Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Conference Tournaments Underway

Thanks to the Atlantic Sun for kicking things off with its conference tournament.  Overall, the four #1 seeds remain unchanged.  As of today, the model projects the top 50 seeds (listed below) as making the tournament whether they win their conference or not.  The model indicates Wofford, New Mexico State and now Belmont would get at-larges, if need be.  The bottom 18 are automatic qualifiers that won't make it unless they win their respective conferences.

Bubble Talk
Arizona State back into the field with Creighton.  Toledo remains in the mix.  North Carolina State still on the outside looking in.  Murray State enters the picture.  Given the way the numbers fall, the last four in would all play-in on the 12 line. 

Bracketology
My field prognostication as of today is as follows:
#1 seeds: Virginia, Duke, Gonzaga, North Carolina
#2 seeds: Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan
#3 seeds: Michigan State, Houston, Purdue, Texas Tech
#4 seeds:  LSU, Buffalo, Florida State, VA Tech
#5 seeds:  Wisconsin, Kansas State, Iowa State, Villanova
#6 seeds:  Nevada, Mississippi State, Maryland, Cincy 
#7 seeds:  Auburn, Marquette, Wofford, Louisville
#8 seeds:  UCF, Washington, VCU, Utah State
#9 seeds:  Baylor, Texas, Syracuse, Oklahoma
#10 seeds:  Saint Mary's, Iowa, Ohio State, Toledo
#11 seeds:  New Mexico State, Belmont, Minnesota, Clemson
#12 seeds:  Florida, Alabama, play-in: Mississippi / TCU, play-in: Creighton / Arizona State
#13 seeds:  Lipscomb, Hofstra, Vermont, Yale
#14 seeds:  UC Irvine, Drake, Old Dominion, Montana
#15 seeds:  Radford, Bucknell, Texas State, South Dakota State
#16 seeds:  Sam Houston State, Wright State, play-in:  Prairie View / Norfolk State, play-in:  Fairleigh Dickinson / Iona

First 4 out:  St. John's, Temple, Murray State, UNCG


Bracket Matrix
Check this site out.  Great compilation of expert and amateur bracket projections.

http://www.bracketmatrix.com/