Sunday, March 4, 2012

NCAA Field of 68 - March 4, 2012 Edition

  • Kentucky overall #1, followed by Syracuse, North Carolina and Kansas
  • I have done my best to balance the Top 4 in each region and consider distance.  This is not easy, as the West can not always get the 4th team on a line.
  • Last 5 In - BYU, Xavier, Northwestern, Miami, and Tennessee
  • Next 5 - Texas, Seton Hall, Oregon, St. Joseph's, Arizona
  • Interesting bubble race between Texas, Northwestern, Miami, Xavier, and South Florida.  All teams with similar RPI's, and similarly poor Top 50 and Top 100 records.  None can afford a first round exit in their conference tourney.  I added Tennessee today, at least they are beating people (although they need to win at least one more, but so does everyone I just mentioned).  These teams are also all huge Creighton fans today.
  • One First Four game moved to 11 line to accomodate travel, South Florida and BYU moved to 12 line, but ahead of these teams in my S-curve
West Regional
Omaha
(1)  Kansas (16) Texas-Arlington
(8)  Purdue vs (9) California
Portland
(5)  UNLV vs (12) South Florida
(4)  Florida vs (13)  Long Beach State
Louisville
(6)  Murray State vs (11) Xavier/Miami
(3)  Marquette vs (14)  Davidson
Columbus
(7)  Gonzaga vs (10)  Harvard
(2)  Michigan State vs (15)  Bucknell

Midwest Regional
Louisville
(1)  Kentucky vs (16)  Mississippi Valley State/UNC-Asheville
(8)  Kansas State vs (9)  Connecticut
Portland
(5)  Florida State vs (12) Iona
(4)  Temple vs (13)  Middle Tennessee
Columbus
(6)  Louisville vs (11)  Southern Miss
(3)  Indiana vs (14)  Belmont
Omaha
(7)  New Mexico vs (10) Cincinnati
(2)  Missouri vs (15) Montana

South Regional
Greensboro
(1)  North Carolina vs (16)  Stony Brook/Savannah State
(8)  Alabama vs (9)  St. Mary's
Nashville
(5)  Wichita State vs (12)  Northwestern/Tennessee
(4)  Georgetown vs (13)  VCU
Albuquerque
(6)  San Diego State vs (11)  St. Louis
(3)  Baylor vs (14)  Nevada
Louisville
(7)  Memphis  vs (10)  West Virginia
(2)  Ohio State vs (15)  Detroit

East Regional
Pittsburgh
(1)  Syracuse vs (16)  Long Island
(8)  Iowa State vs (9)  Virginia
Albuquerque
(5)  Vanderbilt vs (12)  BYU
(4)  Wisconsin vs (13)  Washington
Nashville
(6)  Notre Dame vs (11)  Mississippi State
(3)  Michigan vs (14)  Oral Roberts
Greensboro
(7)  Creighton vs (10)  Colorado State
(2)  Duke vs (15)  Akron

4 comments:

  1. Hello, I have a question, I just looked up history of at-large teams that make the tourney. The highest RPI to ever make the tourney as an at-large is a 74 RPI, the highest RPI to make the Field since 2002 is 68. With that being said why do you think Tennessee with an RPI of 81 is going to make the field?

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  2. I didn't read far enough I now understand why you have Tennessee in, I'm sorry I was thinking if the selection was as of today, but I understand your bracket is based on presumptions of what might happen in the next week. Take Care

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  3. You have a valid point nonetheless. I thought their RPI would jump higher than 75 after beating Vandy. Part of their inclusion is that I have grown tired of the Seton Hall's, Northwestern's, Miami's and Texas' squandering opportunities and having profiles that really only say "we played good teams, just didn't really beat them". Tennessee has now swept Florida and beaten Vandy and Connecticut, as well as fellow bubble dwellar Mississippi. We'll see. They realistically need two more wins in the SEC tournament.

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  4. So is Harvard still in if the don't win they Ivy tourney?

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