Gonzaga Bulldogs

Bracket Watch: Rivalry Week is here to shake things up

Published Feb. 7, 2017 12:19 p.m. ET

Stewart Mandel

Kansas and Kansas State got Rivalry Week off to a fun start Monday night. Duke-North Carolina, Purdue-Indiana and Michigan State-Michigan are still to come.

But for bracket purposes, two of the week’s most interesting matchups will take place in the state of California.

On Thursday, Oregon visits UCLA in a key Pac-12 contest. The Ducks (21-3) rose up to a No. 2 seed here following their impressive rout of Arizona. UCLA (21-3), for all its hype, is just a No. 4 seed due to the fact it boasts just two RPI Top 50 wins all season. Beating Oregon would be a big resume-builder.

On Saturday, undefeated Gonzaga (24-0) visits archrival Saint Mary’s (21-2) in what may be the only game left the ‘Zags have a realistic chance of losing. If Gonzaga makes it to Selection Sunday undefeated, there’s no question it will remain a No. 1 seed. One loss, however, could be enough to put that in question given the ‘Zags’ weak schedule strength relative to the other contenders.

A reminder: Selection Sunday is March 12, and the tourney begins March 14. The Final Four is April 1-3 in Phoenix.

* — Denotes projected conference champion, automatic berth

This edition's bracket is East vs. West champions and Midwest vs. South champions in the national semifinals, based on the order of my No. 1 seeds.

BRACKET WATCH

EAST REGION (NEW YORK)
Seed	Team	Location
1	Villanova*	at Buffalo
16	Texas Southern/New Orleans
8	Iowa State
9	Clemson
4	UCLA	at Sacramento
13	Princeton*
5	Duke
12	Vermont*
6	Saint Mary's	at Buffalo
11	Wake Forest/Michigan
3	West Virginia
14	Monmouth*
7	Xavier	at Orlando
10	Indiana
2	Florida State
15	UNC Asheville*

WEST REGION (SAN JOSE)
Seed	Team	Location
1	Gonzaga*	at Salt Lake City
16	Weber State*
8	USC
9	Oklahoma State
4	Purdue	at Milwaukee
13	Boise State*
5	Florida
12	Belmont*
6	Maryland	at Greenville, S.C.
11	Tennessee
3	Virginia
14	Akron*
7	Virginia Tech	at Sacramento
10	Kansas State
2	Oregon*
15	North Dakota State*

MIDWEST REGION (KANSAS CITY)
Seed	Team	Location
1	Kansas*	at Tulsa
16	NC Central*
8	Marquette
9	Michigan State
4	Cincinnati*	at Orlando
13	New Mexico State*
5	Creighton
12	UNC Wilmington*
6	Notre Dame	at Indianapolis
11	Seton Hall/Miami
3	Kentucky
14	Valparaiso*
7	Minnesota	at Indianapolis
10	VCU
2	Louisville
15	Florida Gulf Coast*

SOUTH REGION (MEMPHIS)
Seed	Team	Location
1	Baylor	at Tulsa
16	UC Davis/Mount St. Mary's
8	SMU
9	Dayton*
4	Butler	at Milwaukee
13	Bucknell*
5	Wisconsin*
12	Middle Tennessee*
6	South Carolina*	at Salt Lake City
11	Wichita State*
3	Arizona
14	Furman*
7	Northwestern	at Greenville, S.C.
10	TCU
2	North Carolina*
15	Arkansas State*

LAST FOUR IN: Michigan, Wake Forest, Seton Hall, Miami

FIRST FOUR OUT: Syracuse, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Cal

NEXT FOUR OUT: Illinois State, Ohio State, Georgetown, Texas Tech

MULTIPLE BID CONFERENCES: ACC (10), Big Ten (8), Big 12 (7), Big East (6), SEC (4), Pac-12 (4), A-10 (2), American (2), WCC (2)