We've reached March. That means the Madness is right around the corner. The conference tournaments start in the mid-majors this weekend, and before we know it, it'll be time for the NCAA Tournament. With that brings talk of the bubble and who's in and who's out, as well as the inevitable debate about the final bids and who got snubbed. And we haven't even gotten into the other inevitabilities--the bid stealer from a BCS league and the team that moves from in to a high seed because of how well they played in their conference tournament.
The biggest question surrounding the Tournament right now involves Wichita State. They went to the Final Four last year and are currently undefeated, but there's some debate about whether or not the Shockers will receive a No. 1 seed. Well, I think Gonzaga last year set the precedent for that. If they win the Missouri Valley Tournament and enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated, I have no doubt Wichita State will get a 1-seed. Even if they lose in the conference tournament, I still think they've done enough to be one of the four top seeds.
My other top seeds are also easy calls. Kansas, Florida and Arizona are clearly the three best teams in the nation. The only teams that have a shot at breaking into that group are Syracuse, Virginia and maybe whoever wins the Big Ten. I also don't think there are many at-large berths available for mid-majors. The existence of the American, which is looking at probably five bids, has those available spots at a premium. Well, that and the fact that it's been a down year in most of the mid-majors. In fact, outside of the five BCS leagues, the Big East, the American, the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West, there's exactly one berth available...and I don't even have Conference USA, which is looking like a one-bid league, in there. As for that one bid? I think it goes to BYU. And I've got the Cougars headed to Dayton.
Now on to the Joe Brackets-ology. The No. 1seeds, in order, are Florida (South), Arizona (West), Kansas (Midwest) and Wichita State (East). That gives us Final Four matchups of South vs. East and West vs. Midwest.
SOUTH (Memphis)
Orlando: (1) Florida vs. (16) High Point/Norfolk State, (8) SMU vs. (9) Xavier
Spokane: (4) Iowa State vs. (13) Davidson, (5) UCLA vs. (12) BYU/Tennessee
Milwaukee: (3) Michigan State vs. (14) Hawaii, (6) Connecticut vs. (11) VCU
Raleigh: (7) New Mexico vs. (10) Stanford, (2) Virginia vs. (15) Towson
EAST (New York)
St. Louis: (1) Wichita State vs. (16) Holy Cross, (8) Massachusetts vs. (9) Memphis
San Diego: (4) Michigan vs. (13) New Mexico State, (5) Kentucky vs. (12) Harvard
Orlando: (3) Cincinnati vs. (14) Manhattan, (6) Iowa vs. (11) Marquette
Buffalo: (7) Kansas State vs. (10) Colorado, (2) Syracuse vs. (15) Stony Brook
WEST (Anaheim)
San Diego: (1) Arizona vs. (16) Robert Morris, (8) Gonzaga vs. (9) Minnesota
Spokane: (4) Saint Louis vs. (13) Florida Gulf Coast, (5) Oklahoma vs. (12) Green Bay
Raleigh: (3) Duke vs. (14) Weber State, (6) San Diego State vs. (11) California
Buffalo: (7) Ohio State vs. (10) Missouri, (2) Villanova vs. (15) Buffalo
MIDWEST (Indianapolis)
St. Louis: (1) Kansas vs. (16) IPFW/Alabama State, (8) Arizona State vs. (9) George Washington
San Antonio: (4) Louisville vs. (13) Stephen F. Austin, (5) North Carolina vs. (12) Southern Miss
San Antonio: (3) Creighton vs. (14) Western Kentucky, (6) Texas vs. (11) Arkansas/Oregon
Milwaukee: (7) Pittsburgh vs. (10) Saint Joseph's, (2) Wisconsin vs. (15) Murray State
Bids by conference: Pac-12 (7), Big Ten (6), American (5), Atlantic 10 (5), ACC (5), Big 12 (5), SEC (5), Big East (4), Mountain West (2), West Coast (2)
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