Connoracketology Week 17 (Mar. 4)

     This edition of Connoracketology uses games played through March 3rd to determine its seed rankings.

     The bubble has shrunk.  It's the phrase no one wants fighting for the last few tournament spots wants to hear.  But that's exactly what has happened.  By taking the lead in their respective conferences, Boise State and Tulsa (two previous bubble teams) have automatic bids at the moment.  This means that there are two fewer at-large spots to fight for, meaning no one can afford to lose, or they will fall out of the field.  The situation is great for Boise and Tulsa, but for a team like BYU, who just knocked off Gonzaga, it means they still aren't in the field.  They would have passed Tulsa had they not had an auto-bid.
     Texas saved their season with a come from behind victory over Baylor, but it might be too little too late for the Longhorns, 7-10 in Big 12 play.  They might not be the only team that threw their chances away in Big-12 play either.  If Oklahoma State loses against TCU, that would make 5 straight losses for the Cowboys, and could put them in the same situation Texas is currently in.
     We're getting ever so close to Selection Sunday, now only 11 days away, so I have much more to talk about.  However, that will have to wait until the next edition of Bracket Breakdown on Youtube, which I will be releasing tomorrow.  For now, here's the bracket.

Week 17- Mar. 4

1s:  Kentucky, Virginia, Duke, Villanova

2s:  Arizona, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Kansas

3s:  Maryland, Wichita St, Notre Dame, Utah

4s:  Northern Iowa, Baylor, Louisville, Oklahoma

5s:  Iowa St, North Carolina, Arkansas, West Virginia

6s:  SMU, Ohio State, Providence, Georgetown

7s:  Butler, VCU, Iowa, Dayton

8s:  Georgia, St. John’s, Michigan St., San Diego St

9s:  Ole Miss, Oklahoma St., Xavier, Texas A&M

10s:  Colorado St, Cincinnati, NC State, Oregon

11s:  Indiana, LSU, Temple, Purdue, Davidson, Boise St,

12s:  Tulsa, Murray St., Harvard, Stephen F. Austin

13s:  Iona, Wofford, Valparaiso, Louisiana Tech

14s:  Central Michigan, Georgia St, UC Davis, South Dakota St

15s:  William & Mary, NC Central, High Point, New Mexico St

16s:  Albany, St, Francis, North Florida, Sacramento St, Bucknell, Texas Southern

Entered the field: Boise St., Davidson

Left the field: Texas, Stanford

On the Outside Looking In

First Four Out: BYU, UCLA, Texas, Stanford

Next Four Out: Illinois, Old Dominion, Miami (Fl), Rhode Island

Barely Hanging: Pittsburgh, Richmond, Connecticut, Buffalo

Bids by Conference:

Big Ten: 7

ACC: 6

Big East: 6

Big 12: 6

SEC: 6

American: 4

Atlantic-10: 3

Mountain West: 3

Pac-12: 3

Missouri Valley: 2

22 Conferences: 1