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)
