NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections: March 14th

We are two days from Selection Sunday.  A bunch of bubble teams shot themselves in the foot yesterday, and now there are only a handful of teams that can make a good case for an at-large.

What follows is an early look at which teams will be in this year's field.  The selections are based on record, RPI, opponents, and record versus top competition.

Conference winners are based on current standings.  At-large teams appear in BOLD.  Teams that have already qualified will have a * next to their name.

EAST

1. UNC (ACC)

2. GEORGETOWN (BIG EAST)

3. WISCONSIN (BIG TEN)

4. DRAKE (MVC) *

5. NOTRE DAME

6. WASHINGTON STATE

7. USC

8. WEST VIRGINIA

9. KENT STATE (MAC) 

10. ARKANSAS

11. TEXAS A&M

12. WESTERN KENTUCKY (SUN BELT)* 

13. ORAL ROBERTS (SUMMIT)*

14. AUSTIN PEAY (OVC)*

15. UMBC (AMERICA EAST)

16. MORGAN STATE (MEAC)

SOUTH

1. TENNESSEE (SEC)

2. KANSAS (BIG 12) 

3. XAVIER (ATLANTIC 10) 

4. MARQUETTE

5. INDIANA

6. PURDUE

7. CLEMSON

8. MIAMI (FL)

9. KANSAS STATE

10. ILLINOIS STATE

11. ARIZONA

12. OREGON

13. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (SOUTHLAND)

14. BELMONT (ATLANTIC SUN)*

15. PORTLAND STATE (BIG SKY)*

16. WINTHROP (BIG SOUTH)*

MIDWEST

1. MEMPHIS (C-USA)

2. DUKE

3. VANDERBILT

4. STANFORD

5. PITTSBURGH

6. UCONN

7. UNLV

8. OKLAHOMA

9. ST. MARY'S

10. SOUTH ALABAMA

11. OHIO STATE

12. ST. JOSEPH'S

13. GEORGE MASON (COLONIAL)*

14. UCSB (BIG WEST)

15. SAN DIEGO (WCC)*

16. PLAY IN GAME: MOUNT ST. MARY'S (NORTHEAST)* VS. ALABAMA STATE (SWAC)

WEST

1. UCLA (PAC-10)

2. TEXAS

3. MICHIGAN STATE

4. LOUISVILLE

5. BUTLER (HORIZON)* 

6. BYU (MWC)

7. GONZAGA

8. MISSISSIPPI STATE

9. DAVIDSON

10. UMASS

11. VILLANOVA

12. KENTUCKY

13. SIENA (MAAC)*

14. CORNELL (IVY)*

15. AMERICAN (PATRIOT)

16. BOISE STATE (WAC)

LAST FOUR IN: OREGON, VILLANOVA, ST. JOSEPH'S, OHIO STATE

LAST FOUR OUT: BAYLOR, VCU, DAYTON, VIRGINIA TECH

NOTES:  Villanova has to be seeded as an 11 because there is a Big East team as a four or five in every region.

Besides the last four our listed, the only other team that has a realistic shot to make the tournament is Temple.

BIDS BY CONFERENCE

BIG EAST: 8

PAC-10: 6

BIG 12: 5

SEC: 5

BIG 10: 5

ACC: 4

ATLANTIC 10: 3

WCC: 3

MVC: 2

MWC: 2

SUN BELT: 2 

OTHERS: 1