Bracketology 11/20/17

By Jason Earle

PROJECTED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS:
America East: Vermont (3-1)

AAC: Wichita State (2-0)

Atlantic 10: VCU (2-1)

ACC: Duke (4-0)

Atlantic Sun: Florida Gulf Coast (2-1)

Big 12: Kansas (3-0)

Big East: Villanova (3-0)

Big Sky: Montana (2-1)

Big South: UNC Asheville (2-2)

Big Ten: Michigan State (2-1)

Big West: UCSB (1-2)

Colonial: UNC Wilmington (2-1)

C-USA: Middle Tennessee (3-1)

Horizon: Oakland (2-1)

Ivy: Harvard (2-2)

MAAC: Monmouth (2-2)

MAC: Akron (2-0)

MEAC: North Carolina A&T (3-1)

Missouri Valley: Valparaiso (4-0)

Mountain West: Nevada (4-0)

Northeast: Mount St. Mary’s (1-3)

Ohio Valley: Belmont (4-1)

Pac-12: Arizona (3-0)

Patriot: Lehigh (3-1)

SEC: Florida (3-0)

Southern: East Tennessee State (1-2)

Southland: Stephen F. Austin (4-0)

SWAC: Jackson State (1-2)

Summit: South Dakota State (3-1)

Sun Belt: Georgia State (2-1)

WCC: Saint Mary’s (4-0)

WAC: New Mexico State (2-1)

MATCHUPS:

South Region

1 Duke vs 16 North Carolina A&T/Jackson State

8 Michigan vs 9 Texas Tech

5 Saint Mary’s vs 12 Monmouth

4 Texas A&M vs 13 Valparaiso

3 Miami vs 14 Montana

6 Maryland vs 11 Missouri/Florida State

7 Seton Hall vs 10 Northwestern

2 Florida vs 15 Stephen F Austin

THE RUNDOWN:
Duke has done nothing thus far to be stripped of the top spot in the nation.  Grayson Allen looks like a scorer and a leader, the type of veteran star that Duke needs.  Jackson State gets the nod out of the SWAC, as they’re the only team in the conference with a win.  Texas Tech soars into the field after a whopping 85-49 win over Northwestern.  Saint Mary’s has the edge over Gonzaga in the WCC for now, while Texas A&M continues to impress after defeating West Virginia by 23 on opening night.  Montana represents the Big Sky after already notching a win over an ACC team in Pittsburgh.  Michael Porter Jr. will look to lead Missouri out of the play-in game zone and into the 64 team bracket.  Florida will likely duke it out with Kentucky for superiority in the SEC, and Northwestern will look to bounce back from two tough losses this week to Creighton and Texas Tech.

West Region

1 Arizona vs 16 UNC Asheville/South Dakota State

8 Oklahoma vs 9 Oregon

5 Purdue vs 12 VCU

4 Virginia vs 13 Belmont

3 Kentucky vs 14 New Mexico State

6 Minnesota vs 11 Middle Tennessee

7 TCU vs 10 Providence

2 Wichita State vs 15 Florida Gulf Coast

THE RUNDOWN:
Allonzo Trier and DeAndre Ayton look like one of basketball’s best duos this season.  Trier is averaging 30 points through three games in his junior season.  Oregon has done well thus far despite losing almost all of the pieces from last year’s Final Four group.  VCU will likely fight with Rhode Island and Dayton for the Atlantic 10 Championship in a league that probably won’t see any more than two or three teams in the field.  Kyle Guy leads a Virginia group that will once again compete in the ACC, while Kentucky looks to bounce back from a close loss to Kansas.  Jamie Dixon’s success at TCU continues as he leads the Frogs to an unbeaten start, while Gregg Marshall’s Wichita State group aims to thrive in its first season as part of the AAC.

Midwest Region

1 Kansas vs 16 Georgia State

8 Gonzaga vs 9 Butler

5 Baylor vs 12 Akron

4 UCLA vs 13 East Tennessee State

3 Villanova vs 14 Vermont

6 Louisville vs 11 Nevada

7 Alabama vs 10 SMU

2 Notre Dame vs 15 UCSB

THE RUNDOWN:

Bill Self’s crew continues to succeed and is likely in line for a 14th consecutive Big 12 regular season trophy.  Gonzaga looks to rebound after losing lots of talent from last year’s group that went all the way to the national championship game.  UCLA will rely on freshman Jaylen Hands as a playmaker in the post-Lonzo Ball era.  Meanwhile, Crimson Tide freshman Collin Sexton looks to make Alabama a legitimate contender in the SEC.  Bonzie Colson will attempt to lead the Irish to more success in the ACC, a league that will be filled with talented teams once again.

East Region

1 Michigan State vs 16 Mount St. Mary’s

8 Creighton vs 9 Texas

5 USC vs 12 Oakland

4 Cincinnati vs 13 UNC Wilmington

3 Xavier vs 14 Harvard

6 West Virginia vs 11 Utah/Georgia

7 Wisconsin vs 10 Rhode Island

2 North Carolina vs 15 Lehigh

THE RUNDOWN:
Miles Bridges returns for his sophomore season and will lead Michigan State in what they hope will be a bounce-back year after last season’s early exit in March.  Shaka Smart brings in 7-foot freshman Mohamed Bamba to a Texas squad that will look to improve after a bad 11-22 season last year.  Xavier returns Trevon Bluiett and will aim to challenge Villanova for the Big East crown.  West Virginia, despite an opening night blowout to Texas A&M, will be a contender in the Big 12 led by point guard Jevon Carter.  Wisconsin will have to find ways to score after losing Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes, and North Carolina will need to find more production on the boards after losing Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks, and Tony Bradley after last year’s national championship run.

Last Four Byes:

Providence

SMU

Northwestern

Rhode Island

Last Four In:

Utah

Missouri

Florida State

Georgia

First Four Out:

Temple

Arkansas

Virginia Tech

Ohio State

Next Four Out:

Georgia Tech

Syracuse

Oklahoma State

NC State

Conference Breakdown:

ACC: 7

Big Ten: 7

Big 12: 7

Big East: 6

SEC: 6

Pac-12: 5

American: 3

Atlantic 10: 2

WCC: 2