NCAA Bracket 2017: Latest Expert Bracketology and Predictions

Before March delivers its advertised madness, the NCAA regular season concluded with a busy weekend leading into the conference tournaments. Another round of games gave the pundits more data points to project the final Division I tournament brackets.

A wide assortment of bubble teams continued to play KnockerBall with Big Dance tickets at stake. Two greatly enhanced their tournament odds by upsetting a ranked adversary, but not everyone peaked at the right time.

With so many schools competing for so few slots, some teams will need a sizzling conference run to salvage their March Madness chances. One such club enters the final days before Selection Sunday on life support.

Let's see what the experts are saying about three highlighted teams before determining their NCAA tournament outlook.

Vanderbilt

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Just how much does the selection committee weigh recent performance?

If perceived momentum is a significant factor, Vanderbilt will roll into the tournament after upending No. 12 Florida. Down by a dozen during Saturday's second half, the Commodores saved their season with a 73-71 come-from-behind upset over the Gators.

They have now won five of their last six, the outlier a six-point loss to 25-5 Kentucky in a game they controlled before a late collapse. They went 9-4 over a final 13-game stretch featuring five triumphs against top-50 RPI opponents, per ESPN.com.

The compelling late chapter vaulted Vanderbilt to No. 40 in KenPom.com's adjusted team efficiency. There's still, however, the pesky matter of an underwhelming 18-14 record.

As noted by College Basketball Talk's Rob Dauster, no team has ever received an at-large bid with 15 or more losses. Unless Vanderbilt wins the SEC tournament, that must change.

"The bottom line is this: Vanderbilt is right there on the 'but' line," Dauster wrote. "They are going to be one of those dozen or so teams whose at-large candidacy will be determined by just how far they get in their league tournament."

ESPN's Joe Lunardi delivered a more positive prognosis:

His colleague, Andy Katz, also tossed Vanderbilt into the tournament with four other SEC representatives. Yet it's far from a done deal, especially if an early conference exit dampens its recently earned good will.

For now, let's say Vanderbilt sneaks in after a solid SEC showing, in which case a school once 9-11 will receive too much attention as a trendy Cinderella pick. 

Prediction: In

Seton Hall

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Saturday's road upset over Butler has prognosticators comfortably penciling Seton Hall into the Big Dance.

Led by junior forwards Desi Rodriguez and Angel Delgado, the Pirates erased an eight-point deficit over the final six minutes. A 70-64 victory extended their winning streak to five.

After the thrilling win, Pirates head coach Kevin Willard commended his squad to the New York Post's Zach Braziller. 

"It's been a battle to get to where we've gotten, but I give this group a lot of credit for believing in each other and believing in the program," Willard said in a phone interview. "This group has really wanted to leave its mark, and I'm awfully proud of the belief they have in each other."

Following Seton Hall's 20th triumph of the season, Doug Gottlieb and Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports both treated its March Madness inclusion as a formality:

Lunardi, who put the Pirates in a first-round slate as recently as Feb. 27, now pegs them as a No. 10 seed. Instead of fighting for survival during the Big East tournament, they're hoping to embellish their portfolio and snag a higher slot.

With Marquette also in line for a tournament spot, their conference meeting should not damage the loser. Seton Hall doesn't need to defend its Big East championship to make the field of 68.

Prediction: In

California

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Even if defense wins championships, some semblance of an offense is still required. California never got the memo, scoring a combined 90 points over its final two losses.

The Golden Bears may have received leeway for a three-game losing streak—featuring tight shortcomings against Arizona, Stanford and Oregon—if not for suffering a 74-44 trouncing versus Utah Thursday night.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller, who said he was "beyond prepared to drop them out of the projected field" before the humiliating defeat, listed California as the fifth team out on Friday's bracket:

"

But at some point in the middle of watching the Utes blow the doors off Cal in the first half, it occurred to me that this team has one RPI Top 50 win and just two RPI Top 75 wins. Factor in the not-great losses to Stanford and San Diego State, and there's nothing to justify having this team ahead of USC and Rhode Island. Now that they also have a not-great loss to Utah, it might take a run to the Pac-12 title game to save their season.

"

Cal certainly didn't coerce any second thoughts by shooting 27.3 percent (15-of-55) during Saturday's 54-46 loss to Colorado. Lunardi, who had the Pac-12 squad among the First Four out entering the weekend, bumped it down a tier. 

College Basketball Talk's Dave Ommen also sent the Golden Bears to hibernation after dropping Saturday's must-win contest. USA Today's Shelby Mast demoted them outside of consideration entirely. 

Despite ranking No. 9 in KenPom.com's adjusted defense, they won't overcome an abysmal offense and horrible finish unless they engineer a miraculous Pac-12 tournament run. 

Prediction: Out