Monday, October 26, 2009

Preseason Bracket Projections

Last Four In: Arizona State, Notre Dame, Nevada, Utah

Last Four Out: Missouri, Florida, Cincinnati, Florida State


Midwest (#1 Overall)

1 Kansas
16 Murray State

8 Tulsa
9 Vanderbilt

5 Siena
12 Arizona State

4 Michigan
13 Western Kentucky

6 Georgia Tech
11 Creighton

3 West Virginia
14 Oakland

7 Gonzaga
10 Oklahoma

2 Tennessee
15 Sam Houston State


West (#4 Overall)

1 Texas
16 South Carolina State

8 Louisville
9 Memphis

5 Minnesota
12 Nevada

4 Butler
13 Akron

6 Ohio State
11 Pittsburgh

3 California
14 Long Beach State

7 South Carolina
10 Kansas State

2 North Carolina
15 Jacksonville


East (#2 Overall)

1 Michigan State
16 Mount St. Mary's vs Jackson State

8 Oklahoma State
9 Ole Miss

5 Dayton
12 Notre Dame

4 Maryland
13 Cornell

6 UCLA
11 Wisconsin

3 Mississippi State
14 Charleston

7 Clemson
10 Brigham Young

2 Villanova
15 Vermont


South (#3 Overall)

1 Duke
16 Holy Cross

8 Illinois
9 Texas A&M

5 Georgetown
12 Old Dominion

4 Washington
13 Utah

6 Xavier
11 Utah State

3 Kentucky
14 Weber State

7 Connecticut
10 Wake Forest

2 Purdue
15 Radford

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Predictions for 2009-10

Regular Season Predictions

Conference Champions

ACC: Duke
Big East: Villanova
Big 10: Michigan State
Big 12: Kansas
Pac 10: California
SEC: Tennessee
MWC: Brigham Young
WCC: Gonzaga
A-10: Dayton
MVC: Creighton
C-USA: Tulsa
WAC: Utah State

Player of the Year: Sherron Collins, Kansas


Tournament Predictions

Cinderellas: Siena, Tulsa, Old Dominion

Sleeper Teams: Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt, UCLA

Early Exits: North Carolina, California, Tennessee

Final Four: Kansas, Villanova, Duke, Purdue

National Champions: Kansas Jayhawks

MVP: Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Final Predictions

Midwest (#1 Overall)

Greensboro, NC
1 North Carolina
16 Radford

8 Marquette
9 Texas A&M

Portland, OR
5 UCLA
12 St. Mary's

4 Purdue
13 Stephen F. Austin

Miami, FL
6 Tennessee
11 Temple

3 Villanova
14 Akron

Kansas City, MO
7 Clemson
10 Wisconsin

2 Oklahoma
15 Morgan State


West (#4 Overall)

Philadelphia, PA
1 Connecticut
16 Morehead State

8 Oklahoma State
9 Boston College

Boise, ID
5 Gonzaga
12 Mississippi State

4 Washington
13 North Dakota State

Miami, FL
6 West Virginia
11 Southern Cal

3 Wake Forest
14 American

Kansas City, MO
7 Utah
10 Minnesota

2 Memphis
15 East Tennessee State


East (#2 Overall)

Dayton, OH
1 Pittsburgh
16 Chattanooga vs Alabama State

8 Brigham Young
9 Michigan

Portland, OR
5 Arizona State
12 Western Kentucky

4 Florida State
13 Virginia Commonwealth

Philadelphia, PA
6 Xavier
11 Maryland

3 Syracuse
14 Binghamton

Minneapolis, MN
7 Texas
10 Siena

2 Michigan State
15 Robert Morris


South (#3 Overall)

Dayton, OH
1 Louisville
16 Cal State-Northridge

8 Butler
9 California

Boise, ID
5 Illinois
12 Cleveland State

4 Kansas
13 Northern Iowa

Minneapolis, MN
6 Ohio State
11 Utah State

3 Missouri
14 Portland State

Greensboro, NC
7 LSU
10 Dayton

2 Duke
15 Cornell

Selection Sunday Predictions

I've assumed that the winners of tomorrows games will be Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee, Duke, and Purdue. I will post a final bracket in the afternoon if any upsets occur, or if I feel like I need to change something.


Midwest (#1 Overall)

Greensboro, NC
1 North Carolina
16 Radford

8 Marquette
9 Texas A&M

Portland, OR
5 UCLA
12 St. Mary's

4 Purdue
13 American

Miami, FL
6 Tennessee
11 Temple

3 Villanova
14 Akron

Kansas City, MO
7 Clemson
10 Wisconsin

2 Oklahoma
15 Morgan State


West (#4 Overall)

Philadelphia, PA
1 Connecticut
16 Morehead State

8 Oklahoma State
9 Boston College

Boise, ID
5 Gonzaga
12 San Diego State*

4 Washington
13 North Dakota State

Miami, FL
6 West Virginia
11 Southern Cal

3 Wake Forest
14 Stephen F. Austin

Kansas City, MO
7 Utah
10 Minnesota

2 Memphis
15 East Tennessee State


East (#2 Overall)

Dayton, OH
1 Pittsburgh
16 Chattanooga vs Alabama State

8 Brigham Young
9 Michigan

Portland, OR
5 Arizona State
12 Western Kentucky

4 Florida State
13 Virginia Commonwealth

Philadelphia, PA
6 Xavier
11 Maryland

3 Syracuse
14 Binghamton

Minneapolis, MN
7 Texas
10 Siena

2 Michigan State
15 Robert Morris


South (#3 Overall)

Dayton, OH
1 Louisville
16 Cal State-Northridge

8 Butler
9 California

Boise, ID
5 Illinois
12 Cleveland State

4 Kansas
13 Northern Iowa

Minneapolis, MN
6 Ohio State
11 Utah State

3 Missouri
14 Portland State

Greensboro, NC
7 LSU
10 Dayton

2 Duke
15 Cornell

*- Mississippi State will go here if they win tomorrow

Final Bubble Update

Well, Selection Sunday is finally here folks. I believe there are 3 bids still available, and that there are 7 teams fighting for these 3 spots. I'd like to share my rankings of the 7 teams, and comment on why I think the teams will or won't get in.

1. Maryland
2. St. Mary's
-------------
3. San Diego State
-------------
4. Penn State
5. Creighton
6. Auburn
7. Arizona

-Maryland is the team I feel the best about. The Terps have alot of negatives on their resume (7-9 in ACC play, losses to Morgan State and Virginia, 6-9 road/neutral record, 8-11 vs Top 100 teams, RPI in the 50s), but the marquee wins over North Carolina, Michigan State, and Wake Forest show that they are capable of winning games in the tournament. I think that will ultimately allow them to sneak into the field.

-St. Mary's is the hardest team figure out because of the injury to Patty Mills. The San Diego State loss in the Mountain West finals was huge for them. St. Mary's beat the Aztecs on a neutral court in December, and since their resumes are so similar, it's hard to see the committee taking SDSU and not the Gaels.

-Penn State deserves an NCAA bid, but they'd be the 8th team from the Big 10, and regardless of what the committee says, I have a hard time believing that fact would not persuade some members to keep the Nittany Lions out of the field. Along the same lines, it would not surprise me at all to see Auburn in the field tomorrow despite not having an NCAA resume. Will the committee really give the SEC just 2 bids if Mississippi State loses tomorrow? We shall see.

-Creighton's situation is very similar to Illinois State from last year. ISU finished 2nd in the Valley and had an RPI in the 30s, but the lack of quality wins and blowout loss in the MVC tournament kept them out of the NCAA tournament. This year, Creighton got blown out by Illinois State in the semi's. Despite winning 11 of their last 12 and being an impressive 9-5 against the Top 100, their best wins were at home against Dayton and Illinois State. Based on last year's precedent, I just don't think they will make it.

-Arizona really shouldn't be in, but they're a big name school, have been to the tournament 24 years in a row, have 6 wins against Top 50 teams (including marquee wins over Kansas, UCLA, and Gonzaga, and a win over fellow bubble team SDSU), and have only 1 bad loss (@Stanford). With that much working in their favor, I'm not willing to declare them dead just yet.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Projections for 3/14/09

I believe 31 of the 34 at-large spots have been locked up, with 6 teams playing for the last 3 spots, so I am just doing a "Last Three In" today.

Last Three In: Maryland, Penn State, St. Mary's

Last Three Out: Creighton, Auburn, Southern Cal


Midwest (#1 Overall)

1 North Carolina
16 Morehead State

8 Tennessee
9 Michigan

5 West Virginia
12 Northern Iowa

4 Arizona State
13 Cleveland State

6 Purdue
11 Temple

3 Villanova
14 Binghamton

7 Clemson
10 San Diego State

2 Oklahoma
15 Morgan State


West (#4 Overall)

1 Michigan State
16 Cal State-Northridge

8 Marquette
9 Texas A&M

5 Gonzaga
12 Maryland

4 Washington
13 North Dakota State

6 Utah
11 Penn State

3 Wake Forest
14 Stephen F. Austin

7 Texas
10 Siena

2 Connecticut
15 Cornell


East (#2 Overall)

1 Pittsburgh
16 Chattanooga vs Alabama State

8 Oklahoma State
9 California

5 Illinois
12 Western Kentucky

4 Florida State
13 American

6 LSU
11 Minnesota

3 Missouri
14 Portland State

7 Brigham Young
10 Dayton

2 Memphis
15 East Tennessee State


South (#3 Overall)

1 Louisville
16 Radford

8 Ohio State
9 Boston College

5 UCLA
12 St. Mary's

4 Kansas
13 Virginia Commonwealth

6 Xavier
11 Utah State

3 Syracuse
14 Buffalo

7 Butler
10 Wisconsin

2 Duke
15 Robert Morris

Friday, March 13, 2009

Projections for 3/13/09

Last Four In: South Carolina, Creighton, San Diego State, Arizona

Last Four Out: St. Mary's, Florida, Virginia Tech, Auburn

Next Four Out: Maryland, Southern Cal, Providence, UNLV


Midwest (#1 Overall)

1 North Carolina
16 Radford

8 Tennessee
9 Ohio State

5 Arizona State
12 Western Kentucky

4 Syracuse
13 Virginia Commonwealth

6 Purdue
11 Creighton

3 Villanova
14 Buffalo

7 Utah
10 Siena

2 Oklahoma
15 East Tennessee State


West (#4 Overall)

1 Michigan State
16 Cal State-Northridge

8 Butler
9 Boston College

5 Xavier
12 Arizona

4 Kansas
13 American

6 Texas
11 Utah State

3 Washington
14 Stephen F. Austin

7 Clemson
10 Penn State

2 Connecticut
15 Morgan State


East (#2 Overall)

1 Pittsburgh
16 Chattanooga vs. Alabama State

8 California
9 Dayton

5 Illinois
12 Northern Iowa

4 Florida State
13 Cleveland State

6 Brigham Young
11 South Carolina

3 Missouri
14 Portland State

7 Marquette
10 Minnesota

2 Duke
15 Cornell


Midwest (#3 Overall)

1 Louisville
16 Morehead State

8 Oklahoma State
9 Wisconsin

5 UCLA
12 San Diego State

4 Gonzaga
13 North Dakota State

6 West Virginia
11 Texas A&M

3 Wake Forest
14 Binghamton

7 LSU
10 Michigan

2 Memphis
15 Robert Morris