Bracketology 2012

[Da Coach]

Here are the latest NCAA bracket and at-large projections-

From Joe Lunardi of ESPN (updated 3/2)-
Note Wichita State was elevated to a 4-seed, but he has dropped Creighton down to a 7-seed.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Last four in: South Florida, Colorado State, Texas, Northwestern
First four out: Xavier, VCU, Oregon, NC State

From Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com (updated 3/1)-
Palm said in his blog last PM that he would not make any changes from this 3/1 bracket.
Wichita State is a 4-seed, and Creighton is a 6-seed.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology
Last four in: Mississippi State, Northwestern, South Florida, Texas
First four out: UCF, Arizona, VCU, Miami (FL)

[Da Coach]

Updat for Monday, March 5-
ESPN's Joe Lunardi's bracket with changes from this weekend's games-

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

Wichita State stays a #4 seed despite being upset in the MVC semifinals by ISU. Creighton stays at a #7 seed, which I think is about right.
Last four in: Northwestern, Seton Hall, Xavier, Texas
First four out: Tennessee, VCU, Oregon, NC State

CBS's Jerry Palm's updated bracket-

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology

He has dropped Wichita State to a #6 seed, and elevated Creighton to a #4 seed.
Last four in:

South Florida, California, Colorado State, Miami (FL)

First four out:

Texas, VCU, North Carolina State, Oregon

[BuBraves55]

Northwestern over Cal and Colorado St seems to be a stretch. I wonder if he predicts the rest of the games or plays it like as it lies?

[Bravesfan]

Updat for Monday, March 5-
ESPN's Joe Lunardi's bracket with changes from this weekend's games-

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

Wichita State stays a #4 seed despite being upset in the MVC semifinals by ISU. Creighton stays at a #7 seed, which I think is about right.
Last four in: Northwestern, Seton Hall, Xavier, Texas
First four out: Tennessee, VCU, Oregon, NC State

CBS's Jerry Palm's updated bracket-

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology

He has dropped Wichita State to a #6 seed, and elevated Creighton to a #4 seed.
Last four in:

South Florida, California, Colorado State, Miami (FL)

First four out:

Texas, VCU, North Carolina State, Oregon

That's a big difference that the two have regarding WSU's and Creighton's seeding. I personally think Creighton still should get at least a 6 seed, while I'm glad at least someone thinks that Wichita St. should not be punished that much for losing in their conference tournament. I think a conference tournament should only mean something if one or both teams are on or below the bubble, while conversely it shouldn't hurt a high seeded team if they have a bad night. That's why I'm hoping the Shockers don't fall too much in seeding.

In the meantime, VCU does not have to wait until Selection Sunday to find out if they are going dancing because they take care of business tonight beating Drexel 55-52 in the CAA championship. And while this is where a conference tournament means something, I do think Drexel is at-large worthy despite a marginal SOS. Any team that wins 25 out of 26 games before tonight should get in, even if it is in the same "first four" round that VCU came out of last year.

[Da Coach]

Here is an interesting site that grades a number of other Bracketology sites to see how accurately they picked the final brackets.-

http://bracketproject.50webs.com/rankings.html

ESPN's Joe Lunardi and CBS's Jerry Palm are right around the average of all the bracketologists, with at least 25 others doing a better job.

[Future Walk-On]

this would be real bad for my MVC fantasy team

[TheAsianSensation]

So much of WSU and CU's seed will depend on what others around them do. Don't forget that.

[MacabreMob]

Northwestern over Cal and Colorado St seems to be a stretch. I wonder if he predicts the rest of the games or plays it like as it lies?

I know Palm does it as if "TODAY, Right Now" is the selection day.

[Da Coach]

Bubbles poppin'-

http://eye-on-collegebasketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/35146512

Joe Lunardi of ESPN (updated March 8 )-
Note Wichita State is still a 4-seed, and Creighton still a 7-seed.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Last four in: Northwestern, Xavier, Drexel, Texas
First four out: Seton Hall, Tennessee, Oregon, NC State
Next four out: Miami, Iona, Arizona, St. Joseph's

CBS's Jerry Palm's updated bracket (updated March 9)-
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology
Wichita State is still a #6 seed, and Creighton is dropped 1 slot to a #5 seed.
Last four in: North Carolina State, Northwestern, Seton Hall, South Florida
First four out: Mississippi, Drexel, Iona, Dayton

Interesting that both still have Northwestern in the tournament.

[LittleBrave]

I'm going to predict (no matter what happens in other tournaments around the country the next couple days) that both Creighton and Wichita St. get a 6-seed.
Anything less..would be....uncivilized.

[BUSongwriter]

LB, I predict you'll think the selection committee is uncivilized Sunday evening. I can't remember when an MVC team got a seed that made me think...."that's nice." It's always a disappointment, and even though Creighton and WSU have gotten nice chat and seeming respect, history tells me prepare for reality.

WSU 7, Creighton 8. I hope I'm wrong.

[Da Coach]

Here are latest updates to the brackets-

Joe Lunardi of ESPN (updated March 9)-
He still has Wichita State as a 4-seed, and has elevated Creighton to a 6-seed. Note that he has moved Northwestern from one of the last 4 in to one of the last 4 out.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Last four in: Washington, Mississippi State, Drexel, Seton Hall
First four out: Tennessee, Northwestern, NC State, Miami
Next four out: Iona, Arizona, St. Joseph's, Oregon

CBS's Jerry Palm's updated bracket (updated March 10)-
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology
Wichita State is still a #6 seed, and Creighton is still a #5 seed.
Last four in: Colorado State, Mississippi, Northwestern, South Florida
Teams falling out: Miami, Nevada, Seton Hall, Dayton, Tennessee

Here is a site that predicts NIT teams- they have historically been pretty accurate-

http://nitology.com/

Their picks for the 32 team NIT field include one MVC team, Northern Iowa, which they project as a 5 seed, meaning they will be a road team.
Illinois State is among those "out" of the NIT, and their hopes are extremely slim as the NITology ranks 14 teams ahead of them on the bubble

[Bravesfan]

Here are latest updates to the brackets-

Joe Lunardi of ESPN (updated March 9)-
He still has Wichita State as a 4-seed, and has elevated Creighton to a 6-seed. Note that he has moved Northwestern from one of the last 4 in to one of the last 4 out.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Last four in: Washington, Mississippi State, Drexel, Seton Hall
First four out: Tennessee, Northwestern, NC State, Miami
Next four out: Iona, Arizona, St. Joseph's, Oregon

CBS's Jerry Palm's updated bracket (updated March 10)-
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology
Wichita State is still a #6 seed, and Creighton is still a #5 seed.
Last four in: Colorado State, Mississippi, Northwestern, South Florida
Teams falling out: Miami, Nevada, Seton Hall, Dayton, Tennessee

Here is a site that predicts NIT teams- they have historically been pretty accurate-

http://nitology.com/

Their picks for the 32 team NIT field include one MVC team, Northern Iowa, which they project as a 5 seed, meaning they will be a road team.
Illinois State is among those "out" of the NIT, and their hopes are extremely slim as the NITology ranks 14 teams ahead of them on the bubble

Interesting that Palm STILL haas Northwestern in the NCAA Tournament. Who know, the bubble is soft this year, even more so than in previous years where the bubble was supposed "soft" as well.

I agree about the MVC fielding one NIT team. Thank the strength of the conference for that since I'm not sure we have any real NIT worthy teams. But I do believe it will be either UNI or ISU and not both. But who knows.

[Da Coach]

Yeah, who knows? The NCAA committees the past few years have stressed the use of the "eye test" which they invented to make the choices more subjective, and ignore their own objective modes of measurement like RPI and SOS. That way it was easier to excluded non-BCS schools.
But with their extremely subjective criteria, maybe there will be a small pity-factor that will drag Northwestern up enough to get in. If they do get in, watch them get rewarded by jumping over at least a dozen other schools and get a 12 seed. I wouldn't be surprised if they invoke an excuse like "they played in the #1 conference in RPI", which previously they have said doesn't matter.

If Northwestern doesn't make it, then it would mean the Big Ten, despite being #1, will only have 6 teams, fewer than usual, while the Big East has maybe 10.
That's why I think they'll get in.

[Da Coach]

ESPN's Joe Lunardi just updated his bracket (for March 10) and there were some changes-

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

Wichita State was dropped to a #5 seed, and Creighton stayed a #6 seed
Last four in: Texas, NC State, Mississippi State, Seton Hall
First four out: Washington, Drexel, Miami, Marshall
Next four out: Iona, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Colorado