Wow, what a crazy set of early Sunday games, with both Kentucky and North Carolina getting beat by quality Vanderbilt and Florida St. teams respectively. And if that wasn't enough, St. Bonaventure likely just stole the last bubble spot, since Xavier is likely to be included in this field.
I didn't move Florida St (#4 seed) or Vanderbilt (#5 seed) up at all, because I feel like that's where they were coming into today and the committee makes it pretty obvious they don't give a lick about Sunday games unless it's convenient for them (such as this Ohio St. and Michigan St. scenario). In my opinion each team should respectively be bumped up a line, but I'm leaving it as is.
As for my final bracket projection, it's 99% set. The field is completely determined and with the Bonnies win, Pac-12 regular season champ Washington was bumped from my field, making Drexel my last team in and placing South Florida into the play-in game. The Bonnies enter the field as a 13 seed. The only the thing subject to change is the seeding of Ohio State and Michigan St. Whoever wins this game gets the 1 seed in Phoenix, and the loser becomes the 2 seed in North Carolina's region.
Remember to check back tonight for a recap of the field, and to enter my bracket challenge contest on ESPN, where' I'll have a link to the group in which I'll personally give away prizes for winners. (More details to come later on).
Good luck to everyone else projecting the field and to the fans of their respective teams tonight!
Selection Sunday!
2:00 PM
Selection Sunday is finally here, with only four hours and counting until the brackets are revealed. In a crazy season, where mid-majors and a team in Lexington stole the show, there still remain four conference championship games which still will have an effect on the shape of the field.
I just updated my second to last bracket projection at 1:10 pm ET, with all games through yesterday in mind. In short I have 3 teams in I wouldn't be surprised if they were left out (BYU, Drexel, & Washington) and another 2 that I would be a little more surprised if they were but not outraged by (Texas & South Florida). I think BYU has a slightly a better shot than Drexel and Washington, but not as good a chance as Texas and South Florida. So really I spent two hours trying to pick 2 teams out of roughly 11 teams. The other teams in consideration in my opinion for the last two spots are in order: Marshall (love this resume, couldn't do it though), Seton Hall (if closing the season has any influence on the committee they can't be in), Arizona (didn't do enough against the top (lol) teams in the Pac-12 during the regular season), Mississippi St. (see Seton Hall), Iona (two sub-100 losses are killer), St. Joe's (like them almost as much as Marshall, loss to Charlotte is killer), Oral Roberts (probably needed to get out and play a tougher non conference schedule), Northwestern (no bad losses, but 3 games under .500 in the B1G is too much to overcome; had their chance to play-in already in my opinion), Miami FL (best win of the group -vs. Duke -, but only 3-11 vs Top 11; no Durand Scott has to weigh a bit too), Oregon (best of the Pac-12 in that they lack a bad loss, but I think they'll get unfairly brushed over by Washington and Arizona and get lost in the shuffle - RSI loves the Ducks though, and they probably deserve to get in), Middle Tennessee St. (good team but not enough muster at the top of the resume), Mississippi (best non conference win was Penn St, (ugh), but upon ninth review, I feel like I need to move these guys up but not in), and Nevada (see MTST).
Here's my S-Curve for latest bracket update:
If St. Bonaventure wins, Washington is kicked from the field, St. Bonny becomes a 13 seed and South Florida gets the call to play Drexel in the play-in game as 12 seeds. The only other thing of note is if Michigan St. wins today they remain the 1 seed and Ohio St. remains a 2 seed, while if the Buckeyes win, they take Michigan St.'s 1 seed, and Michigan St. takes Ohio St.'s 2 seed. The SEC and ACC results have no impact on the field.
I just updated my second to last bracket projection at 1:10 pm ET, with all games through yesterday in mind. In short I have 3 teams in I wouldn't be surprised if they were left out (BYU, Drexel, & Washington) and another 2 that I would be a little more surprised if they were but not outraged by (Texas & South Florida). I think BYU has a slightly a better shot than Drexel and Washington, but not as good a chance as Texas and South Florida. So really I spent two hours trying to pick 2 teams out of roughly 11 teams. The other teams in consideration in my opinion for the last two spots are in order: Marshall (love this resume, couldn't do it though), Seton Hall (if closing the season has any influence on the committee they can't be in), Arizona (didn't do enough against the top (lol) teams in the Pac-12 during the regular season), Mississippi St. (see Seton Hall), Iona (two sub-100 losses are killer), St. Joe's (like them almost as much as Marshall, loss to Charlotte is killer), Oral Roberts (probably needed to get out and play a tougher non conference schedule), Northwestern (no bad losses, but 3 games under .500 in the B1G is too much to overcome; had their chance to play-in already in my opinion), Miami FL (best win of the group -vs. Duke -, but only 3-11 vs Top 11; no Durand Scott has to weigh a bit too), Oregon (best of the Pac-12 in that they lack a bad loss, but I think they'll get unfairly brushed over by Washington and Arizona and get lost in the shuffle - RSI loves the Ducks though, and they probably deserve to get in), Middle Tennessee St. (good team but not enough muster at the top of the resume), Mississippi (best non conference win was Penn St, (ugh), but upon ninth review, I feel like I need to move these guys up but not in), and Nevada (see MTST).
Here's my S-Curve for latest bracket update:
If St. Bonaventure wins, Washington is kicked from the field, St. Bonny becomes a 13 seed and South Florida gets the call to play Drexel in the play-in game as 12 seeds. The only other thing of note is if Michigan St. wins today they remain the 1 seed and Ohio St. remains a 2 seed, while if the Buckeyes win, they take Michigan St.'s 1 seed, and Michigan St. takes Ohio St.'s 2 seed. The SEC and ACC results have no impact on the field.
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