What a week of college basketball. Now conference season is in full swing, and the season is really underway and we’re looking forward to March. The biggest storyline of the week is a new #1 in Baylor after Villanova fell to Butler. With a new top team, here is this week’s bracketology.
Biggest Winner: Butler beat then-#1 Villanova and a thriller over Georgetown on Saturday. Things have been clicking all year for the Bulldogs, and now the poll committee is starting to take notice, as they went from #18 to #12 in the nation in this week’s AP Poll. They take on two top 15 teams this week; #8 Creighton on Wednesday night and then #15 Xavier on Saturday. If they can win both, there is little doubt they will crack the top 10.
Biggest Loser: Virginia did pick up a victory this week, but a loss to Pittsburgh, who has been a bubble team all year, does not look good. However, they did beat Wake Forest. They fell from #11 to #19 in the nation from last week to this week, and having lost two of their last three, they need to pick up a few wins. They have one game this week, taking on Clemson on Saturday.
Please note: A () denotes a new team in the bracket
South Region
1: Baylor vs 16: New Orleans/UC Davis
8: Virginia Tech vs 9: SMU
5: St. Mary’s vs 12: UT-Arlington
4: Arizona vs 13: New Mexico State
6: Notre Dame vs 11: Illinois
3: Butler vs 14: Bucknell
7: Kansas State vs 10: Wichita State
2: Duke vs 15: Harvard*
Midwest Region
1: Kansas vs 16: Weber State
8: Rhode Island vs 9: Michigan State
5: Purdue vs 12: Texas Tech/NC State
4: Louisville vs 13: Akron
6: USC vs 11: Dayton
3: Florida State vs 14: FGCU
7: South Carolina vs 10: Michigan
2: Gonzaga vs 15: Middle Tennessee State
West Region:
1: UCLA vs 16: Farleigh Dickinson/UNC Central
8: Seton Hall vs 9: Northwestern
5: Xavier vs 12: Oakland
4: Wisconsin vs 13: Ft. Wayne
6: Virginia vs 11: Boise State*/Miami
3: Creighton vs 14: Vermont
7: Indiana vs 10: Pittsburgh
2: West Virginia vs 15: UNC Asheville
East Region:
1: Villanova vs 16: Rider
8: Maryland vs 9: VCU
5: Florida vs 12: Nevada
4: Oregon vs 13: East Tennessee State
6: Cincinnati vs 11: UNC Wilmington
3: North Carolina vs 14: Belmont
7: Minnesota vs 10: Clemson
2: Kentucky vs 15: Texas Southern
Bids by conference:
- ACC, 11
- Big 12, Big East, 5
- PAC 12, SEC, Atlantic 10, 3
- WCC, AAC, Mountain West, 2
