Bracket Watch '11 - Oh, woe is Tennessee

It's hard to be a Tennessee fan. Not only do the Vols have four questionable losses this year(three were in Knoxville), they now have to play half of the SEC slate without Bruce Pearl roaming the sidelines(He will be allowed to coach vs. Connecticut on the 22nd). Normally, the NCAA does not look at a team's situation when it doesn't have it's coach, but something tells me that may be different this year. What will hurt the Vols more than anything else is that the 2nd half of the SEC slate is more difficult than the first, with Kentucky on the slate twice.

Because of this, the Vols are the last team left out of my field of 68 this week. The whole thing follows as this:

Based on all games played as of 1/9

Final Four pairings
East(1) vs. West(4)
Southeast(2) vs. Southwest(3)

First Four games
Tuesday
Game A: Baylor vs. Old Dominion
Game B: Southern California vs. Richmond
Wednesday
Game A: Wagner(Northeast) vs. Hartford(America East)
Game B: Nicholls State(Southland) vs. Jackson State(Southwestern)

East region

@ Charlotte
1-Duke(Atlantic Coast) vs. Nicholls State/Jackson State
8-West Virginia vs. 9-Missouri State(Missouri Valley)
@ Denver
4-Washington(Pacific-10) vs. 13-Oakland(Summit)
5-Missouri vs. 12-Tulane(Conference USA)
@ Chicago
2-Notre Dame vs. 15-Bucknell(Patriot)
7-Texas vs. 10-Virginia Tech
@ Cleveland
3-Purdue(Big Ten) vs. 14-Fairfield(Metro Atlantic)
6-Vanderbilt vs. 11-Cincinnati

West region

@ Washington, DC
1-Syracuse(Big East) vs. 16-Hampton(Mid-Eastern)
8-Central Florida vs. 9-Minnesota
@ Tampa
4-Illinois vs. 13-Baylor/Old Dominion
5-Temple(Atlantic 10) vs. 12-Austin Peay(Ohio Valley)
@ Tucson
2-San Diego State vs. 15-Boise State(Western Athletic)
7-Butler(Horizon) vs. 10-Georgia
@ Tulsa
3-Pittsburgh vs. 14-Northern Colorado(Big Sky)
6-Kansas State vs. 11-Washington State

Southeast region

@ Cleveland
1-Ohio State vs. 16-Wagner/Hartford
8-St. John's vs. 9-Gonzaga
@ Tampa
4-Florida(Southeastern) vs. 13-Belmont(Atlantic Sun)
5-Texas A&M(Big 12) vs. 12-College of Charleston(Southern)
@ Denver
2-Brigham Young(Mountain West) vs. 15-Long Beach State(Big West)
7-Arizona vs. 10-Oklahoma State
@ Washington DC
3-Connecticut vs. 14-Coastal Carolina(Big South)
6-Boston College vs. 11-Memphis

Southwest region

@ Tulsa
1-Kansas vs. 16-Florida Atlantic(Sun Belt)
8-St. Mary's(West Coast) vs. 9-Louisville
@ Tucson
4-Georgetown vs. 13-Harvard(Ivy)
5-Wisconsin vs. 12-Southern California/Richmond
@ Charlotte
2-Kentucky vs. 15-Ball State(Mid-American)
7-Michigan State vs. 10-Nevada-Las Vegas
@ Chicago
3-Villanova vs. 14-Hofstra(Colonial)
6-North Carolina vs. 11-Wichita State

Dropped from last week's field: Maine, Florida State, Lipscomb, Dayton, Montana, Liberty, Drexel, Cleveland State, Princeton, Iona, St. Francis(NY), Tennessee, Chattanooga, North Texas, Portland, Utah State
New to the field: Hartford, Belmont, Richmond, Northern Colorado, Coastal Carolina, Baylor, Hofstra, Tulane, Harvard, Fairfield, Missouri State, Wagner, Georgia, College of Charleston, Florida Atlantic, Boise State

Last four in the field: Southern California, Richmond, Baylor, Old Dominion
First four on the outside: Tennessee, Florida State, Marquette, Cleveland State
Next four on the outside: Maryland, Utah State, Dayton, Arkansas
The under-consideration board: North Carolina State, Xavier, Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa State, Nebraska, Southern Mississippi, Northern Iowa, New Mexico, UCLA, Stanford, Alabama

Next projection: Monday of course.