Current Bracketology Outlook

East (Newark)                                                                                                 Southeast (New Orleans)

Cleavland                                                                                                                            Cleavland

1. Duke ACC                                                                                                        1. Ohio State BIG TEN
16. Hampton MEAC vs McNeese St SOUTHLAND        16. Texas State SWAC vs Flo Atl SUN BELT

8. Old Dominion                                                                                                            8. Cincinnati    
9. UCLA                                                                                                                       9. Florida State

Washington DC                                                                                                                    Charlotte

5. Vanderbilt                                                                                                                 5. North Carolina
12. St. Mary's WCC                                                                    12. Southern Mississippii vs Virginia Tech

4.Arizona                                                                                                                      4. Villanova
13. Belmont A SUN                                                                                              13. Witchita State MVC

Chicago                                                                                                                              Tampa

6. Missouri                                                                                                                    6. Texas A&M
11 Minnesota                                                                                                                11. UAB

3. Florida                                                                                                                      3. Georgetown
14. Vermont Am East                                                                                            14. Oakland SUMMIT

Tuscon                                                                                                                                  Chicago

7. UNLV                                                                                                                7. George Mason CAA
10. Memphis CUSA                                                                                                    10. Michigan State

2. Purdue                                                                                                                     2. BYU
15. Kent State MAC                                                                            15. Coastal Carolina BIG SOUTH


West (Anaheim)                                                                                               Southwest (San Antonio)

Tulsa

1. Pittsburgh BIG EAST                                                                                              1. Kansas BIG XII
16. Florida Atlantic SUN BELT                                                                             16. Montana BIG SKY

8. Washington                                                                                                              8. Kansas State
9. Tennessee                                                                                                                9. Utah State WAC

Washington DC                                                                                                                    Tuscon

5. Syracuse                                                                                                                  5. St. John's
12. Harvard IVY                                                                                             12. Boston College vs Butler

4. Connecticut                                                                                                             4. Louisville
13. Charleston SOUTHERN                                                                    13. Cleveland State HORIZON

Tampa                                                                                                                                  Denver

6. Xavier A10                                                                                                             6. Kentucky
11. Marquette                                                                                                            11. Colorado State

3. Wisconsin                                                                                                               3. Notre Dame
14. Bucknell PATRIOT                                                                                            14. Faifield MAAC

Denver                                                                                                                          Tulsa

7. Temple                                                                                                                   7. West Virginia
10. Georgia                                                                                                               10. Illinois

2. San Diego State MWC                                                                                          2. Texas
15. Long Island NEAC                                                                                            15. Murray State OVC

Also Considered (in order)

Alabama
Richmond
Gonzaga
Missouri State
Virginia Commonwealth
Baylor
Michigan
Penn State
Nebraska
Dayton
Washington State
Miami
Clemson
Colorado
USC
Mississippii
Princeton
Maryland
UTEP
Marshall
Drexel
Central Florida

13-16 Seeds Are More Dangerous Than Ever

Usually of the teams ranked 13-16, you will likely pick 0 or 1 of those bottom 16 teams in the field to win a single game.  On your bracket this year, this better not be the case, or you will tear up your bracket.  There are a lot of Mid Major conference leaders that can make a run in the NCAA tournament this year as long as they win their conference tournament.  Coastal Carolina is currently 25-3, and currently most people, including myself, do not find them worthy of a 13 seed.  The Bucknell Bison are in the 14-15 seed range in every bracketology I've seen and have beaten Richmond on the road, played very well at Villanova, had a double digit lead at Marquette, and lost by 4 at Boston College.  Harvard is a 12-14 seed (WHY THE HELL DOES JOE LUNARDI HAVE THEM AT A 14!?) who's worst loss in terms of RPI is to #58 Michigan at Michigan by 3 points.  They are 20-4. are #44 currently in the RPI and have won at Boston College and slayed Big XII pest Boston College at home.  College of Charleston has already slayed Tennessee on the road, beat current conference leaders Vermont, and Coastal Carolina by double digits, lost to North Carolina at Chapel Hill by 5 points, lost at Maryland by 1 point on the road.  The Grizzlies of Oakland during their totally brutal out of conference schedule managed a huge win when Tennessee when undefeated and in the top 10 in the nation on the road.  They have several close calls including at Michigan State when they were in the top 10 by 1 point.  When filling out your bracket this year, make sure to include some upsets in other years you wouldn't even think about picking because the madness is intense, there are no dominant teams this year, and the "bottom" of the bracket is as good as it has ever been.

2 Bids for the Ivy League?

This was talked about briefly last year when Cornell had their stellar run and they were behind Harvard for a few games, but this year it might be a reality.  The Ivy League has never received two bids to the big dance and this might be the year where it finally happens.  The field has expanded for three more bids, the bubble is about as weak, if not even weaker than last year, and both teams have an excellent record.  Coming into Saturday's action, ESPN's daily RPI had Ivy League and undefeated leader in conference play Princeton with the 50th best RPI in the nation and Harvard, who's only Ivy League loss is to Princeton at number 52.  Both teams had only 4 losses coming into the day and both have a few marquee wins.  Princeton beat Bucknell on a neutral sight, took down Rutgers, who recently knocked off #10 Villanova, and defeated Harvard at home.  Harvard has a huge road win at Boston College, a home win against Colorado, and all four of their losses have come to teams ranked in the top 56 in terms of RPI.  The Ivy League automatic win goes to the conference record winner.  The best scenario that can happen is both teams winning out and Harvard beating Princeton to force a third and decisive match to see which team would go to the NCAA tournament, since the Ivy League has a one game playoff to decide ties.  This would jack up both team strength of schedule, receive national exposure, and the committee would be forced watch both games between the two schools.  In a year where we feel about as murky about the NCAA tournament field as we did when all the teams were 0-0, it’s nice to know the Ivy League has produced two great teams from a conference with a rich winning tradition.  If the committee makes the decision to give two bids the Ivy League, with a field of no great team, a magical run like Cornell's last year is a possibility.