It says a lot about a 68-team NCAA tournament field --- particularly this projected 68-team field --- that Maryland just nosed its way in.
That's not to say the Terrapins aren't good. But the evidence they are capable of upending other tournament-quality opponents lies mostly in their ability to play ranked teams close rather than beating those ranked teams.
Playing opponents close --- and owning just one top-50 and three top-100 victories as January comes to a close --- isn't exactly the meatiest resume. But Maryland has done nothing terrible, and looked dreadful just once in its first 21 games. While sizing up this week's bracket, the Terps made it into the field over a free-falling Oklahoma State outfit, Kansas State and Wichita State teams with even blander overall profiles than Maryland and a Butler bunch that has three losses to teams outside the top 100.
With their increasingly valuable defeat of Penn State, the Terps at least have something going for them while enduring no ugly stains. For the moment, it's enough to at least be in the discussion for a tournament berth --- and in this projection, just enough to snag a trip to Dayton.
Some acknowledged flaws with this field, plus the full projection after the jump ...
* A surprisingly large headache was triple-digit RPI Alabama acting as the SEC's automatic qualifier. The Crimson Tide was bumped up a line to create fewer headaches.
* There are some fascinating potential second round games: Georgetown-North Carolina, Kansas-Illinois, Purdue-Virginia Tech (Round II), Pittsburgh-UCLA, Kentucky-West Virginia, Duke-Michigan State (Round II) and Connecticut-Boston College. None were planned during the bracketing, and only one (Georgetown playing North Carolina in Charlotte) seems harsh for the higher-seeded team.
SOUTHEAST REGION
Cleveland
(1) BIG TEN/Ohio State vs. (16) SOUTHLAND/McNeese State-SWAC/Jackson State
(8) Georgia vs. (9) WEST COAST/Saint Mary's
Tampa, Fla.
(4) Louisville vs. (13) SUMMIT/Oakland
(5) Texas A&M vs. (12) MISSOURI VALLEY/Missouri State
Charlotte, N.C.
(3) Georgetown vs. (14) ATLANTIC SUN/Belmont
(6) North Carolina vs. (11) Old Dominion
Denver
(2) MOUNTAIN WEST/Brigham Young vs. (15) BIG SKY/Montana
(7) Tennessee vs. (10) Marquette
SOUTHWEST REGION
Tulsa, Okla.
(1) Kansas vs. (16) NORTHEAST/Long Island-MEAC/Bethune-Cookman
(8) Illinois vs. (9) Florida State
Washington
(4) Villanova vs. (13) IVY/Harvard
(5) Washington vs. (12) George Mason/Penn State
Chicago
(3) Purdue vs. (14) PATRIOT/Bucknell
(6) Florida vs. (11) Virginia Tech
Chicago
(2) Notre Dame vs. (15) BIG WEST/Long Beach State
(7) ATLANTIC 10/Xavier vs. (10) UNLV
EAST REGION
Cleveland
(1) BIG EAST/Pittsburgh vs. (16) AMERICA EAST/Maine
(8) Temple vs. (9) UCLA
Tucson, Ariz.
(4) Missouri vs. (13) SOUTHEASTERN/Alabama
(5) Minnesota vs. (12) COLONIAL/Virginia Commonwealth
Tampa, Fla.
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) SOUTHERN/College of Charleston
(6) West Virginia vs. (11) HORIZON/Cleveland State
Charlotte, N.C.
(2) ACC/Duke vs. (15) SUN BELT/Florida Atlantic
(7) Cincinnati vs. (10) Michigan State
WEST REGION
Tulsa, Okla.
(1) BIG 12/Texas vs. (16) OHIO VALLEY/Austin Peay
(8) St. John's vs. (9) WESTERN ATHLETIC/Utah State
Denver
(4) Wisconsin vs. (13) MID-AMERICAN/Kent State
(5) Syracuse vs. (12) Maryland/Washington State
Tucson, Ariz.
(3) San Diego State vs. (14) BIG SOUTH/Coastal Carolina
(6) Vanderbilt vs. (11) CONFERENCE USA/Memphis
Washington
(2) Connecticut vs. (15) METRO ATLANTIC/Fairfield
(7) PAC-10/Arizona vs. (10) Boston College
Last four in: George Mason, Maryland, Penn State, Washington State
Last four out: Oklahoma State, Wichita State, Butler, Kansas State
Next four out: Clemson, Richmond, Colorado State, Drexel
Bids by league: Big East (11), Big Ten (7), ACC (6), SEC (6), Big 12 (4), Pac-10 (4), Colonial (3), Mountain West (3), Atlantic 10 (2)
So the 4 play in teams would be the last 4 at large teams and not the bottom 4 rated teams (most likely winners of conference tournaments from small conferences)? I don't like that at all!
Posted by: Todd aka CharmCityTerp | 01/31/2011 at 01:35 PM
Todd ---
There are eight play-in teams covering four games. The last four at-larges and the last four AQs will be in those four games
Posted by: D1scourse | 01/31/2011 at 05:54 PM