Some thoughts:
-The race for the College Football Playoff has gotten most of the attention, but it was also a solid weekend for basketball. The three results that most caught my eye are Xavier over Cincinnati, Wichita State winning at Baylor, and Arizona surviving at UNLV. All of the winners moved up in the bracket, and it was enough to push three-loss Arizona back in (albeit as an 11).
-Virginia Tech snuck into the bracket with a win at Ole Miss in overtime after trailing by double digits at the half. Because of the committee’s emphasis on road victories, this may end up as a Tier 2 road win even if Ole Miss fails to impress this season.
-Rhode Island kept things going with a win over Providence. They are unlikely to be as high as a five seed in March, but they find themselves there now.
-Syracuse had their moments against Kansas in their game in Miami, but Kansas won 76-60. The loss doesn’t hurt Syracuse much, but it does show their current 8 seed might be about right for the team.
-SMU is back in the bracket as a 9 after rolling USC. It drops the Trojans to a ten and moves Western Kentucky up to a 7, as their SMU and Purdue wins are looking better by the day.
SOUTH
1 Duke
16 Penn / Navy
8 Alabama
9 SMU
5 Tennessee
12 Vermont
4 West Virginia
13 Towson
6 Seton Hall
11 NC State
3 Florida
14 Murray State
7 Texas Tech
10 Missouri
2 Wichita State
15 UNC-Asheville
WEST
1 Villanova
16 Prairie View A&M / NC A&T
8 Northern Iowa
9 Florida State
5 Nevada
12 Virginia Tech / Texas
4 Arizona State
13 Portland St
6 Baylor
11 Arizona
3 UNC
14 UC Santa Barbara
7 Purdue
10 Utah
2 Notre Dame
15 Grand Canyon
MIDWEST
1 Kansas
16 East Tenn State
8 Creighton
9 Louisville
5 Minnesota
12 St John’s
4 Gonzaga
13 Northern KY
6 Cincinnati
11 Louisiana Tech
3 Virginia
14 Central Michigan
7 Western KY
10 UT Arlington
2 Texas A&M
15 SF Austin
EAST
1 Michigan State
16 Wagner
8 Syracuse
9 Providence
5 Rhode Island
12 Kansas St / UNLV
4 Xavier
13 Rider
6 TCU
11 Clemson
3 Kentucky
14 South Dakota
7 Temple
10 USC
2 Miami
15 FGCU
Graham Doeren Bracketology 