Bracketology 101's Field of 65 - Feb. 20

Here are Chris and Craig's Field of 65 for Feb. 20:

The Breakdown
Big Conferences…The ACC has become a big mess. Georgia Tech saved itself winning at Florida State and should be able to get to 8-8 in conference so they hang on. Virginia Tech had a huge week and has the best chance of any of the ACC bubble teams to get to 9-7. Their RPI is still 100 but it will continue to improve. N.C. State also had a big week with its win over Maryland. Their two wins over Georgia Tech and Maryland is what lands them here this week. Their RPI is also poor but they have some good opportunities to get another big win and get to 8-8. Miami, who does have a decent RPI, will have a hard time getting in since they lost to Virginia Tech twice and with their schedule they probably won’t be able to get to 8-8 in conference. We still are not believers in Memphis. Their RPI should improve with the schedule they have upcoming but they will need to win 3 out of their remaining 4 (at Charlotte, Louisville, at Saint Louis, Cincinnati) to get a bid, which we don’t think is possible. If West Virginia can pull out a victory at Pitt that would put them in the bracket next week, especially considering their remaining games. South Carolina is back on the bubble but they will have trouble finishing any better then 8-8 in conference, which won’t be enough to get them in.

Small Conferences….People may be surprised to see Creighton in the bracket this week. They were given the automatic bid out of the MVC. Wichita State is no longer looking good for an at-large bid and their schedule does not get any easier, while Southern Illinois has got one almost locked up. History forced us to give the MVC two bids. In the past 6 years the regular season conference champion has lost in the conference tourney and still gotten an at-large bid. In the last 2 years, Southern Illinois has been that regular season conference champion. If Buffalo can finish up strong they have the best chance of being the #2 team out of the MAC. George Washington and St. Mary’s need to take care of business on the road this week if they want to see their names here next week. UTEP's loss at Pacific hurts; they have an easy schedule left but we think they won't get thru it unscathed. They have slim hopes for an at-large if they get through the rest of the season without losing until facing Nevada in the conference championship. If Nevada or Pacific falter in their conference tournaments then they will be stealing bids from the big conferences because they are near locks for at-large bids.

Conference Breakdown
Big East (7), ACC (7), Big XII (6), SEC (5), C-USA (4), Big Ten (4), PAC-10 (4), A-10 (2), MAC (2), MVC (2), WCC (2).

Last Four In
Minnesota, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Buffalo

Last Four Out
Miami-Fla., Memphis, West Virginia, South Carolina

The Field Of 65

America East
Vermont

A-10
George Washington, St. Joseph's

ACC
North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State

Atlantic Sun
Gardner-Webb

Big 12
Oklahoma St., Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas, Iowa State

Big East
Boston College, Syracuse, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Notre Dame, Georgetown

Big Sky
Portland State

Big South
Winthrop

Big Ten
Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Minnesota

Big West
Pacific

Colonial
Old Dominion

C-USA
Louisville, Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul

Horizon
Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Ivy
Penn

MAAC
Niagara

MCC
Oral Roberts

MAC
Miami-Ohio, Buffalo

MEAC
Coppin St.

MVC
Southern Illinois, Creighton

MWC
Utah

Northeast
Fairleigh Dickinson

Ohio Valley
Tennessee Tech

PAC-10
Arizona, Washington, Stanford, UCLA

Patriot
Holy Cross

SEC
Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi State, LSU, Florida

Southern
Davidson

Southland
SE Louisiana

SWAC
Alabama A&M

Sun Belt
Denver

WCC
Gonzaga, St. Mary's

WAC
Nevada

*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 tiebreaker.

The Seeds

The 1s
Illinois, North Carolina, Boston College, Oklahoma State

The 2s
Wake Forest, Kansas, Duke, Arizona

The 3s
Kentucky, Washington, Gonzaga, Michigan State

The 4s
Alabama, Utah, Wisconsin, Connecticut

The 5s
Syracuse, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Charlotte

The 6s
Oklahoma, Pacific, Southern Illinois, Cincinnati

The 7s
Villanova, Nevada, Texas Tech, Notre Dame

The 8s
Florida, Maryland, LSU, Texas

The 9s
Mississippi State, DePaul, Iowa State, Miami-Ohio

The 10s
Georgia Tech, George Washington, Georgetown, Stanford

The 11s
St. Mary's, Vermont, UCLA, Minnesota

The 12s
North Carolina State, Buffalo, Virginia Tech, Holy Cross

The 13s
Old Dominion, St. Joseph's, Creighton, Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The 14s
Niagara, Penn, Winthrop, Davidson

The 15s
Denver, Oral Roberts, SE Louisiana, Portland State

The 16s
Tennessee Tech, Coppin St., Gardner-Webb, Alabama A&M (Play-In Game), Fairleigh Dickinson (Play-In Game)

The Bracket

This Week's Bracket

Bracket courtesy Matt Reeves.

Questions? Comments? E-mail Chris and Craig at bracketologyblog@yahoo.com