Again, this morning’s bracket looks an awful lot like Wednesday’s. I’ll get into why that is as I run through today’s schedule after this morning’s full bracket and rundown.
Remember to check the Blogging the Bracket feed for my insights and observations over the next four days.
NOTES:
- Changes since Wednesday’s bracket are noted with (★) for new entrants, (▲) for teams moving up one or more seed lines, and (▼) for teams moving down one or more seed lines.
- Teams that have clinched auto bids are in ALL CAPS BOLD.
- The highest-remaining seed in an active conference tournament holds its auto bid.
(1) East (Washington, D.C., Fri./Sun.)
Greenville (Thurs./Sat.)
(1) Duke (ACC)
▼(16) QUEENS (ASUN)
(8) Kentucky
(9) TCU
San Diego (Fri./Sun.)
(5) Texas Tech
(12) HIGH POINT (Big South)
(4) Vanderbilt
(13) HOFSTRA (CAA)
St. Louis (Fri./Sun.)
(6) Wisconsin
(11) Missouri
(3) Iowa State
(14) NORTH DAKOTA STATE (Summit)
St. Louis (Fri./Sun.)
(7) Utah State
(MW) (10) Santa Clara
(2) Illinois
★(15) IDAHO (Big Sky)
(4) South (Houston, Thurs./Sat.)
Tampa (Fri./Sun.)
(1) Florida (SEC)
(16) LIU (NEC)/Howard (MEAC)
(8) Saint Louis (A 10)
(9) Iowa
Portland (Thurs./Sat.)
(5) North Carolina
(12) Yale (Ivy)
(4) Kansas
(13) Utah Valley (WAC)
Philadelphia (Fri./Sun.)
(6) Tennessee
(11) SMU/New Mexico
(3) Purdue
(14) WRIGHT STATE (Horizon)
Philadelphia (Fri./Sun.)
(7) Miami (Fla.)
(10) Ohio State
(2) UConn
(15) FURMAN (SoCon)
(2) Midwest (Chicago, Fri./Sun.)
Buffalo (Thurs./Sat.)
(1) Michigan (Big Ten)
★/—(16) Florida A&M (SWAC)/LEHIGH (Patriot)
(8) Clemson
(9) Texas A&M
Tampa (Fri./Sun.)
(5) St. John’s (Big East)
★(12) MCNEESE (Southland)
(4) Alabama
★(13) Sam Houston (CUSA)
Oklahoma City (Thurs./Sat.)
(6) Louisville
(11) Texas/VCU
(3) Nebraska
(14) TROY (Sun Belt)
Oklahoma City (Thurs./Sat.)
(7) Saint Mary’s
(10) NC State
(2) Houston
(15) SIENA (MAAC)
(3) West (San José, Thurs./Sat.)
San Diego (Fri./Sun.)
(1) Arizona (Big 12)
(16) UMBC (AE)
(8) Georgia
(9) UCLA
Greenville (Thurs./Sat.)
(5) Arkansas
(12) South Florida (American)
(4) Virginia
▼(13) NORTHERN IOWA (MVC)
Portland (Thurs./Sat.)
(6) BYU
(11) Miami (Ohio) (MAC)
(3) GONZAGA (WCC)
(14) UC Irvine (Big West)
Buffalo (Thurs./Sat.)
(7) Villanova
(10) UCF
(2) Michigan State
(15) TENNESSEE STATE (OVC)
Rundown
Last Four Byes: NC State, UCF, Santa Clara, Missouri
Last Four IN: SMU, Texas, VCU, New Mexico
First Four OUT: Auburn, San Diego State, Oklahoma, Indiana
Next Four Out: Seton Hall, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati
On Deck: Stanford, California, West Virginia, USC
ARRIVALS (4): Florida A&M (SWAC), Idaho (Big Sky), McNeese (Southland), Sam Houston (CUSA)
DEPARTURES: Bethune-Cookman (SWAC), Liberty (CUSA), Montana (Big Sky), Stephen F. Austin (Southland)
Conference Breakdown
SEC (10): Florida (auto bid), Alabama, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Texas A&M, Missouri, Texas (First Four)
Big Ten (9): Michigan (auto bid), Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska, Wisconsin, UCLA, Iowa, Ohio State
ACC (8): Duke (auto bid), Virginia, North Carolina, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Clemson, NC State, SMU (First Four)
Big 12 (8): Arizona (auto bid), Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, BYU, TCU, UCF
Big East (3): UConn, St. John’s (auto bid), Villanova
WCC (3): Gonzaga (auto bid), Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara
Atlantic 10 (2): Saint Louis (auto bid), VCU (First Four)
MW (2): Utah State (auto bid), New Mexico (First Four)
23 one-bid conferences
Thursday’s Viewing Guide
- All times are p.m. Eastern.
- Tip times for games marked with an asterisk (*) are approximate.
- See Conference Tournament Central for more details and a chronological schedule
Three teams did enter the field yesterday:
- McNeese (28-5) used its home arena advantage to win its rubber match with Stephen F. Austin (28-5) to claim the Southland title and a third straight NCAA bid.
- Lehigh (18-16) took down Boston University (17-17) to win its first Patriot League title and bid since 2012. The Mountain Hawks are almost assuredly heading to Dayton.
- Idaho (21-14) ended Montana’s (18-16) quest to repeat as Big Sky champ. The Vandals will make their first NCAA trip since 1990 and should be seeded higher than the Grizzlies—who looked to be heading to Dayton.
Now to the teams around the Cut Line who, in most cases, didn’t take care of business on Wednesday and the impacts on Thursday’s schedule.
Multi-Bid Conference Tournament Games
ACC Quarterfinals
Potential bid thieves: Florida State
(7) NC State (20-12, 10-8) vs. (2) Virginia (27-4, 15-3), 12 (ESPN2)
(6) Louisville (23-9, 11-7) vs. (3) Miami (Fla.) (24-7, 13-5), 2:30* (ESPN2)
(8) Florida State (18-14, 10-8) vs. (1) Duke (29-2, 17-1), 7 (ESPN)
(5) Clemson (23-9, 12-6) vs. (4) North Carolina (24-7, 12-6), 9:30* (ESPN)
On Wednesday, SMU’s 62-58 loss to Louisville left the Mustangs with a very long wait until Sunday evening. Seven of the eight teams are playing for seeding today in Charlotte, with Duke’s hold on the overall No. 1 seed possibly being derailed by injuries to Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster. The only team playing to get into the field is Florida State, whose 95-89 win over Cal was their seventh in their last eight game. The Seminoles are 11-3 since January 20th and will face a Blue Devil team it only lost to by four in Tallahassee back on January 3rd. Keep an eye on that one tonight.
In the nightcap, the Tar Heels need a win without Caleb Wilson for seeding purposes.
Big 12 Quarterfinals
Potential bid thieves: None
(5) Iowa State (26-6, 12-6) vs. (4) Texas Tech (22-9, 12-6), 12:30 (ESPN)
(8) UCF (21-10, 9-9) vs. (1) Arizona (29-2, 16-2), 3* (ESPN)
(10) BYU (23-10, 9-9) vs. (2) Houston (26-5, 14-4), 7 (ESPN2)
(6) TCU (22-10, 11-7) vs. (3) Kansas (22-9, 12-6), 9:30* (ESPN2)
Yesterday, the Cyclones recorded the biggest win in Big 12 Tournament history by beating Arizona State 91-42. Instead of making a late push for a bid the Sun Devils are done and have already fired Bobby Hurley. UCF won its bubble showdown with Cincinnati by a single point after OT—a result that left Bearcats head coach Wes Miller fuming about the officiating. BYU burst West Virginia’s bubble by recording a 68-48 win, while TCU surged past Oklahoma State, 95-88, to both secure its position and doom the Cowboys.
Seeding is on the line in today’s four quarterfinals, with the Cyclones-Red Raider opener being the most important. Arizona is going to be the West No. 1 win or lose, but Houston needs to continue winning to keep its top seed hopes alive. Kansas, meanwhile, is trying to remain in the top 16.
Big Ten Third Round
Potential bid thieves: Northwestern, Rutgers, Washington
(9) Iowa (21-11, 10-10) vs. (8) Ohio State (20-11, 12-8), 12 (BTN)
(12) Washington (16-16, 7-13) vs. (5) Wisconsin (22-9, 14-6), 2:30* (BTN)
(15) Northwestern (15-18, 5-15) vs. (7) Purdue (23-8, 13-7), 6:30 (BTN)
(14) Rutgers (14-18, 6-14) vs. (6) UCLA (21-10, 13-7), 9* (BTN)
While Iowa was able to defeat Maryland to avoid dropping closer to the Cut Line, bubble teams USC and Indiana weren’t so fortunate. The Trojans lost their eighth game in a row and a third contest to Washington on the season, 83-79 after OT, to see their bubble finally pop. Then, Indiana lost to Northwestern for a seventh consecutive time. The 74-61 defeat with the Hoosiers’ sixth in their last seven.
Ohio State can lock up a bid by beating Iowa, while the other three higher seeds will be tasked with eliminating potential bid thieves.
SEC Second Round
Potential bid thieves: Auburn, Oklahoma, Ole Miss
(9) Kentucky (20-12, 10-8) vs. (8) Missouri (20-11, 10-8), 12:30 (SECN)
(12) Auburn (17-15, 7-11), vs. (5) Tennessee (21-10, 11-7), 3* (SECN)
(15) Ole Miss (13-19, 4-14) vs. (7) Georgia (22-9, 10-8), 7 (SECN)
(11) Oklahoma (18-14, 7-11) vs. (6) Texas A&M (21-10, 11-7), 9:30* (SECN)
Auburn and Oklahoma were among the few bubble teams to actually win on Thursday, but both need to keep winning to end up in the field when all is said and done. In the afternoon session’s opener, Missouri is in more dire straits than Kentucky, with the Tigers well advised to win. Georgia will be tasked with eliminating a Rebel team that put Texas’s hopes in jeopardy last night—Ole Miss won 76-66 in a contest that wasn’t really that close.
Big East Quarterfinals
Potential bid thieves: Creighton, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, Xavier
(9) Providence (15-17, 7-13) vs. (1) St. John’s (25-6, 18-2), 12 (Peacock ($)/NBCSN)
(5) Creighton (15-16, 9-11) vs. (4) Seton Hall (20-11, 10-10), 2:30* (Peacock ($)/NBCSN)
(10) Xavier (15-17, 6-14)vs. (2) UConn (27-4, 17-3), 7 (FS1)
(11) Georgetown (15-17, 6-14) vs. (3) Villanova (24-7, 15-5), 9:30* (FS1)
With the Pirates the Big East’s only true bubble team, their rivals around the Cut Line will need to root for the Bluejays in the second game of the day and all of the higher seeds in the rest.
Mountain West Quarterfinals
Potential bid thieves: Everyone but Utah State
(8) UNLV (17-15, 11-9) vs. (1) Utah State (25-6, 15-5), 3 (CBSSN)
(5) Nevada (21-11, 12-8) vs. (4) Grand Canyon (20-11, 13-7), 5:30* (CBSSN)
(7) Colorado State (21-11, 11-9) vs. (2) San Diego State (20-10, 14-6), 9 (CBSSN)
(11) San José State (9-23, 3-17) vs. (3) New Mexico (22-9, 13-7), 11:30* (CBSSN)
While the Wolf Pack took care of a pitiful Air Force team, 80-45, the Broncos’ slim hopes were ended by Tim Miles’s Spartans, 84-74. Both the Aztecs, the second team out, and Lobos, the last team in, need to win their quarterfinals this evening.
Atlantic 10 Second Round
Potential bid thieves: Everyone below and Dayton and Saint Joseph’s who play tomorrow.
(9) George Washington (17-14, 8-10) vs. (8) Fordham (17-14, 8-10), 11:30 (USA)
(13) St. Bonaventure (16-16, 4-14) vs. (5) George Mason (23-8, 11-7), 2* (USA)
(10) Rhode Island (16-15, 7-11) vs. (7) Duquesne (17-14, 9-9), 5 (USA)
(14) Loyola Chicago (9-23, 4-14) vs. (6) Davidson (19-12, 10-8), 7:30* (USA)
The top four seeds, including league-winner Saint Louis and a VCU team that’s hanging near the Cut Line, will meet today’s winners in tomorrow’s quarterfinals.
Single-Bid Conference Tournament Action
Ivy Madness will be the final tournament to start, on Saturday.
American Second Round
(9) Tulane (18-14, 8-10) vs. (5) Charlotte (15-16, 9-9), 7 (ESPNU)
Gm. 4: (7) Florida Atlantic (18-14, 9-9) vs. (6) North Texas (18-13, 9-9), 9:30* (ESPNU)
The Green Wave took out defending champ Memphis last night, 81-69.
Big West Quarterfinals
(5) UC San Diego (23-10, 12-8) vs. (4) CSUN (19-12, 12-8), 9 (ESPN+ ($))
(6) UC Davis (19-13, 11-9) vs. (3) Cal State Fullerton (17-15, 12-8), 11:30* (ESPN+ ($))
The winner of tonight’s first game meets top-seeded UC Irvine, while the second victor gets Hawai’i in Friday’s semifinals.
Conference USA Quarterfinals (Night 2)
(5) Middle Tennessee (17-14, 11-9) vs. (4) Louisiana Tech (18-13, 11-9), 6:30 (ESPN+ ($))
(6) Kennesaw State (18-13, 10-10) vs. (3) Western Kentucky (18-13, 11-9), 9* (ESPN+ ($))
Wednesday night’s first game provided one of the biggest shocks of the Fortnight so far, as ninth-seeded Missouri State eliminated top-seeded Liberty, 77-69, keeping the Flames from repeating. No. 2 seed Sam Houston is now the league’s rep in this projection.
MAC Quarterfinals
(8) UMass (16-15, 7-11) vs. (1) Miami (Ohio) (31-0, 18-0), 11 a.m. (ESPN+ ($))
(5) Bowling Green (18-13, 9-9) vs. (4) Toledo (17-14, 11-7), 1:30* (ESPN+ ($))
(7) Buffalo (17-14, 7-11) vs. (2) Akron (26-5, 11-1), 4* (ESPN+ ($))
(6) Ohio (15-16, 9-9) vs. (3) Kent State (23-8, 14-4), 6:30* (ESPN+ ($))
The RedHawks need to defeat the Minutemen for a third time to be safe, I suspect. But given what’s happened elsewhere, they may be okay even with a loss.
MEAC Quarterfinals (Night 2)
(5) South Carolina State (9-21, 7-7) vs. (4) Norfolk State (15-16, 8-6), 6 (ESPN+ ($))
(6) Maryland-Eastern Shore (9-22, 5-9) vs. (3) North Carolina Central (12-17, 8-6), 8:30* (ESPN+ ($))
Last night, second-seeded Morgan State dropped a 75-70 overtime decision to seventh-seeded Delaware State. The Hornets will meet the winner of tonight’s second game, while the Bulldog-Spartan winner gets top-seeded Howard in tomorrow’s semifinals.
SWAC Quarterfinals (Night 2)
(5) Alabama A&M (17-14, 10-8) vs. (4) Texas Southern (12-17, 10-8), 2 (ESPN+ ($))
(6) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (13-18, 10-8) vs. (3) Southern (15-16, 11-7), 8:30 (ESPN+ ($))
Bethune-Cookman’s wait for a first-ever NCAA D1 Tournament bid goes on, as the top-seeded Wildcats lost to eighth-seeded Prairie View, 71-67. That puts BCU’s Florida Classic rivals, the second-seeded Florida A&M Rattlers in the bracket as the highest-remaining seed. FAMU will play the winner of tonight’s second game, while the Panthers get either the Bulldogs or Tigers.
WAC Quarterfinals
(5) Southern Utah (10-21, 6-12) vs. (4) UT Arlington (17-13, 9-9), 9 (ESPN+ ($))
(6) Abilene Christian (14-18, 5-13) vs. (3) Utah Tech (18-14, 11-7), 11:30* (ESPN+ ($))
ACU took out in-state rival Tarleton, 84-78 to advance to tonight’s action. The game 1 winner gets top-seeded Utah Valley on Friday night, with the Wildcats or Trailblazers meeting California Baptist in the nightcap.
