NCAA Bracket Predictions 2007

Here are the 65 teams that would make the NCAA tournament right now. The conference bids are separated into four groups. First you have your traditional six-power conferences. Then the conferences that are better than the mid-majors, but aren’t the BCS six. Those are followed by the true mid-major conferences. Finally, the small conferences that are only going to get one bid no matter how you slice it. The conference leaders are in italics. The conference winners are in bold.

POWER
ACC (8): Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech
Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova
Big 10 (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big 12 (5): Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech
Pac 10 (5): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA, Washington State
SEC (4): Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Notes: I really think that Florida State gets in. If anyone in the committee compares FSU’s schedule, big wins and record, they will see it is almost exactly the same as Duke’s. The only thing Duke has on FSU is the RPI, but FSU took the head to head. If Duke gets in, then logic dictates FSU making it as well. But we all know how much logic the committee usually uses. Purdue seems to be a lock at this point, even though they’ve beaten no one on the road and lost to Minnesota. Stanford drops out to make way for FSU and the additional A-10/WAC teams.

MAJOR
Atlantic 10: George Washington, Xavier
Conference USA: Memphis
Mountain West: BYU, UNLV

Notes: George Washington’s gain is Air Force’s loss. The Falcons have been playing terribly for the past month, it just took the entire city of Bristol four weeks to realize it. UNLV is going to be a very dangerous tournament team.

MID-MAJOR
Colonial: Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth
Horizon: Butler, Wright State
Mid-American: Miami-OH
Missouri Valley: Creighton, Southern Illinois
Sun Belt: North Texas
West Coast: Gonzaga
Western Athletic: Nevada, New Mexico State

Notes: Old Dominion gets in, Drexel does not. At least in my opinion. Drexel is in the same situation that Bradley was last season. They finished in the middle of their lousy conference and don’t deserve the bid over a team that finished second and made it just as far as they did in the conference tournament.

SMALL
America East: Albany
Atlantic Sun: Belmont
Big Sky: Weber State
Big South: Winthrop
Big West: Long Beach State
Ivy: Pennsylvania
MAAC: Niagara
Mid-Continent: Oral Roberts
MEAC: Florida A&M
Northeast: Central Connecticut State
Ohio Valley: Eastern Kentucky
Patriot: Holy Cross
Southern: Davidson
Southland: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Southwestern: Jackson State

THE BRACKETS

Here are the brackets as of about 3:30 this afternoon. Things can, and will change depending on the outcome of the Big XII and Big 10 tournaments. If Texas continues this whooping of Kansas, than expect the Jayhawks to fall to a two seed. And who knows what will happen if Wisconsin wins their conference. I still don’t think they’ve proven that they’re even close to warranting a number one seed.

Some interesting match-ups here. Maryland is a four seed playing 13th seeded GW. Don’t think the committee wouldn’t do that. In fact, if Maryland is a 4, and GW is a 13, I guarantee they meet in the first round. The Duke-Kentucky 8-9 game is almost a give in. Just a question of what region it will be placed in. Looking at Wisconsin’s draw, there is no way they would make it past both Vandy and Texas. No way that Pitt makes it past Virginia Tech and Florida. How bout that potential Texas-FSU game in the second round? That game would otherwise be known as Durant vs. Thornton. If you are looking for those 11-13 seeds that are going to win two games, I would look at Kansas State, Davidson (Louisville then SIU), or New Mexico State (UNLV then Notre Dame). We’ll see how close I am. Lunardi got three teams incorrect last season (despite his assertion that he has missed a total of six teams in the past five years) and I only got two. So I was better. I think Drexel is going to beat me this season. But they shouldn’t be in. Even if I’m wrong about them making the tournament, I’m right about them not being qualified to make the tournament.

EAST RUTHERFORD REGION
Winston-Salem
(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Florida A&M
(8) Villanova vs. (9) Indiana
Sacramento
(4) Washington State vs. (13) Holy Cross
(5) Nevada vs. (12) Old Dominion
Columbus
(3) Pittsburgh vs. (14) Pennsylvania
(6) Virginia Tech vs. (11) Kansas State
New Orleans
(7) Creighton vs. (10) Xavier
(2) Florida vs. (15) Belmont

ST. LOUIS REGION
Lexington
(1) Ohio State vs. (16) Jackson St./Central Conn. St.
(8) Boston College vs. (9) Texas Tech
Buffalo
(4) Southern Illinois vs. (13) Wright State
(5) Louisville vs. (12) Davidson
Lexington
(3) Memphis vs. (14) Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
(6) Southern California vs. (11) Purdue
New Orleans
(7) Virginia vs. (10) Syracuse
(2) Texas A&M vs. (15) Weber State

SAN ANTONIO REGION
Chicago
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Eastern Kentucky
(8) Arizona vs. (9) Michigan State
Buffalo
(4) Maryland vs. (13) George Washington
(5) Brigham Young vs. (12) Gonzaga
Spokane
(3) Oregon vs. (14) Long Beach State
(6) Tennessee vs. (11) Virginia Commonwealth
Winston-Salem
(7) Butler vs. (10) Georgia Tech
(2) Georgetown vs. (15) Albany

SAN JOSE REGION
Sacramento
(1) UCLA vs. (16) North Texas
(8) Duke vs. (9) Kentucky
Spokane
(4) UNLV vs. (13) Miami-Ohio
(5) Notre Dame vs. (12) New Mexico State
Columbus
(3) Texas vs. (14) Oral Roberts
(6) Marquette vs. (11) Florida State
Chicago
(7) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Winthrop
(2) Wisconsin vs. (15) Niagara