Regional Sports

Aidan Joly’s bracketology: January 18

Another week gone in college basketball. We sit only 55 days away from Selection Sunday on March 12. Here’s this week’s bracketology.

Biggest Winner: Number one once again, Villanova. They avenged their loss to Butler with an impressive showing the past few weeks, having won four straight, now 18-1 this year. They’re coming off a 76-46 pummeling of Seton Hall, and look to keep their hot streak alive on Saturday as they take on Providence.

Biggest Loser: Another Big East team. Xavier has really struggled as of late. They’ve dropped their last three, and even though it was against two good teams (Villanova and Butler), a home loss to Creighton doesn’t look good, where they had won 24 of their last 25 and 15 straight. They’re now 13-5 and just 3-3 in conference play. They look to get back on track Sunday against Georgetown.

Note: A team with an (*) denotes a new team in the bracket.

East Region:
1: Villanova vs 16: Morgan State/UC Irvine
8: Dayton vs 9: SMU
5: Wisconsin vs 12: Northeastern

4: Duke vs 13: Chattanooga
6: Cincinnati vs 11: Texas Tech
3: Florida State vs 14: Florida Gulf Coast
7: Clemson vs 10: Minnesota
2: West Virginia vs 15: Princeton

South Region:
1: Kentucky vs 16: Weber State
8: USC vs 9: Iowa State
5: Purdue vs 12: Nevada
4: Butler vs 13: Valparaiso
6: Virginia Tech vs 11: Seton Hall/Rhode Island
3: North Carolina vs 14: Vermont
7: TCU vs 10: VCU
2: Gonzaga vs 15: UNC Asheville

Midwest Region:
1: Kansas vs 16: New Orleans/Texas Southern
8: Michigan State vs 9: Arkansas
5: Notre Dame vs 12: Michigan/Illinois State*
4: Virginia vs 13: Akron
6: St. Mary’s vs 11: North Carolina State
3: Oregon vs 14: Georgia Southern*
7: Xavier vs 10: Kansas State
2: Creighton vs 15: Bucknell

West Region:
1: UCLA vs 16: LIU Brooklyn
8: Wichita State vs 9: Northwestern
5: Florida vs 12: New Mexico State
4: Arizona vs 13: Monmouth
6: Maryland vs 11: UNC Wilmington
3: Louisville vs 14: Belmont
7: South Carolina vs 10: Middle Tennessee State
2: Baylor vs 15: North Dakota State*

Conferences with multiple bids:

  1. ACC, 9
  2. Big 12, Big 10, 7
  3. Big East, 5
  4. Pac 12, SEC, 4
  5. A-10, 3
  6. WCC, AAC, CAA, Missouri Valley, 2

Aidan Joly

Aidan Joly is Senior Managing Editor of The Upstate Courier. In the past, he has been a beat reporter covering Section II Athletics, Siena College men's basketball, the Tri-City ValleyCats, and the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. In Aidan's current role, he oversees game coverage and content. Aidan is a native of Saratoga Springs and a graduate of Saratoga Springs High School.

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