My Preseason Bracketology

[ericd7633]

East Regional(Philadelphia, PA)

1. UNC(ACC)
16. NORFOLK STATE(MEAC)/COASTAL CAROLINA(BIG SOUTH)
PNC Arena(Raleigh, NC)
8. Purdue
9. Cincinnati

5. Texas A&M
12. CENTRAL MICHIGAN(MAC)
Pepsi Center(Denver, CO)
4. Indiana
13. IONA(MAAC)

6. SAN DIEGO STATE(MWC)
11. VCU
Chesapeake Energy Arena(OKC, OK)
3. WICHITA STATE(MVC)
14. NORTHEASTERN(CAA)

7. West Virginia
10. Miami(Fl)
Barclays Center(Brooklyn, NY)
2. VILLANOVA(BIG EAST)
15. STONY BROOK(AM. EAST)

South Regional(Louisville, KY)

1. MARYLAND(BIG)
16. TEXAS SO.(SWAC)/MONTANA(BIG SKY)
Barclays Center(Brooklyn, NY)
8. Utah
9. Florida

5. LSU
12. WOFFORD(SOUTHERN)
Veterans Memorial Arena(Spokane, WA)
4. California
13. GEORGIA STATE(SUN BELT)

6. Butler
11. Vanderbilt/Syracuse
Dunkin Donuts Center(Providence, RI)
3. Virginia
14. BELMONT(OVC)

7. Memphis
10. Ohio State
Chesapeake Energy Arena(OKC, OK)
2. Oklahoma
15. NEW MEXICO ST(WAC)

Midwest Region(Chicago, IL)

1. KENTUCKY(SEC)
16. ROBERT MORRIS(NEC)
Scottrade Center(St. Louis, MO)
8. Oregon
9. NC State

5. Baylor
12. Dayton/Iowa
Dunkin Donuts Center(Providence, RI)
4. Georgetown
13. VALPARAISO(HORIZON)

6. Notre Dame
11. Evansville
Wells Fargo Arena(Des Moines, IA)
3. Michigan State
14. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN(SOUTHLAND)

7. Xavier
10. Providence
Scottrade Center(St. Louis, MO)
2. KANSAS(BIG 12)
15. NORTH FLORIDA(A-SUN)

West Regional(Anaheim, CA)

1. Duke
16. BUCKNELL(PATRIOT)
PNC Arena(Raleigh, NC)
8. RHODE ISLAND(A-10)
9. Louisville

5. Wisconsin
12. OLD DOMINION(C-USA)
Pepsi Center(Denver, CO)
4. ARIZONA(PAC 12)
13. HARVARD(IVY)

6. Michigan
11. Marquette
Wells Fargo Arena(Des Moines, IA)
3. Iowa State
14. UC-IRVINE(BIG WEST)

7. UCONN(AAC)
10. UCLA
Veterans Memorial Arena(Spokane, WA)
2. GONZAGA(WCC)
15. SOUTH DAKOTA ST(SUMMIT)

"S" Curve Top 10: UNC, Maryland, Kentucky, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Villanova, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wichita State.

Last 4 Byes: UCLA, VCU, Marquette, Evansville
Last 4 IN: Iowa, Dayton, Vanderbilt, Syracuse
First 4 OUT: Syracuse, Illinois, Boise State, South Carolina
Next 4 OUT: Temple, Tulsa, Texas, Davidson

Bids By Conference: B1G(8), ACC(8), Big East(6), Big 12(5), Pac 12(5), SEC(5), AAC(3), A-10(3), MVC(2)

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Wohoo!!! 11 seed with no play in. I'd take it!!

I'd also take our chances vs Michigan.

 

[femurov]

Syracuse is in your last four in and first four out.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Not a bad bracket overall… couple small things I'd change but nothing major. Looks good.

 

[ericd7633]

Syracuse is in your last four in and first four out.

Good catch. Forgot to take them out of the FFO. I moved them into the bracket because SMU is banned from postseason play. Can't change it now. Move everyone up a slot, and put Oklahoma State after Davidson.

 

[SteelersPride]

8 acc teams and no pitt

 

[ericd7633]

8 acc teams and no pitt

They weren't an NCAA tournament team last year, lost one of their better players, and didn't have that good of a recruiting class. I'd have FSU ahead of them in the pecking order as well. ACC will be even better this year than last year, IMO.

 

[HammerDown]

Vanderbilt

Two legit 7-footers

One can hit the three the other is a consensus lottery pick and a deadly lefty assassin guard.

 

[podsox]

Vanderbilt

Two legit 7-footers

One can hit the three the other is a consensus lottery pick and a deadly lefty assassin guard.

so you are telling me I'm going to be watching a lot of games with that weird court setup

 

[CatsTopPac]

Looks good for the most part. Funny how we can look at this and say that, and then in 6 months looks back and point to about 5 teams we'd switch way in, and 5 teams we'd switch way out.

Can't wait.

 

[kramer1]

Looks good for the most part. Funny how we can look at this and say that, and then in 6 months looks back and point to about 5 teams we'd switch way in, and 5 teams we'd switch way out.

Can't wait.

One team that I predict will be way out is Memphis.

 

[ericd7633]

One team that I predict will be way out is Memphis.

I may be putting too much stock in their recruiting class and the grad transfer they picked up from Bama. They do have arguably the best talent in the conference though.

 

[kramer1]

I may be putting too much stock in their recruiting class and the grad transfer they picked up from Bama. They do have arguably the best talent in the conference though.

Yeah, I really don't understand your ranking there. They stunk last season. Cincinnati lost nobody....yet you have them as a worse seed. Doesn't really make much sense to me....even as a homer.

I'd be stunned if Memphis made the tournament.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

I will be extremely disappointed if we aren't in the tournament

and hopefully we don't have to play Dayton in Dayton again this year

 

[Cincyfan78]

Memphis doesn't have the best talent in the conference. You can argue SMU (Yes, I know they are not eligible) or even UConn with their recruiting class and transfer from Pitt. But, Memphis recruits have been over-rated for years now, and their coach isn't that great. Pastner is riding the coattails of his predecessor.

Cincinnati will be much higher than a 9 seed. They return everyone, and added a decent recruiting class.

Watch out for Miami. They could challenge in the ACC, and have had Duke's number recently if I recall. Vastly underrated.

I think WVU is underrated as well. This might be Huggins' best team at WVU.

 

[ManuForever]

I enjoy seeing UK beat up Robert Morris. I'll take it.

 

[ericd7633]

Memphis doesn't have the best talent in the conference. You can argue SMU (Yes, I know they are not eligible) or even UConn with their recruiting class and transfer from Pitt. But, Memphis recruits have been over-rated for years now, and their coach isn't that great. Pastner is riding the coattails of his predecessor.

Cincinnati will be much higher than a 9 seed. They return everyone, and added a decent recruiting class.

Watch out for Miami. They could challenge in the ACC, and have had Duke's number recently if I recall. Vastly underrated.

I think WVU is underrated as well. This might be Huggins' best team at WVU.

I said Memphis arguably has the best talent in the conference, which I don't think is a stretch at all. Especially given the grad transfer they are getting from Bama, along with Goodwin, Johnson and their recruiting class this year. They'll have two McDonald's AA's on the roster FWIW.

I think Cincy will be very similar to last year, they have limitations on their roster, and didn't pick up an impact recruit. I don't see anything wrong predicting them to be in the 30's this year.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I said Memphis arguably has the best talent in the conference, which I don't think is a stretch at all. Especially given the grad transfer they are getting from Bama, along with Goodwin, Johnson and their recruiting class this year. They'll have two McDonald's AA's on the roster FWIW.

I think Cincy will be very similar to last year, they have limitations on their roster, and didn't pick up an impact recruit. I don't see anything wrong predicting them to be in the 30's this year.

Jacob Evans III was a consensus 4* guy, and LSU went hard after him. He's an impact, but when you return 7 guys that played last year, hard to really make an impact unless you are a guy looking to be a potential 1-done.

I guess it comes down to what you value. When I look at teams, I value experience and depth over recruits and transfers.

Not to mention, UC only had 5 or 6 games with their head coach last year due to medical issues. Not many teams overcome that and win games, let alone make the NCAA tourney. The defense will always be the calling card as it has ranked in the top 5 or 6 for the past 4 or 5 years nationally. More experience with offense is only going to bring good things.

Memphis might have recruits, but I'm willing to bet they don't even finish in the top 5 of the conference.

 

[ericd7633]

Jacob Evans III was a consensus 4* guy, and LSU went hard after him. He's an impact, but when you return 7 guys that played last year, hard to really make an impact unless you are a guy looking to be a potential 1-done.

I guess it comes down to what you value. When I look at teams, I value experience and depth over recruits and transfers.

Not to mention, UC only had 5 or 6 games with their head coach last year due to medical issues. Not many teams overcome that and win games, let alone make the NCAA tourney. The defense will always be the calling card as it has ranked in the top 5 or 6 for the past 4 or 5 years nationally. More experience with offense is only going to bring good things.

Memphis might have recruits, but I'm willing to bet they don't even finish in the top 5 of the conference.

I'm aware of Cincy's recruiting class. He wasn't a consensus top 100 player. I wouldn't consider that an impactful recruit, myself. I'd say anybody in the top 50 would be considered impactful, and Memphis has 3 guys that are right around that range.

I look at all things, when doing this. Sure Cincy gets all their players back, but I just think there are limitations on that roster. The American should be much improved this year. Houston, Memphis, UConn will all be much better IMO.

I can see Cincy adding a couple losses to the resume, but them stay about the same on the seed line, because they'll have better a better SoS and RPI.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I'm aware of Cincy's recruiting class. He wasn't a consensus top 100 player. I wouldn't consider that an impactful recruit, myself. I'd say anybody in the top 50 would be considered impactful, and Memphis has 3 guys that are right around that range.

I look at all things, when doing this. Sure Cincy gets all their players back, but I just think there are limitations on that roster. The American should be much improved this year. Houston, Memphis, UConn will all be much better IMO.

I can see Cincy adding a couple losses to the resume, but them stay about the same on the seed line, because they'll have better a better SoS and RPI.

I agree the SOS will be good, and they have potential losses in the non-conference schedule. Considering they finished near the top last year in the AAC with a sweep of SMU, though, and I would expect them to be better, I think UC has less problems this year with the AAC than last year.

I see it as SMU, and UC as the top two. UConn on a bounce back, but still a lot of questions even with the transfers and recruits, but will also contend. Temple and Tulsa should continue on from last year in that range, but I don't think they are quite as good as the top 3. I like Houston, not because of the transfers but because they were in a lot of games last year and just lacked depth, which they will get this year to help rest guys and keep them from wearing down in games.

After that would be Memphis. I'm also not sold on Pastner being able to actually coach. He's had a lot of big time recruits, and either lost them to transfer, or failed to get them to play to their potential. It's been an every year thing for him, too.

Should be a good season, there's no doubt about that. Lots of time between now and then for things to happen.