Bracketology: Missouri Snags Last No. 1 Seed with Weekend Win over Kansas

This bracketology will evaluate teams based on how they have performed to this point in the season. It will not factor in how they are projected to do 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 Kentucky (SEC) vs. No. 16 Stony Brook (A-East)/Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)

Kentucky has yet to lose in the SEC, but the Wildcats still have to play both Vanderbilt and Florida twice and Mississippi State once.

Stony Brook holds a one-game lead in its conference.

Mississippi Valley State in undefeated in SWAC play.

No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 California

Iowa State has won three straight games, including a win over No. 5 Kansas.

California fell out of first place in the Pac-12 with a loss at Arizona on Thursday.

No. 5 St. Mary's (WCC) vs. No. 12 St. Joseph's/Colorado State

St. Mary's has won its last 12 games and is undefeated in WCC play.

St. Joseph's defeated Richmond and La Salle this week to stay in the field.

Colorado State is tied for fourth place in the Mountain West.

No. 4 San Diego State (MWC) vs. No. 13 Oral Roberts (Summit)

San Diego State will have a rematch UNLV on Saturday with first place in the Mountain West on the line.

Oral Roberts is no longer undefeated in conference play, but the Golden Eagles are still 1.5 games ahead of second-place South Dakota State.

East Region (Cont.)

No. 6 Vanderbilt vs. No. 11 Illinois

Vanderbilt lost a pair of games in the last week at Arkansas and Florida.

Illinois has lost four of its last five games.

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

Michigan State rebounded from an ugly loss at Illinois with a win over No. 22 Michigan.

Davidson rebounded from a loss to Samford with a pair of wins this weekend.

No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 10 Memphis

West Virginia ended its three-game slide with an overtime win at Providence on Sunday.

Memphis kept its at-large bid with a come-from-behind win over Xavier over the weekend.

No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Drexel (CAA)

North Carolina is 7-1 in the ACC, but the Tar Heels are just 1-1 against the Top 25.

Drexel has won its last 11 games.

West Region

No. 1 Missouri (Big 12) vs. No. 16 Long Island (NEC)

Missouri came from behind against Kansas in the final minutes to take control of first place in the Big 12.

Long Island holds a one-game lead on Wagner and St. Francis (NY) for first place in the NEC.

No. 8 Harvard (Ivy) vs. No. 9 Saint Louis

Harvard is 6-0 in the Ivy League, already with a win at second-place Yale.

Saint Louis has won five of its last six games, and the Billikens are a half-game out of first place in the Atlantic 10.

No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 12 N.C. State

Indiana has won two of its last three games to even its Big Ten record at 6-6.

N.C. State has won its last two games to stay in fourth place in the ACC.

No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 13 Alabama/BYU

Marquette's seven-game winning streak ended with a 76-59 loss at Notre Dame on Saturday.

Alabama ended a four-game losing streak with wins over Arkansas and Ole Miss this weekend.

BYU defeated Gonzaga last week to stay in third place in the WCC.

West Region (Cont.)

No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Washington

Michigan has lost two of its last three games, but both losses have been to Top 10 teams.

Washington has won five consecutive games to take control of first place in the Pac-12.

No. 3 Murray State (OVC) vs. No. 14 Akron (MAC)

Murray State has struggled in its last two games, but the Racers remain undefeated at 23-0.

Akron has won five straight games and plays at Western Michigan this week.

No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Purdue

Louisville has won its last four and five of its last six. The Cardinals are  tied for the No. 5 spot in the Big East.

Purdue has struggled against top competition, going 0-5 against the Top 25.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Belmont (A-Sun)

Duke lost on its home floor for the second time this season, losing to Miami on Sunday. 

Belmont has won four straight games and is tied with Mercer for first place in the Atlantic Sun.

Midwest Region

No. 1 Syracuse (Big East) vs. No. 16 UTA (Southland)/Norfolk State (MEAC)

Syracuse has won three straight games since Notre Dame dealt it its first loss.

Texas-Arlington is undefeated in Southland competition.

Norfolk State has lost three of its last four games.

No. 8 Wichita State vs. No. 9 New Mexico

Wichita State is tied with Creighton for first place in the MVC, but the Shockers lost to the Bluejays earlier this season.

New Mexico has won four straight games and is tied with UNLV for second place in the Mountain West.

No. 5 Virginia vs. No. 12 Miami (FL)

Virginia's four losses have come by a combined 10 points.

Miami has won four straight games, including an upset win at Duke.

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

Both of UNLV's conference losses came by two points on the road.

Long Beach State holds a three-game lead for first place in the Big West.

Midwest Region (Cont.)

No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 11 Cincinnati

Wisconsin's six-game winning streak ended with a 58-52 loss to No. 3 Ohio State.

Cincinnati ended a three-game losing streak with a win over DePaul.

No. 3 Florida vs. No. 14 Nevada (WAC)

Florida has won seven straight games, and the Gators now travel to Kentucky to take on the No. 1 Wildcats.

Nevada's 16-game winning streak came to an end with a loss to Idaho on Saturday.

No. 7 Southern Miss (C-USA) vs. No. 10 Notre Dame

Southern Miss defeated Memphis, splitting the season series with the Tigers, to take complete control of first place in C-USA.

Notre Dame has won four straight games, including three wins over the Top 25.

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

Baylor has won four straight games entering its rematch with Kansas.

Weber State holds a half-game lead over Montana in the Big Sky.

South Region

No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten) vs. No. 16 UNC-Asheville (Big South)

Ohio State has defeated a pair of Top 25 teams in the past week. The Buckeyes are now 5-2 against the Top 25.

UNC-Asheville leads Coastal Carolina by two games in the Big South.

No. 8 Temple (A-10) vs. No. 9 Kansas State

Temple has used a six-game winning streak to take first place in the A-10.

Kansas State is 4-2 in its last six games.

No. 5 Creighton (MVC) vs. No. 12 Xavier

Creighton's 11-game winning streak was snapped by Northern Iowa on Saturday.

Xavier blew a late lead and lost at Memphis in its final non-conference game.

No. 4 Florida State (ACC) vs. No. 13 Middle Tennessee (Sun Belt)

After starting 0-1 in the ACC, Florida State has strung together seven straight conference wins. 

Middle Tennessee's perfect Sun Belt season ended with a loss at Denver.

South Region (Cont.)

No. 6 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Minnesota

Gonzaga plays its first game against a Top 25 team on Thursday against St. Mary's.

Five of Minnesota's next six games are against Top 25 opponents.

No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 14 Iona (MAAC)

Georgetown sits in second place in the Big East, two games behind Syracuse.

Iona took control of first place in the MAAC with a win at Manhattan this weekend.

No. 7 Mississippi State vs. No. 10 Connecticut

Mississippi State has won three of its last four games and is tied for third place in the SEC.

Connecticut finally ended its four-game slide with a 69-46 rout of Seton Hall.

No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 Bucknell (Patriot)

Kansas lost to Missouri this weekend, but the Jayhawks have another chance for a key road win at Baylor on Wednesday.

Bucknell has yet to lose in Patriot League play.