Bracketology - Final Selection Sunday Prediction

We're finally here! Soon, the final bracket will be revealed, and I for one am ecstatic. After the weirdness of last season, having a normal March has been a breath of fresh air. Soon, we will have match-ups to predict, Cinderellas to love, and a titanic Final Four.

For these final predictions, I had several difficult choices to make. Ultimately, I went with metrics over resume if I had a toss-up, as the committee has shown they will make more decisions seeding wise by a team's metrics. We'll find out soon enough, let the madness begin! 

 West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   CSU-Fullerton (63)

8 SDSU (30)

9 Iowa St (36)

5 Connecticut (18)

12   Vermont (50)

4 Wisconsin (13) Milwaukee, WI

13   Montana St (54)

6 Alabama (23)

11   Indiana (43)

3 UCLA (12) Portland, OR

14   Akron (57)

7 USC (27)

10   Memphis (38)

2 Tennessee (8) Greenville, SC

15   Jacksonville St (60)

South

1 Arizona (2) San Diego, CA

16   Texas Southern (67)/Texas A&M-CC (68)

8 TCU (32)

9 San Francisco (34)

5 Iowa (19)

12   South Dakota St (49)

4 Arkansas (14) Milwaukee, WI

13   New Mexico St (53)

6 LSU (21)

11   Miami (FL) (42)

3 Texas Tech (11) San Diego, CA

14   Longwood (58)

7 Ohio St (25)

10   Davidson (40)

2 Villanova (7) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Yale (59)

Midwest

1 Kansas (3) Fort Worth, TX

16   Wright St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Seton Hall (31)

9 North Carolina (33)

5 Providence (17)

12   Wyoming (46)/Rutgers (47)

4 Houston (16) Buffalo, NY

13   Chattanooga (51)

6 Colorado St (24)

11   Loyola-Chicago (41)

3 Purdue (9) Indianapolis, IN

14   Saint Peters (56)

7 Boise St (26)

10   Creighton (37)

2 Kentucky (5) Indianapolis, IN

15   Georgia St (62)

East

1 Baylor (4) Fort Worth, TX

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 Michigan St (29)

9 Marquette (35)

5 St Mary’s (20)

12   UAB (48)

4 Illinois (15) Buffalo, NY

13   Richmond (52)

6 Texas (22)

11   Michigan (44)/Texas A&M (45)

3 Duke (10) Pittsburgh, PA

14   Colgate (55)

7 Murray St (28)

10   Virginia Tech (39)

2 Auburn (6) Greenville, SC

15   Delaware (61)

Last Four In

Michigan

Texas A&M

Wyoming

Rutgers

First Four Out

Xavier

Notre Dame

SMU

Wake Forest

Bracketology - 3/13/22 (Early)

 West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   CSU-Fullerton (63)

8 SDSU (29)

9 Iowa St (36)

5 Connecticut (18)

12   South Dakota St (50)

4 Wisconsin (13) Milwaukee, WI

13   Princeton (54)

6 Alabama (23)

11   Indiana (43)

3 UCLA (12) Portland, OR

14   Montana St (55)

7 USC (27)

10   Memphis (38)

2 Tennessee (8) Greenville, SC

15   Jacksonville St (60)

South

1 Arizona (2) San Diego, CA

16   Texas Southern (67)/Texas A&M-CC (68)

8 TCU (31)

9 Marquette (35)

5 St Mary’s (20)

12   Xavier (47)/Notre Dame (48)

4 Arkansas (14) Milwaukee, WI

13   New Mexico St (53)

6 LSU (21)

11   Michigan (44)

3 Texas Tech (10) San Diego, CA

14   Akron (58)

7 Ohio St (25)

10   Davidson (40)

2 Villanova (7) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Longwood (59)

Midwest

1 Kansas (3) Fort Worth, TX

16   Wright St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Michigan St (32)

9 North Carolina (33)

5 Providence (17)

12   Wyoming (45)/SMU (46)

4 Illinois (15) Buffalo, NY

13   Chattanooga (52)

6 Colorado St (24)

11   Loyola-Chicago (41)

3 Duke (9) Pittsburgh, PA

14   Colgate (56)

7 Boise St (26)

10   Creighton (37)

2 Kentucky (5) Indianapolis, IN

15   Delaware (62)

East

1 Baylor (4) Fort Worth, TX

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 Seton Hall (30)

9 San Francisco (34)

5 Iowa (19)

12   UAB (49)

4 Houston (16) Buffalo, NY

13   Vermont (51)

6 Texas (22)

11   Miami (FL) (42)

3 Purdue (11) Indianapolis, IN

14   Saint Peters (57)

7 Murray St (28)

10   Virginia Tech (39)

2 Auburn (6) Greenville, SC

15   Georgia St (61)

Bracketology - 3/12/22

Conference championship Saturday is upon us, and it's truly the best non-NCAA tourney day on the calendar. All day, we will see teams fighting for their lives and playing their best basketball. Today will set the foundations for next week, and I for one am very excited.

 West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   LBSU (63)

8 Michigan St (32)

9 Iowa St (36)

5 Connecticut (17)

12   Notre Dame (47)/Rutgers (48)

4 Arkansas (14) Pittsburgh, PA

13   Chattanooga (51)

6 LSU (21)

11   Michigan (44)

3 Texas Tech (10) San Diego, CA

14   Montana St (56)

7 SDSU (27)

10   Davidson (39)

2 Duke (8) Greenville, SC

15   Saint Peters (59)

South

1 Arizona (2) San Diego, CA

16   SELA (67)/Alcorn St (68)

8 TCU (31)

9 San Francisco (34)

5 St Mary’s (19)

12   SMU (45)/Xavier (46)

4 Illinois (15) Buffalo, NY

13   Vermont (52)

6 Texas (22)

11   Indiana (43)

3 Tennessee (9) Indianapolis, IN

14   Kent St (55)

7 Ohio St (25)

10   Loyola-Chicago (40)

2 Villanova (7) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Delaware (62)

Midwest

1 Kansas (3) Fort Worth, TX

16   Wright St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Seton Hall (30)

9 North Carolina (33)

5 Iowa (20)

12   South Dakota St (50)

4 UCLA (13) Portland, OR

13   New Mexico St (53)

6 Alabama (23)

11   Wyoming (41)

3 Purdue (11) Milwaukee, WI

14   Longwood (58)

7 USC (26)

10   Memphis (38)

2 Kentucky (5) Indianapolis, IN

15   Georgia St (61)

East

1 Baylor (4) Fort Worth, TX

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 Murray St (29)

9 Marquette (35)

5 Houston (18)

12   UAB (49)

4 Providence (16) Buffalo, NY

13   Princeton (54)

6 Colorado St (24)

11   Miami (FL) (42)

3 Wisconsin (12) Milwaukee, WI

14   Colgate (57)

7 Boise St (28)

10   Creighton (37)

2 Auburn (6) Greenville, SC

15   Jacksonville St (60)

Last Four In

SMU

Xavier

Notre Dame

Rutgers

First Four Out

Oklahoma

Virginia Tech

Dayton

Texas A&M

Check out more awesome bracketologies at http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

Bracketology - 3/11/22

As the action heats, you'll find that teams that had positive resumes before start to diminish in value. The reason why is that some resumes look good on paper, but often have superficial numbers. If those resumes take one bad loss, they all of a sudden look much uglier. This is why teams like Xavier and Notre Dame, teams that had been positively viewed all season, are all of a sudden very much staring down the bubble. They will be rooting hard against bid thieves tonight, and the rest of the weekend.

 West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 SDSU (29)

9 Iowa St (36)

5 Connecticut (17)

12   North Texas (44)

4 Arkansas (16) Pittsburgh, PA

13   Chattanooga (51)

6 Iowa (22)

11   Rutgers (45)

3 Texas Tech (10) San Diego, CA

14   Seattle (55)

7 Murray St (28)

10   Memphis (37)

2 Duke (8) Greenville, SC

15   Longwood (59)

South

1 Baylor (2) Fort Worth, TX

16   Nicholls (67)/Alcorn St (68)

8 San Francisco (32)

9 Michigan St (34)

5 Houston (18)

12   Indiana (48)/VCU (49)

4 Providence (15) Buffalo, NY

13   Toledo (53)

6 Texas (21)

11   Michigan (43)

3 Wisconsin (12) Milwaukee, WI

14   Montana St (56)

7 Boise St (27)

10   Creighton (39)

2 Kentucky (6) Indianapolis, IN

15   Jacksonville St (60)

Midwest

1 Arizona (3) San Diego, CA

16   LBSU (63)

8 TCU (31)

9 Marquette (35)

5 LSU (20)

12   Xavier (46)/Notre Dame (47)

4 Illinois (14) Buffalo, NY

13   Vermont (52)

6 Colorado St (24)

11   Miami (FL) (42)

3 Tennessee (9) Indianapolis, IN

14   Colgate (57)

7 USC (26)

10   Wyoming (40)

2 Kansas (5) Fort Worth, TX

15   Delaware (62)

East

1 Auburn (4) Greenville, SC

16   Wright St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Seton Hall (30)

9 North Carolina (33)

5 St Mary’s (19)

12   South Dakota St (50)

4 UCLA (13) Portland, OR

13   Princeton (54)

6 Alabama (23)

11   Loyola-Chicago (41)

3 Purdue (11) Milwaukee, WI

14   Saint Peters (58)

7 Ohio St (25)

10   Davidson (38)

2 Villanova (7) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Georgia St (61)

Last Four In
Xavier
Notre Dame
Indiana

VCU

First Four Out

SMU
Oklahoma

Virginia Tech

Texas A&M

Bracketology - 3/10/22

Don't have time to type a blurb. I'll be enjoying the basketball.

 West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 SDSU (29)

9 North Carolina (36)

5 Connecticut (17)

12   Rutgers (46)/Xavier (47)

4 Arkansas (16) Pittsburgh, PA

13   Chattanooga (51)

6 Iowa (23)

11   Wyoming (43)

3 Texas Tech (11) San Diego, CA

14   Seattle (55)

7 Murray St (28)

10   Memphis (37)

2 Duke (8) Greenville, SC

15   Longwood (59)

South

1 Baylor (2) Fort Worth, TX

16   Nicholls (67)/Alcorn St (68)

8 Michigan St (31)

9 Marquette (34)

5 Houston (19)

12   North Texas (45)

4 Providence (15) Buffalo, NY

13   Toledo (53)

6 LSU (21)

11   Michigan (44)

3 Wisconsin (12) Milwaukee, WI

14   Montana St (56)

7 USC (26)

10   Notre Dame (39)

2 Kentucky (6) Indianapolis, IN

15   Jacksonville St (60)

Midwest

1 Arizona (3) San Diego, CA

16   LBSU (63)

8 Iowa St (32)

9 San Francisco (35)

5 Texas (18)

12   VCU (48)/SMU (49)

4 Illinois (14) Buffalo, NY

13   Vermont (52)

6 Ohio St (24)

11   Miami (FL) (42)

3 Tennessee (9) Indianapolis, IN

14   Colgate (57)

7 Colorado St (25)

10   Creighton (40)

2 Kansas (5) Fort Worth, TX

15   Delaware (62)

East

1 Auburn (4) Greenville, SC

16   Wright St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Seton Hall (30)

9 TCU (33)

5 St Mary’s (20)

12   South Dakota St (50)

4 UCLA (13) Portland, OR

13   Princeton (54)

6 Alabama (22)

11   Loyola-Chicago (41)

3 Purdue (10) Milwaukee, WI

14   Saint Peters (58)

7 Boise St (27)

10   Davidson (38)

2 Villanova (7) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Georgia St (61)

Last Four In
Rutgers
Xavier
VCU
SMU

First Four Out
Indiana
Wake Forest
Dayton
BYU

Bracketology - 3/7/22

It's conference tournament season! From here on out, every game will be a post-season game. This week will set up the foundations for the NCAA tournament, and you will see some of the best basketball of the year.

Beware the commentators that say "with a win, they're in!" These commentators are the same types that think the tournament expanded to 128 teams. These games do not occur in a vacuum, and often one game is not enough to move the needle. There are exceptions, but they are few and far between. For now, we enjoy the basketball this week, and wait for the dust to settle in 6 days.

 West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 SDSU (29)

9 North Carolina (36)

5 Connecticut (17)

12   Rutgers (48)/VCU (49)

4 Arkansas (16) Pittsburgh, PA

13   Chattanooga (51)

6 Iowa (23)

11   Creighton (44)

3 Texas Tech (11) San Diego, CA

14   Seattle (57)

7 Murray St (28)

10   Memphis (38)

2 Duke (8) Greenville, SC

15   Longwood (60)

South

1 Baylor (2) Fort Worth, TX

16   Nicholls (67)/Alcorn St (68)

8 Michigan St (31)

9 Marquette (34)

5 Houston (19)

12   Michigan (45)/Wyoming (47)

4 Providence (15) Buffalo, NY

13   Iona (52)

6 LSU (21)

11   Miami (FL) (43)

3 Wisconsin (12) Milwaukee, WI

14   Toledo (55)

7 USC (26)

10   Xavier (37)

2 Kentucky (6) Indianapolis, IN

15   Georgia St (61)

Midwest

1 Arizona (3) San Diego, CA

16   Jacksonville (63)

8 Iowa St (32)

9 San Francisco (35)

5 Texas (18)

12   North Texas (46)

4 Illinois (14) Buffalo, NY

13   Vermont (53)

6 Ohio St (24)

11   Notre Dame (41)

3 Tennessee (9) Indianapolis, IN

14   Princeton (56)

7 Colorado St (25)

10   Davidson (40)

2 Kansas (5) Fort Worth, TX

15   LBSU (62)

East

1 Auburn (4) Greenville, SC

16   Cleveland St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Seton Hall (30)

9 TCU (33)

5 St Mary’s (20)

12   South Dakota St (50)

4 UCLA (13) Portland, OR

13   Towson (54)

6 Alabama (22)

11   Loyola-Chicago (42)

3 Purdue (10) Milwaukee, WI

14   Montana St (57)

7 Boise St (27)

10   Wake Forest (39)

2 Villanova (7) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Colgate (59)

Last Four In
Michigan
Wyoming
Rutgers
VCU

First Four Out
SMU
Indiana
Florida
BYU

Bracketology - 3/4/22

As we head into the home stretch of the season, one oft-heard complaint about some tournament teams is that "they didn't even go .500 in their conference."

You see, several college analysts (including a couple famous bracketologists) believe that if a team can't even finish .500 in their conference, they should not be allowed in the field. Other numbers and wins be darned, if they can't reach that arbitrary criteria, they're out.

It's well intentioned (wanting more mid-majors), but foolish.

You see, in the era of unbalanced scheduling, teams in the same conference can have vastly different schedule strengths. One team can be 9-9 by feasting on the bottom of the conference, while another is 8-10 having to play stronger competition. Does conference record determine who's better? Not really.

Take LSU. They're 17 in the NET, have Top 20 metrics, and have beaten Kentucky and Tennessee. I have them as a 6 seed. But they're 8-9 in conference, so by some people's definition, they should be excluded.

That's silly. Conference record helps with conference tournament seeding, but aside from that means nothing. The criteria should just be the best teams in the country, and then go from there.

West

1 Gonzaga (1) Portland, OR

16   LBSU (63)

8 SDSU (30)

9 Iowa St (33)

5 Connecticut (17)

12   Chattanooga (50)

4 Arkansas (16) Buffalo, NY

13   Iona (51)

6 Iowa (22)

11   North Texas (44)

3 Texas Tech (12) San Diego, CA

14   Seattle (58)

7 Colorado St (26)

10   Notre Dame (40)

2 Villanova (8) Pittsburgh, PA

15   Colgate (61)

South

1 Baylor (2) Fort Worth, TX

16   Cleveland St (65)/Bryant (66)

8 Seton Hall (31)

9 San Francisco (35)

5 Houston (18)

12   Michigan (46)/Loyola-Chicago (47)

4 Illinois (15) Pittsburgh, PA

13   Vermont (52)

6 Ohio St (24)

11   Memphis (41)

3 Tennessee (10) Indianapolis, IN

14   Princeton (56)

7 Boise St (27)

10   Davidson (37)

2 Duke (7) Greenville, SC

15   Jacksonville St (60)

Midwest

1 Arizona (3) San Diego, CA

16   Nicholls (67)/Alcorn St (68)

8 TCU (32)

9 Marquette (34)

5 Texas (19)

12   North Carolina (45)/Rutgers (48)

4 Providence (14) Buffalo, NY

13   Towson (53)

6 St Mary’s (22)

11   Wyoming (43)

3 Wisconsin (9) Milwaukee, WI

14   Texas St (57)

7 Michigan St (28)

10   Wake Forest (39)

2 Auburn (5) Greenville, SC

15   Longwood (62)

East

1 Kansas (4) Fort Worth, TX

16   Norfolk St (64)

8 Murray St (29)

9 Xavier (36)

5 Alabama (20)

12   South Dakota St (49)

4 UCLA (13) Portland, OR

13   Toledo (54)

6 LSU (23)

11   Miami (FL) (42)

3 Purdue (11) Milwaukee, WI

14   Northern Iowa (55)

7 USC (25)

10   Creighton (38)

2 Kentucky (6) Indianapolis, IN

15   Montana St (59)

Last Four In
North Carolina
Michigan
Loyola-Chicago
Rutgers

First Four Out
Indiana
BYU
VCU
SMU

Check http://www.bracketmatrix.com/ for more outstanding bracketologies.