My first Bracketology of the year.

[ericd7633]

West Regional(Anaheim, CA)

1. ARIZONA(PAC 12)
16. JACKSON STATE(SWAC)
- Viejas Arena(San Diego, Ca)
8. Oklahoma
9. Minnesota

4. North Carolina
13. NEW MEXICO STATE(WAC)
- Amway Center(Orlando, FL)
5. UCONN(AAC)
12. DREXEL(CAA)

3. Oklahoma State
14. UL-LAFAYETTE(SUN BELT)[/B]
- AT&T Center(San Antonio, TX)
6. Missouri
11. Indiana

7. GONZAGA(WCC)
10. BOISE STATE(MVC)
- Spokane VMA(Spokane, WA)
2. Oregon
15. MERCER(A-SUN)

East Regional(New York, NY)

1. Syracuse
16. NOFOLK ST(MEAC)/EWU(BIG SKY)
- First Niagara Center(Buffalo, NY)
8. George Washington
9. Florida State

4. Duke
13. MANHATTAN(MAAC)
- Spokane VMA(Spokane, WA)
5. Colorado
12. NDSU(SUMMIT)

3. Baylor
14. UC-SANTA BARBARA(BIG WEST)
- AT&T Center(San Antonio, TX)
6. UMASS(A-10)
11. Arkansas

7. LSU
10. VCU
- Bradley Center(Milwaukee, WI)
2. Michigan State
15. BUCKNELL(PATRIOT)

Midwest Regional(Indianapolis, IN)

1. WISCONSIN(B1G)
16. UNC-ASHVILLE(BIG SO.)/ALBANY(AM. EAST)
- Bradley Center(Milwaukee, WI)
8. Pittsburgh
9. Butler

4. KANSAS(BIG 12)
13. VIRGINIA TECH(ACC)
- Viejas Arena(San Diego, Ca)
5. Memphis
12. TOLEDO(MAC)

3. FLORIDA(SEC)
14. UW-GREEN BAY(HORIZON)
- Amway Center(Orlando, FL)
6. Iowa
11. HARVARD(IVY)

7. Texas
10. Michigan
- Scottrade Center(St. Louis, MO)
2. Louisville
15. ORAL ROBERTS(SOUTHLAND)

South Regional(Memphis, TN)

1. Ohio State
16. ELON(SOUTHERN)
- First Niagara Center(Buffalo, NY)
8. UCLA
9. Creighton

4. WICHITA STATE(MVC)
13. SOUTHERN MISS(C-USA)
- PNC Arena(Raleigh, NC)
5. Kentucky
12. New Mexico/St. Louis

3. Iowa State
14. BELMONT(OVC)
- Scottrade Center(St. Louis, MO)
6. San Deigo State
11. Dayton/BYU

7. Illinois
10. Virginia
- PNC Arena(Raleigh, NC)
2. VILLANOVA(BIG EAST)
15. BRYANT(NEC)

Top 10 on the "S"-Curve: Arizona, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Villanova, Michigan State, Louisville, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Baylor.

There is currently one "Bid Thieve" - Virginia Tech(currently 1-0 in ACC play, and a higher RPI than Maryland)

All Conference Champs are either leading their respective conference in the standings or in the case of a tie-breaker(or no conf. games) highest RPI is used.

Obviously this is still a tough task this early in the season. I went 75% on resume and 25% off of preseason expectation and who I think is still somewhat good. For example: Michigan is a 10 seed, with an RPI of 90. If this were the end of the year, they wouldn't be included. But for now you have to project out a little to what you think they will become until more of the season is completed.

 

[jonvi]

This shit is much to complicated for me in March. Good luck with your brackets though.

 

[ericd7633]

This shit is much to complicated for me in March. Good luck with your brackets though.

Thanks, I enjoy doing it. After the initial bracket the subsequent brackets don't take as long to compile. Did it two years ago and only missed one. Had Drexel in over Iona, who was my first team out.

Figured I'd give it another shot.

 

[SteelersPride]

pitt at #8 is not likely right now, 1 loss, and a top ten bpi

 

[kramer1]

No Cincinnati? LOL

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

good work sir, good to see stuff like this on the basketball board

only mistake you made was Boise State's in the MWC not MVC LOL

 

[Doctor Krieger]

pitt at #8 is not likely right now, 1 loss, and a top ten bpi

Haven't beaten anyone worthwhile....can't rely on just one computer ranking

 

[oaknightshockey1]

No Cincinnati? LOL

They won't be in after the "bad" loss they have coming up to Nebraska

 

[ericd7633]

good work sir, good to see stuff like this on the basketball board

only mistake you made was Boise State's in the MWC not MVC LOL

Good catch. That was strictly a typo.

 

[ericd7633]

pitt at #8 is not likely right now, 1 loss, and a top ten bpi

I've seen them as high as a 5 and as low as an 11. In other projections they average out to be a 7.56 seed. Not that I go off of other brackets or anything but my projection is about where other people have them as well.

 

[ericd7633]

No Cincinnati? LOL

They were one of the first four teams left out.

 

[MI Nightmare]

Obviously this is still a tough task this early in the season. I went 75% on resume and 25% off of preseason expectation and who I think is still somewhat good. For example: Michigan is a 10 seed, with an RPI of 90. If this were the end of the year, they wouldn't be included. But for now you have to project out a little to what you think they will become until more of the season is completed.

Michigan is 32 and 34 in the AP and Coaches' polls, respectively. They're at 23 in the Sagarin and 33 in the BPI. I haven't seen them absent from any bracketology, including your own. The RPI will appear much more accurate mid January. With that said, I think a 10 seed is fair at this juncture, so they absolutely make a field of 64, today. If we're choosing solely on great wins, at this point, we'd be hard pressed to field a tourney of more than 16 teams. I do applaud your efforts however, this work can be brain racking.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

VT will be lucky to be .500 honestly and Pitt is going to struggle to even get in the tourney and I am a huge homer for both.

 

[hokiehi21]

Ha yeah i didnt even see he had VT listed. 0% chance VT makes the NCAA's.

 

[ericd7633]

Ha yeah i didnt even see he had VT listed. 0% chance VT makes the NCAA's.

Only included because they currently lead the ACC. Hence why I said they were a bid thieve.

 

[rmilia1]

Iowa as a 6 is probably right as of now. Itll be a 3 or 4 by season end though

 

[ericd7633]

Iowa as a 6 is probably right as of now. Itll be a 3 or 4 by season end though

I certainly think Iowa is going to be a good team. But right now their resume is rather weak. 0-2 vs. RPI top 50 teams, 8 of their 11 wins against teams ranked with an RPI of 125+. 3-2 against the top 100, with two of those teams in Drake and Nebraska-Omaha who will almost certainly be 100+ RPI teams by the end of the year. I can see Xavier being a top 100 team the rest of the way so they will still have that win to hang their hat on for non conference purposes.

Iowa has just a brutal stretch to open up B1G play and it really doesn't get easier the rest of the season. I think they have to get to 10 wins in B1G play to feel comfortable come Selection Sunday. Can they get there?

 

[rmilia1]

I certainly think Iowa is going to be a good team. But right now their resume is rather weak. 0-2 vs. RPI top 50 teams, 8 of their 11 wins against teams ranked with an RPI of 125+. 3-2 against the top 100, with two of those teams in Drake and Nebraska-Omaha who will almost certainly be 100+ RPI teams by the end of the year. I can see Xavier being a top 100 team the rest of the way so they will still have that win to hang their hat on for non conference purposes.

Iowa has just a brutal stretch to open up B1G play and it really doesn't get easier the rest of the season. I think they have to get to 10 wins in B1G play to feel comfortable come Selection Sunday. Can they get there?

Eh Im not worried about gettinmg to 10 wins frankly. Iowa isnt going to lose at home in the B10 and they will favored in probably 4 of their 9 road games. Schedule is tough but that will actually help their RPI and SOS. Id be shocked if Iowa doesnt win at leat 12 B10 games. The 2 losses are both to top 10 RPI teams in games Iowa controlled the majority of the game. SOS sits in the low 100's right now, will be in the 30's ( estimate ) by the time B10 season is over. RPI is low 30's, will be high teens low 20's by season end even with only 10 or 11 B10 wins, higher with 12 plus. The good thing about the B10 this year is like 7 or 8 teams are in the top 50 and Iowa has 13 of their 18 agmes vs those teams so theyll have plenty of quality wins even IF Drake or UNO drop out of the top 100 ( which isnt a given, both those teams are solid and should be top half to 1/3 in the league)

 

[rmilia1]

Most predictor sites actually have Iowa as the favorite to win the B10 or as the second best team in the B10 behind OSU. Computer numbers are strong across the board. If the Hawks can figure out how to make a FT in the last 2 minutes of games theyll be just fine LOL

 

[ericd7633]

Eh Im not worried about gettinmg to 10 wins frankly. Iowa isnt going to lose at home in the B10 and they will favored in probably 4 of their 9 road games. Schedule is tough but that will actually help their RPI and SOS. Id be shocked if Iowa doesnt win at leat 12 B10 games. The 2 losses are both to top 10 RPI teams in games Iowa controlled the majority of the game. SOS sits in the low 100's right now, will be in the 30's ( estimate ) by the time B10 season is over. RPI is low 30's, will be high teens low 20's by season end even with only 10 or 11 B10 wins, higher with 12 plus. The good thing about the B10 this year is like 7 or 8 teams are in the top 50 and Iowa has 13 of their 18 agmes vs those teams so theyll have plenty of quality wins even IF Drake or UNO drop out of the top 100 ( which isnt a given, both those teams are solid and should be top half to 1/3 in the league)

If Iowa doesn't lose at home, then yes, they will definitely be fine. Playing Wisconsin, MSU and Ohio State at home, IMO, doesn't guarantee them going undefeated as those are certainly very hard games, but I guess we'll see. The schedule will definitely help Iowa's SOS, but it will only help their RPI if they win most of those games. It is just a tough schedule. They play the other 7 best teams in the B1G on the road. Going into IU, Illinois, or even Minnesota this year isn't a guarantee. Especially for a core group of players who have struggled to win on the road the last couple of years.