Last Eight In: Texas Tech, Butler, Oregon State, Wisconsin, Florida State, Saint Mary’s, St. Joseph’s, Pittsburgh
First Eight Out: Cincinnati, Creighton, St. Bonaventure, Vanderbilt, Washington, Mississippi, Clemson, BYU
The SEC is turning into a very interesting conference as we approach March. Kentucky and LSU are atop the standings at the moment, but the Tigers are still a bubble team despite their 9-3 SEC mark thanks to their poor play in nonconference play. Kentucky is in and South Carolina should be in with their toughest games behind them, even though they are not getting much respect from the pollsters. Texas A&M and Florida have strong resumes, but are sitting at 7-5 in conference play. Florida is one of five SEC teams with nine total losses, joining Georgia, Vanderbilt, Mississippi and Alabama. Vanderbilt and Alabama are both making decent late pushes, but all those teams will have a chance to play their way into the NCAA Tournament. Georgia, for example, still plays fellow bubble teams Florida, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Alabama. The SEC is probably only getting five or six teams in the tournament and for now we project LSU and Florida joining the slightly safer Kentucky, South Carolina and Texas A&M in the field of 68.
ACC: Duke, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia
American: Connecticut
Big East: Butler, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova, Xavier
Big 12: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia
Big Ten: Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Pac-12: Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, USC, Utah
SEC: Florida, Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M
A-10: Dayton, St. Joseph’s, VCU
CAA: UNC Wilmington
C-USA: UAB
Horizon: Valparaiso
MAC: Akron
MVC: Wichita State
MWC: San Diego State
WCC: Gonzaga, St. Mary’s
America East: Stony Brook
A-Sun: North Florida
Big Sky: Montana
Big South: High Point
Big West: Hawaii
Ivy League: Yale
MAAC: Monmouth
MEAC: Norfolk State
NEC: Wagner
OVC: Belmont
Patriot: Bucknell
Southern: Chattanooga
Southland: Stephen F. Austin
Summit: South Dakota State
Sun Belt: Arkansas-Little Rock
SWAC: Texas Southern
WAC: New Mexico State
