Selection Sunday- LIVE BLOG

This was origionaly posted yesterday on the Bracketology 165 Page.

According to The Bracket Project, Mike On Sports had the third best bracket prediction.  I’ll post more stats later on in the day, and my picks will be posted tomorrow.

Bracketology 165; SELECTION SUNDAY LIVE BLOG

Ladies and Gentleman, The Final Mike On Sports Bracket Projection:

Posted at 5:45pm EST, (Click to Enlarge)

I selected 64 of the 65 teams correctly, and am left scratching my head as to how Oregon got a 9 seed.

The Selection Sunday LIVE BLOG –

11:00AM 

Welcome to the Mike On Sports Bracktology 165 Selection Sunday Live Blog!  Amazingly, despite some high quality St. Patrick’s Day celebrations (you got the memo, right?) and late-night Formula 1 spectating (atta boy Lewis!), I’m feeling good and ready to go for this big day.

I’ll be blogging throughout the day, releasing the bracket in parts throughout the day, before the entire field of 65 is announced 15 minutes after the Big Ten and SEC Championship Games.  It will be released no later then 5:45pm.

After the completion of Yesterday’s Live Blog, there was plenty of action well into the night:

The Georgia Bulldogs had a pretty good day.  After upsetting Kentucky in a noon match-up, the Bulldogs took to the floor again at appox 8:45 and upset the SEC West’s top seed, Mississippi State.  Along with Illinois in the Big Ten, the Bulldogs hope to pull off another upset and steal away a bubble bid

In the MEAC, Coppin State upset top dog Morgan State to take the conference’s automatic bid.  After starting the season 2-19, the Eagles have lost only once since Feb 2nd, and will hope to keep that momentum up during Tuesday night’s play-in game, where they’re most likely headed.

Pitt took the Big East Title, making an improbable run from the 7 seed, beating Louisville, Marquette and Georgetown along the way.  They could quite possibly be the biggest winner out of the conference tournament season. 

For the second straight year, New Mexico State was involved in a thriller for the WAC title.  This time though, the Aggies couldn’t pull it out, losing to Boise State on their home floor in Triple OT, as the Broncos ended a 14 year tournament drought.

Cal State Fullerton makes their first trip to the dance in 30 years, as the baseball powerhouse won the Big West crown late last night.  The Titans will be an interesting team to seed.

Today’s Action:

1pm Clemson vs. North Carolina, ACC Championship Game.  The Tar Heels should be safe as a top seed, but a win here would seal the deal.

1pm Texas-Arlington vs. Northwestern State, Southland Championship Game. Sub-.500 Northwestern State hopes to make another trip to the dance, and can do so by upending Texas Arlington, who was sub-.500 in Southland play.

3pm. Kansas vs. Texas, Big 12 Championship Game.  The winner will  have a hell of an argument for a top seed, most likely in the Detroit Region.

3:30pm Georgia vs. Arkansas, SEC Championship Game.  About 500 people will be witness to this game, as Georgia looks to steal a bubble bid.

3:30pm Illnois vs. Wisconsin, Big Ten Championship Game.  Illinois, the more improbable of todays two underdogs, also hopes to win and steal away a bubble bid.

12:03

With the SEC title game moved back to 3:30, CBS is filling the time-slot by replaying last year’s Florida/OSU National Championship game. 

1:30

Time to start releasing the field-

With thier only loss coming to the #1 team in the RPI, wins over Oklahoma, UConn, USC, Georgetown, Arizona and Gonzaga, an undefeated conference season and an Conference USA Tournament Championship, Memphis will be my top overall seed.

1:47 – The One Seeds

With only two losses in the tough PAC-10, only one non-conference loss to the hands of Texas, UCLA will be a one seed in the Phoenix Region.

After thier regular season ACC title, and currently gong for an ACC Sweep in the title game, North Carolina will be the top seed in the Charlotte Region.

As previously released, Memphis will be a one seed, and will be placed in the Houston Region.

The winner of today’s Kansas/Texas Big 12 Championship Game will be the one seed in the Detroit Region. 

2:04pm – The Two Seeds

The top rated team in the RPI, Tennessee will be the second seed in the Charlotte Region.

As the regular season Big East Champions, Georgetown will be the #2 seed in the Detroit Region.

After exiting the ACC Tournament in the Semifinals, Duke will be the 2 seed in the Phoenix Region.

The loser of today’s Kansas/Texas Big 12 Championshp Game will be the two seed in the Houston Region. 

Clemson, Texas-Arlington both up by one at the half…

2:45 – 3 Seeds

The Big Ten regular season champions, Wisconsin, will take the 3 seed close to home in the Detroit Region.

Xavier holds onto the three seed after being upset twice by St. Joe’s in a week.  They’ll play in the Charlotte Region.

After regular season and tournament runner-up finishes in the PAC-10, Stanford will be the second seed in the Houston region.

The Big East’s regular season runner-up, Louisville earns a three seed, and get’s shipped out west in the Phoenix region.

North Carolina, Texas Arlington are both up 72-64 in their championship games with just over 7 mins left.

2:49

No big suprise, but Committe Chairman Tom O’Brien just confirmed on CBS that Coppin State, the MEAC Champion, will be in the Play-In Game.

O’Brien also clued in that Pitt’s stock has risen significantly by not only winning the Big East Tournament, but also with the return of LaVance Fields. 

The Four Seeds are set, and coming soon…

3:14 – The 4 Seeds

The Drake Bulldogs hope thier dream season keeps going on strong.  They’ll be the fourth seed in the Detroit Region.

UConn  and Notre Dame will represent the Big East as Four Seeds. UConn will be in the Houston Region, ND in the Charlotte Region.

The final number four seed is the team that looked to seperate itself as the Big Ten’s second best team, Michigan State.  They’ll be the four seed in the Phoenix Region.  (4:20 – Upon rivison, I made Pitt a four seed and Michigan State a five)

With this, we have our Final Four Pairings.  The Winner of the Charlotte Region will play the winner of the Detroit Region, while the Houston and Phoenix Regional Champions will face off on the other side.

Texas-Arlington just won the Southland Conference title, which should put Mississippi Valley State in the Play-In Game, we’ll find that out soon.  UNC is putting the final touches on an ACC Champioinship over Clemson…

3:25

Kansas is up early on Texas in the battle for the last #1 seed.  Meanwhile, the SEC and Big Ten Tournament Championship Games are set to start momentarily.  This could get fun…

3:47 A look at the Bubble Teams

There are some interesting X-Factors when you look at the bubble teams:

Ohio State’s AD is on the Selection Committee.  While he can’t vote, history has proven it’s helped team’s cause in the past.  But at the same time, can the committee really give the Big Ten five bids after such a horrible year?

The Big East is one of the nation’s most well respected conferences.  That should help Villanova make the cut.

Saint Joe’s shouldn’t be considered a bubble team following thier two defeats of Xavier at the end of the season.

Arizona State and Oregon should battle it out for one of the last spots.  These two teams are very evenly matched, both splitting the regular season contests.  Oregon, however, holds the higher RPI, and (58 to ASU’s 82) and strength of schedule (36 to ASU’s 76).  That  should give the Ducks a decided advantage. 

Obviously, none of these teams are safe until the SEC and Big Ten Championship Games are completed….

3:55 – Georgia Up Early…

Bubble Teams everywhere are sweating bullets as Georgia is up big on Arkansas early…

4:07 - Bursting Bubbles

Before I burst two bubbles, I’ll keep two intact.

With the nation’s toughest schedule, and battling injuries all year, Arizona will make the field out of the PAC-10.  They should wind up as an 11 seed.

South Alabama should make the field after a great regular season that included a win over Mississippi State.

One team that won’t make the field is VCU, a bitter disapointment after a solid year that included a win over Maryland.

Ohio State will make it 0-2 from last year’s National Championship game, as the Buckeyes sit as my second team OUT right now.

 4:20 Pitt up to a 4…

Upon the rivision of the bracket, I have moved Pitt into the four seed in the Phoenix bracket, and bumped Michigan State to a five…

4:25

We now know the opening round game, Mount Saint Mary’s vs. Coppin State.

4:35

With my bracket nearly set, I would list Illinois State and Villanova as the two teams who badly need Georgia and Illinois to lose right now.

Bursting bubbles – Virginia Tech and Arizona State will not make the field.

4:56

Illinois is starting to back back to earth.  Their down 13 to Wisconsin, which might as well be 50 the way the Badgers take the air out of the ball.

Arkansas needs to make a run here soon or else Georgia will make the field, stealing a bid from either Oregon, Illinois State, or Villanova the way I see it…

Kansas and Texas are in a dogfight with for the final #1 slot right now. 

Bracket due in 50 mins…

5:02

With Wisconsin having a hold on the Big Ten’s automatic bid, I feel safe plugging Illinois State in the field, as once again the MVC will have multiple bids…

Bracket due in 43 mins…

5:15

Kansas is the Big 12 Champion, and will be the #1 Seed in the Detroit Region.  Don’t think Texas is too disapointed, as they’ll be the #2 seed, and get to play close to home in Little Rock, and then Houston.

Georgia has a convincing lead on Arkansas right now.  Either Oregon or Villanova will be bumped unless the Razorbacks can pull off the comeback.

Wisconsin and Illinois just went final.  I firmly believe that if this game were earlier the Badgers would be a 2 seed.  Once again however, the late start time hurts the Big Ten Champion, as I believe the Committee will have Wisco as a 3 seed in the Detroit Region.

Bracket due in 30 mins…

5:27

Looks like they’ll be parting in Athens, Georgia pretty soon, and drowning thier sorrows in Eugene, Oregon…

Bracket due in 18 mins…

5:39

Georgia just clinched the SEC’s Automatic Bid.  A real feel good story after the area was destroyed by the storms just the other day.

My field of 65 is set.

LAST FOUR IN: Illinois State, Arizona, St. Joe’s, Villanova

FIRST FOUR OUT: Oregon, Ohio State, Arizona State, VCU

Bracket due at the top of the page in 6 mins…

6:17

We’ve now seen the East region.  No huge suprises, although I do think the rule of not putting teams on the first 5 lines at a disadvantage was violated by putting South Alabama in Birmingham, putting Tennessee in a home court disadvantage in the second round. 

Indiana as an 8 confirms my thinking that there is a good deal of worry regarding the Hoosiers play lately. 

6:19

Duke isn’t playing in Raleigh…wow.  Again, the committee apparently has dismissed the rule I mentioned in the previous entry, as Davidson is the 10 seed in the Raleigh pod, putting Georgetown at a home court disadvatage in the second round.

Also, Villanova is officially in.  Halfway through no big suprsies…

6:25

First big suprise, Oregon in as a 9…

6:41

I got 64 of the 65 teams right, not to shabby for my first season.  Oregon was my last team out, so it’s not a big suprise to see them in the field, although it is a huge suprise to see them as a 9 seed. 

That’s it for today’s live blog, thanks for reading.  Tomorrow I’ll post my report card, breaking down any big misses (not too many) and my dead-on hits.  Should be posted by about 1 or 2 tomorrow.  Tuesday I’ll post my picks, and Thursday we’ll begin tracking the bracket!