W-16 BP68

Turkey Week is always one of the best college basketball weeks of the season. With all of these tournaments we get a lot of afternoon games (and even some late morning games), as well as games well past midnight. And with many of us at home during the day who aren't normally able to just sit on our couch in the afternoon, we get to watch all of it.

There have been some relatively significant changes to the bracket projection this week, though again they're toward the bottom of the bracket. Two at-large teams have changed, with Iowa State and Florida State coming in while La Salle and UNLV were dropped out. In addition, Drexel moves in as the new Colonial favorite, replacing Towson, and Bryant replaces Mt. St. Mary's as the NEC favorite.

Of the bigger conferences, the most confusing right now is the Big East. I'm hoping to put together a Big East breakdown in the next few days, where I go through the top contenders and what their odds are. But really, nobody has played well so far. Georgetown has already had a putrid loss, and while I thought Marquette was significantly overrated preseason I didn't think they'd be this bad. Right now I'm keeping Marquette well above where the computers say they are, because it's hard for me to believe that their offense really could be this bad. I also enjoy going from being a Marquette hater to Marquette lover in about ten days.

Anyway, please remember that this is a projection of Selection Sunday and not a list of where teams would be seeded if the season ended now. There is a difference.


1. MICHIGAN STATE (BIG TEN)
1. KENTUCKY (SEC)
1. DUKE (ACC)
1. KANSAS (BIG 12)

2. ARIZONA (PAC-12)
2. Ohio State
2. LOUISVILLE (AAC)
2. Florida

3. Oklahoma State
3. GONZAGA (WCC)
3. Wisconsin
3. GEORGETOWN (BIG EAST)

4. VCU (ATLANTIC TEN)
4. Creighton
4. Iowa
4. UConn

5. St. Louis
5. Michigan
5. Virginia
5. NEW MEXICO (MWC)

6. Marquette
6. Pittsburgh
6. WICHITA STATE (MVC)
6. Villanova

7. Indiana
7. North Carolina
7. Syracuse
7. Memphis

8. UCLA
8. Boise State
8. Baylor
8. Notre Dame

9. Minnesota
9. Iowa State
9. Stanford
9. HARVARD (IVY)

10. BYU
10. UMass
10. Cincinnati
10. Colorado

11. Tennessee
11. Oregon
11. Butler
11. Florida State

12. Purdue
12. Dayton
12. NORTH DAKOTA STATE (SUMMIT)
12. Maryland
12. Texas
12. LOUISIANA TECH (CONFERENCE USA)

13. MANHATTAN (MAAC)
13. DREXEL (COLONIAL)
13. WEBER STATE (BIG SKY)
13. NEW MEXICO STATE (WAC)

14. BELMONT (OVC)
14. WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY (HORIZON)
14. TOLEDO (MAC)
14. GEORGIA STATE (SUN BELT)

15. MERCER (ATLANTIC SUN)
15. UC IRVINE (BIG WEST)
15. BOSTON UNIVERSITY (PATRIOT)
15. DAVIDSON (SOCON)

16. VERMONT (AMERICA EAST)
16. NORTHWESTERN STATE (SOUTHLAND)
16. NC CENTRAL (MEAC)
16. HIGH POINT (BIG SOUTH)
16. BRYANT (NEC)
16. SOUTHERN (SWAC)

Teams seriously considered that just missed the cut:
SMU, Boston College, Clemson, La Salle, Providence, St. John's, Xavier, Illinois, Oklahoma, Indiana State, UNLV, San Diego State, Utah State, Arizona State, California, Alabama, Missouri, Ole Miss, St. Mary's

Other teams with a decent shot to get onto the bubble:
Houston, Georgia Tech, George Washington, Richmond, St. Joseph's, Kansas State, West Virginia, Southern Miss, UTEP, Wright State, Northern Iowa, Fresno State, Washington State, Arkansas, LSU, Vanderbilt, Denver

Other teams I'm keeping my eye on:
Central Florida, South Florida, Temple, Miami (Fl), NC State, Wake Forest, George Mason, Rhode Island, DePaul, Seton Hall, Montana, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Towson, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee, UAB, Iona, Ohio, Evansville, Missouri State, Colorado State, Oregon State, Utah, Washington, Bucknell, South Carolina, Texas A&M