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Bracketology 2019: Projected field shows Villanova rising, Indiana dropping

By Lukas Harkins

VILLANOVA, PA - NOVEMBER 06: (L-R) Brandon Slater #3, Cole Swider #10, Joe Cremo #24, Saddiq Bey #15, and head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats react from the bench in the second half against the Morgan State Bears at Finneran Pavilion on November 6, 2018 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The Wildcats defeated the Bears 100-77. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
VILLANOVA, PA - NOVEMBER 06: (L-R) Brandon Slater #3, Cole Swider #10, Joe Cremo #24, Saddiq Bey #15, and head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats react from the bench in the second half against the Morgan State Bears at Finneran Pavilion on November 6, 2018 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The Wildcats defeated the Bears 100-77. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 06: Head coach Turgeon and bench protest. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 06: Head coach Turgeon and bench protest. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

East Region

(1) Virginia vs. (16) Norfolk State/Wagner

(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Ohio State

(4) Maryland vs. (13) Yale

(5) Villanova vs. (12) Lipscomb

(6) Florida State vs. (11) UCF/Washington

(3) Kentucky vs. (14) South Dakota State

(7) Indiana vs. (10) Seton Hall

(2) Kansas vs. (15) UC-Irvine

Virginia continues to hold down a No. 1 spot this week as clearly one of the top teams in the country. I know that many of you will still be wary of picking this team in the Big Dance based on prior events but this team is different. And I don’t just mean different from last year. They are seriously different. The Cavaliers have a tremendously well-built roster that plays like a team on both ends of the floor. They are, as always, an elite defensive unit and their offense is possibly the best it has ever been under head coach Tony Bennett.

Moving along, Maryland and Villanova are two teams that I want to point out. Both teams have won at least five games in a row and their youth is starting to show signs of development. Head coaches Mark Turgeon (UMD) and Jay Wright (‘Nova) have their teams playing at a high level right now as they are starting to reach the expectations set for them at the beginning of the season.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Indiana is dropping. The Hoosiers have lost three consecutive games as they have fallen to 3-3 in Big Ten play. Sure, all of their losses during this stretch have come against really good teams but they need to find a way to win the tight ones. There is no reason to panic (yet) but four of the next five games for IU come on the road.

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