Bracketology 101's Field of 65 - Jan. 14

Here are Chris and Craig's long-awaited first Bracketology selections of the season...

Now, some of you fellow bracketlogist wannabe's may think some of our picks are absurd but first listen to our theory. We are not like all of the other so-called bracketologists (i.e. Joe Lunardi) making our picks. That is because we make more of a prediction then projection. You may be asking what is the difference. The other bracketologists out there make projections and tell you who they think would make the tournament if they picked the field today. We do a little bit of that in our picks but we also try to look ahead to March and predict what will happen. That is why we don't have 7 teams in from any major conferences and why we have given many small conferences two spots. That is how things will shake out come conference tourney time when there are upsets in conference tourney's and small conference powers who should be getting the automatic bids start stealing at-large spots. So its not realistic to give 7 conferences all 34 of the at-large bids because it simply will not happen. This is typically what many other bracketologists do and is a major reason why this site was started. Our picks are more realistic and give you better insight into what your team needs to do to make the tourney.

We welcome your comments and responses to our picks and we stand behind them (except for the small conferences-- we put little to no thought into the MEAC's and SWAC's of the college basketball world, but we will once their conference schedule progresses). Keep in mind that these picks were posted Jan. 14 and weekend games will surely change them.

Conference Breakdown: ACC (6), SEC (6), Big XII (5), Big East (5), Big Ten (5), PAC-10 (5), C-USA (4), MAC (2), MVC (2), MWC (2), WAC (2), WCC (2)

Last Four In
Nevada, Utah, Charlotte, Kent. St.

Last Four Out
Depaul, WVU, Villanova, Virginia

*Note - In the conferences where mulitple bids were given the first place team was given the automatic bid. In the case of a tie, overall record was the tie-breaker.

America East
Vermont

A-10
George Washington

ACC
North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Miami, Maryland

Atlantic Sun
Gardner Webb

Big 12
Oklahoma St., Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

Big East
Syracuse, Pitt, UConn, Boston College, Notre Dame

Big Sky
Portland State

Big South
Winthrop

Big Ten
Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota

Big West
Pacific

Colonial
Old Dominion

C-USA
Cincinnati, Marquette, Louisville, Charlotte

Horizon
Wisconsin-Green Bay

Ivy
Princeton

MAAC
Niagara

MCC
Oral Roberts

MAC
Western Michigan, Kent St.

MEAC
Norfolk State

MVC
Wichita State, Southern Ill.

MWC
New Mexico, Utah

Northeast
St. Francis (PA)

Ohio Valley
Murray State

PAC-10
Washington, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon

Patriot
Bucknell

SEC
Kentucky, Miss. St., Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Vanderbilt

Southern
UT-Chattanooga

Southland
SE Louisiana

SWAC
Southern

Sun Belt
Middle Tenn St.

WCC
Gonzaga, St. Mary's

WAC
UTEP, Nevada