Bracket Watch '11 - Friday Update

Before I release the seeding update, I admit that I'm being harsh on Georgia. If you look at the current Bracket Matrix, I'm the only one who doesn't believe the Bulldogs are not NCAA worthy. This is simply because they have a tough finish to their schedule(starting this weekend at Tennessee) and the fact they have lost several key home games too to the likes of Xavier and Vanderbilt. That said, the Bulldogs are in the projected field today, since it appears no one else wants in.

Projected seeds as of Today(And this week, regions for the #1 seeds); teams underlined will be in the first four:

1-Ohio State(East), Texas(Southwest), Pittsburgh(Southeast), Duke(West)
2-Kansas, Brigham Young, San Diego State, Notre Dame
3-Connecticut, Georgetown, Purdue, Wisconsin
4-Florida, Syracuse, North Carolina, Villanova
5-Arizona, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
6-Louisville, Xavier, West Virginia, Illinois
7-Missouri, Temple, St. John's, Tennessee
8-Florida State, UCLA, Utah State, Washington
9-Cincinnati, George Mason, Alabama, UNLV
10-St. Mary's, Baylor, Marquette, Virginia Tech
11-Minnesota, Missouri State, Memphis, Kansas State
12-Boston College, Michigan State, Belmont, Georgia, Old Dominion
13-Wichita State, Butler, Oakland, Princeton, Cleveland State
14-Miami(Ohio), Coastal Carolina, Vermont, College of Charleston
15-Montana, Fairfield, Morehead State, Bucknell
16-Long Beach State, Hampton, Long Island, Florida Atlantic, Texas State, Texas Southern

New to the field: Kansas State, Butler, Cleveland State, Miami(Ohio), Georgia
Leaving the field: Richmond, UTEP, UAB, Valparaiso, Kent State

Last four in the field: Georgia, Old Dominion, Wichita State, Butler
First four left out: Richmond, UAB, Gonzaga, Colorado State
Next four left out: Penn State, Washington State, Harvard, Duquesne
The underconsideration board: Clemson, North Carolina State, Maryland, Dayton, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Southern Mississippi, Valparaiso, New Mexico, South Carolina

Guess Who?

It's blind resume time once again. Can you identify this bubble team?

Current RPI: 58.
Division I Record: 16-10
SOS: 0.574
SOS Rank: 18
vs. RPI top 50: 2-8
vs. RPI 51-100: 5-1
vs. RPI 101-150: 2-0
vs. RPI 151-200: 1-1
vs. the Dregs: 5-0
Hint: this team faces a tough finishing stretch.
(All info current as of Tuesday Morning. It comes from Rivals.Yahoo.com)

Bracket Watch '11 - Who wants to be an NCAA tourney team?

At this point, many teams don't want to be one. And they know who they are. OTOH, teams like George Mason and Alabama are looking more and more like NCAA teams. Given the paucity of teams distinguishing themselves, these two are closer to being locks than most people realize.

With that being said, here's the latest projection, complete with a new #1 overall seed to boot.

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

The First Four:
Tuesday Game A: Cincinnati vs. Wichita State
Tuesday Game B: Richmond vs. UAB
Wednesday Game A: Murray State(Ohio Valley) vs. Florida Atlantic(Sun Belt)
Wednesday Game B: Texas State(Southland) vs. Texas Southern(Southwestern)

East region

@ Cleveland
1-Pittsburgh(Big East) vs. 16-Texas State/Texas Southern
8-George Mason(Colonial) vs. 9-Utah State(Western Athletic)
@ Tucson
4-Vanderbilt vs. 13-Cincinnati/Wichita State
5-Texas A&M vs. 12-UTEP(Conference USA)
@ Charlotte
2-Duke(Atlantic Coast) vs. 15-Long Island(Northeast)
7-Washington vs. 10-Alabama
@ Chicago
3-Wisconsin vs. 14-Bucknell(Patriot)
6-Villanova vs. 11-Baylor
(Note: Baylor and Alabama swapped seeds so that the Bears would not face Duke in the 3rd round, if they defeated Washington)

West region

@ Tulsa
1-Kansas vs. 16-Hampton(Mid-Eastern)
8-St. Mary's(West Coast) vs. 9-Minnesota
@ Tampa
4-North Carolina vs. 13-Princeton(Ivy)
5-West Virginia vs. 12-Belmont(Atlantic Sun)
@ Denver
2-Brigham Young(Mountain West) vs. 15-Kent State(Mid-American)
7-Xavier(Atlantic 10) vs. 10-Marquette
@ Chicago
3-Notre Dame vs. 14-Valparaiso(Horizon)
6-Arizona(Pacific-10) vs. 11-Michigan State

Southeast region
@ Cleveland
1-Ohio State(Big Ten) vs. 16-Murray State/Florida Atlantic
8-St. John's vs. 9-UNLV
@ Denver
4-Louisville vs. 13-Coastal Carolina(Big South)
5-Missouri vs. 12-Old Dominion
@ Charlotte
2-Georgetown vs. 15-Vermont(America East)
7-Temple vs. 10-Virginia Tech
@ Tampa
3-Florida(Southeastern) vs. 14-College of Charleston(Southern)
6-Illinois vs. 11-Memphis

Southwest region

@ Tulsa
1-Texas(Big 12) vs. 16-Long Beach State(Big West)
8-UCLA vs. 9-Florida State
@ Washington D.C.
4-Connecticut vs. 13-Oakland(Summit)
5-Kentucky vs. 12-Richmond/UAB
@ Tucson
2-San Diego State vs. 15-Montana(Big Sky)
7-Syracuse vs. 10-Missouri State(Missouri Valley)
@ Washington D.C.
3-Purdue vs. 14-Fairfield(Metro Atlantic)
6-Tennessee vs. 11-Boston College

New to the field: Richmond, Montana, Memphis, Wichita State, Alabama, Texas State
Leaving the field: Clemson, Duquesne, Northern Colorado, Kansas State, Virginia Commonwealth, Northwestern State

Last four in the field: Cincinnati, Richmond, UAB, Wichita State
First four left out: Georgia, Virginia Commonwealth, Kansas State, Duquesne
Next four left out: Harvard, Clemson, Gonzaga, Butler
The under-consideration board: Maryland, Dayton, Providence, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Cleveland State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Washington State, South Carolina