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Bracket Watch

Kentucky now takes fast track to No. 1 seed

Posted: Monday March 7, 2005 11:16AM; Updated: Wednesday March 9, 2005 3:39PM
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The following projections were made as if March 8 were Selection Sunday. No attempts were made to predict future results. For conferences that have not yet completed their league tournaments, the top remaining seed received the automatic bid. All RPI data comes from CollegeRPI.com.

PROJECTED NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEDINGS
Syracuse Chicago Austin Albuquerque
1
North Carolina (26-3)*		 1
Illinois (29-1)*		 1
Wake Forest (26-4)		 1
Kentucky (23-4)*
       Kentucky nabs the last No. 1 seed because of BC's blowout loss at home and Kansas' recent slide.
2
Arizona (25-5)*		 2
Duke (22-5)		 2
BC (24-3)*		 2
Kansas (22-5)
       Duke likely would have landed the fourth No. 1 had it held on against UNC, but remains in the hunt.
3
Gonzaga (24-4)* 		3
Washington (24-5)		 3
Louisville (26-4)*		 3
Connecticut (21-6)
       Streaking UConn (9-1 in last 10) could reach as high as No. 2 if they win the Big East tournament.
4
Alabama (23-6)		 4
Oklahoma (23-6)*		 4
Oklahoma St. (21-6)		 4
Michigan St. (22-5)
       Alabama (at Mississippi State) and Oklahoma (at Texas Tech) both finished with impressive road wins.
5
Cincinnati (24-6)		 5
Utah (25-4)*		 5
Syracuse (24-6)		 5
Villanova (21-6)
       Syracuse's recent record (4-5) combined with a weak non-conference schedule is hurting its seed.
6
Pittsburgh (20-7)		 6
LSU (19-8)		 6
Wisconsin (20-7)		 6
Pacific (25-2)*
       The Panthers couldn't have ended the regular season any better, winning at both BC and Notre Dame.
7
S. Illinois (26-7)		 7
Texas (20-9)		 7
Florida (20-7)		 7
Charlotte (21-6)
       Texas erased any doubts with its stunning win in Stillwater; SIU is safe despite its MVC semifinal loss.
8
Texas Tech (18-9)		 8
Nevada (24-5)*		 8
UCLA (18-9)		 8
Stanford (17-11)
       The Cardinal are officially off the bubble thanks to a huge victory over Washington and 11 conference wins.
9 Bubble Team

Minnesota (20-9)		 9
Mississippi St. (21-9)		 9
Vermont (23-6)*		 9 Bubble Team

Iowa State (17-10)
       The Gophers and Cyclones can wrap up bids with a single victory in their conference tournaments.
10 Bubble Team

Georgia Tech (17-10)		 10 Bubble Team

Notre Dame (17-10)		 10 Bubble Team

Maryland (16-11)		 10 Bubble Team

St. Mary's (25-7)
       Maryland's sweep of Duke is its only saving grace after ending the season on a three-game skid.
11 Bubble Team

DePaul (18-9)		 11 Bubble Team

G. Washington (19-7)		 11

CREIGHTON (22-10)*		 11 Bubble Team

Indiana (15-12)
       Indiana is on the fence but gains points for its 10-6 Big Ten record and tough non-conference slate.
12 Bubble Team

UTEP (24-7)		 12 Bubble Team

West Virginia (18-9)		 12
ODU (28-5)*		 12 Bubble Team

N.C. State (17-11)
       N.C. State (7-9 ACC) gets the last at-large bid but probably needs to win two ACC tourney games.
13

Holy Cross (24-5)*		 13
Miami of Ohio (18-9)*		 13

St. Joe's (17-10)*		 13

LA-LAFAYETTE (20-10)*
       Don't be fooled by the league's high RPI; Miami needs to win the MAC tourney.
14

WINTHROP (27-5)*		 14

UW-MIL. (24-5)* 		14

UCF (24-8)*		 14

PENN (19-8)*
       UCF is dancing for a second straight season, while Winthrop returns for the first time in three years.
15

E. KENTUCKY (22-8)*		 15

Northwestern St. (20-11)*		 15

Niagara (19-9)*		 15

CHATTANOOGA
(20-10)*
       Eastern Kentucky earns first bid since '79; Chattanooga gets bid for Southern conference.
16

OAKLAND (12-18)*/
Ala. A&M (15-13)*		 16

Delaware St. (16-13)*		 16

F. Dickinson (19-12)*		 16

Montana (17-12)*
Their bubbles burst
New Mexico (23-6)
The Lobos were the one MWC team to beat Utah, but their next-best win is over 105th-rated UNLV. They need to at least reach the final.

Iowa (19-10)
The Hawkeyes have reentered the discussion with three straight wins, but at 7-9 in the Big Ten, they still need to make a run in the conference tourney.

Davidson (21-8)
The Wildcats went 16-0 in the Southern Conference regular season, but the league simply isn't strong enough to merit a second NCAA berth.

Texas A&M (19-8)
The Aggies have beaten good teams, but their non-conference schedule (ranked 318th) and road record (3-6) are too damaging.
Others considered: UAB (20-9), Georgetown (16-11), Virginia Tech (15-12), Northern Iowa (21-10).

* Denotes projected automatic berth. Teams in CAPS have clinched automatic berth.

SI.com's Stewart Mandel will provide a daily Bubble Breakdown from Thursday-Sunday and a final Bracket Watch on Sunday morning.
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