Hello, college basketball fans!
Welcome to March and welcome to the first Schmolik 64 update for March 2021! I'm sure I said this last season but we're less than two weeks from Selection Sunday!
| Bracket 1 | ||
| 1 | Gonzaga | 24-0 |
| 16 | ||
| 8 | Clemson | 15-5 |
| 9 | UCLA | 17-6 |
| 5 | Florida | 13-6 |
| 12 | ||
| 4 | Texas Tech | 15-8 |
| 13 | Winthrop | 20-1 |
| 6 | Oklahoma State | 16-6 |
| 11 | Boise State | 17-6 |
| 3 | Villanova | 15-4 |
| 14 | Vermont | 10-4 |
| 7 | Missouri | 14-7 |
| 10 | St. Bonaventure | 13-3 |
| 2 | Iowa | 18-7 |
| 15 | Wofford | 13-8 |
| Bracket 2 | ||
| 1 | Michigan | 18-1 |
| 16 | ||
| 8 | Loyola Chicago | 19-4 |
| 9 | Virginia Tech | 15-5 |
| 5 | Texas | 14-7 |
| 12 | ||
| 4 | Arkansas | 19-5 |
| 13 | Western Kentucky | 16-5 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | 16-9 |
| 11 | Connecticut | 12-6 |
| 3 | Houston | 19-3 |
| 14 | Liberty | 16-5 |
| 7 | Rutgers | 13-9 |
| 10 | Louisville | 13-5 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 17-6 |
| 15 | Eastern Washington | 11-6 |
| Bracket 3 | ||
| 1 | Baylor | 18-1 |
| 16 | James Madison | 10-6 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 15-8 |
| 9 | San Diego State | 18-4 |
| 5 | Creighton | 17-6 |
| 12 | Toledo | 19-6 |
| 4 | Purdue | 16-8 |
| 13 | Wright State | 18-5 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 16-7 |
| 11 | Seton Hall | 13-10 |
| 3 | Florida State | 14-4 |
| 14 | Belmont | 23-3 |
| 7 | USC | 19-6 |
| 10 | VCU | 17-6 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 18-7 |
| 15 | Siena | 11-3 |
| Bracket 4 | ||
| 1 | Illinois | 18-6 |
| 16 | Bryant | 13-5 |
| 8 | BYU | 18-5 |
| 9 | LSU | 14-8 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 14-7 |
| 12 | Colgate | 11-1 |
| 4 | Virginia | 15-6 |
| 13 | UC Santa Barbara | 15-4 |
| 6 | Colorado | 19-7 |
| 11 | Xavier | 13-5 |
| 3 | Kansas | 17-8 |
| 14 | Abilene Christian | 15-4 |
| 7 | Maryland | 14-10 |
| 10 | Oregon | 16-5 |
| 2 | Alabama | 19-6 |
| 15 | South Dakota State | 14-6 |
| First Four | ||
| B1 | Prairie View A&M | 11-4 |
| 16 | Norfolk State | 12-7 |
| B2 | Grand Canyon | 11-5 |
| 16 | Texas State | 17-5 |
| B2 | Colorado State | 14-4 |
| 12 | Georgia Tech | 13-8 |
| B1 | Michigan State | 13-10 |
| 12 | Stanford | 14-11 |
Bids By Conference:
Big Ten: 9 (Mich, OSU, Ill, Iowa, Pur, Wisc, Rut, Md, MSU)
Big 12: 7 (Bay, WV, Kan, T Tech, Okl, Tex, OkSt)
ACC: 7 (FSU, Va, Clem, UNC, VaT , Lville, GaT)
SEC: 6 (Ala, Ark, Tenn, Fla, Mo, LSU)
Pac12: 5 (USC, Colo, UCLA, Ore, Stan)
Big E: 5 (Vill, Creig, SH, Conn, Xav)
MWC: 3 (SDSt, BSU, CSU)
WCC: 2 (Gonz, BYU)
A-10: 2 (St. B, VCU)
One Bid: 22
Highest Net Left Out: Drake (42), Utah State (49), St. Louis (50). NET Data courtesy of WarrenNolan.com.
Comments:
Big changes at the very top. Michigan jumped Baylor for the 2nd overall #1 seed after Baylor lost its first game this season at Kansas. Baylor has only ever won at Allen Fieldhouse once in its history, last season. Michigan moved up to #2 in the NET and has 8 Quad 1 wins to 6 for Baylor.
Two teams have 8 Quad 1 wins, Michigan and our new fourth #1 seed, Illinois. They jumped Ohio State for the last #1 seed after Ohio State lost at home to Iowa. Illinois is now three games ahead in the loss column over the Buckeyes even though they lost to OSU in Champaign earlier in the season. The two teams are scheduled to play Saturday in Columbus and Iowa was able to win in Columbus after losing to Ohio State at home earlier this year so it is possible. Illinois has a big week as they also have a crack at Michigan on Tuesday.
In the American Athletic Conference, Wichita State leads in the loss column but Houston has so many more wins that they are virtually tied percentage wise (Wichita State is at .818 and Houston is at .812). So I decided to give Houston the AAC automatic bid which eliminated Wichita State from the field this week. On the other hand, St. Bonaventure made the field as the A-10 leader giving the Atlantic 10 two teams although they may have made it anyway considering this week's bottom. I don't like going all the way down to NET #77 but many of the other teams weren't exactly much better (few Quad 1/2 wins and significant Quad 3/4 losses). Michigan State has four Quad 1 wins and no losses outside of Quad 3 and 4 (only one of their losses is even Quad 2). The highest NET left out, Drake, has just one Quad 1 win and two Quad 3 losses, one to Valparaiso, ranked NET #222. The win at Duke helped them get in over Duke which had a higher NET and also has a surprising three Quad 3 losses, including two of those in Durham (Michigan State and Notre Dame). I don't know how much the Selection Committee dislikes bad losses but I have three Mountain West teams in my field while Utah State is out. San Diego State, Boise State, and Colorado State are perfect in Quad 3/4 games while Utah State has two Quad 3 losses.
Compare my bracket to other brackets across the internet at BracketMatrix.com.