College Basketball Field of 68 - Bracket (March 14, 2014)

We are getting closer, just over two days until Selection Sunday.  Thursday was moving day for the bottom 2/3 of the bracket, with tomorrow serving as a moving day for the upper half.  I have updated the bracket assuming a Stanford win over Arizona State.  If the Sun Devils comeback, I will flip the two teams on the 9 and 10 lines.

The Final #1 Seed:  With Villanova losing, the final #1 seed is up for grabs.  I have moved Michigan into the spot for now, but Syracuse, Kansas, Wisconsin and even Villanova are still all in play for that final #1 seed.  Michigan and Kansas have more losses, but they were conference champions.  Syracuse and Wisconsin would have to win their respective conference tournaments to be under #1 consideration.

The Bubble:  As you can see in my bracket below, I have Providence and BYU as the final two teams in.  I am torn on what the committee will do with BYU after such a significant injury.  They are right on the cut-line as is.  Providence has to defeat Seton Hall on Friday to hold their spot, but that win might be enough without winning the Big East Championship on Saturday.  That is because a decent chunk of bubble teams fell by the wayside the past few days.  Georgetown, St. John's, Utah, California and Arkansas all lost and are probably headed the way of the NIT.  Bubble teams still alive include Minnesota, Florida State, Missouri and Green Bay.  I would also not feel completely safe if I was SMU or St. Joseph's, who are my other first four teams.

SOUTH (Memphis) THUR/SAT

(1) Florida
(16) Mount St. Mary’s/Texas Southern
ORLANDO (THUR/SAT)
(8) George Washington
(9) Stanford

(5) Ohio State
(12) BYU/Providence
ORLANDO (THUR/SAT)
(4) Louisville
(13) Harvard

(6) UCLA
(11) Iowa
SAN ANTONIO (FRI/SUN)
(3) Iowa State
(14) North Carolina Central

(7) Massachusetts
(10) Xavier
BUFFALO (THUR/SAT)
(2) Syracuse
(15) American University

WEST (Anaheim) THUR/SAT

(1) Arizona
(16) Weber State
SAN DIEGO (FRI/SUN)
(8) Gonzaga
(9) Oklahoma State

(5) North Carolina
(12) North Dakota State
SPOKANE (THUR/SAT)
(4) San Diego State
(13) Delaware

(6) Texas
(11) SMU/St. Joseph's
SAN ANTONIO (FRI/SUN)
(3) Creighton
(14) Eastern Kentucky

(7) Kentucky
(10) Arizona State
MILWAUKEE (THUR/SAT)
(2) Wisconsin
(15) Utah Valley

MIDWEST (Indy) FRI/SUN

(1) Wichita State
(16) Coastal Carolina/Wofford
ST. LOUIS (FRI/SUN)
(8) Oregon
(9) Memphis

(5) Oklahoma
(12) Toledo
SPOKANE (THUR/SAT)
(4) Michigan State
(13) Manhattan

(6) VCU
(11) Tennessee
RALEIGH (FRI/SUN)
(3) Duke
(14) Mercer

(7) New Mexico
(10) Nebraska
ST. LOUIS (FRI/SUN)
(2) Kansas
(15) UC-Irvine

EAST (New York City) FRI/SUN

(1) Michigan
(16) Stony Brook
MILWAUKEE (THUR/SAT)
(8) Colorado
(9) Kansas State

(5) St. Louis
(12) Southern Miss
SAN DIEGO (FRI/SUN)
(4) Cincinnati
(13) Stephen F. Austin

(6) Connecticut
(11) Dayton
RALEIGH (FRI/SUN)
(3) Virginia
(14) Georgia State

(7) Baylor
(10) Pittsburgh
BUFFALO (THUR/SAT)
(2) Villanova
(15) UW-Milwaukee