Happy holidays! Let’s celebrate the season of giving with some Sunday morning Bauertology. This projection comes a day after a wild Saturday with some of the most exciting college basketball we’ve seen this season. There aren’t many major changes to the bracket so far, but those changes will begin to take place when we remove preseason expectations from the projection at the start of the new year. For now, enjoy the new projection!
TRUE SEED LIST
1 Seeds
1. Gonzaga (4-0)
2. Baylor (5-0)
3. Kansas (7-1)
4. Iowa (6-1)
2 Seeds
5. Villanova (7-1)
6. Wisconsin (6-1)
7. Michigan State (6-0)
8. West Virginia (6-1)
3 Seeds
9. Houston (4-0)
10. Virginia (3-1)
11. Illinois (5-2)
12. Texas (6-1)
4 Seeds
13. Tennessee (4-0)
14. Creighton (5-2)
15. Texas Tech (6-2)
16. Florida State (4-1)
5 Seeds
17. Duke (3-2)
18. Rutgers (5-0)
19. North Carolina (5-2)
20. Oregon (6-1)
6 Seeds
21. Florida (3-1)
22. Ohio State (6-1)
23. Saint Louis (6-0)
24. Michigan (6-0)
7 Seeds
25. San Diego State (5-1)
26. Louisville (4-1)
27. Indiana (5-2)
28. UConn (3-0)
8 Seeds
29. Richmond (6-1)
30. LSU (4-1)
31. UCLA (5-2)
32. Clemson (5-1)
9 Seeds
33. Arkansas (6-0)
34. Stanford (4-2)
35. Missouri (5-0)
36. Purdue (6-2)
10 Seeds
37. Marquette (5-3)
38. Syracuse (6-1)
39. Xavier (7-0)
40. Virginia Tech (6-1)
11 Seeds
41. Seton Hall (5-3)
42. Arizona State (4-3)
43. Oklahoma State (6-1)
*44. Oklahoma (5-1)
*45. USC (4-1)
12 Seeds
*46. Colorado (4-1)
*47. BYU (7-2)
48. Loyola Chicago (3-2)
49. Western Kentucky (6-2)
50. Furman (5-3)
13 Seeds
51. Georgia State (5-1)
52. Vermont (0-0)
53. Abilene Christian (7-1)
54. New Mexico State (2-0)
14 Seeds
55. Ohio (4-2)
56. Liberty (7-3)
57. Winthrop (5-0)
58. South Dakota State (5-3)
15 Seeds
59. Wright State (3-1)
60. Murray State (4-2)
61. Eastern Washington (2-4)
62. UC Santa Barbara (3-1)
16 Seeds
63. Colgate (0-0)
64. Saint Peter’s (5-3)
*65. Drexel (5-2)
*66. Bryant (6-2)
*67. Norfolk State (3-3)
*68. Texas Southern (2-4)
BRACKET
Region 1
1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Norfolk State / Texas Southern
8 UCLA vs. 9 Arkansas
5 Duke vs. 12 Loyola Chicago
4 Texas Tech vs. 13 Georgia State
6 Saint Louis vs. 11 Seton Hall
3 Texas vs. 14 South Dakota State
7 San Diego State vs. 10 Marquette
2 Michigan State vs. 15 Wright State
Region 4
1 Iowa vs. 16 Colgate
8 Richmond vs. 9 Missouri
5 North Carolina vs. 12 Western Kentucky
4 Tennessee vs. 13 New Mexico State
6 Michigan vs. 11 Oklahoma / USC
3 Houston vs. 14 Ohio
7 Indiana vs. 10 Syracuse
2 West Virginia vs. 15 UC Santa Barbara
Region 2
1 Baylor vs. 16 Saint Peter’s
8 Clemson vs. 9 Stanford
5 Rutgers vs. 12 Colorado / BYU
4 Creighton vs. 13 Vermont
6 Ohio State vs. 11 Arizona State
3 Virginia vs. 14 Winthrop
7 UConn vs. 10 Virginia Tech
2 Wisconsin vs. 15 Murray State
Region 3
1 Kansas vs. 16 Drexel / Bryant
8 LSU vs. 9 Purdue
5 Oregon vs. 12 Furman
4 Florida State vs. 13 Abilene Christian
6 Florida vs. 11 Oklahoma State
3 Illinois vs. 14 Liberty
7 Louisville vs. 10 Xavier
2 Villanova vs. 15 Eastern Washington
THE BUBBLE
Last Four Byes
1. Virginia Tech (6-1)
2. Seton Hall (5-3)
3. Arizona State (4-3)
4. Oklahoma State (6-1)
Last Four In
1. Oklahoma (5-1)
2. USC (4-1)
3. Colorado (4-1)
4. BYU (7-2)
First Four Out
1. Providence (4-2)
2. Saint Mary’s (8-1)
3. Alabama (4-3)
4. SMU (5-0)
Next Four Out
1. Minnesota (6-1)
2. NC State (4-1)
3. Kentucky (1-5)
4. Ole Miss (4-1)
Also Considered
Arizona (5-1)
Boise State (4-1)
Dayton (4-1)
Maryland (4-2)
Memphis (5-3)
Miami (4-2)
Penn State (3-2)
TCU (6-2)
BIDS BY CONFERENCE
Big Ten: 9
ACC: 8
Big 12: 7
Big East: 6
Pac-12: 6
SEC: 5
Atlantic 10: 2
WCC: 2