The Predictor Top 25, Tournament Bids & Brackets: 3/3/08

The latest Top 25. Didn’t have time to put in witty comments, since I was too busy trying to figure out the bracket mess.

1. North Carolina (27-2)
2. UCLA (26-3)
3. Tennessee (26-3)
4. Memphis (27-1)
5. Kansas (26-3)
6. Stanford (24-4)
7. Duke (25-3)
8. Texas (24-5)
9. Xavier (25-4)
10. Vanderbilt (24-5)
11. Louisville (24-6)
12. Georgetown (24-4)
13. Wisconsin (24-4)
14. Connecticut (23-6)
15. Indiana (24-5)
16. Purdue (23-6)
17. Notre Dame (22-6)
18. Drake (25-4)
19. Butler (27-3)
20. Clemson (21-7)
21. Michigan State (23-6)
22. Marquette (21-7)
23. Washington State (22-7)
24. BYU (23-6)
25. Gonzaga (23-6)

Next Up: Miami (FL), Mississippi State, St. Mary’s, UNLV, Oklahoma

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 (6): Clemson, Duke, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Big East (7): Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, West Virginia
Big 10 (4): Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big XII (6): Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M
Pac-10 (6): Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington State
SEC (5): Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Notes: Teams like Kansas State, Florida, Virginia Tech, Arizona and Maryland (ugh, thank goodness I have a week before I have to talk about them again) are still because the bubble is so weak. Ohio State did vacate their spot with another loss, this time at mediocre Minnesota.

MAJOR
Atlantic 10 (2): Massachusetts, Xavier
Conference USA (2): Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis
Mountain West (3): BYU, New Mexico, UNLV

Notes: UAB replaces Houston, the A-10 is down to two teams with URI and St. Joe’s suffering even more terrible losses and New Mexico stays in despite losing at home to BYU.

MID-MAJOR
Colonial: Virginia Commonwealth
Horizon: Butler
Mid-American: Kent State
Missouri Valley: Drake, Illinois State
Sun Belt: South Alabama
West Coast: Gonzaga, St. Mary’s
Western Athletic: Boise State

Notes: Illinois State joins Drake in the Missouri Valley. Boise State has probably done enough for an at large bid, so the WAC will probably get two teams when either Utah State or Nevada win the conference tournament.

SMALL
America East: UMBC
Atlantic Sun: Belmont
Big Sky: Portland State
Big South: Winthrop
Big West: Cal State-Northridge
Ivy: Cornell
MAAC: Siena
MEAC: Morgan State
Northeast: Robert Morris
Ohio Valley: Austin Peay
Patriot: American
Southern: Davidson
Southland: Lamar
Southwestern: Alabama State
Summit: Oral Roberts


THE BRACKETS

CHARLOTTE REGION
Raleigh
(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Lamar/Alabama St.
(8) Pittsburgh vs. (9) USC
Denver
(4) Purdue vs. (13) Oral Roberts
(5) Drake vs. (12) Alabama-Birmingham
Washington DC
(3) Xavier vs. (14) UMBC
(6) Michigan State vs. (11) Arizona
Little Rock
(7) Miami(FL) vs. (10) Arkansas
(2) Texas vs. (15) Austin Peay

PHOENIX REGION
Anaheim
(1) UCLA vs. (16) Siena
(8) UNLV vs. (9) Texas A&M
Omaha
(4) Wisconsin vs. (13) Boise State
(5) Notre Dame vs. (12) Davidson
Birmingham
(3) Louisville vs. (14) Belmont
(6) Gonzaga vs. (11) Kent State
Omaha
(7) BYU vs. (10) Maryland
(2) Kansas vs. (15) Cal-State-Northridge

HOUSTON REGION
Birmingham
(1) Tennessee vs. (16) Morgan State
(8) Baylor vs. (9) West Virginia
Denver
(4) Indiana vs. (13) Illinois State
(5) Clemson vs. (12) New Mexico
Tampa
(3) Georgetown vs. (14) Winthrop
(6) Washington State vs. (11) South Alabama
Raleigh
(7) Mississippi State vs. (10) Virginia Commonwealth
(2) Duke vs. (15) American

DETROIT REGION
Little Rock
(1) Memphis vs. (16) Robert Morris
(8) Oklahoma vs. (9) Arizona State
Washington DC
(4) Connecticut vs. (13) Massachusetts
(5) Butler vs. (12) Florida
Tampa
(3) Vanderbilt vs. (14) Cornell
(6) Marquette vs. (11) Virginia Tech
Anaheim
(7) St. Mary’s vs. (10) Kansas State
(2) Stanford vs. (15) Portland State