This bracketology comes one day before one of the greatest days of the year. We were robbed of it last year, but we’re almost there.
Two more cancellations came Friday morning. Virginia came first with a positive COVID-19 test. And then Kansas. It was doom and gloom for an hour. As the day went on, reports came out that both programs said they are going to try everything in their power to play in the NCAA Tournament even if that means just playing with five guys. That would be interesting.
Part of the reason we quickly forgot about Kansas and Virginia is because Juwan Howard tried to fight Mark Turgeon in the Big Ten opener. Then Ohio State almost let up a big lead against Purdue. Now we get a rematch of Ohio State vs. Michigan. What a lovely rivalry.
Oklahoma State is seriously contending for a two seed right now after beating Baylor. If the Cowboys beat the Longhorns and Houston loses, OK State could make a jump.
Remember folks, nothing happens in a vacuum. Maryland won’t move because of a loss to Ohio State. Wisconsin won’t move because of a loss to Iowa. If you want to try and figure out the mess in the Mountain West, be my guest. Ole Miss did lose its game to LSU, but somehow the Rebels are still alive. That’s in large part to Seton Hall falling to Georgetown, who is on some incredible run. Syracuse was rooting for the Hoyas to knock off the Pirates, now Syracuse wants Georgetown to lose. Everything is back in balance. To add to the possible bid thieves, Oregon State is playing for a Pac-12 Championship against Colorado.
Meanwhile, Drake is sitting pretty. It’s still hard to eliminate Saint Louis and Xavier because of their wins, and the rest of the bubble really stinking things up. SMU came back after a month off and lost. Have to feel bad for the Mustangs. You come back from a Covid pause and the first game is against Cincinnati in the AAC quarterfinals. Wichita State and Western Kentucky continue to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive with holding onto the auto-bid positions.
Stay tuned to see if the other two Mountain West teams are still alive. Also we’ll try and figure out what to do about the rest of the bubble. It’s a mess. Especially if the Shockers and/or Hilltoppers lose.
Let’s enjoy all the conference tournament championships the next two days.
Check us all out on the ever-growing and changing Bracket Matrix.
Automatic Qualifiers
- Loyola-Chicago
- Winthrop
- Liberty
- Morehead State
- Appalachian State
- UNCG
- Drexel
- Mount Saint Mary’s
- Cleveland State
- Gonzaga
- Oral Roberts
Pod 1
1 Gonzaga
16 PV A&M/Fairfield
8 Missouri
9 Oklahoma
5 Florida State
12 Colgate
4 Tennessee
13 UNCG
- LSU
11 Drake/Colorado State
3 Texas
14 Liberty
7 Clemson
10 St. Bonaventure
2 Ohio State
15 Nicholls State
Pod 4
1 Illinois
16 Mt. St. Mary’s
8 Virginia Tech
9 Loyola-Chicago
5 USC
12 Utah State/Syracuse
4 Purdue
13 Buffalo
6 Creighton
11 Louisville
3 Kansas
14 Southern Utah
7 BYU
10 Rutgers
2 Alabama
15 Oral Roberts
Pod 2
1 Baylor
16 Norfolk State/Drexel
8 Oregon
9 Georgia Tech
5 Colorado
12 Syracuse/Boise State
4 West Virginia
13 Winthrop
6 Texas Tech
11 Michigan State
3 Arkansas
14 Cleveland State
7 San Diego State
10 Maryland
2 Iowa
15 Grand Canyon
Pod 3
1 Michigan
16 App. State
8 UConn
9 North Carolina
5 Villanova
12 Western Kentucky
4 Virginia
13 UCSB
6 Florida
11 UCLA
3 Oklahoma State
14 Morehead State
7 Wisconsin
10 VCU
2 Houston
15 Hartford
Last four byes
Maryland
UCLA
Michigan State
Louisville
Last four in
Drake
Colorado State
Syracuse
Utah State
First four out
Saint Louis
Ole Miss
Boise State
Xavier
The Rest
Seton Hall
Memphis