Field of 68 Projection: A Pair of Pac 12 Teams (USC/ASU) the Current Bubble Cutline

[SelectionSunday]

Only 16 days until Selection Sunday. …

An * denotes the automatic qualifier (current #1 seed for upcoming conference tournament) in a multiple-bid conference. Current NET ranking is noted in parentheses.

FIELD OF 68 PROJECTION (through games played February 23)
America East (1): Vermont (128)

American (2): *Houston (1), Memphis (38)

ACC (5): Virginia (21), *Miami (27), Duke (29), NC State (36), Pitt (55)

ASUN (1): Kennesaw State (126)

Atlantic 10 (1): VCU (75)

Big East (5): UConn (8), *Marquette (13), Creighton (14), Xavier (33), Providence (40)

Big Sky (1): Eastern Washington (109)

Big South (1): UNC-Asheville (146)

Big Ten (9): *Purdue (5), Indiana (20), Maryland (23), Illinois (30), Michigan State (35), Rutgers (37), Northwestern (39), Iowa (44), Wisconsin (70)

Big XII (8): *Kansas (6), Texas (9), Baylor (12), Iowa State (17), Kansas State (18), TCU (25), West Virginia (26), Oklahoma State (41)

Big West (1): UC-Irvine (96)

Colonial (1): Hofstra (87)

Conference USA (1): FAU (19)

Horizon (1): Youngstown State (114)

Ivy (1): Yale (68)

MAAC (1): Iona (67)

MAC (1): Toledo (89)

MEAC (1): Howard (236)

Missouri Valley (1): Drake (61)

Mountain West (3): *San Diego State (16), Boise State (24), Nevada (32)

NEC (1): Fairleigh Dickinson (308)

OVC (1): Morehead State (225)

Pac 12 (3): *UCLA (3), Arizona (11), USC (49)

Patriot (1): Colgate (99)

SEC (8): *Alabama (2), Tennessee (4), Arkansas (15), Texas A&M (22), Kentucky (28), Auburn (31), Mississippi State (42), Missouri (52)

SoCon (1): Samford (127)

Southland (1): Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (200)

SWAC (1): Alcorn State (238)

Summit (1): Oral Roberts (45)

Sun Belt (1): Marshall (72)

WCC (2): *Saint Mary’s (7), Gonzaga (10)

WAC (1): Utah Valley (81)
___________________________
Last 4 In: Rutgers (37), West Virginia (26), Wisconsin (70), (last team in) USC (49)

First 4 Out: (first team out) Arizona State (66), New Mexico (46), Clemson (76), College of Charleston (54)

8 to Watch: Utah State (34), Liberty (43), North Carolina (47), Texas Tech (48), Oregon (50), Michigan (53), Penn State (56), Seton Hall (69)

Non-Power 6 At-Large Bids (4): Gonzaga (10), Boise State (24), Nevada (32), Memphis (38)

First 4 Automatic Qualifiers: Morehead State (225), Howard (236), Alcorn State (238), Fairleigh Dickinson (308)
___________________________
In With the New (4): Drake, Kennesaw State, Marshall, Toledo

Out With the Old (4): Bradley, Kent State, Liberty, Southern Miss

NEXT PROJECTION: Sunday evening, February 26

 

[row19gopher]

Any chance for UNT other than conference tournament championship?

 

[golfing18now]

How many of your Big Ten teams are locked in at this point, barring a real collapse down the stretch? I'm surprised to see Rutgers has fallen all the way down to last four in?

 

[SelectionSunday]

How many of your Big Ten teams are locked in at this point, barring a real collapse down the stretch? I'm surprised to see Rutgers has fallen all the way down to last four in?

I'm a little lower on Rutgers than most because they did nothing in a non-conference schedule that currently ranks #306 other than beat Wake Forest at home. If they lose @ Penn State on Sunday, it becomes danger zone time for the Scarlet Knights. They got away with a crappy non-conference schedule last season, not sure they'll be able to do that 2 years in a row.

Regarding the Big Ten, here's how I see it as of today:

Lock
Indiana
Purdue

Near Lock (1 or 2 more wins leaves no doubt)
Illinois
Iowa
Maryland
Michigan State
Northwestern

Bubble
Michigan (win 2 of final 3, then win at least 1 in Chicago to have a shot)
Penn State (win 2 of final 3, will then sit squarely on the bubble heading to Chicago)
Rutgers (split @ Penn State/Northwestern, beat Gophers will be a lock)
Wisconsin (split @ Michigan/Purdue, beat Gophers, win at least 1 in Chicago to have a shot)

 

[SelectionSunday]

Any chance for UNT other than conference tournament championship?

I had UNT under consideration until last night. I think the loss to Charlotte ended any (small) path they had to an at-large bid.

 

[row19gopher]

You're probaly right - UNT's margin for error is pretty slim...