Here are 10 schools, in alphabetical order.
Good luck picking out the NCAA tournament teams from the ones on the outside:
SEE RELATED:
Cincinnati, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Penn State, Providence, UNLV, Virginia Tech.
Five are just inside this bracket. Five are just on the outside.
But the reality is at this point, they’re all about the same, and all with about a fortnight to prove their worthiness.
For now, here’s a 65-team field:
EAST REGION
Dayton, Ohio
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) SWAC/Alabama State-BIG WEST/Cal State Northridge
(8) Texas A&M vs. (9) Tennessee
Portland, Ore.
(4) Purdue vs. (13) SUN BELT/Western Kentucky
(5) UCLA vs. (12) Maryland
Kansas City, Mo.
(3) BIG 12/Kansas vs. (14) MAC/Buffalo
(6) Syracuse vs. (11) Penn State
Greensboro, N.C.
(2) Duke vs. (15) BIG SKY/Weber State
(7) HORIZON/Butler vs. (10) Dayton
SOUTH REGION
Greensboro, N.C.
(1) ACC/North Carolina vs. (16) BIG SOUTH/Radford
(8) California vs. (9) Ohio State
Boise, Idaho
(4) ATLANTIC 10/Xavier vs. (13) SOUTHERN/Davidson
(5) Marquette vs. (12) South Carolina
Boise, Idaho
(3) Missouri vs. (14) SUMMIT/North Dakota State
(6) Illinois vs. (11) Virginia Tech
Dayton, Ohio
(2) Louisville vs. (15) IVY/Cornell
(7) MOUNTAIN WEST/Utah vs. (10) MVC/Creighton
WEST REGION
Philadelphia
(1) BIG EAST/Connecticut vs. (16) MEAC/Morgan State
(8) Minnesota vs. (9) Brigham Young
Miami
(4) Wake Forest vs. (13) PATRIOT/American
(5) WCC/Gonzaga vs. (12) Florida
Portland, Ore.
(3) PAC-10/Washington vs. (14) SOUTHLAND/Stephen F. Austin
(6) Florida State vs. (11) UNLV
Minneapolis
(2) CONFERENCE USA/Memphis vs. (15) OHIO VALLEY/UT Martin
(7) West Virginia vs. (10) Oklahoma State
MIDWEST REGION
Kansas City, Mo.
(1) Oklahoma vs. (16) ATLANTIC SUN/Jacksonville
(8) Wisconsin vs. (9) Arizona
Miami
(4) Clemson vs. (13) CAA/Virginia Commonwealth
(5) SEC/Louisiana State vs. (12) MAAC/Siena
Philadelphia
(3) Villanova vs. (14) AMERICA EAST/Vermont
(6) Arizona State vs. (11) WAC/Utah State
Minneapolis
(2) BIG TEN/Michigan State vs. (15) NORTHEAST/Robert Morris
(7) Texas vs. (10) Boston College
Last four in: Virginia Tech, Florida, Penn State, Maryland
Last four out: Providence, Cincinnati, Michigan, Miami
Next four out: Kentucky, Kansas State, Southern California, Saint Mary’s
Multi-bid leagues: ACC (8), Big East (7), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (6), Pac-10 (5), SEC (4), Mountain West (3), A-10 (2).
Moving in: CS Northridge, Penn State
Moving out: Long Beach State, Michigan
—- Patrick Stevens