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Arizona, Duke headline preseason bracket

mbb_practice_20170905-237 (1)

Marvin Bagley III (Reagan Lunn/Duke Athletics)

We have to start somewhere, so why not at the top?

That’s where you’ll find Arizona and Duke - the top two overall seeds in our preseason bracket. Next in line: Michigan State and Kansas. Most likely, these names aren’t surprising.

Each has the talent, coaching, and cache to reach the Final Four.

The more difficult part of any preseason bracket is sorting through a bunch of teams that have as many questions as answers.

At this point, we have no results, no wins or losses, no on-the-court data points.

Which leaves us with less reliable methods, such as speculation, expectation, and even some good ole’ fashioned guesswork.

Thankfully, today’s bracket is merely a starting point, nothing more, nothing less.

After a rather tumultuous offseason, the good news is this: a new college basketball season is upon us. Here’s to another exciting season on the court.

CONTENDER SERIES: Kentucky | Kansas | Arizona | Michigan State | Duke

Big Ten Preview | ACC Preview | Big 12 Preview | Pac 12 Preview | SEC Preview

PRESEASON BRACKET

FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS - Dayton (First Round)


  • St. Bonaventure vs. Oklahoma | Midwest Region
  • Connecticut vs. Stanford | East Region
  • IDAHO vs. TX-SOUTHERN | Midwest Region
  • ST. FRANCIS (PA) vs. MORGAN STATE | South Region

BRACKET PROJECTION ...

WEST - Los AngelesSOUTH - Atlanta
San DiegoCharlotte
1) ARIZONA1) DUKE
16) UC-IRVINE16) MORGAN ST/ ST. FRANCIS
8) TCU8) Maryland
9) Iowa9) Texas
BoiseWichita
5) GONZAGA5) UCLA
12) MID TENNESSEE ST12) MISSOURI STATE
4) Notre Dame4) Minnesota
13) WESTERN MICHIGAN13) VERMONT
CharlotteDetroit
6) Alabama6) Northwestern
11) NEVADA11) Virginia Tech
3) Miami-FL3) Cincinnati
14) FL GULF COAST14) IONA
DallasNashville
7) Baylor7) Providence
10) Creighton10) Michigan
2) WICHITA STATE2) KENTUCKY
15) SO DAKOTA ST15) MURRAY STATE
MIDWEST - OmahaEAST - Boston
WichitaDetroit
1) KANSAS1) MICHIGAN STATE
16) IDAHO / TX-SOUTHERN16) NORTHWESTERN ST
8) Missouri8) Virginia
9) Wisconsin9) Arkansas
BoiseDallas
5) Purdue5) Xavier
12) OAKLAND12) CHARLESTON
4) Louisville4) West Virginia
13) BUCKNELL13) HARVARD
PittsburghNashville
6) Seton Hall6) Texas A&M
11) St. Bonaventure / Oklahoma11) Connecticut / Stanford
3) Florida3) North Carolina
14) FURMAN14) GA SOUTHERN
San DiegoPittsburgh
7) Saint Mary’s7) RHODE ISLAND
10) UCF10) Oregon
2) USC2) VILLANOVA
15) Grand Canyon15) NC-ASHEVILLE

NOTES on the BRACKET: Arizona is the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Duke, Michigan State, and Kansas.

Last Four Byes (at large): Oregon, UCF, Michigan, Virginia Tech

Last Four IN (at large): Oklahoma, Stanford, Connecticut, St. Bonaventure

First Four OUT (at large): Butler, Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, VCU

Next four teams OUT (at large): St. John’s, Florida State, SMU, Saint Joseph’s

Breakdown by Conference ...

Big 10 (8): MICHIGAN STATE, Minnesota, Purdue, Northwestern, Maryland, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan

ACC (7): DUKE, Miami-FL, North Carolina, Louisville, Notre Dame, Virginia, Virginia Tech

SEC (6): KENTUCKY, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas

BIG 12 (6): KANSAS, West Virginia, Baylor, TCU, Texas, Oklahoma

Big East (5): VILLANOVA, Xavier, Seton Hall, Providence, Creighton

Pac 12 (5): ARIZONA, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Stanford

American (4): WICHITA STATE, Cincinnati, UCF, Connecticut

Atlantic 10 (2): RHODE ISLAND, St. Bonaventure

West Coast (2): GONZAGA, Saint Mary’s

Mountain West (1): NEVADA

ONE BID LEAGUES: Missouri State (MVC) Iona (MAAC), Middle Tennessee State (C-USA), Georgia Southern (SBELT), Harvard (IVY), Idaho (BSKY), Oakland (HORIZON), Northwestern State (SLND), Furman (STHN), UC-Irvine (BWEST), Western Michigan (MAC), Florida Gulf Coast (ASUN), Murray State (OVC), Charleston (CAA), UNC-Asheville (BSO), Morgan State (MEAC), South Dakota State (SUM), Grand Canyon (WAC), Vermont (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), St. Francis, PA (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)