College Basketball Bracketology: Undefeated Syracuse Clinging to Top Seed

This bracketology will evaluate teams based on how they have performed up to this point in the season. It will not factor in how they are projected to do in the rest of the season.

A conference in parentheses next to a team indicates a team that would have an automatic bid as a conference champion.

With the 68-team format, there will be four play-in games. There will be two play-in games for the bottom four at-large teams, and two play-in games for the bottom four conference tournament winners who earned automatic bids.

In the bracket, the winner of the South Region plays the winner of the West Region, and the winner of the Midwest Region plays the winner of the East Region.

The South Region and the West Region hold the overall No. 1 and No. 4 seeds, respectively. The Midwest Region and East Region hold the overall No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively.

East Region

No. 1 Syracuse (Big East) vs. No. 16 Stony Brook (AEC)/Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)

Syracuse warded off Providence on Thursday for its 16th win of the season.

Stony Brook defeated Vermont for its first conference win.

Mississippi Valley State took down Arkansas-Pine Bluff to begin SWAC play at 1-0.

No. 8 Temple (A-10) vs. No. 9 California (Pac-12)

Temple picked up its first win over a top 25 opponent with a 78-73 victory over Duke on Wednesday.

California won its first two Pac-12 games over USC and UCLA.

No. 5 UNLV (MWC) vs. No. 12 Cincinnati/Marshall

UNLV has won six straight games.

Cincinnati is 7-0 since the brawl with Xavier.

Marshall ended a two-game slide with a win over UTEP in its C-USA opener.

No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 Ohio (MAC)

After defeating Nebraska on the road, Wisconsin fell to Iowa and Michigan State at home.

Ohio's nine-game winning streak ended with a loss to Robert Morris.

No. 6 Murray State (OVC) vs. No. 11 St. Mary's

Murray State survived Eastern Kentucky's second half comeback to remain undefeated.

St. Mary's opened up WCC play with wins over BYU and Pepperdine.

No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 14 Middle Tennessee (Sun Belt)

Georgetown improved to 4-1 against top 25 opponents with a comeback win over Marquette on Wednesday.

Middle Tennessee is 2-0 in the Sun Belt with wins over Florida International and South Alabama.

No. 7 Stanford vs. No. 10 Xavier

Stanford opened up Pac-12 play with wins over UCLA and USC.

Xavier is 1-5 since its brawl with Cincinnati.

No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 15 Weber State (Big Sky)

Louisville hit a two-game funk with losses to Georgetown and Kentucky, but the Cardinals got back on track with a win at St. John's on Tuesday.

Weber State defeated Idaho State and Sacramento State in its first two Big Sky games.

West Region

No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 16 New Mexico State (WAC)

Ohio State rebounded from a 74-70 loss at Indiana with a 71-40 win over Nebraska.

New Mexico State enters WAC play with a 10-5 record.

No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Harvard (Ivy)

Creighton rebounded from a loss to Missouri State with wins over Wichita State and Drake.

Harvard picked up its second loss of the season, falling to Fordham on Tuesday.

No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 Iona (MAAC)

Michigan defeated Minnesota on New Year's Day for its seventh straight win.

Iona blew out Siena on Tuesday to improve to 3-0 in the MAAC.

No. 4 Connecticut vs. No. 13 South Dakota State (Summit)

Connecticut picked up its second loss against unranked opponents with a 75-63 defeat at Seton Hall.

South Dakota State has won its last three games by double digits.

No. 6 Kansas State vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech

Kansas State's six-game winning streak ended with an 18-point loss at Kansas on Wednesday.

Virginia Tech opens ACC play at Wake Forest on Saturday.

No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 14 Belmont (A-Sun)

Marquette has the opportunity to end Syracuse's undefeated season on Saturday.

Belmont has won its last four games.

No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 10 West Virginia

San Diego State plays its final non-conference game against winless Chicago State on Tuesday.

West Virginia rebounded from a loss to Seton Hall with a win at Rutgers.

No. 2 Duke (ACC) vs. No. 15 Old Dominion (CAA)

Duke's winning streak ended with a 78-73 loss at Temple on Wednesday.

Old Dominion has put its non-conference struggles behind itself with a 2-0 start in CAA play.

Midwest Region

No. 1 Kentucky (SEC) vs. No. 16 Bucknell (Patriot)/Campbell (Big South)

Kentucky improved to 3-0 against top 25 opponents with a win over Louisville on New Year's Eve.

Bucknell opens up conference play at Army on Saturday.

Campbell ended a five-game losing streak with an overtime win over Coastal Carolina.

No. 8 Saint Louis vs. No. 9 Illinois

Saint Louis lost its Atlantic 10 season opener to Dayton.

Illinois survived a late comeback at Northwestern to move to 2-1 in Big Ten play. 

No. 5 Mississippi State vs. No. 12 Memphis/New Mexico

Mississippi State has won 12 of its last 13 games.

Memphis defeated Tennessee for its third straight win.

New Mexico has won 11 consecutive games.

No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Missouri State (MVC)

Kansas defeated Kansas State in its first Big 12 game of the season. 

Missouri State opened MVC play with wins over Creighton and Drake but then fell to Illinois State.

No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Dayton

Alabama defeated Georgia Tech for its third straight win.

Dayton began conference play with an overtime win over Saint Louis.

No. 3 Michigan State (Big Ten) vs. No. 14 Davidson (SoCon)

After losing to UNC and Duke to begin the season, Michigan State has won 14 straight games.

Davidson returns to SoCon play at UNC-Greensboro on Thursday.

No. 7 Seton Hall vs. No. 10 Arizona

Seton Hall is currently 2-1 in the Big East with its only conference loss coming at No. 1 Syracuse.

Arizona defeated Arizona State in its first Pac-12 game.

No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Lamar (Southland)

UNC has scored 100 points or more in each of its last two games.

Lamar defeated Texas A&M-CC to open up conference play.

South Region

No. 1 Baylor (Big 12) vs. No. 16 Norfolk State (MEAC)

14-0 Baylor takes its undefeated record to Texas Tech on Saturday.

Norfolk State defeated Navy to finish its four-game road trip with a 3-1 record.

No. 8 Vanderbilt vs. No. 9 Southern Miss (C-USA)

Vanderbilt is starting to heat up, winning its last four games.

Southern Miss has not lost since it fell to Murray State in the Great Alaska Shootout.

No. 5 Virginia vs. No. 12 Iowa State

Virginia defeated Towson and LSU in close games to finish its non-conference campaign at 13-1.

Iowa State has now won six consecutive games after defeating Texas on Wednesday.

No. 4 Florida vs. No. 13 Long Beach State (Big West)

Florida bounced back from its double overtime loss to Rutgers with wins over Yale and UAB.

Long Beach State defeated UC Irvine in its first Big West game.

No. 6 Gonzaga (WCC) vs. No. 11 Pittsburgh

Gonzaga starts a two-game homestand tonight against Pepperdine.

Following an 11-1 start, Pittsburgh has lost three consecutive games, all to unranked to opponents.

No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 14 Robert Morris (NEC)

Indiana rebounded from its first loss of the season with a win over No. 2 Ohio State.

Robert Morris continues its road-trip at Bryant on Thursday.

No. 7 Purdue vs. No. 10 Wichita State

Purdue defeated Iowa and Illinois to begin Big Ten competition.

Wichita State improved to 2-1 in MVC play with a 67-66 win at Evansville.

No. 2 Missouri vs. No. 15 Milwaukee (Horizon)

Missouri's undefeated season will be on the line at No. 22 Kansas State on Saturday.

Milwaukee has lost three of its last four games.

First Four out

Northwestern fell 1-2 in Big Ten play with a loss to Illinois on Wednesday.

Oklahoma was blown out by Missouri in its Big 12 opener, 87-49.

Texas A&M fell to 0-1 in the Big 12 with a 61-52 loss at Baylor.

Texas lost its Big 12 opener to Iowa State, 77-71.