Bracketology Projected Field: Pre-Selection Sunday updates

With Selection Sunday approaching, here is our hub for bracketology. Follow along with daily updates to our projected field of 68.

Selection Sunday is now just one week away. The conclusion of the regular season has quietly crept up on every team in the country and time is running out for teams to make their final pushes towards the NCAA Tournament. With the current state of college basketball, it is impossible to really say what the results will be during this upcoming week and therefore it is now time for daily bracketology updates.

Starting today, this specific page will be updated each morning with a new bracketology field. I will be posting on Twitter (@hardwiredsports) whenever I make an update to the field but otherwise, you can count on changes coming each morning. Before diving into the updates, though, be sure to take note of the “last updated” time below to make sure that the field is as up to date as possible. It has been an awesome season covering college hoop and I hope you enjoy following along throughout the final week of bracketology season.

Projected Field of 68

Last Updated: Sunday, March 17 at 6:00 pm ET.

No. 1 seeds: Virginia, Duke, Gonzaga, North Carolina

No. 2 seeds: Tennessee, Michigan State, Kentucky, Michigan

No. 3 seeds: Houston, LSU, Texas Tech, Florida State

No. 4 seeds: Kansas, Purdue, Kansas State, Wisconsin

No. 5 seeds: Virginia Tech, Marquette, Villanova, Auburn

No. 6 seeds: Mississippi State, Maryland, Iowa State, Buffalo

No. 7 seeds: Wofford, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nevada

No. 8 seeds: Iowa, UCF, Ole Miss, Seton Hall

No. 9 seeds: VCU, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Syracuse

No. 10 seeds: Baylor, Washington, Utah State, Florida

No. 11 seeds: NC State, TCU, Arizona State, Ohio State, Temple, St. Mary’s

No. 12 seeds: Oregon, Murray State, New Mexico State, Liberty

No. 13 seeds: UC Irvine, Vermont, Northeastern, Old Dominion

No. 14 seeds: Yale, Georgia State, Northern Kentucky, Saint Louis

No. 15 seeds: Bradley, Montana, Colgate, Abilene Christian

No. 16 seeds: Gardner-Webb, NDSU, Iona, Fairleigh Dickinson, PVAM, NC Central

State of the Bubble

Last Four Byes: Washington, Utah State, Florida, NC State

Last Four In: TCU, Arizona State, Ohio State, Temple

First Four Out: St. John’s, Texas, Belmont, Indiana

Others considered (no particular order): Clemson, UNCG, Alabama, Nebraska, Toledo, Xavier, Lipscomb, and the list goes on even though I feel comfortable with my current 68 and First Four Out.

Notes on the field (March 17)

• For the moment, I feel quite comfortable with the first 72 teams right now. With that said, though, my last four in are very interchangeable. I think this is the toughest year to determine who will make the tournament since I started doing bracketology (four years). There are not 68 teams worthy of bids.
• Michigan State has an outside shot at a No. 1 seed but they win today and hope for Auburn to take down Tennessee. I still don’t think that will be enough, but it is still a possibility.
• Houston still has the potential to sneak onto the No. 2 line with a dominating performance over Cincinnati. Their record and NET ranking are there, I just don’t know how the committee will exactly handle their situation.

Automatic Bids Clinched

• Murray State clinched the automatic bid from the OVC behind 36 points from Ja Morant. In addition to the elation that fans should have for the superstar returning to the field, the OVC could be a two-bid league. Belmont, who lost in the tournament final, is also right on the edge of potentially landing an at-large bid. Syracuse with an identical situation as well (they beat Pitt).
• Liberty, after splitting with Lipscomb in the regular season, took the Atlantic Sun Tournament title to land the automatic bid. The Flames had a great season with a 28-6 record and will likely land a No. 12/13 seed in the Big Dance. They score well in the paint and at the free throw line. Lipscomb has an outside shot at an at-large bid.
• In a wacky Missouri Valley Tournament, it was Bradley that came out on top for the automatic bid. The Braves managed to scrape together only a 9-9 conference record but won three straight, including a comeback effort over Northern Iowa in the final, to reach the Big Dance.
• In the Big South, Gardner Webb shocked just about everyone by winning three straight to take the automatic bid. This will be the Runnin’ Bulldogs first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and it comes in Tim Craft’s sixth year as the head coach.
• For the sixth time in nine years, Iona head coach Tim Cluess has his team headed to the Big Dance. The Gaels once again took the MAAC throne this season behind all five starters scoring in double figures in the championship game. Iona will likely land a No. 16 seed but dancing is the most important thing.
• Wofford handled their business (again) against UNC Greensboro to take the automatic bid out of the SoCon. The Terriers were easily the best team in the league this season and they proved it time and time again by winning each of their 21 conference games. Their strong play is reflected above in my seeding but their win over the Spartans also likely means that the SoCon will just be a one-bid conference.
• St. Mary’s pulled off the upset of the conference tournament week by taking down Gonzaga in the WCC title game. The Gaels locked up the automatic bid with the victory, sending bubble teams into a panic. This is an awesome story for SMC, who should have made the Big Dance last year.
• Northeastern took down Hofstra in the CAA final to snag the automatic bid. One of the more underrated teams in the nation, the Huskies could be dangerous as a No. 13 seed in the Big Dance. Vasa Pusica is a name everyone should know.
• Fairleigh Dickinson is the automatic bid from the Northeast Conference. This likely puts them in the First Four in Dayton as a No. 16 seed but it is exciting nonetheless. They knocked out St. Francis (PA) in the title game.
• Northern Kentucky, just one day after needing a buzzer-beater to survive the semifinals, took down Wright State in convincing fashion in the Horizon League championship. The HL isn’t quite the same conference it used to be but you never know who will be dangerous.
• North Dakota State answered the call and secured the automatic bid from the Summit League. They took down Omaha by double-digits in the title game. It is certainly a bit sad that we will not see Mike Daum of SDSU in the tournament but maybe NDSU can shock some people as a likely No. 16 seed.
• Colgate snagged the automatic bid from the Patriot League with an offensive outburst in the championship game against Bucknell. They hung 94 in the victory and look poised to be a somewhat dangerous No. 15 seed if they get hot.
• Duke locked itself into a No. 1 seed by defeating Florida State to win the ACC Tournament. With Zion Williamson, they are a national favorite.
• Tennessee moved up the list of potential No. 1 seed contenders by taking down Kentucky. The Vols have slipped a bit in recent weeks but right up with the rest of the top contenders.
• Iowa State once again showed up in the Big 12 Tournament. The Cyclones have struggled with inconsistencies throughout this season but showed no signs of that as they rolled through Kansas for the automatic bid.
• Buffalo once again took care of business while winning the MAC final. No longer just another mid-major, the Bulls will have a single-digit NCAA Tournament seed.
• Villanova won the Big East Tournament. I’m shocked (sarcasm).
• Vermont exacted revenge on UMBC for last season’s AE final in a big way by taking down the nation’s favorite Cinderella by 17 points. Anthony Lamb is a tough cover.
• NC Central upset Norfolk State to win the MEAC.
• Utah State was picked to finish near the bottom of the Mountain West this season and once again proved everyone wrong. With Sam Merrill leading the way, the Aggies can now add a conference tournament title to their regular season title.
• Prairie View A&M won a hard-fought battle over Texas Southern to take the automatic bid from the SWAC – likely a No. 16 seed.
• Montana, one of the more unsung mid-majors, handled their business against Eastern Washington to win the Big Sky. Montana could be dangerous in the tournament as a potential upset team to watch.
• Old Dominion held off an arguably more talented squad in Western Kentucky to win the CUSA. The Monarchs played well all season long and certainly earned the automatic bid.
• Abilene Christian won the Southland with a win over New Orleans. They will likely sit on the No. 15 or 16 line.
• New Mexico State wasted no time with Grand Canyon as they quickly dispatched the Antelopes en route to a WAC title.
• Oregon won their fourth game in as many days to win the Pac-12 title over Washington. This could mean that the Pac-12, which was rumored to be a potential one-bid league for a long time, might get three teams in the Big Dance.
• UC Irvine absolutely made a statement in the Big West final by dismantling CSU Fullerton by 28 points. The Anteaters boast an elite defense and balanced offense – definitely a potential upset team to watch.

Bracketology season is coming to a close and this is our Busting Brackets hub for the projected field heading down the end of this season. There is only one week remaining until Selection Sunday and this field will be updated throughout this week. Be sure to follow along!