Welcome to an exciting, We're Less Than One Week Away From Selection Sunday edition of Bracketology here at ClutchPoints! I'm keeping it brief here in the introduction here today, because we've got a whole lot to cover and the last thing you need is me yapping your ear off — or eyes, I suppose, since you're reading this right now and not listening to me on a podcast or audio book or something similar — when you could be immersing yourself in Bracketology speculation.
Let's boogie!
Bracketology Bracket
Bracketology Breakdown
Top Seeds: Purdue Boilermakers (Midwest Region), Connecticut Huskies (East Region), Houston Cougars (South Region), Tennessee Volunteers (West Region)
Multi-Bid Leagues: AAC (2), Atlantic 10 (2), ACC (3), Big 12 (9), Big East (6), Big Ten (6), Missouri Valley (2), Mountain West (5), Pac-12 (3), SEC (7), WCC (2)
Bracketology Bubble Watch
First Four Byes: Mississippi State, Colorado State, Seton Hall, TCU
Last Four In: St. John's, Indiana State, Villanova, Colorado
First Four Out: Virginia, New Mexico, Wake Forest, Texas A&M
Next Four Out: Providence, Iowa, Pittsburgh, Memphis
Next Five Alive: Kansas State, Utah, Virginia Tech, UNLV, Syracuse
Bids to be Determined (March 11-13)
Southern Conference Tournament Championship
-East Tennessee State vs. Samford, Monday March 11th, 7:00 PM EST, ESPN
Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship
-Arkansas State vs. James Madison, Monday March 11th, 7:00 PM EST, ESPN2
CAA Conference Tournament Championship
-Tuesday March 12th, 7:00 PM EST, CBS Sports
Horizon League Tournament Championship
-Tuesday March 12th, 7:00 PM EST, ESPN
NEC Tournament Championship
-Wagner vs. Merrimack, Tuesday March 12th, 7:00 PM EST, ESPN2
West Coast Conference Tournament Championship
-Tuesday March 12th, 9:00 PM EST, ESPN
Summit League Tournament Championship
-Tuesday March 12th, 9:30 PM EST, CBS Sports
Southland Conference Tournament Championship
-Wednesday March 13th, 5:00 PM EST, ESPN2
Patriot League Tournament Championship
-Lehigh vs. Colgate, Wednesday March 13th, 7:00 PM EST, CBS Sports
Big Sky Conference Tournament Championship
-Wednesday March 13th, 11:30 PM EST, ESPN2
Tickets Punched
Morehead State (Ohio Valley Conference)
Longwood (Big South)
Stetson (Atlantic Sun Conference)
Drake (Missouri Valley)
Conference Tournament Predictions
ACC Tournament
Dates: March 12-16
Top Seed: North Carolina
2023 Champion: Duke
The Skinny: The ACC Tournament is one of the most interesting of Championship Week. Not only do we have a looming North Carolina/Duke rematch that's a possibility for the final, but look at all of the ACC teams on the bubble right now. Virginia, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Syracuse could all conceivably earn or lose at-large bids depending on how things go in Washington D.C. Specifically, I've got my eye on a potential Pittsburgh vs. Wake Forest matchup in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The two teams split their two regular season meetings, and a win in the ACC Tournament could be what both teams need to make the field of 68 on Selection Sunday.
The Sleeper: Don't be surprised if #6 seed Clemson spoils North Carolina vs. Duke III. The Tigers have already upset Carolina in Chapel Hill, and came within a point of taking down Duke in front of the Cameron Crazies. Add in wins over Alabama, Boise State, South Carolina and TCU in non-conference play, and Clemson has the making of a potentially dangerous team in March.
The Prediction: As much as I hoped I would be able to kick things off with a prediction that wasn't chalk, the way North Carolina went to Duke and handled business in hostile territory showed me the Tar Heels are the clear-cut best team in the ACC, and a bonafide National Championship contender.
Big 12
Dates: March 12-16
Top Seed: Houston
2023 Champion: Texas
The Skinny: While there may be little drama in the Big 12 Tournament when it comes to teams falling out of the tournament field — TCU is really the only team in the Big 12 that is at risk — this tournament looks like it could be an absolute bloodbath. The quarterfinals start on Thursday, and that may be one of the best days of basketball all year long. It honestly feels conceivable that six different teams could leave Kansas City with the Big 12's automatic bid.
The Sleeper: I'd say Texas, but I'm looking at that second round game the Longhorns have against Kansas State, and I'm already a little worried. Fortunately for the Longhorns, this game won't be in Manhattan, where the Wildcats have already upset Baylor, Kansas, BYU and Iowa State this year.
The Prediction: I thought with how banged up Houston has been, I'd go a different direction with my Big 12 pick. But they demolished Kansas, and continue to find ways to win close games. Their draw until the finals doesn't look too brutal. I think Iowa State, Baylor and Texas are the three most dangerous teams aside from Houston, and they're all on the opposite side of the bracket. So give me Houston to win the Big 12 in their first year in the conference.
Big East
Dates: March 13-16
Top Seed: Connecticut
2023 Champion: Marquette
The Skinny: Much like the Big 12, once we get to the quarterfinals, this tournament could be a doozy. As a Connecticut fan, the idea of playing a well-coached Butler team that is desperate for wins in the quarterfinals makes me slightly uncomfortable. And a date with St. John's at MSG in the semifinals is tricky too. A healthy Marquette squad would make this tournament more intriguing, but I have no idea what to expect from Tyler Kolek and the Golden Eagles.
The Sleeper: Villanova gets DePaul in round one, a banged up Marquette team in the quarterfinals, and then a rematch against Creighton just one week after nearly upsetting the Blue Jays. I don't know that Nova gets to the championship, but Kyle Neptune has the Wildcats playing pretty good ball in a team when they need every win they can get.
The Prediction: Let's keep this simple. I'm going with the best team in the Big East (and the country). And that team is Connecticut.
Big Ten
Dates: March 13-17
Top Seed: Purdue
2023 Champion: Purdue
The Skinny: It feels like in this tournament there's Purdue — the defending champions — and there's everyone else. But in the last three Big Ten Tournaments, we've had two #5 seeds and one #10 seed make the Championship Game. Could the Ohio State Buckeyes, who have pushed their way back into the bubble conversation with five wins in their last six games, make it a second straight year that a #10 seed advances the final? Also, did y'all know that Nebraska is the #3 seed in the Big Ten?
The Sleeper: I can't tell you how badly I want to pick Northwestern to upset Purdue in the semifinals and go on to beat Illinois in the final.
The Prediction: Screw it. Give me Northwestern to stun everybody and earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Pac-12
Dates: March 13-16
Top Seed: Arizona
2023 Champion: Arizona
The Skinny: In fairness, I should be picking the Mountain West here since that's a clearly superior conference to the Pac-12, but I couldn't do that to the Pac-12 in its final year of existence — give me top-seeded Utah State to defeat Boise State in the MWC Championship, by the way. Arizona feels like a runaway winner, but their loss to USC on Saturday may have revealed a crack in their armor.
The Sleeper: Call me crazy, but Andy Enfield's Trojans ended the season playing the right way, and there is a reason why USC was ranked at the beginning of the season. There is talent on this roster and in order to make the Big Dance, USC needs to go all the way. They'll take care of business against Washington in the opening round and then give Arizona their best shot in the quarterfinals.
The Prediction: Taking Arizona would be the easy way, but instead, I'm going to take my preseason pick to win the Pac-12. I thought Colorado had a chance to be a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament. That won't be the case, as the Buffs are firmly on the bubble as we speak. But KJ Simpson may be the best player in the Big 12, and that gives Colorado a really good shot to earn the Pac-12's automatic bid.
SEC
Dates: March 13-17
Top Seed: Tennessee
2023 Champion: Alabama
The Skinny: Man, college hoops fans are spoiled, aren't we. As good as the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament will be on Thursday, the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament may be even better on Friday. Tennessee is the top seed, but the Vols dropped their final game of the season to Kentucky, both loosening their grip on the last #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and seemingly giving the rest of the SEC more hope than the had before.
The Sleeper: South Carolina is the #5 seed, and I love the Gamecocks to advance past Auburn in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals to play Tennessee. And let me tell you, the Vols may win that game, but South Carolina will make them work for it.
The Prediction: Kentucky's win at Tennessee in the regular season finale proved to me what my eyes have been telling me for a couple of weeks… the Wildcats are peaking at the right time, and while the rest of the country may see a team that plays no defense and may be a little erratic, I see a team that has a handful of guys who could be March Madness heroes. I like Kentucky to win the SEC Tournament and go into the Big Dance with momentum on their side. And just for kicks, I think they beat South Carolina in the final.
Championship Week Bracketology Schedule
Monday March 4th — Championship Week, Part 1
Thursday March 7th — Championship Week, Part 2
Sunday March 10th — Championship Week, Part 3
Monday March 11th — Championship Week, Part 4
Thursday March 14th — Championship Week, Part 5
-Who remains alive on the bubble?
Saturday March 16th — Championship Week, Part 6
-The Championship Week Saturday Entertainment Index
Sunday March 17th (AM) — Selection Sunday, Part 1
-Sorting through Championship Saturday
Sunday March 17th (PM) — Selection Sunday, Part 2
-The Final Bracketology Projections
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