W-14 BP68

We're 14 weeks until Selection Sunday. We're done with the November tournaments, and we're heading into what is kind of the "eye of the hurricane" part of the regular season... though it's hard to argue with that Kentucky/North Carolina game.

I made three changes to the 68 teams in the bracket this week. I moved Northwestern and Northern Iowa into the bracket, and pulled out Washington State and Notre Dame. I also changed my Big South auto champion from Liberty to Coastal Carolina. Coastal Carolina had looked better than Liberty, and beating them head-to-head by 10 points on Saturday was enough for me to make the switch.

As always, this is my projection of where things will be on Selection Sunday, and not a statement on where things stand now.

Here we go:

1. NORTH CAROLINA (ACC)
1. KENTUCKY (SEC)
1. OHIO STATE (BIG TEN)
1. SYRACUSE (BIG EAST)

2. Duke
2. Louisville
2. Florida
2. TEXAS (BIG 12)

3. Pittsburgh
3. Kansas
3. Wisconsin
3. ARIZONA (PAC-12)

4. UConn
4. Alabama
4. Marquette
4. UNLV (MWC)

5. GONZAGA (WCC)
5. Vanderbilt
5. MEMPHIS (CONFERENCE USA)
5. Georgetown

6. Purdue
6. TEMPLE (ATLANTIC TEN)
6. Michigan
6. Xavier

7. West Virginia
7. Illinois
7. Florida State
7. Baylor

8. Texas A&M
8. California
8. Michigan State
8. Oklahoma State

9. New Mexico
9. Saint Louis
9. BYU
9. Villanova

10. HARVARD (IVY)
10. Missouri
10. San Diego State
10. CREIGHTON (MVC)

11. Indiana
11. Cincinnati
11. Virginia Tech
11. Saint Mary's

12. Washington
12. Stanford
12. Miami (Fl)
12. BELMONT (ATLANTIC SUN)
12. Northwestern
12. Northern Iowa

13. IONA (MAAC)
13. BUTLER (HORIZON)
13. GEORGE MASON (COLONIAL)
13. UTAH STATE (WAC)

14. BUCKNELL (PATRIOT)
14. OAKLAND (SUMMIT)
14. MONTANA (BIG SKY)
14. LONG BEACH STATE (BIG WEST)

15. DAVIDSON (SOUTHERN)
15. BALL STATE (MAC)
15. MURRAY STATE (OVC)
15. VERMONT (AMERICA EAST)

16. ROBERT MORRIS (NEC)
16. FLORIDA ATLANTIC (SUN BELT)
16. COASTAL CAROLINA (BIG SOUTH)
16. STEPHEN F AUSTIN (SOUTHLAND)
16. MORGAN STATE (MEAC)
16. ALABAMA STATE (SWAC)

Teams seriously considered that just missed the cut:
NC State, Virginia, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Minnesota, Kansas State, Missouri State, Wichita State, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, Mississippi State, New Mexico State

Other teams with a decent shot, but that need to improve their resume:
Clemson, Dayton, Duquesne, Richmond, St. Joseph's, Nebraska, Iowa State, Oklahoma, UAB, Central Florida, Marshall, Southern Miss, Tulsa, Cleveland State, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee

Other teams I'm keeping my eye on, but that need to dramatically improve their resume:
Georgia Tech, Maryland, George Washington, Providence, Rutgers, St. John's, South Florida, Iowa, Drexel, James Madison, Old Dominion, VCU, Tulane, Valparaiso, UW-Milwaukee, Kent State, Ohio, Drake, Indiana State, Illinois State, Boise State, TCU, Arizona State, Colorado, USC, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, Charleston, Santa Clara, Nevada