Remember, what I think doesn't matter anymore. Selection Sunday is finally here. Let's see how these final projections stack up with the actual NCAA bracket for the 2001 Division I men's basketball championship.
A reminder: Teams listed in italics have secured an automatic bid to the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Teams preceded by their conference name in ALL CAPS are the current league (or RPI) leaders of those conferences. These teams are projected to qualify via their league's automatic bid.
Projections as of March 11:
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MIDWEST REGION
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March 16: Dayton, Ohio
University of Dayton Arena
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1. Michigan State
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16. Winthrop vs. Northwestern State
(NCAA play-in game) |
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8. Creighton |
9. St. Joseph's |
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5. Syracuse |
12. Georgia
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4. Maryland
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13. Indiana State |
March 16: Kansas City, Mo.
Kemper Arena
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3. Oklahoma
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14. Southern Utah
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6. Wisconsin |
11. Gonzaga |
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7. Arkansas |
10. Butler
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2. Arizona |
15. Eastern Illinois
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REGIONAL FINAL
March 23-25: Alamodome, San Antonio
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SOUTH REGION
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March 16: New Orleans, La.
Superdome
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1. North Carolina
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16. Alabama State
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8. Tennessee |
9. Providence |
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5. UCLA |
12. Hofstra |
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4. Kansas
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13. Kent State
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March 16: Memphis, Tenn.
The Pyramid
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3. Florida
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14. George Mason
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6. Notre Dame |
11. Oklahoma State
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7. Wake Forest |
10. Charlotte |
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2. Illinois |
15. Hampton
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REGIONAL FINAL
March 23-25: Georgia Dome, Atlanta
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EAST REGION
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March 15: Greensboro, N.C.
Greensboro Coliseum
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1. Duke
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16. UNC Greensboro
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8. Georgetown |
9. Alabama |
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5. Indiana |
12. California |
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4. Texas
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13. Hawaii
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March 15: Uniondale, N.Y.
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
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3. Mississippi
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14. Holy Cross
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6. USC |
11. Xavier |
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7. Ohio State |
10. Georgia State |
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2. Boston College |
15. Princeton
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REGIONAL FINAL
March 22-24: First Union Center, Philadelphia
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WEST REGION
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March 15: San Diego, Calif.
Aztec Bowl Arena
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1. Stanford
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16. Monmouth
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8. Fresno State |
9. Temple |
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5. Virginia |
12. Utah State |
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4. Big Ten No. 3 (Indiana/Iowa)
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13. Western Kentucky
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March 15: Boise, Idaho
Boise State University Pavilion
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3. Iowa State
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14. Cal-State Northridge |
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6. Georgia Tech |
11. BYU |
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7. Penn State |
10. Cincinnati |
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2. Kentucky |
15. Iona |
REGIONAL FINAL
March 22-24: Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, Calif.
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FINAL FOUR
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Humphrey Metrodome
Minneapolis, Minn.
Semifinals: March 31 (East vs. West; Midwest vs. South)
Championship Game: April 2
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Bracket Bits
Please note that Georgia Tech cannot be placed in the South Region,
where it is an institutional host at the Georgia Dome for the regional
semifinals and finals. Also, due to its religious affiliation, Brigham
Young must be assigned to Thursday/Saturday sites.
Last Four In: Xavier, Georgia, Oklahoma State, California.
Last Four Out: Missouri, Richmond, Villanova, Connecticut.
Who's hot? The following projected post-season teams are 10-0 or 9-1
in their last 10 games: Hofstra (10-0), Alabama State (9-1), Arizona
(9-1), Butler (9-1), Cal State Northridge (9-1), Charlotte (9-1),
Creighton (9-1), Georgia State (9-1), Gonzaga (9-1), Hampton (9-1),
McNeese State (9-1), Richmond (9-1), Southern Utah (9-1), Texas (9-1),
Western Kentucky (9-1).
Who's not? With less-than-great records in their last 10 games:
Minnesota (2-8), Purdue (2-8), Georgia (3-7), Alabama (4-6), Iowa (4-6),
Seton Hall (4-6), South Carolina (4-6), South Florida (4-6), Tennessee
(4-6).
The committee continues to emphasize a team's play away from home.
Check out the following R+N (road+neutral) records: Stanford (15-0),
Duke (15-2), Hofstra (15-2), Hampton (14-5), North Carolina (13-3), St.
Joseph's (13-6), Georgia State (12-4), Oklahoma (12-5), Cincinnati
(12-6), Illinois (12-7), Kent (12-7), Temple (12-7), Western Kentucky
(11-4), Gonzaga (11-5), Kansas (11-5), Southern Utah (11-5), Utah State
(11-5), Pepperdine (11-6), Toledo (11-6), Monmouth (11-7), Valparaiso
(11-7), Charlotte (11-8), UC Irvine (10-3), Florida (10-4), Georgetown
(10-4), Richmond (10-4), Mississippi (10-5), Alabama State (10-6), Holy
Cross (10-6), Southern Mississippi (10-6), Creighton (10-7), Tennessee
(10-7), Iona (10-8), Kentucky (10-8), Santa Clara (10-8), Northwestern
State (10-9).
Road (non-)warriors: Connecticut (2-10), Miami (4-9), Mississippi
State (4-9), Arkansas (4-8), Hawaii (4-8), Georgia Tech (5-9), Seton
Hall (5-9), Baylor (5-8), Minnesota (5-8), South Carolina (5-8), Utah
(5-8), California (5-7), West Virginia (5-7).
Movin' Up: (as determined by RPI): Alabama State, Baylor, BYU, Cal
State Northridge, Charlotte, George Mason, Gonzaga, Hampton, Hawaii,
Hofstra, Holy Cross, Indiana State, Iona, Kent, Massachusetts, Monmouth,
Northwestern State, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, UNC-Greensboro.
Goin' Down: Cleveland State, Marquette, Marshall, Minnesota, Ohio
University, St. Bonaventure, Toledo, UC Irvine, West Virginia, Xavier.
Multiple-conference breakdown: Big Ten (7), SEC (7), ACC (6), Big 12
(5), Big East (5), Pac-10 (5), Atlantic 10 (3), C-USA (2), Missouri
Valley (2), WAC (2).
Quality wins? Here are teams with the most victories against RPI Top
25 competition: Michigan State (8-3), Kentucky (8-5), North Carolina
(7-4), Indiana (7-5), Stanford (6-2), Arizona (6-3), Duke (6-3),
Mississippi (6-3), Illinois (6-5), Florida (5-4), UCLA (5-4), Iowa
(5-6).
Paper tigers? The following teams have unhealthy win totals against
sub-150 competition: Hampton (24), Monmouth (20), Alabama State (19),
Georgia State (18), Gonzaga (18), Southern Utah (18), Hofstra (17), Holy
Cross (17), Northwestern State (17), Western Kentucky (17),
UNC-Greensboro (16), Winthrop (16), Cal State Northridge (15), Eastern
Illinois (14), Utah State (14), Iona (13), Kent (13), George Mason (12),
Princeton (12), Creighton (11), Virginia (11), BYU (10), Georgetown
(10), Indiana State (10).
Joe Lunardi is a regular in-season contributor for ESPN.com and the editor of www.bracketology.net. Write to Joe at jlunardi@home.com. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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ALSO SEE
Lunardi: The ACC and me
Who's on the bubble?
NCAA Basketball Championship Week
ESPN.com Sweet 16
Bracketology: Feb. 27
Bracketology: Feb. 19
Bracketology: Feb. 12
Bracketology: Feb. 5
Bracketology: Jan. 29
Jan. 22: Bracketology
2001 NCAA Tournament Sites
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