BRACKETOLOGY: The South Shall Rise Again

Don't look now but it looks as if the Southeastern Conference is ready for it's close up. If you were like me, you were convinced that the SEC was having a down year. However that is not the case. With Mississippi State surging and Florida contending, it should be interesting race to the line down south. By the way, don't count those 'Cats from Lexington out just yet.

Staying in the South, the Sun Belt Conference is home to one of the country's best mid-majors that no one is talking about. South Alabama is quietly putting together a solid season. At 16-3 overall and 9-0 in league play, the Jaguars are easily the best team in Alabama. With their win over Mississippi St, they may be at-large worthy.

Kansas looks really good right now. This is generally a program that underachieves come tournament time, but they look awesome. They have to go to the "Little Apple" this week to face Kansas State. This should tell us how awesome they really are.

Check out the Morgan State vs. Hampton game as well. It is the game of the year so far in the MEAC. This conference generally doesn't get much love, but it's kind of nice that it'll be nationally televised on ESPNU. It didn't take Todd Bozeman long to get it turned around in Baltimore did it?

On to the bracket:

Last week the Colonial, Horizon, and Mid-American had multiple bids. This week they don't. That's a tell-tale sign that conferences outside of the top-10 are going to have a difficult time getting more than one in.

The number one seeds rank in this order 1. Memphis 2. Kansas 3. North Carolina 4. Duke.

Last Four In: Arkansas, BYU, Seton Hall, UMass
Last Four Out: Arizona St, NC State, Villanova, Providence

This bracket is good for games through Sunday January 28

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Jacksonville/Alabama St Little Rock, AR
8.West Virginia9.Gonzaga
5.Drake12.Arkansas Tampa, FL
4.Wisconsin13.Virginia Commonwealth
6.Dayton11.Ohio St Little Rock, AR
3.Texas14.Hampton
7.Mississippi10.Clemson Birmingham, AL
2.Georgetown15.Cornell
WEST
1.Duke16.Wagner Raleigh, NC
8.Arizona9.Mississippi St
5.Marquette12.South Alabama Tampa, FL
4.Butler13.Oral Roberts
6.Oklahoma11.UMass Omaha, NE
3.Indiana14.Marist
7.Pittsburgh10.UNLV Anaheim, CA
2.UCLA15.Austin Peay
MIDWEST
1.Kansas16.Lamar Omaha, NE
8.UConn9.Florida
5.Rhode Island12.BYU Denver, CO
4.Stanford13.Davidson
6.USC11.St Josephs Washington, DC
3.Michigan St14.UNC-Asheville
7.Louisville10.Texas A&M Birmingham, AL
2.Tennessee15.UMBC
EAST
1. North Carolina16.Lafayette Raleigh, NC
8.Baylor9.Purdue
5.Vanderbilt12.Seton Hall Denver, CO
4.St. Mary’s13.Utah St
6.Notre Dame11.Miami(FL) Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Cal St Northridge
7.Kansas St10.Kent St Anaheim, CA
2.Washington St15.Northern Arizona