College basketball is midway through the conference tournaments. Between now and Sunday, 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 3/6/2012:
| EAST | SOUTH | |
| 1-Syracuse* | 1-Kentucky* | |
| 16-Stony Brook/Tex-Arlington** | 16-Savannah St.* | |
| Pittsburgh, PA. (Mar. 15-17) | Louisville, KY, (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 8-Kansas St. | 8-San Diego State | |
| 9-Alabama | 9-Virginia | |
| 4-Temple* | 4-Florida State | |
| 13-Davidson* | 13-South Dakota State* | |
| Pittsburgh, PA (Mar. 15-17) | Nashville, TN (Mar. 16-18) | |
| 5-Florida | 5-Louisville | |
| 12-BYU/North Carolina State | 12-Washington* | |
| 3-Indiana | 3-Marquette | |
| 14-Belmont* | 14-Nevada* | |
| Portland, OR (Mar. 15-17) | Portland, OR (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 6-Creighton* | 6-Gonzaga | |
| 11-Colorado State* | 11-Northwestern | |
| 7-Purdue | 7-Iowa State | |
| 10-UConn | 10-Southern Mississippi | |
| Omaha, NE (Mar. 16-18) | Columbus, OH (Mar 16-18) | |
| 2-Missouri | 2-Michigan State* | |
| 15-Long Island* | 15-Akron* | |
| MIDWEST | WEST | |
| 1-Kansas* | 1-North Carolina* | |
| 16-UNC-Ashville*/Western Kentucky* | 16-Mississippi Valley State* | |
| Omaha (Mar. 16-18) | Greensboro (Mar. 16-18) | |
| 8-Memphis* | 8-Saint Louis | |
| 9-West Virginia | 9-Cinncinatti | |
| 4-Michigan | 4-Wisconsin | |
| 13-Xavier/Seton Hall | 13-Long Beach State* | |
| Columbus, OH (Mar. 16-18) | Albuquerque (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 5-Wichita State* | 5-UNLV | |
| 12-Harvard* | 12-South Florida | |
| 3-Georgetown | 3-Baylor | |
| 14-Loyola (MD)* | 14-Weber State* | |
| Nashville, TN (Mar. 16-18) | Albuquerque (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 6-Murray State* | 6-St. Mary's | |
| 11-VCU* | 11-California | |
| 7-Vanderbilt | 7-Notre Dame | |
| 10-New Mexico | 10-Texas | |
| Greensboro, NC (Mar. 16-18) | Louisville, KY (Mar. 15-17) | |
| 2-Duke | 2-Ohio State* | |
| 15-Bucknell* | 15-Detroit* |
**Denotes Conference Autobid
Last four in: NC State, Xavier, Seton Hall, BYU
First four out: Mississippi St, Miami, St. Joseph’s, Drexel
Next four out: Oregon, Arizona, Tennessee, Dayton
Krueger’s Notes on the Bracket:
It is a really tough call for those last two or three spots. I went with the teams that had the better non con schedules–typically this is what the committee does. The last spot between Mississippi State and North Carolina State is really close.
The Jays in at a #6 seed. I could see them a 7 seed, but would be surprised if they dropped any further–although you never know.
Next updated bracket: Friday
Final bracket: Sunday before selection show