College basketball is well underway this season and we are now in the stretch run of the conference season. Many will play the role of Bracketologist predicting the field of 68. Tim Krueger, co-host of the Bluejay Banter radio 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, with podcasts of the show available via www.am590espnradio.com and the Bluejay Underground A/V room
The bracket as of 2/6/2012:
| EAST | SOUTH | |
| 1-Syracuse* | 1-Ohio St.* | |
| 16-Stony Brook/Tex-Arlington** | 16-LIU/Miss Valley St** | |
| Pittsburgh, PA. (Mar. 15-17) | Nashville, TN. (Mar. 16-18) | |
| 8-Vanderbilt | 8-Notre Dame | |
| 9-BYU | 9-Mississippi St. | |
| 4-Temple* | 4-St. Mary's* | |
| 13-Iona* | 13-Nevada* | |
| Pittsburgh, PA. (Mar. 15-17) | Portland, OR (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 5-Michigan | 5-Indiana | |
| 12-California/Iowa St. | 12-Washington* | |
| 3-Kansas* | 3-UNLV | |
| 14-Akron* | 14-Weber St* | |
| Omaha, NE (Mar. 16-18) | Albuquerque, NM (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 6-Uconn | 6-Creighton* | |
| 11-Wichita St | 11-Minnesota | |
| 7-Illinois | 7-West Virginia | |
| 10-Mississippi | 10-Alabama | |
| Greensboro, NC (Mar. 16-18) | Greensboro, NC (Mar. 16-18) | |
| 2-North Carolina | 2-Duke* | |
| 15-Bucknell* | 15-VCU* | |
| MIDWEST | WEST | |
| 1-Kentucky* | 1-Baylor | |
| Mercer* | 16-UNC Ashville* | |
| Louisville,KY (Mar. 15-17) | Albuquerque, NM (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 8-Kansas St. | 8-Murray St.* | |
| 9-Seton Hall | 9-Virginia | |
| 4-Southern Mississippi* | 4-Florida | |
| 13-Long Beach State* | 13-Harvard* | |
| Portland, OR(Mar. 15-17) | Nashville, TN (Mar. 16-18) | |
| 5-Gonzaga | 5-Louisville | |
| 12-Middle Tennessee St.* | 12-Miami/Purdue | |
| 3-Marquette | 3-Georgetown | |
| 14-Davidson* | 14-Oral Roberts* | |
| Columbus, OH (Mar. 16-18) | Louisville, KY (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 6-Florida St. | 6-Memphis | |
| 11-New Mexico | 11-Northwestern | |
| 7-Wisconsin | 7-San Diego St* | |
| 10-Xavier | 10-St. Louis | |
| Omaha, NE (Mar. 16-18) | Columbus, OH (Mar. 16-18) | |
| 2-Missouri | 2-Michigan State | |
| 15-Cleveland St.* | 15-Norfolk St* |
*Donotes Automatic Bid
Krueger’s Notes About the Bracket:
Last Four In: California, Purdue, Miami, Iowa State
First four out-Colorado State, North Carolina State, Arizona, LSU
Next four out-Arkansas, Dayton, Texas, Pittsburgh
The bubble has not gotten any stronger over the last week–in fact the weakness in the bracket has now spread up to the 8, 9 and 10 seeds. The top two lines are pretty strong, but then there is a big drop off. There are about 20 teams who could make it to the final four or could lose in the first round. Miami just got in the field with their upset of Duke, only because other bubble teams did not have a good week.
The Jays drop one line to a 6 seed. It is not so much because of the loss but because of bracket rules which allow for the movement up or down one seed line. A good week for the Jays this week would get them back on the 5 line easily. A strong finish and a 4 seed is very much in reach.