Busting Brackets
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Busting Bracketology 2.0: ACC and Big 12 in command

By Doug Winkey

Mar 18, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; General view of chairs with "The Road to the Final Four" logo and NCAA logo prior to the second round of the 2015 NCAA Basketball Championship at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; General view of chairs with "The Road to the Final Four" logo and NCAA logo prior to the second round of the 2015 NCAA Basketball Championship at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 17, 2016; Lubbock, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Aaron Ross (15) goes in for a layup against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2016; Lubbock, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Aaron Ross (15) goes in for a layup against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

8 Seeds: Michigan, Colorado, California, Texas Tech

Colorado is pushing toward the top of Pac-12 play. The Buffaloes are at 8-6 and tied with California for sixth. They are a good bet to receive an at-large bid if they can win at UCLA or hold court against Arizona before conference tournament week.

Cal is starting to surge at the right time. The Golden Bears have won three straight, including a dominating performance over Oregon. They are still tied for fifth with USC, but four of the team’s final six games are against opponents below them in the standings. A huge opportunity looms when Arizona visits Berkeley on March 3rd. Watch out for Cal and their talented freshman duo of Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb.

Michigan is fighting for an at-large birth with Wisconsin. The Wolverines are 9-5, sixth in the Big 10, after losing at Ohio State. The schedule isn’t the easiest either, with road games at Maryland and Wisconsin, and at home against Iowa. The maize and blue need to win at least two of those games to shift to the positive side of the bubble.

Anyone who said Texas Tech was a legitimate NCAA team in the preseason is likely a liar. The Red Raiders, even sitting at seventh in the Big 12 with a record of 6-7, have overcome all expectations. The owner of the third hardest schedule in the country has gone 7-8 against the RPI top 100, but only has one loss to anyone beyond that (Arkasas, RPI 113). Tubby Smith has this team playing phenomenally down the stretch and could make a run if given the right matchups.

Next: The Superb 7s

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