I. My latest column is up on SCS.com. Read about the heated UK vs. UL match up this weekend.
II. Bracket Update time! It is still way too early for this to mean much, but this is as good a time as any to set the ground rules and explain what will happen here on a (mostly) weekly basis from now until March.
Usually, I will make bracket updates on Monday mornings. Tuesdays will be reserved for Bracket Buster Saturday discussion. We will track possible match ups and see who is going to be on national TV on February 18th. It will be a challenge tracking 100 teams, but I will find a creative way to do it. Wednesdays is Bubble Boy day. The title is an ode to Seinfeld, but it's basically a breakdown of the NCAA tournament bubble teams. Thursdays are a wild card day. Fridays will usually consist of weeding through all of the weekend games and determining the can't-miss TV match ups and games with Bubble implications. Of course, there will still be a good dose of Topper talk here, but less than has been present thus far.
Why should you listen to me about the bracket? Well, I've been doing this awhile and I've done pretty well at it. Last year, I got 63/65 correct, including 59/65 within one seed of actual. I also seeded 33 teams exactly right and I did not miss a single team by more than two seed lines. I also chaired the South Central Kentucky Selection Simulation Project (SCKYSSiP, pronounced "SKISS-ip). Our six member committee replicated the NCAA selection process as closely as we could. We got 64/65 teams correct and 59/65 within one seed. We seeded 34 teams exactly and missed just two teams by more than two seed lines. I got 64/65 in both 2003 and 2004, although my overall numbers were not quite as good. The 2006 SCKYSSiP is already being formulated. So without further ado, let's have a look at the pre-Christmas bracket. The next bracket will likely be on Monday, Jan 2. From that point on, it will be a weekly event.
ATLANTA REGION.........................................MINNEAPOLIS REGION
Greensboro, NC......................................................Dayton, OH
1. Duke (ACC) .........................................................1. Villanova (B East)
16. Fairleigh Dickinson (Northeast)....................16. NW'n State (Southland)
8. Kentucky..............................................................8. Iowa
9. UNC-Wilmington (Colonial)...............................9. Indiana State
Dayton, OH..............................................................San Diego, CA
5. Ohio State.............................................................5. Wake Forest
12. California.............................................................12. LSU
4. Louisville...............................................................4. UCLA
13. Western Kentucky (Sun Belt)..........................13. Northern Illinois (MAC)
Auburn Hills, MI......................................................Greensboro, NC
6. NC State ...............................................................6. Indiana
11. Notre Dame........................................................11. Temple
3. Michigan State..................................................... 3. Oklahoma
14. Pennsylvania (Ivy).......................................14. Winthrop (Big South)
Dallas, TX .................................................................Dallas, TX
7. Bucknell (Patriot).................................................7. Arkansas
10. Missouri State....................................................10. West Virginia
2. Texas (Big 12).......................................................2. Memphis (CUSA)
15. Murray State (OVC).........................................15. Valparaiso (Mid-Con)
OAKLAND REGION...................................WASHINGTON, DC, REGION
Jacksonville, FL........................................................Philadelphia, PA
1. Florida (SEC).........................................................1. UConn
16. Montana (Big Sky)............................................16. Play-in Winner
8. Michigan................................................................8. Arizona
9. Cincinnati .............................................................9. Iona (Met-Atl)
San Diego, CA (News team, ASSEMBLE!)...................Jacksonville, FL
5. North Carolina.....................................................5. Maryland
12. Xavier.................................................................12. Vanderbilt
4. Nevada (WAC).....................................................4. Boston College
13. Colorado State (Mtn. West)............................13. Loyola-Chi (Hrzn)
Salt Lake City, UT...................................................Philadelphia, PA
6. Wisconsin..............................................................6. Pittsburgh
11. Syracuse ............................................................11. Houston
3. Gonzaga (West Coast).........................................3. GWU (A-10)
14. Pacific (Big West)..............................................14. Davidson (Sthrn)
Salt Lake City, UT..................................................Auburn Hills, MI
7. Northern Iowa (MVC)........................................7. Iowa State
10. Kansas State.....................................................10. Alabama
2. Washington (Pac-10)..........................................2. Illinois (Big Ten)
15. Boston U (America East).................................15. Gard-Webb (Big South)
Play-in Game: Bethune-Cookman (MEAC) vs. Alabama State (SWAC)
Last Four In: Vanderbilt, Temple, Syracuse, Xavier
First Four Out: Clemson, Georgetown, Old Dominion, Georgia
Closely Watching... LaSalle, Dayton, Saint Joseph's, Texas A&M, Colorado, Texas Tech, Kansas, DePaul, Minnesota, Old Dominion, UAB, Butler, Buffalo, Ohio, Wichita State, Bradley, Creighton, Air Force, Utah, Washington State, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia
