Bracketology 2/19/18
By Jason Earle
PROJECTED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS:
America East: Vermont (22-6)
AAC: Cincinnati (23-4)
Atlantic 10: Rhode Island (21-4)
ACC: Virginia (24-2)
Atlantic Sun: Florida Gulf Coast (20-10)
Big 12: Kansas (22-6)
Big East: Villanova (24-3)
Big Sky: Montana (20-7)
Big South: Winthrop (18-9)
Big Ten: Michigan State (26-3)
Big West: UCSB (20-6)
Colonial: Charleston (22-6)
C-USA: Middle Tennessee (22-5)
Horizon: Wright State (21-8)
Ivy: Pennsylvania (19-7)
MAAC: Rider (21-7)
MAC: Buffalo (20-7)
MEAC: North Carolina A&T (17-11)
Missouri Valley: Loyola-Chicago (23-5)
Mountain West: Nevada (23-5)
Northeast: Wagner (20-7)
Ohio Valley: Murray State (22-5)
Pac-12: Arizona (21-6)
Patriot: Bucknell (20-9)
SEC: Auburn (23-4)
Southern: East Tennessee State (23-5)
Southland: Stephen F. Austin (22-5)
SWAC: Grambling (15-12)
Summit: South Dakota State (23-6)
Sun Belt: Louisiana (23-4)
WCC: Gonzaga (25-4)
WAC: New Mexico State (22-5)
MATCHUPS:
Midwest Region
1 Virginia vs 16 Winthrop/Grambling
8 Creighton vs 9 Kentucky
5 Ohio State vs 12 Stephen F. Austin
4 Auburn vs 13 Murray State
3 North Carolina vs 14 Buffalo
6 Kansas State vs 11 Texas A&M
7 Nevada vs 10 Seton Hall
2 Purdue vs 15 Rider
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Kansas State (19-8)
Not many great choices out of the Midwest this week. Virginia is still fresh off its first ACC loss of the season, Creighton dropped a key Big East game against Marquette, Kentucky is slumping, Ohio State has lost two straight, and Auburn lost a road game to a subpar South Carolina team. The Midwest region is not in form. However, Kansas State picked up two fairly easy conference wins over the two worst teams in the Big 12. It’s not much, but it’s enough for K-State to get some credit this week. The Wildcats have identical in-conference and overall records to #21 West Virginia. The one thing they lack is quality wins to boast. The Cats were swept by Kansas, Texas Tech, and West Virginia this season. Just imagine if their one-point loss at Allen Fieldhouse had gone the other way.
West Region
1 Michigan State vs 16 Wagner/North Carolina A&T
8 NC State vs 9 UCLA
5 West Virginia vs 12 USC
4 Saint Mary’s vs 13 Loyola-Chicago
3 Cincinnati vs 14 Bucknell
6 Arizona State vs 11 Baylor
7 Miami vs 10 Florida
2 Gonzaga vs 15 Montana
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Michigan State (26-3)
Yes, it’s a big-time down year for the Big Ten, without a doubt. But Michigan State is still one of the hottest teams in the country. The Spartans took down Northwestern on Saturday for their 10th consecutive win, and all three of their losses are to currently ranked teams (Duke, Ohio State, Michigan). They’ve also got five players averaging double-figure scoring on the year. This MSU squad is deep and talented, continuing to prove worthy of a number one seed.
East Region
1 Villanova vs 16 Pennsylvania
8 TCU vs 9 Louisville
5 Michigan vs 12 Louisiana
4 Arizona vs 13 Vermont
3 Clemson vs 14 New Mexico State
6 Virginia Tech vs 11 Arkansas/Butler
7 Tennessee vs 10 Middle Tennessee
2 Texas Tech vs 15 Wright State
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Michigan (22-7)
The Wolverines picked up a huge win over Ohio State on Sunday for their third straight, matching the Buckeyes’ overall record. They’ll finish off the year with two road games at Penn State and Maryland for the Big Ten tournament. Neither of those will be easy, but if Michigan can finish the regular season with a pair of road wins and a five game win streak, that puts them in great position heading into the postseason. They’ve also been solid in March as of late under head coach John Beilein, making the National Championship game in 2013 as a 4-seed.
South Region
1 Duke vs 16 Florida Gulf Coast
8 Oklahoma vs 9 Syracuse
5 Rhode Island vs 12 Charleston
4 Wichita State vs 13 East Tennessee State
3 Kansas vs 14 South Dakota State
6 Florida State vs 11 Providence/Missouri
7 Houston vs 10 Alabama
2 Xavier vs 15 UC Santa Barbara
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Houston (21-5)
Houston is on fire. There’s no other way of putting it. The Cougars have won five in a row, including a win over Cincinnati, who hadn’t lost since December 9th. Major credit to Kelvin Sampson for the job he’s done with this group. They’ve got four AAC games left before the conference tournament, and the consistency they’ve shown this year gives no indication they should drop any of them. If that’s the case, Houston will enter the American tournament on a nine-game win streak, a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
Last Four Byes:
Alabama
Baylor
Texas A&M
USC
Last Four In:
Providence
Arkansas
Butler
Missouri
First Four Out:
Texas
Mississippi State
Penn State
Old Dominion
Next Four Out:
St. Bonaventure
Notre Dame
Boise State
Boston College
Conference Breakdown:
ACC: 10
SEC: 8
Big 12: 7
Big East: 6
Pac-12: 4
Big Ten: 4
American: 3
WCC: 2
