Bracketology 12/18/17
By Jason Earle
PROJECTED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS:
America East: Albany (11-2)
AAC: Cincinnati (9-2)
Atlantic 10: Rhode Island (6-3)
ACC: Miami (9-0)
Atlantic Sun: Florida Gulf Coast (7-5)
Big 12: Kansas (8-2)
Big East: Villanova (11-0)
Big Sky: Portland State (9-3)
Big South: Liberty (8-3)
Big Ten: Michigan State (10-1)
Big West: Hawaii (7-2)
Colonial: Towson (10-1)
C-USA: Middle Tennessee (7-2)
Horizon: Oakland (6-5)
Ivy: Pennsylvania (8-4)
MAAC: Iona (5-5)
MAC: Ball State (6-4)
MEAC: North Carolina A&T (6-5)
Missouri Valley: Loyola-Chicago (10-2)
Mountain West: Boise State (10-1)
Northeast: Wagner (7-2)
Ohio Valley: Murray State (7-2)
Pac-12: Arizona State (10-0)
Patriot: Navy (9-3)
SEC: Kentucky (9-1)
Southern: UNC Greensboro (8-3)
Southland: Stephen F. Austin (10-1)
SWAC: Grambling (4-7)
Summit: South Dakota (11-3)
Sun Belt: Louisiana (9-2)
WCC: Gonzaga (9-2)
WAC: New Mexico State (9-2)
MATCHUPS:
East Region
1 Villanova vs 16 Wagner/Grambling
8 Virginia Tech vs 9 Tennessee
5 Baylor vs 12 Towson
4 Wichita State vs 13 Oakland
3 Gonzaga vs 14 Loyola-Chicago
6 Notre Dame vs 11 Rhode Island
7 Michigan vs 10 Florida
2 West Virginia vs 15 Florida Gulf Coast
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Michigan (10-3)
The Wolverines picked up a huge non-conference victory this week at Texas. Both teams are likely to sit somewhere near the bubble when it comes to selection time, so John Beilein can be glad to know he’ll have the head-to-head edge if it did happen to come down to these two. Regardless, it adds another solid win to an already good out of conference resume for Michigan. They’ll add that to the list that already includes VCU and UCLA.
West Region
1 Michigan State vs 16 Hawaii/North Carolina A&T
8 Texas vs 9 Clemson
5 Cincinnati vs 12 Middle Tennessee
4 TCU vs 13 Murray State
3 Virginia vs 14 South Dakota
6 Texas Tech vs 11 SMU
7 Arkansas vs 10 Boise State
2 Arizona State vs 15 Portland State
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Clemson (9-1)
The Tigers have quietly won nine of their first ten this season, including quality victories over Ohio State and Florida. It was absolutely vital for Clemson to pick up wins in non-conference, because tallying them up in ACC play is never easy. If Clemson can remain competitive throughout the conference schedule, they’ll be a tournament team, but that’s not a simple task in the brutal ACC.
South Region
1 Miami vs 16 Iona
8 Minnesota vs 9 Butler
5 Purdue vs 12 Navy
4 Xavier vs 13 Ball State
3 Kansas vs 14 NC Greensboro
6 Florida State vs 11 Ohio State/Mississippi State
7 Alabama vs 10 Washington
2 North Carolina vs 15 Pennsylvania
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Miami (9-0)
The Canes deserve respect. Sure, they haven’t played anyone besides a Minnesota team that has drifted from the 12th spot they owned during that meeting, but this Miami team is good. They probably won’t stay on the 1-line all season once ACC play begins, but they should hover around the top fifteen throughout the year with an easy first round matchup in the tournament. They’ll start off ACC competition with easy ones against Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech before a tough three-game stretch featuring Florida State, Clemson, and Duke.
Midwest Region
1 Duke vs 16 Louisiana
8 Saint Mary’s vs 9 Seton Hall
5 Arizona vs 12 Stephen F. Austin
4 Oklahoma vs 13 New Mexico State
3 Texas A&M vs 14 Albany
6 Creighton vs 11 Syracuse/UCLA
7 Louisville vs 10 USC
2 Kentucky vs 15 Liberty
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Oklahoma (8-1)
Trae. Young. The kid not only leads the nation with 28.8 PPG, but he’s also got 8.9 APG. The kid is sweeping the college basketball nation in an incredible fashion. He dropped 29 against the #3 team in the country on Saturday to lead his team to a big win over Wichita State, moving the Sooners up four spots this week. Their lone loss is to Arkansas, but this team seems to be much improved, a true contender come Big 12 play.
Last Four Byes:
Florida
Washington
USC
SMU
Last Four In:
Ohio State
Syracuse
UCLA
Mississippi State
First Four Out:
Maryland
Nevada
Houston
Temple
Next Four Out:
Northwestern
Georgetown
Providence
Oklahoma State
Conference Breakdown:
ACC: 10
Big 12: 7
SEC: 7
Big East: 5
Big Ten: 5
Pac-12: 5
American: 3
WCC: 2
