BRACKETOLOGY: Big Ten is a big mess

Not in terms of the quality of the conference because it is one of the top two leagues in the country. However, from week-to-week, you just can't tell who the best team in the league is. This week I see it being Illinois, but last week I thought it was Wisconsin. Wisconsin then goes out and loses at home to North Dakota State. North Dakota State is even on full Division I status yet. Next week I might be saying the best team is Michigan St, Ohio St or Indiana, but who knows?

The Pac-10 is a major league disappointment. I didn't think it would produce the best basketball out of the 6 major conferences, but it is pretty bad right now. Even the top teams are inconsistent at best. This is one of the leagues you have to watch out for when the conference tournaments come around because I can see a team that wasn't going to make the Big Dance winning the Pac-10 tournament. That would be a shame.

On to the bracket. So much for the CAA having two at large bids. Both Old Dominion and George Mason lost last week. Thus Mason, being the last team in, falls out of the bracket. UCONN replaces Duke as the #1 overall seed and thus gets to play it's regionals in DC, if it would be fortunate enough to make it that far. I've decided to give more of my insight on the process by giving you my last four in and last four out. It's still Washington, DC vs Oakland and Minneapolis vs Atlanta in the Final Four. This are through games of January 22.

Last Four In: Miami (FL), Missouri St, Air Force, Southern Illinois
Last Four Out: Kansas St, Wake Forest, Nevada, Clemson

Washington, DC
1.UCONN16.Florida Atlantic/Binghamton Philadelphia, PA
8.Xavier9.Oklahoma
5.Indiana12.Miami (FL) Jacksonville, FL
4.Tennessee13.Winthrop
6.Maryland11.Southern Illinois Salt Lake City, UT
3.Gonzaga14.San Diego St
7.Cincinnati10.Vanderbilt Auburn Hills, MI
2.Michigan St15.UC-Irvine
Oakland
1.Memphis16.Oral Roberts Dallas, TX
8.Georgetown9.Kentucky
5.UCLA12.Missouri St San Diego, CA
4.Ohio St13.Louisiana Tech
6.Iowa11.Air Force Greensboro, NC
3.NC State14.Penn
7.Creighton10.Arkansas Philadelphia, PA
2.Villanova15.Southern
Minneapolis
1.Texas16.Northern Arizona Dallas, TX
8.North Carolina9.Marquette
5.George Washington12.Wisconsin-Milwaukee San Diego, CA
4.Washington13.Akron
6.LSU11.Old Dominion Dayton, OH
3.West Virginia14.Manhattan
7.Boston College10.Wichita St Dayton, OH
2.Illinois15.Delaware St
Atlanta
1.Duke16.Sacred Heart Greensboro, NC
8.Bucknell9.Michigan
5.Northern Iowa12.Western Kentucky Salt Lake City, UT
4.Pittsburgh13.Tennessee Tech
6.Arizona11.Iowa St Auburn Hills, MI
3.Wisconsin14.Northwestern St
7.UAB10.Syracuse Jacksonville, FL
2.Florida15.Elon