BRACKETOLOGY: Bustin' Loose

This weekend brings us the annual 'Bracket Buster' matchups. These are the games that pit Mid-Major schools against each other in hopes of improving their NCAA tournament resumes. Now, the problem with it is that they have 100 teams, about 70 too many and they picked which teams would be home and away before the season started. They should block off a group of teams before the season and then decide which ones should play and where they should play in mid-January. Despite all that, there are a couple of pretty good matchups.

Bucknell @ Northern Iowa
George Mason @ Wichita St (This is my favorite)

While were on the topic of Mid-Majors. I've had my eye on Northwestern St out of the Southland Conference all year. They've beaten teams from the SEC, Big 12 and Pac-10. However, they're in a one-bid conference and I fear for them being victim of the upset. This is a team that can do damage in the tournament if they make it. Some poor 3, 4, or 5 seed is gonna be in trouble if they have to play Northwestern St

On to the bracket. Syracuse and Maryland should be on their knees thanking God no one else is playing well right now. They're struggling big time. I'm seeing a lot brackets around that aren't seriously considering Missouri St...I can't see how you can leave them out. Sometimes a team's RPI can misleading. For instance; Kansas, West Virginia and California's RPI's are low in comparison to where I have them seeded while Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Syracuse and Oklahoma's RPI's are probably high for their seeding. Basically there's no exact science to putting a bracket together. Again, the Final Four would be Washington vs Oakland and Minneapolis vs Atlanta. This bracket is good for games through February 12.

Last Four In: UNC-Wilmington, Arkansas, UAB, Syracuse
Last Four Out: Air Force, Virginia, Houston, Stanford

NCAA Tournament
Washington, DC
1.UCONN16.Southern/Georgia Southern Philadelphia, PA
8.Nevada9.Indiana
5.NC State12.Arkansas San Diego, CA
4.UCLA13.UNC-Wilmington
6.Kansas11.Syracuse Dayton, OH
3.Ohio St14.Pacific
7.Northern Iowa10.Kentucky Salt Lake City, UT
2.Gonzaga15.Kent St
Oakland
1.Texas16.Albany Dallas, TX
8.Bucknell9.Seton Hall
5.Boston College12.UAB Jacksonville, FL
4.Florida13.Northwestern St
6.North Carolina11.Western Kentucky Auburn Hills, MI
3.Illinois14.Winthrop
7.California10.Southern Illinois Philadelphia, PA
2.Villanova15.Northern Arizona
Minneapolis
1.Memphis16.Belmont Dallas, TX
8.Michigan9.Alabama
5.Georgetown12.Colorado San Diego, CA
4.George Washington13.Wisconsin-Milwaukee
6.LSU11.Maryland Auburn Hills, MI
3.Iowa14.Penn
7.Creighton10.Arizona Dayton, OH
2.Pittsburgh15.IUPUI
Atlanta
1.Duke16.Fairleigh Dickinson Greensboro, NC
8.Wichita St9.Marquette
5.Oklahoma12.San Diego St Salt Lake City, UT
4.Michigan St13.Iona
6.Washington11.Missouri St Jacksonville, FL
3.West Virginia14.Murray St
7.Wisconsin10.George Mason Greensboro, NC
2.Tennessee15.Delaware St