milwaukee | |
5) Minnesota | 5) Cincinnati | |
12) Nevada | 12) USC / Illinois State | |
4) Virginia | 4) Purdue | |
13) Akron | 13) WINTHROP | |
Orlando | Tulsa | |
6) SMU | 6) Saint Mary’s | |
11) Mid Tennessee State | 11) Wake Forest | |
3) Florida State | 3) Baylor | |
14) UNC-Greensboro | 14) FLA GULF COAST | |
Sacramento | Indianapolis | |
7) Oklahoma State | 7) Virginia Tech | |
10) Seton Hall | 10) Providence | |
2) Oregon | 2) Kentucky | |
15) CSU-Bakersfield | 15) Texas-Southern |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Kansas is the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Villanova, North Carolina, and Gonzaga.
Last Four Byes (at large): Providence, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Last Four IN (at large): Vanderbilt, Xavier, USC, Illinois State
First Four OUT (at large): Kansas State, Rhode Island, Iowa, Illinois
Next four teams OUT (at large): Houston, Georgia, Ole Miss, California
Breakdown by Conference ...
ACC (10): NORTH CAROLINA, Louisville, Duke, Florida State, Virginia, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Miami-FL, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Big 10 (7): PURDUE, Minnesota, Maryland, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State
Big East (7): VILLANOVA, Butler, Creighton, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, Xavier
Big 12 (5): KANSAS, Baylor, West Virginia, Iowa State, Oklahoma State
SEC (5): FLORIDA, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Vanderbilt
Pac 12 (4): OREGON, Arizona, UCLA, USC
Atlantic 10 (2): DAYTON, VCU
American (2): SMU, Cincinnati
West Coast (2): GONZAGA, Saint Mary’s
Missouri Valley (2): WICHITA STATE, Illinois State
Mountain West (1): NEVADA
ONE BID LEAGUES: Iona (MAAC), Middle Tennessee State (C-USA), UT-Arlington (SBELT), Princeton (IVY), North Dakota (BSKY), Northern Kentucky (HORIZON), New Orleans (SLND), UNC-Greensboro (STHN), UC-Irvine (BWEST), Akron (MAC), FLORIDA GULF COAST (ASUN), JACKSONVILLE STATE (OVC), UNC-Wilmington (CAA), WINTHROP (BSO), NC-Central (MEAC), South Dakota (SUM), CSU-Bakersfield (WAC), Vermont (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), Mount St. Mary’s (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)