The quest to beat Joe Lunardi, pickin' the NCAA bracket (after games of 3/14)

7. Purdue: 24-8, 45, 113, Big Ten #4
Good: Great conference run, 15 wins, beat Louisville non-conference, beat Wisconsin twice, Ohio St, and Michigan St.
Bad: 3 bad non-conf losses, including to Wofford and Iowa State.
Why seed: Hot team, but poor non-conference schedule will cost them a little on the seeding part, probably won't go below 6-seed. Only six top 100 wins very low for power conference team, with teams like outside of bubble Arizona St with seven. Dropped slot with loss in Big Ten tourney Friday.

10. St Mary's: 24-6, 38, 136, WCC #3
Good: Great non-conference run for mid-major team, beating Drake, Oregon, Seton Hall and Ohio. All losses to top 90 teams. Split with Gonzaga.
Bad: Lost twice to San Diego, blown out in toughest game to Texas, only 2 wins over top 50 teams.
Why seed: Dropped a little after not making WCC Finals at least. Safe in with 2 top 30 wins, and 7-6 record against top-100.

2. Kansas: 28-3, 8, 60, Big 12 #2
Good: Lots of big wins, no losses outside of the top 100, all of those also true road games. Beat Arizona and USC non-conference. Also beat Oklahoma,Baylor, Texas A&M and Kansas St (split) in Big 12 play.
Bad: Not anything huge, but road loss to Ok State keeping them down a little right now, also "only" 16 games against top 100 teams, little less than those above them.
Why seed: Lots of big wins, but not real tough non-conference schedule keeps them from #1 seed jump, can still get there if win Big 12 tournament.

15. American: 21-11, 89, 158, Patriot champion

In officially as champion of Patriot league after win over Colgate Friday. Won’t be lower than a 15, may be a 14 by the time Sunday rolls around. Beat Maryland at Maryland in December.

Midwest

1. Tennessee: 28-3, 1, 1, SEC #1
Good: Lots of it. RPI 1, SOS 1, NCAA high 11 wins against top 50 teams, 14-2 against dominant conference, only team to beat Memphis, beat West Virginia, Xavier, Gonzaga, Ohio State, and Memphis non-conference.
Bad: Only loss that wasn't down to the wire in a true road game was 19-point thrashing to Texas in New Jersey, something none of the other top 7 teams really experienced, a dominant loss. SEC down a little this year doesn't help their resume.
Why seed: Pushing for #1 overall, tournament win may get them there, not automatically in at #1 if lose in SEC quarters, but should be safe here, but played it close with S Carolina.

16. Morgan St: 21-9, 115, 285, MEAC auto guess

Here because estimated as MEAC champ with 14-2 conference record, top RPI, and #1 tournament seed. Still a ways to go. Probably 2nd or 3rd worst conference in Division I. Best win: American. Title game against Coppin St, who was 7-9 in the MEAC coming in.

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