Beginning with this edition, I’ll be posting my latest mock bracket every Tuesday and Friday through the rest of the regular season.
The competition for the four No. 1 seeds could be very interesting this season. Villanova is the runaway No. 1 overall team, but my No. 2 and 3 teams, Baylor and Kansas, hold very similar resumes. Kentucky is right there with them.
Many might rightfully argue for current AP top four teams UCLA and Gonzaga (the latter still undefeated) for the top line. I’d note that Florida State arguably has a better resume than both. Creighton could make a case as well.
Selection Sunday is March 12, and the tourney begins March 14. The Final Four is April 1-3 in Phoenix.
* — Denotes projected conference champion, automatic berth
This edition's bracket is East vs. West champions and Midwest vs. South champions in the national semifinals, based on the order of my No. 1 seeds.
BRACKET WATCH
EAST REGION (NEW YORK) |
Seed |
Team |
Location |
1 |
Villanova* |
at Buffalo |
16 |
Mount St. Mary's*/Morgan State* |
8 |
Maryland* |
9 |
TCU |
4 |
Virginia |
at Greenville, SC |
13 |
Princeton* |
5 |
Cincinnati* |
12 |
Vermont* |
6 |
Xavier |
at Greenville, SC |
11 |
UNC Wilmington* |
3 |
North Carolina |
14 |
Bucknell* |
7 |
Virginia Tech |
at Sacramento |
10 |
Illinois |
2 |
UCLA |
15 |
UNC Asheville* |
WEST REGION (SAN JOSE) |
Seed |
Team |
Location |
1 |
Kentucky* |
at Indianapolis |
16 |
North Dakota State* |
8 |
USC |
9 |
Indiana |
4 |
Notre Dame* |
at Orlando |
13 |
Akron* |
5 |
Arizona* |
12 |
Nevada* |
6 |
Wisconsin |
at Buffalo |
11 |
Miami/Seton Hall |
3 |
West Virginia |
14 |
New Mexico State* |
7 |
SMU |
at Sacramento |
10 |
VCU |
2 |
Gonzaga* |
15 |
Weber State* |
MIDWEST REGION (KANSAS CITY) |
Seed |
Team |
Location |
1 |
Kansas* |
at Tulsa |
16 |
Texas Southern*/New Orleans* |
8 |
Northwestern |
9 |
Pittsburgh |
4 |
Oregon |
at Salt Lake City |
13 |
Valparaiso* |
5 |
Minnesota |
12 |
Chattanooga* |
6 |
Saint Mary's |
at Indianapolis |
11 |
Arkansas/Marquette |
3 |
Louisville |
14 |
Richmond* |
7 |
Clemson |
at Milwaukee |
10 |
Michigan |
2 |
Creighton |
15 |
Belmont* |
SOUTH REGION (MEMPHIS) |
Seed |
Team |
Location |
1 |
Baylor |
at Tulsa |
16 |
UC Irvine* |
8 |
Michigan State |
9 |
Dayton |
4 |
Florida |
at Salt Lake City |
13 |
Monmouth* |
5 |
Duke |
12 |
Middle Tennessee* |
6 |
Purdue |
at Milwaukee |
11 |
Illinois State* |
3 |
Butler |
14 |
Florida Gulf Coast* |
7 |
South Carolina |
at Orlando |
10 |
Iowa State |
2 |
Florida State |
15 |
Georgia Southern* |
LAST FOUR IN: Arkansas, Seton Hall, Miami, Marquette
FIRST FOUR OUT: Georgia, Rhode Island, Texas Tech, Houston
NEXT FOUR OUT: Cal, Wichita State, Kansas State, NC State
MULTIPLE BID CONFERENCES: ACC (10), Big Ten (9), Big East (6), Big 12 (5), Pac-12 (4), SEC (4), A-10 (3), American (2), WCC (2)