David Connelly

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The NCAA Tournament is nearly here and wouldn&#8217;t be complete without a bracketology projection ahead of all the madness this weekend in conference tournaments. We&#8217;ll help you understand where things currently stand among the field of 68 as the possible outcomes continue to narrow as the week comes to a close.
<h2>Bracketology Projections</h2>
Here is how we project the field for the NCAA Tournament after Thursday&#8217;s action:
<table dir="ltr" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="100" />
<col width="116" />
<col width="100" />
<col width="105" />
<col width="100" /></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;SOUTH&quot;}">SOUTH</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;MIDWEST&quot;}">MIDWEST</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;EAST&quot;}">EAST</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;WEST&quot;}">WEST</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:1}">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Houston&quot;}">Houston</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas&quot;}">Kansas</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Alabama&quot;}">Alabama</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Purdue&quot;}">Purdue</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:2}">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Baylor&quot;}">Baylor</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Arizona&quot;}">Arizona</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas&quot;}">Texas</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;UCLA&quot;}">UCLA</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;UConn&quot;}">UConn</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Gonzaga&quot;}">Gonzaga</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Marquette&quot;}">Marquette</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Tennessee&quot;}">Tennessee</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Virginia&quot;}">Virginia</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Xavier&quot;}">Xavier</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Indiana&quot;}">Indiana</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas State&quot;}">Kansas State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;San Diego State&quot;}">San Diego State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Iowa State&quot;}">Iowa State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Miami&quot;}">Miami</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kentucky&quot;}">Kentucky</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;TCU&quot;}">TCU</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Creighton&quot;}">Creighton</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas A&amp;M&quot;}">Texas A&amp;M</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Saint Mary's&quot;}">Saint Mary&#8217;s</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Northwestern&quot;}">Northwestern</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Michigan State&quot;}">Michigan State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Duke&quot;}">Duke</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Missouri&quot;}">Missouri</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Maryland&quot;}">Maryland</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Illinois&quot;}">Illinois</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;FAU&quot;}">FAU</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Iowa&quot;}">Iowa</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Auburn&quot;}">Auburn</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Arkansas&quot;}">Arkansas</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;West Virginia&quot;}">West Virginia</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Memphis&quot;}">Memphis</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;USC&quot;}">USC</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;NC State&quot;}">NC State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Providence&quot;}">Providence</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Boise State&quot;}">Boise State</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;ARI ST/PENN ST&quot;}">ARI ST/PENN ST</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Pittsburgh&quot;}">Pittsburgh</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Utah State&quot;}">Utah State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;RUT/MISS ST&quot;}">RUT/MISS ST</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oral Roberts&quot;}">Oral Roberts</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Drake&quot;}">Drake</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;VCU&quot;}">VCU</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Charleston&quot;}">Charleston</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:13}">13</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Yale&quot;}">Yale</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Toledo&quot;}">Toledo</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Utah Valley&quot;}">Utah Valley</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Iona&quot;}">Iona</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Furman&quot;}">Furman</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Louisiana&quot;}">Louisiana</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kennesaw State&quot;}">Kennesaw State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;UC Irvine&quot;}">UC Irvine</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:15}">15</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Colgate&quot;}">Colgate</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Montana State&quot;}">Montana State</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Vermont&quot;}">Vermont</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;UNC Asheville&quot;}">UNC Asheville</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:16}">16</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Northern Kentucky&quot;}">Northern Kentucky</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;SEMO&quot;}">SEMO</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;FDU/TAMCC&quot;}">FDU/TAMCC</td>
<td data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;GRAM/HOW&quot;}">GRAM/HOW</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>High Seeding Analysis</h2>
Things look primarily copacetic among the top seeds here, but we could see some movement between now and Selection Sunday. UConn is the hottest candidate among the three seeds to make a run at a two after a statement win over Providence at the Big East Tournament on Thursday. They could replace Baylor after another loss to Iowa State as they went one-and-done at the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
<h2>Mid Seeding Analysis</h2>
Saint Mary&#8217;s was embarrassed by Gonzaga, and we chose to punish them accordingly. The Gaels fall to the six-line, and in their spot, we get Kentucky for now. TCU could land there following their neutral site victory over Kansas State at the Big 12 Tournament. Still, it&#8217;s a bit too early to tell, with Kentucky having plenty of opportunities ahead of them in the SEC Tournament starting on Friday.
<h2>Bubble Analysis</h2>
Penn State, Rutgers, and Boise State can rejoice as they likely cemented their spots in the field on Thursday. As for Michigan, North Carolina, and Nevada, they can kiss their spots goodbye with some backbreaking losses to start their respective conference tournaments. Plenty of movement can still come, but it&#8217;s looking like we have a better idea of who will be a part of the field of 68 come Sunday.

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We project the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament following Thursday's action in conference tournaments across college basketball.

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