<div> Here's the fifth part of my thoughts regarding how I think the bracket will work. The previous week's thoughts can be found here.
(x - conference leader; z - conference champion & winner of NCAA tournament berth)
1-seed
xTennessee
xUCLA
xMemphis
xNorth Carolina
The Bruins move up to the 1-seed.
2-seed
xGeorgetown
Duke
Texas
xKansas
Duke moves down to the 2-seed.
3-seed
xXavier
Louisville
xWisconsin
Notre Dame
4-seed
Purdue
Indiana
Vanderbilt
Stanford
5-seed
Michigan State
Connecticut
xDrake
xButler
6-seed
xBrigham Young
Washington State
xGonzaga
Clemson
7-seed
Marquette
xSouth Alabama
Mississippi State
Pittsburgh
8-seed
UNLV
Southern California
St. Mary's
xKent State
9-seed
West Virginia
Miami, FL
Oklahoma
Illinois State
10-seed
Kansas State
Baylor
Kentucky
Arkansas
Why Kentucky is a 10-seed: Even without Patrick Patterson, the Wildcats are playing better than the at-large teams seeded below them.
11-seed
xVirginia Commonwealth
Temple
Massachusetts
Syracuse
Syracuse and Temple enter the bracket as at-large entries.
12-seed
xDavidson
Texas A&M
Arizona
Ohio State
Ohio State enters the bracket as an at-large entry.
13-seed
xStephen F. Austin
xOral Roberts
New Mexico
Virginia Tech
Stephen F. Austin enters the bracket as the leader of the Southland. New Mexico enters the bracket as an at-large entry.
14-seed
zCornell
xUC Santa Barbara
xUtah State
zBelmont
UC Santa Barbara and Utah State enter the bracket as leaders of the Big West and WAC.
15-seed
xSiena
zAustin Peay
xMaryland-Baltimore County
xAmerican
Siena enters the bracket as leaders of the MAAC.
16-seed
xPortland State
xRobert Morris
zWinthrop
Play-in
xMorgan State
xAlabama State
Winthrop enters the bracket as champions of the Big South. Morgan State and Alabama State are in the play-in game.
In the Bracket
UC Santa Barbara
New Mexico
Ohio State
Siena
Stephen F. Austin
Syracuse
Temple
Utah State
Winthrop
Out of the Bracket
UAB
Boise State
CS Northridge
Lamar
Loyola (Md.)
Maryland
UNC Asheville
St. Joseph's
Southern Illinois
Last Four In:
Texas A&M
Ohio State
New Mexico
Virginia Tech
I decided to go with two schools that were in the upper half of the top two power conferences in the nation: Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. Ohio State was deserving of some notice after their win over Purdue. New Mexico got a must-win game against UNLV.
Last Four Out:
St. Joseph's
Western Kentucky
UAB
Mississippi
The Hawks' losing 3 of 4 hurt. Western Kentucky's best chance to make the dance is to win the Sun Belt tournament. Mississippi is making a run, but the five bad losses hurt them. UAB is in a similar situation to the Rebels.
Next Four Out:
Maryland
Florida
Southern Illinois
Dayton
Maryland needed a home win against Clemson. Florida has struggled. Southern Illinois didn't even make the semifinals of the MVC tournament. Dayton is here as a courtesy since the Flyers have a top 40 RPI even though they are tied for 7th in the Atlantic 10.
Edited to correct comment regarding 1-seeds.
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(x - conference leader; z - conference champion & winner of NCAA tournament berth)
1-seed
xTennessee
xUCLA
xMemphis
xNorth Carolina
The Bruins move up to the 1-seed.
2-seed
xGeorgetown
Duke
Texas
xKansas
Duke moves down to the 2-seed.
3-seed
xXavier
Louisville
xWisconsin
Notre Dame
4-seed
Purdue
Indiana
Vanderbilt
Stanford
5-seed
Michigan State
Connecticut
xDrake
xButler
6-seed
xBrigham Young
Washington State
xGonzaga
Clemson
7-seed
Marquette
xSouth Alabama
Mississippi State
Pittsburgh
8-seed
UNLV
Southern California
St. Mary's
xKent State
9-seed
West Virginia
Miami, FL
Oklahoma
Illinois State
10-seed
Kansas State
Baylor
Kentucky
Arkansas
Why Kentucky is a 10-seed: Even without Patrick Patterson, the Wildcats are playing better than the at-large teams seeded below them.
11-seed
xVirginia Commonwealth
Temple
Massachusetts
Syracuse
Syracuse and Temple enter the bracket as at-large entries.
12-seed
xDavidson
Texas A&M
Arizona
Ohio State
Ohio State enters the bracket as an at-large entry.
13-seed
xStephen F. Austin
xOral Roberts
New Mexico
Virginia Tech
Stephen F. Austin enters the bracket as the leader of the Southland. New Mexico enters the bracket as an at-large entry.
14-seed
zCornell
xUC Santa Barbara
xUtah State
zBelmont
UC Santa Barbara and Utah State enter the bracket as leaders of the Big West and WAC.
15-seed
xSiena
zAustin Peay
xMaryland-Baltimore County
xAmerican
Siena enters the bracket as leaders of the MAAC.
16-seed
xPortland State
xRobert Morris
zWinthrop
Play-in
xMorgan State
xAlabama State
Winthrop enters the bracket as champions of the Big South. Morgan State and Alabama State are in the play-in game.
In the Bracket
UC Santa Barbara
New Mexico
Ohio State
Siena
Stephen F. Austin
Syracuse
Temple
Utah State
Winthrop
Out of the Bracket
UAB
Boise State
CS Northridge
Lamar
Loyola (Md.)
Maryland
UNC Asheville
St. Joseph's
Southern Illinois
Last Four In:
Texas A&M
Ohio State
New Mexico
Virginia Tech
I decided to go with two schools that were in the upper half of the top two power conferences in the nation: Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. Ohio State was deserving of some notice after their win over Purdue. New Mexico got a must-win game against UNLV.
Last Four Out:
St. Joseph's
Western Kentucky
UAB
Mississippi
The Hawks' losing 3 of 4 hurt. Western Kentucky's best chance to make the dance is to win the Sun Belt tournament. Mississippi is making a run, but the five bad losses hurt them. UAB is in a similar situation to the Rebels.
Next Four Out:
Maryland
Florida
Southern Illinois
Dayton
Maryland needed a home win against Clemson. Florida has struggled. Southern Illinois didn't even make the semifinals of the MVC tournament. Dayton is here as a courtesy since the Flyers have a top 40 RPI even though they are tied for 7th in the Atlantic 10.
Edited to correct comment regarding 1-seeds.
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