Bracketology: 3/8

Less than a two weeks away from tournament time, we still have major questions about several conferences and teams. I'll predict the tournament field and results, give reasons why, and update it each week. Here are my calls as of 3/8. Seeds are listed L-R. Left most seed is top team for that group. (Pittsburgh will get #1 overall seed, Memphis is top #2 seed...) Teams in italics have already earned automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments.


# 1 SEEDS: Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Connecticut, Louisville
Skinny: Without question, Pitt is the top team in the tournament. The only way Pitt can lose the top ranking is if UConn wins the Big East Tournament, without Pitt winning one game. Yeah...that'll happen. I'm picking Louisville to win the Big East Tourney, so they'll overtake Memphis and struggling OU. #1 UNC holds strong with a 79-71 win over Duke today.

#2 SEEDS: Memphis, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Duke
Skinny: If Oklahoma keeps putting the game on Blake Griffin's shoulders, eventually someone will stop him, or concuss him (like Dexter Pittman). Duke is still a #2 despite losing in Chapel Hill. Michigan State stays with a 62-51 win over Purdue.

#3 SEEDS: Villanova, Kansas, Wake Forest, Washington
Skinny: Not much movement in the #3 seeds, other than fading Clemson falling down to a #4 seed. 'Nova and the Kansas Jayhawks flip flop at the top of this group.

#4 SEEDS: LSU, Clemson, UCLA, Florida State
#5 SEEDS: Gonzaga, Missouri, Marquette, Xavier
#6 SEEDS: Purdue, Arizona State, Illinois, Syracuse
#7 SEEDS: California, Tennessee, Utah, Butler
#8 SEEDS: Dayton, West Virginia, Arizona
#9 SEEDS: Wisconsin, BYU, Utah State, Miami (FL)
#10 SEEDS: Boston College, Texas, South Carolina, Ohio State
#11 SEEDS: Providence, Florida, Penn State, Virginia Tech
#12 SEEDS: Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, VCU (CAA), Siena (MAAC),
#13 SEEDS: College of Charleston (SoCon), UNLV, Northern Iowa (MVC), Buffalo (MAC)
#14 SEEDS: Vermont (America East), WKU (Sun Belt), American (Patriot), Weber St. (Big Sky)#15 SEEDS: ND State (Summit), Robert Morris (Northeast), Morehead St. (OVC), Cornell (Ivy)
#16 SEEDS: Radford (Big South), Morgan State (MEAC), Stephen F. Austin (Southland), East Tennessee St. (A-Sun)

Play-In Game: Long Beach (Big West) vs. Alabama State (SWAC)


Last Six In: Florida, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, UNLV

Last Six Out: Michigan, Minnesota, Cincinnati, St. Mary's, Northwestern, Georgetown


NATIONAL CHAMPION PICK: Villanova Wildcats