College basketball is well underway this season and as we are now in the conference season, many will play the role of Bracketologist predicting the field of 68. Tim Krueger, co-host of both the Bluejay Banter radio show and of the new MVC Hoops Show is one such fan. Krueger has conducted his own bracket projections for years, even before ESPN’s Joe Lunardi gave such a practice the term Bracketology.
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 590 AM, Omaha’s ESPN Radio. The MVC Hoops show can be heard on local radio stations across the MVC six-state footprint.
The Bracket as of 2/25/13:
| EAST | WEST | |
| 1-Miami* | 1-Duke | |
| 16-Norfolk St/Mercer** | 16-Niagara* | |
| Lexington March 21-23 | Philadelphia March 22-24 | |
| 8-Colorado | 8-Wichita St* | |
| 9-Missouri | 9-Minnesota | |
| 4- Ohio St | 4-Georgetown | |
| 13-Bucknell* | 13-Belmont* | |
| Dayton March 22-24 | Lexington March 21-23 | |
| 5-Pittsburgh | 5-Oklahoma St | |
| 12-LaSalle/St Mary's | 12-Kentucky/Boise St. | |
| 3-Syracuse | 3-Arizona | |
| 14-Stony Brook* | 14-Davidson* | |
| Philadelphia March 22-24 | Salt Lake City March 21-23 | |
| 6-St. Louis* | 6-UNLV | |
| 11-California | 11-Virginia | |
| 7-San Diego St | 7-Notre Dame | |
| 10-Iowa St | 10-Temple | |
| Auburn Hills March 21-23 | San Jose March 21-23 | |
| 2-Michigan | 2-Gonzaga* | |
| 15-Harvard* | 15-Montana* | |
| SOUTH | MIDWEST | |
| 1-Kansas* | 1-Indiana* | |
| 16-Northeastern* | 16-Southern/High Point** | |
| Kansas City March 22-24 | Dayton March 22-24 | |
| 8-North Carolina State | 8-Memphis* | |
| 9-Cinncinati | 9-VCU | |
| 4-Wisconsin | 4-K State | |
| 13-Lousiana Tech* | 13-Stephen F. Austin* | |
| San Jose March 21-23 | Kansas City March 21-23 | |
| 5-Butler | 5-Marquette | |
| 12-Akron* | 12-Middle Tennessee St.* | |
| 3-New Mexico* | 3-Louisville* | |
| 14-Long Beach St* | 14-Valparaiso* | |
| Salt Lake City March 21-23 | Austin March 22-24 | |
| 6-Oklahoma | 6-Colorado St | |
| 11-Villanova | 11-Creighton | |
| 7-Oregon* | 7-Illinois | |
| 10-North Carolina | 10-UCLA | |
| Auburn Hills March 21-23 | Austin March 22-24 | |
| 2-Michigan St. | 2-Florida* | |
| 15-South Dakota St* | 15-Robert Morris* |
*Indicate Conference Auto-Bid
Krueger’s Notes on the Bracket:
I’m not moving Miami off the top line like some. Their resume is still very solid and compares favorably with the other 7 to 8 teams they are competing with.
Tough competition for that last number one. I’m going with Kansas–a slight edge over Florida. But as we have seen this season things can change quickly.
As far as the Valley teams go, Wichita State is a lock,. If they lost their next three I could see see them being in some trouble but I doubt that will happen. The Jays are in at an 11 seed. They are pretty solidly in at this point. Another loss and they would be on the edge.
Last four in—Boise State, Kentucky, St Mary’s , LaSalle
First four out—Baylor, Arizona St, Mississippi, Charlotte
Next four out—St.Johns, Arkansas, Indiana St, Iowa