The muddled mess near the edge of the NCAA tournament inclusion line continues.
After all, Florida is in this 65-team field, and the Gators haven’t done a whole lot this season.
SEE RELATED:
One team that keeps sneaking closer to inclusion is Saint Mary’s, which is expected to have point guard Patrick Mills back for the West Coast Conference tournament. If he looks even remotely like the guy who had the Gaels ranked before getting hurt a month or so ago, then Saint Mary’s becomes the ultimate wild card for the selection committee.
It would come down to this question: Is Saint Mary’s with a relatively healthy Mills better than Florida? Or South Carolina? Or Arizona? Or whatever team happens to lie 34th without Saint Mary’s considered.
On to the bracket. It’s in list form today to save time, though the pod assignments include Maryland-to-Philadelphia and American-to-Boise.
EAST
1. Pittsburgh
2. Michigan State*
3. Missouri
4. Clemson
5. UCLA
6. West Virginia
7. Louisiana State*
8. Ohio State
9. Texas A&M
10. Arizona
11. Virginia Tech
12. UNLV
13. Davidson*
14. Buffalo*
15. Weber State*
16. Alabama State*/Cal State Northridge*
SOUTH
1. North Carolina*
2. Oklahoma
3. Villanova
4. Purdue
5. Gonzaga*
6. Butler*
7. Arizona State
8. Oklahoma State
9. Dayton
10. Penn State
11. Maryland
12. Florida
13. Western Kentucky*
14. Vermont*
15. Cornell*
16. Radford
MIDWEST
1. Connecticut*
2. Memphis*
3. Kansas*
4. Wake Forest
5. Illinois
6. Marquette
7. Utah*
8. California
9. Tennessee
10. Boston College
11. Michigan
12. Utah State*
13. VCU*
14. North Dakota State*
15. Robert Morris*
16. Morgan State*
WEST
1. Duke
2. Louisville
3. Washington*
4. Xavier*
5. Syracuse
6. Florida State
7. Texas
8. Minnesota
9. Brigham Young
10. Wisconsin
11. Creighton*
12. Siena*
13. American*
14. Stephen F. Austin*
15. UT Martin*
16. Jacksonville*
—- Patrick Stevens
