Bracket Projection 2-20-17

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)

  • Baylor has finally slipped to a consensus 2-seed.  I’ve projected them as a 4- or 5-seed for weeks.  Let’s see if they continue to slide as everyone’s perception of them catches up to how good they actually are
  • Kansas is still a consensus 1-seed, but their team rating puts them at a 4-seed.  According to the model’s ratings, West Virginia is the best team in the Big 12 and deserve the 1-seed.
  • I have Wichita State as 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
  • Syracuse and Maryland are out.  Xavier has slid considerably and is barely in, now.
1 Gonzaga 1 West Virginia
16 UC Irvine 16 Eastern Wash.
8 Texas Tech 8 Middle Tenn.
9 Indiana 9 Michigan
5 SMU 5 St. Mary’s (CA)
12 East Tenn. St. 12 Utah/TCU
4 Purdue 4 Duke
13 Monmouth 13 Vermont
6 Arizona 6 Butler
11 California 11 Arkansas
3 Oregon 3 Villanova
14 New Mexico St. 14 Belmont
7 Iowa St. 7 Creighton
10 Northwestern 10 Kansas St.
2 North Carolina 2 UCLA
15 Texas-Arlington 15 Winthrop
1 Louisville 1 Kentucky
16 Texas Southern/Wagner 16 A&M-Corpus Chris/N.C. Central
8 South Carolina 8 Minnesota
9 VCU 9 Rhode Island
5 Baylor 5 Wisconsin
12 Nevada 12 UNC Wilmington
4 Kansas 4 Florida St.
13 Valparaiso 13 Princeton
6 Oklahoma St. 6 Notre Dame
11 Tennessee/Xavier 11 Marquette
3 Cincinnati 3 Florida
14 Bucknell 14 Ohio
7 Dayton 7 Houston
10 Wake Forest 10 Miami (FL)
2 Virginia 2 Wichita St.
15 FGCU 15 IPFW