Bracket Projection 2-13-17

Projected seeding is based on team ratings from TheRankerPit.com.

A few noteworthy difference with consensus projections from the Bracketology community (found at bracketmatrix.com)

  • Kansas and Baylor are both consensus 1-seeds.  Ratings from TheRankerPit.com indicate Kansas and Baylor may be a bit overrated.
  • Meanwhile, I have West Virginia as a 1-seed.  Just so happens West Virginia plays at Kansas tonight – how convenient.  West Virginia won the first matchup 85-69 on Jan. 24.
  • I have Wichita State moving up to a 2-seed – way higher than the consensus 10-seed.  Wichita State’s rating is probably a bit inflated from all of the large scoring margins accomplished against their relatively weak conference competition.
  • Most bracketologists are just now taking Indiana out of their projection.  Indiana’s been out for a long time for me
  • Prediction:  Maryland will also eventually fall out of everyone else’s bracket.  They’re not nearly as good as “everyone” thinks.
1 Gonzaga 1 West Virginia
16 UC Irvine 16 Eastern Wash.
8 Dayton 8 Rhode Island
9 Indiana 9 Xavier
5 Baylor 5 Wisconsin
12 Syracuse/Illinois St. 12 East Tenn. St.
4 Oregon 4 Purdue
13 Vermont 13 Monmouth
6 Arizona 6 Notre Dame
11 Utah 11 California
3 Villanova 3 UCLA
14 Belmont 14 New Mexico St.
7 Creighton 7 Houston
10 Michigan 10 Kansas St.
2 Virginia 2 North Carolina
15 Bucknell 15 IPFW
1 Kentucky 1 Louisville
16 Texas Southern/Wagner 16 Sam Houston St./N.C. Central
8 Minnesota 8 Texas Tech
9 Middle Tenn. 9 Northwestern
5 St. Mary’s (CA) 5 Kansas
12 Nevada 12 UNC Wilmington
4 SMU 4 Duke
13 Princeton 13 Valparaiso
6 Butler 6 Oklahoma St.
11 Miami (FL)/TCU 11 Tennessee
3 Florida St. 3 Cincinnati
14 Akron 14 Texas-Arlington
7 South Carolina 7 Iowa St.
10 VCU 10 Wake Forest
2 Wichita St. 2 Florida
15 FGCU 15 Winthrop