The Predictor Tournament Bids & Brackets: 2/18/10

Since I was bored, I decided to do a mid-week revisit for tournament bids and introduce my first bracket projection of the year. Here are the 65 teams that would make the NCAA tournament right now. It could completely change by next week. You can call it a lazy man’s version of Bracketology. 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.

Notes: Since Monday, I've had a couple of changes of heart. Florida and Rhode Island (losers of three straight) are out. Oklahoma State and Wichita State are in. Campbell pulled ahead of Belmont in the Atlantic Sun, so they replace Belmont with a bid. Bids are as follows:

POWER
ACC (7): Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia
Big Ten (5): Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big XII (7): Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M
Pac-10 (1): California
SEC (4): Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

MAJOR
Atlantic-10 (4): Dayton, Richmond, Temple, Xavier
Conference USA (2): Alabama-Birmingham, UTEP
Mountain West (4): BYU, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV

MID-MAJOR
Colonial: Old Dominion
Horizon: Butler
Mid-American: Kent State
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa, Wichita State
Sun Belt: Middle Tennessee State
West Coast: Gonzaga, St. Mary’s
Western Athletic: Utah State

SMALL
America East: Stony Brook
Atlantic Sun: Campbell
Big Sky: Weber State
Big South: Coastal Carolina
Big West: UC Santa Barbara
Ivy: Cornell
MAAC: Siena
MEAC: Morgan State
Northeast: Robert Morris
Ohio Valley: Murray State
Patriot: Lehigh
Southern: Charleston
Southland: Sam Houston State
Southwestern: Jackson State
Summit: Oakland

As for the brackets...a couple of obvious rules. Syracuse can't play at their own regional and Marquette can't play the first two rounds in Milwaukee. Despite being located in Spokane, Gonzaga can play their first two rounds at their home away from home, since Washington State is hosting the sub-regional. Not fair, but those aren't my rules.

EAST REGION (Syracuse)
Providence
(1) Villanova vs. (16) Lehigh
(8) Georgia Tech vs. (9) San Diego State
Spokane
(4) Baylor vs. (13) Cornell
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) St. Mary’s
Providence
(6) Tennessee vs. (11) Old Dominion
(3) West Virginia vs. (14) Charleston
Jacksonville
(7) Xavier vs. (10) Illinois
(2) Duke vs. (15) Middle Tennessee State

SOUTH REGION (Houston)
New Orleans
(1) Kentucky vs. (16) Robert Morris
(8) Missouri vs. (9) Florida State
Jacksonville
(4) Georgetown vs. (13) Utah State
(5) Ohio State vs. (12) Wichita State
San Jose
(6) Pittsburgh vs. (11) UTEP
(3) BYU vs. (14) Sam Houston State
Oklahoma City
(7) Maryland vs. (10) Dayton
(2) Kansas State vs. (15) UC Santa Barbara

MIDWEST REGION (St. Louis)
Oklahoma City
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Campbell/Jackson State
(8) California vs. (9) UAB
Milwaukee
(4) Temple vs. (13) Weber State
(5) Wake Forest vs. (12) Mississippi
San Jose
(6) Texas A&M vs. (11) Marquette
(3) New Mexico vs. (14) Oakland
Buffalo
(7) Northern Iowa vs. (10) Virginia Tech
(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Coastal Carolina

WEST REGION (Salt Lake City)
Milwaukee
(1) Purdue vs. (16) Stony Brook
(8) Richmond vs. (9) Louisville
Spokane
(4) Gonzaga vs. (13) Kent State
(5) Texas vs. (12) Siena
New Orleans
(6) Butler vs. (11) UNLV
(3) Vanderbilt vs. (14) Murray State
Buffalo
(7) Clemson vs. (10) Oklahoma State
(2) Syracuse vs. (15) Morgan State