Hello, college basketball fans!
We are two days away from Selection Sunday! Here is the latest Schmolik 64 update!
Editor's Note: Posted my Wednesday bracket instead of my Friday bracket by mistake. Here's my actual Friday bracket.
| Bracket 1 | ||
| 1 | Gonzaga * | 26-0 |
| 16 | ||
| 8 | Rutgers | 15-10 |
| 9 | Oregon | 20-5 |
| 5 | Virginia | 18-6 |
| 12 | Colgate | 13-1 |
| 4 | West Virginia | 18-9 |
| 13 | Toledo | 21-7 |
| 6 | Missouri | 16-8 |
| 11 | ||
| 3 | Oklahoma State | 19-7 |
| 14 | Liberty * | 19-5 |
| 7 | Connecticut | 15-6 |
| 10 | VCU | 19-6 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 20-8 |
| 15 | Cleveland State * | 19-7 |
| Bracket 2 | ||
| 1 | Baylor | 22-1 |
| 16 | ||
| 8 | Florida | 14-9 |
| 9 | Clemson | 16-7 |
| 5 | Creighton | 19-7 |
| 12 | Wichita State | 14-4 |
| 4 | Purdue | 18-9 |
| 13 | Louisiana Tech | 20-6 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 15-10 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 15-12 |
| 3 | Arkansas | 21-5 |
| 14 | Morehead State * | 21-7 |
| 7 | BYU | 19-6 |
| 10 | Virginia Tech | 15-6 |
| 2 | Iowa | 20-7 |
| 15 | Iona | 10-5 |
| Bracket 3 | ||
| 1 | Michigan | 20-3 |
| 16 | Hartford | 14-8 |
| 8 | San Diego State | 20-4 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 18-9 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 18-7 |
| 12 | ||
| 4 | Texas Tech | 17-10 |
| 13 | Winthrop * | 23-1 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | 17-11 |
| 11 | Drake | 23-4 |
| 3 | Houston | 20-3 |
| 14 | Drexel * | 12-7 |
| 7 | Colorado | 21-7 |
| 10 | Georgia Tech | 16-8 |
| 2 | Kansas | 19-8 |
| 15 | Grand Canyon | 12-6 |
| Bracket 4 | ||
| 1 | Illinois | 20-6 |
| 16 | Oral Roberts * | 13-10 |
| 8 | LSU | 16-8 |
| 9 | St. Bonaventure | 15-4 |
| 5 | Villanova | 16-6 |
| 12 | UC Santa Barbara | 18-4 |
| 4 | Florida State | 15-5 |
| 13 | UNC Greensboro * | 21-8 |
| 6 | USC | 22-6 |
| 11 | Colorado State | 17-5 |
| 3 | Texas | 18-7 |
| 14 | Southern Utah | 15-3 |
| 7 | Loyola Chicago * | 22-4 |
| 10 | Maryland | 15-13 |
| 2 | Alabama | 22-6 |
| 15 | Mount St. Mary's * | 12-10 |
| First Four | ||
| B1 | Appalachian State * | 13-11 |
| 16 | Coppin State | 9-12 |
| B1 | Nicholls | 16-6 |
| 16 | Prairie View A&M | 15-4 |
| B4 | Syracuse | 16-9 |
| 11 | Seton Hall | 14-12 |
| B3 | Louisville | 13-7 |
| 12 | UCLA | 17-9 |
Bids By Conference:
Big 10: 9 (Mich, OSU, Iowa, Ill, Pur, Wisc, Rut, Md, MSU)
ACC: 8 (FSU, Va, Clem, UNC, GaT, VaT, Syr, Lville)
Big 12: 7 (Bay, Kan, OkSt, WV, Tex, T Tech, Okl)
SEC: 6 (Ala, Ark, Tenn, Mo, Fla, LSU)
Big E: 4 (Vill, Creig, Conn, SH)
Pac 12: 4 (USC, Colo, Ore, UCLA)
WCC: 2 (Gonz, BYU)
American: 2 (Hou, WSU)
MVC: 2 (Loy, Drake)
MWC: 2 (SDSt, CSU)
A-10: 2 (St. B, VCU)
One Bid Conferences: 20
Highest NET left out: Utah State (41), Penn State (42, sub .500 record), St. Louis (45), Duke (50, AD Kevin White said the positive COVID-19 that took Duke out of the ACC Tournament "will end our 2020-21 season"). NET Data courtesy of WarrenNolan.com.
Comments:
For most of the bubble teams, the wait begins.
At the time of this posting,
Colorado State and Utah State could very well be playing a play in game tonight in the MWC tonight after the two teams split their first two games. Both teams have just two Quad 2 wins and three Quad 1/2 wins total. Utah State has two Quad 3 losses but a higher NET ranking for now. They made the field for now and have the last few weeks because they have had no bad losses. If the Selection Committee rewards "no bad losses", they might be able to afford to lose tonight but I think both teams should win just in case.
Seton Hall is still alive in the Big East semifinals. They are definitely on the low end of the NET rankings but they have three Quad 1 wins and four Quad 2 wins. They have one Quad 3 loss. Georgetown (#81 NET) won't be a Quad 3 loss and neither would Creighton or Connecticut. Seton Hall probably could use another win to feel more comfortable.
Mississippi is still hanging in there with three Quad 1 wins and four Quad 2 wins. They have two Quad 3 losses vs. one for Seton Hall and if the season ended today they advanced one win further in their tournament (simply because the Big East is one day ahead of the SEC). If Mississippi upsets LSU, they'd get their fourth Quad 1 win and would seriously have to be considered for making the field.
Wichita State is still considered the AAC leader right now. Their NET is #62 and they have just 2 Quad 1 wins and four Quad 1/2 wins but they also have no Quad 3/4 losses and is unlikely to pick up a bad loss in the AAC Tournament. If they make the final and lose to Houston, they might steal an at large berth. Memphis (NET #53) can beat Houston in the semifinals. Maybe they can sneak into the field as an at large bid with just that win although they currently have no Quad 1 wins and four Quad 2 wins.
Right now, the "party crashers" are most of the AAC teams and Oregon State from the Pac-12.
Of course there could be bigger issues in this NCAA Tournament. Two big time programs, Kansas (#2 seed in this bracket) and Virginia (#5 seed) had to pull out of their respective conference tournament semifinals tonight. Could either be forced to miss the NCAA Tournament? Could someone else? This is a developing story.
Finally, I mentioned about the Selection Committee this past week. If you are looking for who you expect to be favored to get into this year's tournament, here's this year's committee:
Division I Men’s Basketball Committee chair and director of athletics at University of Kentucky
- Mike Bobinski, vice president and director of athletics, Purdue University
- Tom Burnett, commissioner, Southland Conference
- Lawrence R. Cunningham, director of athletics, University of North Carolina
- Charles McClelland, commissioner, Southwestern Athletic Conference
- Bernadette McGlade, commissioner, Atlantic 10 Conference
- Michael O’Brien, vice president and director of athletics, University of Toledo
- Jamie Pollard, director of athletics, Iowa State University
- Chris Reynolds, vice president for intercollegiate athletics, Bradley University
- Craig Thompson, commissioner, Mountain West Conference
Well if Kentucky gets in, you know why! I think this is good news for Atlantic 10 and Mountain West Conference bubble teams. You'd have to believe both teams in the Atlantic 10 final are going to make it no matter what and who knows maybe St. Louis could sneak in. The MWC is definitely going to get two in and possibly three. If Boise State with a NET outside of the top 50 and a Quad 4 loss gets in, you can't tell me that's a coincidence. Mitch Barnhart and Kentucky would gain if Mississippi makes it in (same conference) and Barnhart is allowed to vote for them to get in. Mike Bobinski would also gain if Michigan State gets in. Finally, if Toledo gets in as an at large bid????? As always, I'll compare to the Bracket Matrix and see if the teams that no one else picked have connections to the committee. Or like many other years they could just be Pathetic 12 teams.
Compare my bracket to other brackets across the internet at BracketMatrix.com.