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BRACKET BREAKDOWN

Who’s ready for a new weekly column?

Between now and Selection Sunday, each Friday I’ll give a “BRACKET BREAKDOWN” with my 68 projected teams for the 2022 NCAA Tournament along with my Top 16 seeds as well as emerging trends.

The team who is currently in first place in their respective conference will be listed as that league’s “automatic qualifier”.

The Current Field

Atlantic Sun (1)
Jacksonville State (AQ)
America East (1)
Vermont (AQ)
American Athletic Conference (3)
Houston (AQ), SMU, Memphis
Atlantic 10 (1)
Davidson (AQ)
ACC (4)
Duke (AQ), Miami, Notre Dame, Wake Forest
Big 12 (6)
Baylor (AQ), Kansas, Texas, Texas Tech, Iowa State, TCU
Big East (7)
Providence (AQ), Villanova, UConn, Seton Hall, Xavier, Creighton, Marquette
Big Sky (1)
Montana State (AQ)
Big South (1)
Longwood (AQ)
Big Ten (9)
Wisconsin (AQ), Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan
Big West (1)
Long Beach State (AQ)
CAA (1)
Towson (AQ)
Conference-USA (1)
North Texas (AQ)
Horizon League (1)
Cleveland State (AQ)
Ivy League (1)
Princeton (AQ)
MAAC (1)
Iona (AQ)
MAC (1)
Toledo (AQ)
MEAC (1)
Norfolk State (AQ)
Missouri Valley (1)
Northern Iowa (AQ)
Mountain West (4)
Boise State (AQ), Colorado State, San Diego State, Wyoming
NEC (1)
Bryant (AQ)
OVC (1)
Murray State (AQ)
Pac-12 (3)
Arizona (AQ), USC, UCLA
Patriot League (1)
Colgate (AQ)
SEC (6)
Auburn (AQ), Kentucky, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas
Southern (1)
Chattanooga (AQ)
Southland (1)
New Orleans (AQ)
SWAC (1)
Alcorn State (AQ)
Summit (1)
South Dakota State (AQ)
Sun Belt (1)
Texas State (AQ)
WCC (3)
Gonzaga (AQ), Saint Mary’s, San Francisco
WAC (1)
New Mexico State (AQ)

First Four Out

BYU, North Carolina, Florida, Loyola Chicago

Top 16 Seeds

1: Gonzaga, Baylor, Arizona, Auburn
2: Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Wisconsin
3: Villanova, Purdue, Providence, Texas Tech
4: Illinois, Tennessee, UCLA, UConn

Five Things To Know

  • Wisconsin’s recent ascension could truly benefit its geographic placement during the NCAA Tournament. Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee is a venue for the first two rounds while the United Center in Chicago will host the Midwest Regional during the second weekend.
  • If North Carolina (22-8) loses tonight against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, it will be probably need to make the title game of the ACC Tournament to truly feel safe about its NCAA Tournament hopes.
  • Xavier (17-12) is going to be sweating on Selection Sunday unless it wins its next two games. The Musketeers host Georgetown tonight at the Cintas Center and then will play on Wednesday in next week’s Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden.
  • Barring an unforeseen amount of bid stealers during Championship Week, the Atlantic 10 should get two teams in the NCAA Tournament if a team other than Davidson (25-4) wins the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Three potential big stealers to monitor in this league? VCU, Dayton, and St. Bonaventure.
  • If any team other than Boise State, Colorado State, Wyoming, and San Diego State wins the Mountain West Conference Tournament, there’s a legitimate chance that this league will have more teams in the NCAA Tournament than the ACC.

Leftovers