New Nav
|
|
Bracketology: March 9th
March 8th, 2009
by Shawn Siegel
» Tags
2009 Final Four
The Bracketology field is based on how the tourney looks "as of this moment." Arrows indicate the amount of seeds a team moved since the last update. (Just because a team won or lost doesn't necessarily mean they'll move substantially though.)
Why should you care what I have to say? Did you know, last year I was considered to have one of the Top 2 or 3 brackets (depending on the scoring rubric) amongst 53 national experts including Joe Lunardi, Gary Parrish and the like).
Movement:
Previous update was March 6th (Friday afternoon). Arrows indicate movement by seed. Two arrows equals a change of two seeds, etc..
Pittsburgh returns to the #1 overall seed, while fellow Big East team Louisville moves to #1. UCONN has had a better overall season than Michigan State, but I don't see the committee giving the Big East 3 #1 seeds. Pac-10 leader Washington moves up to a 3rd seed, their best of the season. Texas A&M is moving off the bubble, into virtual lock status. Michigan & New Mexico move into the field for the first time, and the Wolverines jump in all the way up in the 10 group. Rhode Island falls out a few days after making the field for the first time, while UNLV drops out for the first time in months (5th in the MWC and an RPI of 55 doesn't bode well). Northern Iowa earned the MVC bid today, and I currently have Creighton as the last team out. Meanwhile, Davidson got knocked out of the SoCon tourney, and isn't good enough for an at-large bid (68 RPI, 1-4 against Top 50).
Error note: Binghamton replaces Vermont in a late update. UVM lost in the AE tourney, setting up a UMBC/Binghamton finals.
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
LSU* 
SEVEN
EIGHT
Utah*
NINE
Texas A&M
TEN
Michigan (new today)
ELEVEN
TWELVE
New Mexico (new today)
Northern Iowa*** (new today)
THIRTEEN
VCU*
Western Kentucky*
Charleston* (new today)
American*
FOURTEEN
Weber St*
Vermont*
Binghamton*
(new today)
Buffalo* (new today)
North Dakota St*
FIFTEEN
Cornell***
Stephen F Austin*
Robert Morris*
ETSU*** (new today)
SIXTEEN + ONE
Morehead St*** (new today)
CS Northridge*
Morgan State*
Radford*** / Alabama St*
* = Conference Leader
*** = Automatic Bid
Bold = Tournament Bid
League Leaders/Winners (31)
- Leaders are merely the first place team in the standings as of today. Ties are given to the higher RPI team.
America East - Binghamton
A-10 - Xavier
ACC - North Carolina
Atlantic Sun - ETSU***
Big 12 - Kansas
Big East - Louisville
Big Sky - Weber St
Big South - Radford***
Big Ten - Michigan State
Big West - CS Northridge
CAA - VCU
Conference USA - Memphis
Horizon - Butler
Ivy - Cornell***
MAAC - Siena
MAC - Buffalo
MEAC - Morgan State
MVC - Northern Iowa***
MWC - Utah
Northeast - Robert Morris
Ohio Valley - Morehead State***
Pac-10 - Washington
Patriot - American
SEC - LSU
Southern - Davidson
Southland - Stephen F. Austin
SWAC - Alabama St
Summit - North Dakota St
Sun Belt - Western Kentucky
WAC - Utah St
WCC - Gonzaga
*** = Locked Up Automatic Bid
Last In: Minnesota, Saint Mary's, New Mexico, Providence (last)
Last Out: Creighton, UNLV, Arizona, Davidson
Further Four: Florida, Miami, Temple, Illinois St
Dropped Out Today (at-large): Rhode Island, UNLV (for Michigan, New Mexico)
Thoughts? Post 'em below:
Comments
When I sat down to do
Submitted by Shawn Siegel on Mon, 2009-03-09 11:46.
When I sat down to do yesterday's list, I thought the same thing in my head.. uconn seems like they've had the better season. But the #'s don't play that out. Louisville has the better SOS, non-conference SOS, 8-2 Top 50 Record vs 8-3 for UCONN and 5 Top 50 wins vs 4 for UCONN, both are 10-2 in their last 12, and Louisville has the Big East title. Virtually the same resume, but with the conference title, as of now, I think Louisville gets the nod.
except losses
Submitted by Jeff Wright on Tue, 2009-03-10 14:40.
Louisville has more losses. no BAD losses, but worse than UConn. I don't think you should be allowed to discount losses to teams in the top 100, especially when you are talking about a #1 seed.
Louisville has 5 losses including a 33 point loss to Notre Dame.
UConn has three losses, two to the same team which is arguably a better team (Pitt). The loss to Georgetown is not pretty ,but they are still top 50 RPI and thats it on their blemishes.
SDSU...
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2009-03-09 11:26.
In your opinion, does San Diego State need to beat UNLV for a 3rd time(2nd time in Vegas) to make it in? I know a lot of it depends on other bubble teams losing/winning, but they got pretty hosed by that 1 point New Mexico win on Saturday. Do they have any chance to get in as an at large if they happen to lose to UNLV?
SDSU
Submitted by Shawn Siegel on Mon, 2009-03-09 11:41.
SDSU's a real tough one.. everything suggests they should get in over UNLV except two things: hype and the louisville win. The game being in LV is brutal for SDSU here.. because you get the feeling that UNLV will win against SDSU (sorry to say anonymous) even though I think SDSU is better overall. I hate non-neutral tournaments.. SDSU would have been better off being the 6th seed here and facing New Mexico. If UNLV then wins, both will have RPI's about 50, but the committee will be blinded by the mere recency of the game, and early season hype, and go with UNLV.
In your opinion, is Arizona
Submitted by Rainmaker203 (not verified) on Mon, 2009-03-09 12:49.
In your opinion, is Arizona in if they win their game against Arizona State, or do they also need to be Washington?
Also, Vermont already lost in their conference tournament, so you might want to replace them.
Yea, thanks for the Vermont
Submitted by Shawn Siegel on Mon, 2009-03-09 14:03.
Yea, thanks for the Vermont heads up. Been meaning to fix that, got a few emails there.. just running way behind on things.
In terms of AZ, I see them "less in" then other guys. Ie, if you ask Lunardi, he'll say they win and they're in 100%. I see a team that's only beaten oregon st and oregon away from home the entire season and have to wonder why the committee would think they'd be competitive in neutral tourney games? But a win over ASU gives them 6 Top 50 wins, which does look nice, and I think the committee would be swayed barring some kind of weird week in which a lot of unexpected conference tourney champs emerge. (ie, you guys better be rooting for Siena big time tonight, and Gonzaga to beat SMC, etc..)
Ranking
Submitted by Cards Fan (not verified) on Mon, 2009-03-09 15:32.
Your league winners list is not correct. Louisville won the Big East with their win on Saturday vs. West Virginia. Although UConn is ranked higher in overall rankings, based on W-L Louisville won the Big East conference.
Also, if you look at Joe Lunardi's brackets he has Louisville and Pitt both as 1 seeds and both playing at Dayton. How likely is is that if they both were 1's they would both play at Dayton????
Louisville
Submitted by Shawn Siegel on Mon, 2009-03-09 15:37.
They're listed as the Big East winners, no?
never mind, i see what
Submitted by Shawn Siegel on Mon, 2009-03-09 15:39.
never mind, i see what you're referring to. When I switched the Vermont thing, I switched the bottom lists too.. its right now.
Readable brackets
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2009-03-09 17:21.
Are you going to do a readable bracket like practically every other site? So we can look at potential matchups, etc.
Readable brackets
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2009-03-09 17:22.
Are you going to do a readable bracket like practically every other site? So we can look at potential matchups, etc.
Michigan State, meh.
Submitted by DJ Butler (not verified) on Tue, 2009-03-10 20:00.
Pitt is a number one. If Louisville and UCONN meet in the Big East finals, then they are both Number one's. Michigan State, meh, overrated. If anyone other UNC deserves a number one seed its Memphis. Other than Gonzaga, they had the toughest non-conference schedule among the elite teams. Tough losses early, but a convincing road win against Gonzaga and dominating defensive stats... it is hard to deny Memphis a number one. I'd even take Duke over Michigan State. Nonetheless, despite my disagreeing, I give you credit Shawn, you're a hard worker and a brave man. Keep it up.
Add comment
CHN SPONSORS
New Articles
Cheerleader of the Day
| >> |
 |
>> |
 |
>> |
 |
..All |
About Shawn Siegel
Columnist
Shawn Siegel - CHN President & Head Editor
Contact
shawn@collegehoops.net
Background
CHN Editor
Shawn Siegel is the self-proclaimed "hardest working man on the internet." He created CHN back in the summer of 2002, and it has since grown into the web's largest independent college basketball site. Shawn's college basketball and NBA Draft commentary has appeared across the web & print media, and he's beena featured guest on numerous radio programs. Please email him with any and all media requests or advertising inquiries.
Location
New Jersey
Favorite Links
CollegeHoops.net (obviously)
Hoops & Football Store
Latest Top 144 Preview
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
|
Louisville is not a #1 seed.... yet....
The overall body of work for Louisville is not as impressive as Pitt or UConn and they will be a #2 team in the tournament, They will get the #1 seed only if they win the Big East Tourney or UConn/Pitt have terrible terrible showings.