College basketball is in the final stretch of conference season. Many will play the role of Bracketologist predicting the field of 68. Tim Krueger, co-host of the Bluejay Banter radio show returns for his 5th season of predicting the field. Krueger ranks up there with the best of them with a Tier 1 ranking participating in The Bracket Project the past several years.
Leading up to Selection Sunday, Krueger will provide White & Blue Review his updated bracket predictions. Bluejay Banter can be heard every Monday from 6-7 PM on 1620 the Zone — The Home of the Jays.
The Bracket as of 3/2/14:
| EAST-NYC | WEST-Anaheim | |
| 1-Syracuse | 1-Arizona* | |
| 16-N.C.Central*/Ala. St.* | 16-Weber State* | |
| Buffalo March 20-22 | San Diego March 21-23 | |
| 8-Kansas State | 8-Gonzaga* | |
| 9-Stanford | 9-Baylor | |
| 4-Cincinnati | 4-UCLA | |
| 13-Harvard* | 13-Belmont* | |
| San Antonio March 21-23 | San Diego March 21-23 | |
| 5-Kentucky | 5-Michigan State | |
| 12-So. Miss.* | 12-Toledo* | |
| 3-Creighton | 3-Virginia* | |
| 14-S.F. Austin* | 14-Delaware* | |
| San Antonio March 21-23 | Raleigh March 21-23 | |
| 6-Texas | 6-Louisville* | |
| 11-Cal/Arkansas | 11-Minnesota | |
| 7-Memphis | 7-VCU | |
| 10-Colorado | 10-Oklahoma State | |
| Milwaukee March 20-22 | Buffalo March 20-22 | |
| 2-Wisconsin | 2-Villanova* | |
| 15-Georgia St* | 15-Vermont* | |
| MIDWEST-Indianapolis | SOUTH-Memphis | |
| 1-Wichita State* | 1-Florida* | |
| 16-High Pt.*/Utah Vly St.* | 16-Robert Morris* | |
| St Louis March 21-23 | Orlando March 20-22 | |
| 8-Iowa | 8-Arizona State | |
| 9-SMU | 9-Xavier | |
| 4-North Carolina | 4-San Diego St | |
| 13-Iona* | 13-Green Bay* | |
| Orlando March 20-22 | Spokane March 20-22 | |
| 5-St. Louis* | 5-Oklahoma | |
| 12-Oregon/Tennessee | 12-No.Dakota St.* | |
| 3-Michigan* | 3-Iowa State | |
| 14-Boston U.* | 14-Mercer* | |
| Mikwaukee March 20-22 | Spokane March 20-22 | |
| 6-Uconn | 6-Umass | |
| 11-St.Joes | 11-BYU | |
| 7-New Mexico* | 7-Ohio State | |
| 10-Pitt | 10-G.Washington | |
| St Louis March 21-23 | Raleigh March 21-23 | |
| 2-Kansas* | 2-Duke | |
| 15-UC-Irvine* | 15-Davidson* |
*Indicate Conference Auto-Bid
Krueger’s Notes on the Bracket:
In one of the craziest week’s in recent memory, this week’s bracket saw quite a few changes. For starters, the three and four lines saw a lot of movement. Virginia moves to the three line and UCLA and North Carolina move up to the four line. The Tar Heels have been on a roll and their continued good play has moved them to the four. Despite going 1-1 the last week, UCLA moved from first on the five line to last on the four line. Lots of losses to previous four seeds helped, plus UCLA’s only loss was in double overtime to Oregon with their two stars sitting out of the game. That is a loss that can be easily excused.
Villanova takes over for Creighton as a two seed. The Wildcats narrowly edged out Michigan for the two line. It is tough to overlook a 26-3 record and great computer numbers. Creighton fell to the three line with the loss to Xavier. A strong finish and winning the Big East tourney could get the Jays back on the two line.
Last four byes: Minnesota, St.Joes, BYU, Colorado
Last four in: Arkansas, Tennessee, Oregon, Cal
First four out: Providence, Nebraska, Missouri, Florida State
Next four out: St. Johns, Dayton, LSU, Georgetown