BRACKETOLOGY: Beware of the Beast

Yes, that's right the "Beast from the East" is back. The Big East Conference is flexing it's muscles right now and is proving to be the best conference in the Country. The conference is sporting recent wins over UCLA, NC State, Wisconsin and Duke. What's even better is that it's the Old School Big East showing off. Georgetown, Seton Hall and St. Johns are all having resurgent years (although St. Johns probably won't make the tournament). Boston College picked the perfect year to leave.

Bill Self and Roy Williams are coaching their butts off. They both have very young teams who should not be having the kind of success they're having. Personally, I always thought Self was handed great situations when he took coaching positions, even at Tulsa. However, these are his recruits running his system and they're flourishing. Coach Williams boys just play hard. They don't take a possession off on the offensive or defensive end. They have to give that extra effort to mask their inexperience and it's paying dividends.

On to the bracket. Okay so when is a 1st or 2nd place finish in a quality mid-major conference greater than a mediocre record in a power conference. I think the committee set a trend last year when Northern Iowa made the tournament over Notre Dame (they beat West Virginia, Villanova, UCONN and Boston College) and Depaul. That's why I fear teams such as Kansas St, Iowa St, Alabama and Arkansas will be watching George Mason and Wichita St names appear in the bracket on Selection Sunday while they'll figure out which MAC and Sun Belt teams they have to play in the NIT. Once again, the Final Four matchups would be Washington vs. Oakland and Minneapolis vs. Atlanta. This bracket is good for games through January 29.

Last Four In: Wichita St, Cincinnati, George Mason, Syracuse
Last Four Out: Iowa St, Arkansas, Alabama, Air Force

Washington, DC
1.UCONN16.Central Connecticut/Lipscomb Philadelphia, PA
8.Southern Illinois9.Arizona
5.NC State12.Western Kentucky San Diego, CA
4.Ohio St13.Wisconsin-Milwaukee
6.Michigan11.George Mason Jacksonville, FL
3.Florida14.Penn
7.Oklahoma10.Seton Hall Salt Lake City, UT
2.Gonzaga15.UC-Irvine
Oakland
1.Illinois16.Elon Dayton, OH
8.Bucknell9.North Carolina
5.UCLA12.Wichita St Salt Lake City, UT
4.West Virginia13.San Diego St
6.Indiana11.Syracuse Greensboro, NC
3.Tennessee14.Northwestern St
7.Creighton10.Xavier Dallas, TX
2.Texas15.Northern Arizona
Minneapolis
1.Memphis16.Southern Dallas, TX
8.Maryland9.Marquette
5.LSU12.UNC-Wilmington Jacksonville, FL
4.Iowa13.Louisiana Tech
6.Boston College11.Temple Auburn Hills, MI
3.Wisconsin14.Akron
7.Kentucky10.Colorado Philadelphia, PA
2.Villanova15.Delaware St
Atlanta
1.Duke16.Albany Greensboro, NC
8.UAB9.Kansas
5.George Washington12.Cincinnati San Diego, CA
4.Northern Iowa13.Winthrop
6.Georgetown11.Iona Auburn Hills, MI
3.Michigan St14.Samford
7.Washington10.Vanderbilt Dayton, OH
2.Pittsburgh15.IUPUI