Field of 68 Projection: Georgia Tech & Xavier Among 9 New Teams Joining The Field

SelectionSunday

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There are 9 new teams in this week’s Field of 68 projection: Bryant (NEC auto bid); Georgia Tech (at-large); Grand Canyon (WAC auto bid); Navy (Patriot #1 seed); Nicholls State (Southland auto bid); Richmond (at-large); Siena (MAAC auto bid); South Dakota State, (Summit #1 seed); and Xavier (at-large).

An * denotes the leader in a multiple-bid conference or -- in the event of a standings tie -- the team with the best NET ranking (noted in parentheses).

FIELD OF 68 PROJECTION (through games played Feb. 28)
America East (1): UMBC (129)

American (2): Houston (4), *Wichita State (66)

ACC (7): *Florida State (15), Virginia (17), Clemson (34), Georgia Tech (40), North Carolina (41), Virginia Tech (45), Louisville (46)

ASUN (1): Liberty (82)

Atlantic 10 (3): *Saint Bonaventure (28), VCU (37), Richmond (54)

Big East (4): *Villanova (11), Creighton (23), UConn (36), Xavier (48)

Big Sky (1): Eastern Washington (113)

Big South (1): Winthrop (68)

Big Ten (8): *Michigan (2), Iowa (5), Illinois (6), Ohio State (8), Purdue (21), Wisconsin (24), Maryland (29), Rutgers (32)

Big XII (7): *Baylor (3), Kansas (10), West Virginia (12), Texas Tech (14), Texas (27), Oklahoma (30), Oklahoma State (33)

Big West (1): UCSB (51)

Colonial (1): James Madison (131)

Conference USA (1): Western Kentucky (74)

Horizon (1): Cleveland State (160)

MAAC (1): Siena (128)

MAC (1): Toledo (58)

MEAC (1): North Carolina A&T (284)

Missouri Valley (2): *Loyola (16), Drake (42)

Mountain West (3): *San Diego State (18), Boise State (35), Colorado State (43)

NEC (1): Bryant (130)

OVC (1): Belmont (81)

Pac 12 (4): Colorado (13), USC (25), *UCLA (38), Oregon (44)

Patriot (1): Navy (84)

SEC (6): *Alabama (7), Arkansas (19), Tennessee (22), Florida (26), LSU (31), Missouri (47)

SoCon (1): UNC-Greensboro (91)

Southland (1): Nicholls State (190)

SWAC (1): Prairie View A&M (168)

Summit (1): South Dakota State (122)

Sun Belt (1): Texas State (146)

WCC (2): *Gonzaga (1), BYU (20)

WAC (1): Grand Canyon (136)

Last 4 In:
Boise State (35), Georgia Tech (40), Drake (42), Richmond (54)

First 4 Out: Utah State (49), Seton Hall (53), Duke (59), Michigan State (77)

6 to Watch: Colgate (9), Saint Louis (50), Indiana (57), Memphis (60), Ole Miss (61), Stanford (64)
______________________
Non-Power 6 At-Large Bids (7): Houston (4), BYU (20), Boise State (35), VCU (37), Drake (42), Colorado State (43), Richmond (54)

Power 6 Overall Bids Percentage (36 of 68): 52.9%

Non-Power 6 Overall Bids Percentage (32 of 68): 47.1%

Out With The Old (9): Abilene Christian, Colgate, Indiana, Monmouth, Seton Hall, South Dakota, Stanford, UTRGV, Wagner

In With The New (9): Bryant, Georgia Tech, Grand Canyon, Navy, Nicholls State, Richmond, Siena, South Dakota State, Xavier

NEXT PROJECTION:
Sunday, March 7
 
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MSU's resurrection has been dramatic. I'd given them up for dead earlier in the season, and I've never been one to doubt them.
 

MSU's resurrection has been dramatic. I'd given them up for dead earlier in the season, and I've never been one to doubt them.
Me, too. I thought they were dead at 4-9, even knowing Izzo's February and March magic. Didn't see it coming at all, especially with how much of a disappointment Joey Hauser has been.
 
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Me, too. I thought they were dead at 4-9, even knowing Izzo's February and March magic. Didn't see it coming at all. especially with how much of a disappointment Joey Hauser has been.
If anyone would have told me, after the Gophers beat Michigan, that MSU would eventually be in and Minnesota out...
 

We differ on one.

I have Seton Hall in.
I have Colorado State out.

My last 4 in: Georgia Tech (last in), Boise State, Drake, Seton Hall
My first 4 out: Colorado State (first out), SMU, Duke, Michigan State

Stanford, Utah State, Ole Miss, Indiana in my next four out.
 




It is sad. I doubt there is a single team in the field with three better wins than we have (#2, #5, #8 in Net Rankings). Unfortunately, here we are on the outside.
 

It is sad. I doubt there is a single team in the field with three better wins than we have (#2, #5, #8 in Net Rankings). Unfortunately, here we are on the outside.

What is truly crazy is that those 3 wins happened THIS season. You look at this team right now and it doesn't seem possible that they would have been capable of beating 3 top ranked teams when they can't even beat the likes of Northwestern and Nebraska.

Even with a healthy Gabe and Liam it feels like a longshot to be able to hang with the best in the country right now.
 



It is sad. I doubt there is a single team in the field with three better wins than we have (#2, #5, #8 in Net Rankings). Unfortunately, here we are on the outside.
You are correct. By a good margin too. One evaluation measurement I use when putting together my field of 68 projections is total NET ranking of top 3 wins. That looks as follows as of yesterday:

1. Gophers 15
2. Gonzaga 27
3. Kansas 29
3. Oklahoma 29
5. Baylor 30

(tip of the cap to Selection Sunday as I believe he mentioned it in a thread a few years ago and I started using it then)
 

You are correct. By a good margin too. One evaluation measurement I use when putting together my field of 68 projections is total NET ranking of top 3 wins. That looks as follows as of yesterday:

1. Gophers 15
2. Gonzaga 27
3. Kansas 29
3. Oklahoma 29
5. Baylor 30

(tip of the cap to Selection Sunday as I believe he mentioned it in a thread a few years ago and I started using it then)
Appreciated!

I still use it today. It's one of 5 primary criteria by which I measure bubble teams:

1. Combined record vs. Quads 1/2 (identifies "good" wins);
2. Combined record vs. Quads 3/4 (identifies "bad" losses);
3. Road/Neutral Record (this season I'm calling anything not on home court "road")
4. Average of Overall SOS and Non-Conference SOS (i.e. overall SOS #24, NCSOS #224 = 124)
5. Best 3 Wins (especially important if any are road or neutral) -- this is one I really focus on when it gets down to the last few at-large bids. That, and gut feeling.
 




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