Bracket Watch '12 - Friday Bracket Update

And now for something completely different, a Friday bracket. Enjoy at your own risk.

Note: ^Indicates team on the bubble.
Final Four pairings:
South(1) vs. West(4)
East(2) vs. Midwest(3)

First Four pairings:
Tuesday: Long Island(Northeast) vs. Mississippi Valley State(Southwestern); Arizona vs. Colorado State
Wednesday: Stony Brook(America East) vs. Savannah State(Mid-Eastern); Seton Hall vs. North Carolina State

SOUTH Regional

Louisville
1-Kentucky(Southeastern) vs. Long Island/Mississippi Valley State
8-New Mexico vs. 9-Iowa State
Nashville
4-Wisconsin vs. 13-Iona(Metro Atlantic)
5-Murray State(Ohio Valley) vs. 12-Connecticut*
Greensboro
2-North Carolina vs. 15-Bucknell(Patriot)
7-Louisville vs. 10-California*
Albuquerque
3-Baylor vs. 14-Belmont(Atlantic Sun)
6-Gonzaga vs. 11-Long Beach State(Big West)*

WEST Regional

Greensboro
1-Duke(Atlantic Coast) vs. 16-Stony Brook/Savannah State
8-Kansas State vs. 9-Purdue
Portland
4-Georgetown vs. 13-Oral Roberts(Summit)*
5-Unlv vs. 12-Mississippi State*
Columbus
2-Michigan State(Big Ten) vs. 15-Akron(Mid-American)
7-Temple(Atlantic 10) vs. 10-Southern Mississippi*
Albuquerque
3-Wichita State(Missouri Valley) vs. 14-Nevada(Western Athletic)
6-Notre Dame vs. 11-Brigham Young

EAST Regional

Pittsburgh
1-Syracuse vs. 16-UNC Asheville(Big South)
8-Alabama vs. 9-Saint Louis
Portland
4-Florida State vs. 13-Arizona/Colorado State
5-St. Mary's(West Coast) vs. 12-South Florida
Omaha
2-Missouri vs. 15-Montana(Big Sky)
7-Memphis(Conference USA) vs. 10-Harvard(Ivy)
Louisville
3-Indiana vs. 14-Middle Tennessee(Sun Belt)
6-Florida vs. 11-West Virginia*

MIDWEST Regional

Omaha
1-Kansas(Big 12) vs. 16-Texas-Arlington(Southland)
8-Virginia vs. 9-Washington(Pacific-12)
Nashville
4-Vanderbilt vs. 13-Seton Hall/NC State
5-Michigan vs. 12-Drexel(Colonial)*
Pittsburgh
2-Ohio State vs. 15-Valparaiso(Horizon)
7-Creighton vs. 10-Cincinnati*
Columbus
3-Marquette vs. 14-Davidson(Southern)
6-San Diego State(Mountain West) vs. 11-Texas*

Last four in the field(by seed list number): Arizona(49), Seton Hall(51), Colorado State(52), North Carolina State(53)
First four left out: Xavier(54), Northwestern(55), Oregon(56), Miami(FL)(57),
Next four left out: Virginia Commonwealth(58), St. Joseph's(60), Central Florida(61), South Dakota State(63)
Also under consideration: Dayton, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Buffalo, Wagner

Note 2: Should VMI upset UNC Asheville in the Big South final, the Keydets would be slotted into the first four and Stony Brook would be moved out of it.

Bid Poaching

What is bid poaching? It's a situation where a team not normally considered a candidate for an at-large selection beats a team who is for the automatic berth. That forces the team who lost to be chosen for an at-large in order to get in. So who are this year's bid poachers? Read on.

Atlantic Coast: Maryland
Atlantic 10: LaSalle, Massaschusetts, or St. Joseph's
Big East: Pittsburgh
Big Ten: Illinois or Iowa
Big 12: Oklahoma State
Colonial: George Mason, Old Dominion, or Delaware
Conference USA: Tulsa
Missouri Valley: Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, or Northern Iowa
Mountain West: Wyoming
Ohio Valley: Tennessee State
Pacific-12: Oregon
Southeastern: Tennessee
West Coast: Loyola Marymount

Who's yours? Post a comment.

Bracket Watch '12 - 13 Days to go

For those of you who want a piece that just gushes about what a great day Saturday was in the college basketball landscape, you are sadly quite mistaken. Not that I would have done one, but most sites already have. No, you'll just get the latest projections.
Note: ^Indicates bubble team.

Final Four pairings:
South(1) vs. West(4)
East(2) vs. Midwest(3)

First Four pairings:
Tuesday: Long Island(Northeast) vs. Mississippi Valley State(Southwest); Seton Hall vs. Northwestern
Wednesday: Stony Brook(America East) vs. Savannah State(Mid-Eastern); South Florida vs. Miami(FL)

SOUTH Regional

Louisville
1-Kentucky(Southeastern) vs. Long Island/Mississippi Valley State
8-Memphis vs. 9-Purdue
Albuquerque
4-Baylor vs. 13-Seton Hall^/Northwestern^
5-St. Mary's(West Coast) vs. 12-Arizona^
Greensboro
2-North Carolina vs. 15-Belmont(Atlantic Sun)
7-Notre Dame vs. 10-California^
Louisville
3-Indiana vs. 14-Middle Tennessee(Sun Belt)
6-San Diego State(Mountain West) vs. 11-Mississippi State^

WEST Regional

Columbus
1-Michigan State(Big Ten) vs. 16-Texas-Arlington(Southland)
8-Kansas State vs. 9-West Virginia^
Portland
4-Georgetown vs. 13-Oral Roberts(Summit)^
5-Nevada-Las Vegas vs. 12-Long Beach State(Big West)^
Omaha
2-Missouri vs. 15-Weber State(Big Sky)
7-Virginia vs. 10-Washington(Pacific-12)
Albuquerque
3-Wichita State(Missouri Valley) vs. 14-Nevada(Western Athletic)
6-Louisville vs. 11-Brigham Young^

EAST Regional

Pittsburgh
1-Syracuse(Big East) vs. 16-UNC Asheville(Big South)
8-Alabama vs. 9-Iowa State^
Nashville
4-Michigan vs. 13-South Florida^/Miami(FL)^
5-Murray State(Ohio Valley) vs. 12-Drexel(Colonial)^
Greensboro
2-Duke(Atlantic Coast) vs. 15-Bucknell(Patriot)
7-Temple(Atlantic 10) vs. 10-Connecticut^
Nashville
3-Florida vs. 14-Davidson(Southern)
6-Gonzaga vs. 11-Texas^

MIDWEST Regional

Omaha
1-Kansas(Big 12) vs. 16-Stony Brook/Savannah State
8-New Mexico vs. 9-Saint Louis
Portland
4-Wisconsin vs. 13-Iona(Metro Atlantic)
5-Vanderbilt vs. 12-Cincinnati^
Columbus
2-Marquette vs. 15-Valparaiso(Horizon)
7-Creighton vs. 10-Southern Mississippi^
Pittsburgh
3-Ohio State vs. 14-Akron(Mid-American)
6-Florida State vs. 11-Harvard(Ivy)^

Notes: The following teams were moved a seed line to fit the principles:
St. Mary's(Up 1)
Texas(Up 1)
West Virginia(Up 1)
Florida State(Down 1)
Long Beach State(Down 1)
Washington(Down 1)

Last four in the field(by seed list): Seton Hall(49), Northwestern(50), South Florida(52), Miami(FL)(53)
First four left out: Xavier(54), Colorado State(55), Central Florida(56), St. Joseph's(58)
Next four left out: Oregon(59), Virginia Commonwealth(60), North Carolina State(61), South Dakota State(64)
Also considered: Louisiana State, Maryland, Massachusetts, Wyoming