Aidan Joly’s bracketology: December 13

Another week gone in the 2016-2017 season, and here is this week’s bracketology.

Biggest winner: George Mason, the school most known in sports for their Final Four run in 2006 has their best team in years. The Patriots are on one of their hottest streaks in recent memory having won eight games in a row, not losing since November 21. A convincing win over Penn State last Wednesday made it six in a row. If they keep playing like this, the program who has not had a winning season since joining the Atlantic 10 may get into the big dance for the first time in five years. They have a tune-up on December 22 against Prairie View A&M before they start conference play on December 30 against VCU.

Biggest loser: Another Atlantic 10 team, Rhode Island. This team was ranked as high as 21st in the nation earlier this season, but after losing three out of their last four does not help their tournament resume. If they keep this up, they could be fighting for a tournament spot after being a fun dark horse for a deep tournament run at the beginning of the year.

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

East Region:

1: Villanova vs 16: Grambling State*/UNC Central

8: Minnesota vs 9: TCU

5: Butler vs 12: Loyola-Chicago*/Iowa State

4: West Virginia vs 13: Fort Wayne

6: Oregon vs 11: SMU

3: Louisville vs 14: UT-Arlington

7: Florida vs 10: Colorado State

2: Indiana vs 15: Vermont

 

West Region:

1: UCLA vs 16: UC Irvine*/Tennessee-Martin

8: Dayton vs 9: San Diego State

5: South Carolina vs 12: Oklahoma State

4: Purdue vs 13: Eastern Michigan*

6: Notre Dame vs 11: UNC Wilmington

3: Creighton vs 14: New Mexico State

7: Maryland vs 10: Rhode Island

2: North Carolina vs 15: LIU Brooklyn

 

Midwest Region:

1: Kansas vs 16: FGCU

8: Michigan State vs 9: UCF

5: St. Mary’s vs 12: George Mason*

4: Xavier vs 13: Chattanooga

6: Cincinnati vs 11: Clemson/Ohio State

3: Wisconsin vs 14: UNC Asheville

7: USC vs 10: Texas A&M

2: Duke vs 15: Bucknell

 

South Region:

1: Baylor vs 16: Sam Houston State

8: Wichita State vs 9: Syracuse

5: Arizona vs 12: Monmouth

4: Virginia vs 13: Princeton

6: Florida State vs 11: VCU

3: Gonzaga vs 14: Middle Tennessee State

7: Virginia Tech vs 10: Valparaiso

2: Kentucky vs 15: Eastern Washington

 

Bids by conference:

1. ACC, 9
2. Big 10, 7
3. Big 12, 6
4. Big East, SEC, Pac 12, Atlantic 10, 4
5. AAC, 3
6. WCC, Missouri Valley, 2
7. America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, C-USA, CAA, Horizon, Ivy, MAC, MAAC, MEAC, Mountain West, NEC, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, 1