📄 2041 Dance Partners, Building a Better Bracket w/ EC Hood: Part 2 Mar 5th

Dance Partners, Building a Better Bracket. A bracketology presentation by EC Hood

A bracketology presentation by EC Hood

We’re through with the regular season, and just like that it’s time for conference tournaments. It’s the best time of year in the CBGM, and the perfect spot to take a snapshot of the bracket before it all blows up in everyone’s faces in a few days when the upsets roll in.

This bracket is a TOUGH one. We have the last six at-large teams in the dance all on the 13 line because of the strength of the mid majors this season. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t set up the play-ins on the 13 line, so there could be some goofy things happening in the actual bracket, like at-large teams seeded 13 or even 14 while the supposed last four in battle on the 12 line.

This will look very different a week from now, after the inevitable upsets shake up the bubble. For now, the last four in are North Carolina, Duke, La Salle and Purdue. And yes, they should be worried. There are several leagues where there’s an at-large-worthy team leading the way, meaning if that team loses, it will knock someone off the bubble. Leagues like the Ohio Valley (SIU Edwardsville), the MEAC (North Carolina Central), the Southland (Incarnate Word) and the SWAC (Alabama A&M) are prime examples. Bubble teams should be rooting hard for those teams to win out this week.

Speaking of North Carolina Central, this is probably the league’s most impressive AI program this season. At 26-3 and a NET ranking of 17, we could easily see them nabbing a 5 or 6 seed in the game if not better. Of course, Coppin State looms in the MEAC tournament as a spoiler, though the Eagles have a decent case of their own for an at-large and sit at 18-12 with a NET of 16. They get a 10 seed in this bracket, but a MEAC tourney loss could certainly have them on the outside looking in.

The ACC has only two teams with a rock-solid case for inclusion. Yes, you read that right. UNC and Duke are part of the last four in, but other than that it’s just 7^th-seeded Louisville and of course undefeated Notre Dame, our No. 1 overall seed.

The SEC paces the field with eight bids. The Big 12 and Big 10 have seven each.

It should be an epic week, and an even better tournament. Good luck!

IN GAME DATE: Mar 5th