Bracketology 2023: A Quick Tuesday Bracket Post

Graphics by Chris Dobbertean using logos from either SportsLogos.net, Wikimedia Commons, or the institutions’ websites.

Thanks to ill-timed migraines, my original two-part post on tournament expansion will be reduced to one for this Friday and today’s bracket commentary will be quick.

• There’s a brand new No. 1 seed in Alabama, with UConn dropping all the way down to a 3, thanks to a 1-4 mark in the Huskies’ last five games.
• Xavier, the new Big East leader, is now a 2 seed.
• The 4 line is Big 12 heavy, with all of Kansas State, Iowa State, and TCU featuring. The Cyclones and Horned Frogs are new to the Top 16, with Marquette joining them. On the flip side, Providence, Miami (Fla.), and Arkansas are all lower down the seed list.
• Michigan State, New Mexico, and Oklahoma are the three at-large newcomers today, with Mississippi State (1-5 in its last six), Oklahoma State (1-4 in its last five), and Virginia Tech (on a five-game skid) all dropping out.
• Wins by Oregon over Arizona and Kentucky over Tennessee got both teams back in the hunt, though they stand in the seventh and eighth positions below the Cut Line for now.

Seed List and Text-Only Bracket for Screen Readers

Key:

• Conference logos indicate auto bid holders.
• Numbers in red squares indicate team’s position in the bracket’s top 16 (top four seed lines).
• Colors next to seed numbers indicate bracket movement: yellow (new), green (seed up), red (seed down)

Bids By Conference

Ins and Outs (13)

New Entrants: Colgate (Patriot), Liberty (ASUN), Michigan State, Morgan State (MEAC), New Mexico, Oklahoma, Seattle U (WAC), Southeastern Louisiana (Southland), Southern Illinois (MVC), UC Riverside (Big West), UMBC (AE), UNC Asheville (Big South), VCU (A 10)

Out for Now: American (Patriot), Dayton (A 10), Indiana State (MVC), Longwood (Big South), Mississippi State, Norfolk State (MEAC), Oklahoma State, Stetson (ASUN), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Southland), UC Santa Barbara (Big West), UMass Lowell (AE), Utah Valley (WAC)

On Friday, I will have a single, longer post about tournament expansion, featuring some ideas that you will probably like, even if you hate the concept. However, that will also likely relate to how realistic they are in the real world.