Another week of college basketball is in the books, calling for this week’s edition of bracketology. It’s already mid-December, so we are just one week away from conference season.
Biggest winner: The lovable losers of college basketball, Northwestern. This is a Big 10 program that has never reached the NCAA tournament, but that might just change this year. They got close recently, making the NIT every year from 2009-2012. However, they seem to have all the pieces in place this season and at 9-2 so far, they may get over the hump into the tournament for the first time ever. They will play IUPUI tonight and Houston Baptist on Thursday before they open up conference play next Tuesday against Penn State.
Biggest loser: For the second time this season, Syracuse. They haven’t been able to put much together of late, even though they did pick up a win over Eastern Michigan last night. After losing to Georgetown on Saturday, the Orange got no Top 25 votes for the first time this season. If they want their hopes to stay alive, they need to turn around. They will play Thursday against St. John’s before another game against Cornell next Tuesday.
Please note: A (*) denotes a new team in the bracket
East Region:
1: Villanova vs 16: Southern*/UNC Central
8: Minnesota vs 9: Iowa State
5: Oregon vs 12: Valparaiso
4: Purdue vs 13: Monmouth
6: St. Mary’s vs 11: Wichita State/Michigan
3: Louisville vs 14: FGCU
7: VCU vs 10: Seton Hall
2: Duke vs 15: Hawaii
West Region:
1: Baylor vs 16: Bucknell
8: Maryland vs 9: Northwestern*
5: Florida State vs 12: Ft. Wayne
4: Xavier vs 13: Tennessee State
6: Notre Dame vs 11: Nevada
3: West Virginia vs 14: New Mexico State
7: Florida vs 10: Syracuse
2: Gonzaga vs 15: UNC Asheville
Midwest Region:
1: Kansas vs 16: LIU Brooklyn/Eastern Washington
8: Miami vs 9: Loyola-Chicago
5: Arizona vs 12: UNC Wilmington
4: Butler vs 13: East Tennessee State
6: South Carolina vs 11: Dayton
3: Wisconsin vs 14: Vermont
7: Virginia Tech vs 10: Arkansas
2: North Carolina vs 15: Yale
South Region:
1: UCLA vs 16: Middle Tennessee State
8: Oklahoma State vs 9: Providence
5: Indiana vs 12: Rhode Island/Colorado
4: Virginia vs 13: Ohio
6: Cincinnati vs 11: Clemson
3: Creighton vs 14: Arkansas State
7: USC vs 10: Texas A&M
2: Kentucky vs 15: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
