Bracket Watch '11 - Friday Update

For the rest of this month, I'll only be doing seeding updates on Fridays. Here's the first such update. Projections are done as if the season ended yesterday(No attempt is made to forecast the remainder of the season).

Note: First Four teams are Underlined.

1-Ohio State, Texas, Pittsburgh, Kansas
2-Duke, Brigham Young, San Diego State, Georgetown
3-Notre Dame, Purdue, Connecticut, Florida
4-Wisconsin, Kentucky, North Carolina, Vanderbilt
5-Villanova, Arizona, Tennessee, Syracuse
6-West Virginia, Florida State, Illinois, Temple
7-Texas A&M, Louisville, Missouri, Xavier
8-St. Mary's, Minnesota, St. John's, UNLV
9-Utah State, Washington, UCLA, VCU
10-Missouri State, George Mason, Cincinnati, Baylor
11-Virginia Tech, Clemson, Marquette, UTEP
12-UAB, Boston College, Belmont, Duquesne, Michigan State
13-Kansas State, Old Dominion, Oakland, Valparaiso, Princeto
14-Vermont, Kent State, Murray State, College of Charleston
15-Bucknell, Fairfield, Long Beach State, Coastal Carolina
16-Hampton, Northern Colorado, Long Island, Florida Atlantic, Northwestern State, Texas Southern

New to the field: Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Baylor, Old Dominion, Valparaiso,, Missouri State
Leaving the field: Richmond, Memphis, Cleveland State, Wichita State, Alabama, Georgia

Last four in the field: Duquesne, Michigan State, Kansas State, Old Dominion
First four left out: Richmond, Memphis, Oklahoma State, South Carolina
Next four left out: Wichita State, Harvard, Dayton, Alabama
The under-consideration board: Maryland, Providence, Northwestern, Penn State, Nebraska, Southern Mississippi, Tulsa, Southern Methodist, Colorado State, New Mexico, Washington State, Gonzaga.

State of the Bubble - Pacific-10 to Western Athletic

Sorry folks for being this late with the last installment. I was busy and couldn't find the time to put this up, until now.

Pacific-10
Expected bid range: 2-4
Locks: none
Should be in: Arizona
Bubble riders: UCLA, Washington, Washington State
In another down year for the Pac-10, it seems no one wants to be a lock. The Wildcats are the closest, but have little to show from their non-conference work. The Huskies are in a bit of bother, struggling to hold on to the Wildcats' coattails.

Patriot League
Expected bids: 1
Contenders: Bucknell, American

Southeastern
Expected bid range: 4-6
Locks: Florida, Kentucky
Should be in: Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Bubble Riders: Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina

Southern
Expected bids: 1
Contenders: College of Charleston, Chattanooga, Furman, Wofford

Southland
Expected bids: 1
Contenders: It's so wide open down here, everyone but Central Arkansas could win the conference. And that's saying something.

Southwestern
Expected bids: 1
Contenders: Texas Southern, Jackson State

Summit
Expected bids: 1
Contenders: Oakland, IUPUI, IPFW, South Dakota State
Earlier this season, the Grizzlies could have been in contention for an at-large, but a loss to the Jaguars put an end to that. Still, if Oakland does make it, they will give a higher seed fits.

Sun Belt
Expected bids: 1
Contenders: Florida Atlantic, Denver, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, North Texas

West Coast
Expected bid range: 1-2
Locks: None
Should be in: St. Mary's
Bubble riders: None
Gonzaga is out of contention for the moment, after losing at home to Memphis on Feb. 5th, but they could still make their way back in.

Guess Who?

It's time for blind resumes! Your mission is to identify this team by reading it's record. The first person to identify the team in question wins....absolutely nothing.

The Team in Question:
RPI Rank: 29
Division I record: 18-6
Conference Record: 9-4
SOS: 52
vs. RPI top 50: 2-3
vs. RPI 51-100: 5-2
vs. RPI 101-150: 3-1
vs. RPI 151-200: 3-0
vs. the Dregs(RPI 201+): 5-0
Notes: in a number of brackets, but in 3rd place in their league.

Bracket Watch '11-Now the real fun begins

First off, for those wondering what happened to the third part of the state of the bubble series, I will get to it this week. Secondly, this week begins the Friday projection series, which will be the same as the Monday projection series. Thirdly, I'll be starting up the blind resumes on Tuesday. Lastly, is anyone as frustrated by the lack of teams willing to step up? I present you my projected field and can say without any resonable doubt, I can't figure it out either.

Projections as if the season ended before Christina Aguilera butchered the Star Spangled Banner.

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

First Four games:
Tuesday: UAB vs. Richmond; Kansas State vs. Memphis
Wednesday: Hampton(Mid-Eastern) vs. Northern Colorado(Big Sky); Northwestern State(Southland) vs. Texas Southern(Southwestern)

East region

@ Cleveland
1-Ohio State(Big Ten) vs. 16-Northwestern State/Texas Southern
8-Virginia Commonwealth(Colonial) vs. 9-Marquette
@ Denver
4-Missouri vs. 13-Alabama(Southeastern)
5-Syracuse vs. 12-Cleveland State(Horizon)
@ Washington, D.C.
2-Connecticut vs. 15-Vermont(America East)
7-Minnesota vs. 10-Wichita State
@ Tucson
3-San Diego State vs. 14-Kent State
6-Washington vs. 11-Georgia

West Region

@ Tulsa
1-Kansas vs. 16-Long Beach State(Big West)
8-Boston College vs. 9-St. John's
@ Tucson
4-Wisconsin vs. 13-Oakland
5-Kentucky vs. 12-UAB/Richmond
@ Charlotte
2-Duke(Atlantic Coast) vs. 15-Coastal Carolina
7-West Virginia vs. 10-Temple
3-Georgetown vs. 14-College of Charleston(Southern)
6-Illinois vs. 11-George Mason

Southwest region

@ Tulsa
1-Texas(Big 12) vs. 16-Hampton/Northern Colorado
8-Florida State vs. 9-St. Mary's(West Coast)
@ Tampa
4-Louisville vs. 13-Princeton(Ivy)
5-Tennessee vs. 12-Duquesne
@ Chicago
2-Purdue vs. 15-Fairfield(Metro Atlantic)
7-UNLV vs. 10-Utah State(Western Athletic)
3-Notre Dame vs. 14-Murray State(Ohio Valley)
6-Arizona(Pacific-10) vs. 11-Clemson

Southeast region

@ Cleveland
1-Pittsburgh(Big East) vs. 16-Florida Atlantic(Sun Belt)
8-Xavier(Atlantic 10) vs. 9-UCLA
@ Tampa
4-Florida vs. 13-Kansas State/Memphis
5-North Carolina vs. 12-Belmont(Atlantic Sun)
@ Denver
2-Brigham Young(Mountain West) vs. 15-Long Island(Northeast)
7-Texas A&M vs. 10-Cincinnati
@ Washington, D.C.
3-Villanova vs. 14-Bucknell(Patriot)
6-Vanderbilt vs. 11-UTEP(Conference USA)

New to the field: Vermont, Clemson, Richmond, Northern Colorado, Kansas State, George Mason, UAB, UTEP, Princeton, Hampton, Murray State, College of Charleston, Northwestern State
Leaving the field: Maine, Montana, Michigan State, Penn State, Nebraska, Old Dominion, Harvard, Bethune Cookman, Missouri State, Austin Peay, Wofford, McNeese State

Last four in the field: UAB, Kansas State, Richmond, Memphis
First four left out: Michigan State, Old Dominion, Baylor, South Carolina
Next four left out: Missouri State, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Harvard
The under-consideration board: Miami(FL), Virginia Tech, Dayton, Providence, Michigan, Northwestern, Nebraska, Iowa State, Southern Mississippi, Butler, Washington State, Gonzaga