College Hoops Today

Serving College Basketball 365 Days a Year

BRACKET BREAKDOWN: Jan. 19th

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 2024 NCAA Tournament along with my Top 16 seeds as well as emerging trends.

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

The Current Field

Atlantic Sun (1)
Eastern Kentucky (AQ)

America East (1)
UMass Lowell (AQ)

American Athletic Conference (2)
Florida Atlantic (AQ), Memphis

Atlantic 10 (1)
Dayton (AQ)

ACC (3)
North Carolina (AQ), Duke, Clemson

Big 12 (10)
Kansas (AQ), Baylor, BYU, Oklahoma, Houston, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, TCU, Kansas State

Big East (6)
UConn (AQ), Marquette, Creighton, Villanova, St. John’s, Seton Hall

Big Sky (1)
Eastern Washington (AQ)

Big South (1)
High Point (AQ)

Big Ten (6)
Wisconsin (AQ), Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois, Nebraska, Michigan State

Big West (1)
UC Irvine (AQ)

CAA (1)
Drexel (AQ)

Conference-USA (1)
Sam Houston (AQ)

Horizon League (1)
Oakland (AQ)

Ivy League (1)
Princeton (AQ)

MAAC (1)
St. Peter’s (AQ)

MAC (1)
Akron (AQ)

MEAC (1)
NC Central (AQ)

Missouri Valley (1)
Drake (AQ)

Mountain West (6)
San Diego State (AQ), Utah State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Nevada, Boise State

NEC (1)
Central Connecticut (AQ)

OVC (1)
Western Illinois (AQ)

Pac-12 (3)
Oregon (AQ), Arizona, Utah

Patriot League (1)
Lafayette (AQ)

SEC (8)
Auburn (AQ), Tennessee, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, South Carolina

Southern (1)
Samford (AQ)

Southland (1)
McNeese (AQ)

SWAC (1)
Jackson State (AQ)

Summit (1)
Denver (AQ)

Sun Belt (1)
Troy (AQ)

WCC (1)
San Francisco (AQ)

WAC (1)
Grand Canyon (AQ)

First Four Out

Wake Forest, Ohio State, Colorado, Xavier

Top 16 Seeds

1: Purdue, Kansas, UConn, North Carolina
2: Houston, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Arizona
3: Auburn, Duke, Kentucky, Baylor
4: Creighton, Alabama, Marquette, Illinois

Five Things To Know

  • North Carolina is in position to earn its best NCAA Tournament seed since 2019, when it was a one seed under Roy Williams. The Tar Heels didn’t make last year’s bracket and were an eight seed in the NCAA Tournament in both 2021 and 2022.
  • Remember Memphis’ loaded non-conference schedule? The metrics don’t either. Disappointing seasons at Arkansas, Michigan, Virginia, and VCU have hurt the Tigers’ potential seed on Selection Sunday as many of their early season victories have not held up. Memphis also dropped to 50th in the NET following Thursday night’s loss to South Florida.
  • The Big 12 has 10 teams in the bracket above. No conference has had 10 or more teams in the NCAA Tournament since the old Big East had 11 in 2011.
  • The last time that a team other than Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s won the WCC Tournament? San Diego in 2008.
  • Xavier is only 9-8 entering tonight’s game against Georgetown at the Cintas Center, but is one of the “First Four Out” in the bracket above. How? The Musketeers are currently ranked 36th in the NET and have five Quad 1 and 2 wins. Xavier also played a ruthless non-conference schedule, which featured games against both Purdue and Houston. If Sean Miller gets this team to 18 or 19 wins, it’s got a real chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.

Leftovers