NCAA tournament men’s field comes into focus
In an unpredictable men’s school basketball season with fixed cancellations and postponements attributable to COVID-19, the examination of NCAA Tournament groups will tackle a a lot completely different outlook ramping as much as March Madness.
What is evident 5 weeks from Selection Sunday is which 4 groups are No. 1 seeds within the debut of USA TODAY Sports bracketology. Gonzaga and Baylor are undefeated and nationwide title contenders, whereas Villanova (12-2) and Michigan (13-1) are far forward of the pack of No. 2 seeds.
It would take lots of stumbling from these No. 1 seed favorites to see one of many No. 2s – Alabama, Ohio State, Texas Tech or Illinois – vault forward. But that makes the battle for a No. 2 seed all of the extra interesting with little separating No. 3 seeds Texas, Oklahoma, Houston and Iowa.
Selection Sunday is March 14 with all video games set to be performed within the Indianapolis space.
No. 1 seeds:
Baylor, Gonzaga, Villanova, Michigan.
Last 4 in:
San Diego State, VCU, Stanford, Connecticut.
First 4 out:
Richmond, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Indiana.
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Others thought of for at-large bids (no explicit order): Maryland, Duke, Wichita State, Western Kentucky, Memphis, SMU, Dayton, Davidson, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, North Carolina State, Penn State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Nevada
On life help: TCU, Marquette, Providence, Marshall, Utah, Arizona State, Oregon State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas A&M, St. Mary’s, San Francisco
Multi-bid conferences: Big Ten (8), Big 12 (7), ACC (6), SEC (6), Pac-12 (5), Big East (4), MWC (4), A-10 (3), MVC (2), WCC (2).
Leaders or highest NET from projected one-bid conferences – (21 complete): AAC – Houston, America East – UMBC, Atlantic Sun – Liberty, Big Sky – Montana State, Big South – Winthrop, Big West – UCSB, CAA – Northeastern, C-USA – UAB, Horizon – Cleveland State, MAAC – Siena, MAC – Toledo, MEAC – Morgan State, Northeast – Bryant, OVC – Belmont, Patriot – Navy, Southern – Furman, Southland – Sam Houston, SWAC – Prairie View A&M, Summit – South Dakota, Sun Belt – Texas State, WAC – Grand Canyon.
- Banned from collaborating: Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Delaware State, Auburn, Arizona
- Transition colleges, ineligible for the tourney: Cal Baptist, North Alabama, Merrimack, Dixie State, Tarleton State, Bellarmine, UC San Diego
- COVID-19: Ivy League, Bethune-Cookman, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Note: Mostly all statistical knowledge is used from WarrenNolan.com. The NCAA’s NET rankings are additionally a reference level.
About our bracketologist: Shelby Mast has been projecting the field since 2005 on his web site, Bracket W.A.G. He joined USA TODAY in 2014. In his eighth season as our nationwide bracketologist, Mast has completed as one of many high three bracketologists up to now seven March Madnesses. He’s additionally predicted for The Indianapolis Star, collegeinsider.com and is an inaugural member of the Super 10 Selection Committee. Follow him on Twitter @BracketWag.
Follow school basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
