The bracket revelation continues today with the Washington, DC bracket. The other two regions come tomorrow (Minneapolis) and Wednesday (Oakland), with a full Sun Belt Preview coming on Thursday and Friday.
WASHINGTON, D.C., BRACKET
Games played in Dayton, OH
1. Villanova
16. Hampton or Alabama A&M
8. Charlotte
9. Florida
Games played in Auburn Hills, MI
5. Memphis
12. California
4. Illinois
13. Bucknell
Games played in Jacksonville, FL
6. Wisconsin
11. Creighton
3. Kentucky
14. Pennsylvania
Games played in Philadelphia, PA
7. Oklahoma State
10. Cincinnati
2. Boston College
15. Gardner-Webb
NOTES
Why is Nova not in Philly, you ask? Well, the Wildcats play three games at the Wachovia Center this year during the regular season making it a "home court" by selection criteria standards. Hence, the Cats are ineligible for games at that venue. Tough break...Everyone else seems to really like Memphis this year, but it seems that they are ALWAYS ranked highly early on, only to underachieve. They have 2/3 seed talent, but I need proof on the court...This writer does not believe that Illinois is not going to fall as far as everyone says. Dee Brown is a POY candidate and the Illini have redshirt soph F Brian Randle back this year. He misssed last season with a broken hand after playing in 32 games (starting nine) as a true FR. Brown, Randle, James Augustine, and Rich McBride are a solid nucleus and the Illini have lots of young talent in the wings including 2004 Illinois State POY G Calvin Brock...Keep an eye on Bucknell. They return ALL FIVE starters from last season's 2nd-round NCAA team and they have scheduled like a team with big expectations (games at Syracuse, Duke and DePaul, and home games vs Villanova, Saint Joseph's, and the Bracket Buster)...No one expects much from Bo Ryan and Wisconsin, which is exactly why they will be just fine...Kentucky is lower if Randolph Morris is declared ineligible...There is not much buzz around Oklahoma State, but their tenacious team defense and the Gallagher-Iba Arena advantage is not going away...Cincinnati is hard to figure with Huggins gone. They have enough talent returning to stay afloat through troubled waters...Penn lost talented G Tim Begley, but return a great deal from last years 13-1 Ivy League champs...Boston College has two of the best frontcourt players in the country in Jared Dudley and Craig Smith. They should make a big splash in their ACC debut.
