ESPN releases updated Bracketology as college basketball races heat up for March Madness
The race for March Madness heated up as ESPN’s Joe Lunardi released his latest bracketology Tuesday morning.
“It’s both refreshing and rare when the major polls make sense,” Lunardi wrote for ESPN. “This is one of those times, as Purdue managed to lose narrowly at rival Indiana and retain its No. 1 ranking. The Boilermakers clearly have the best NCAA tournament résumé, but pollsters typically miss or ignore that on a week-to-week basis.”
While Purdue is firmly the No. 1 team across the land, there are some intriguing teams in or around the bubble.
Kentucky and USC made the Last Four Byes while Florida did not make the cut. The Gators were in the First Four Out.
Below is the full field for bracketology with March Madness just a month away.
NCAA March Madness Bracketology
Last Four Byes: West Virginia, USC, Kentucky, Arkansas
Last Four In: Boise State, Oklahoma State, Nevada, Memphis
First Four Out: Texas A&M, Florida, Seton Hall, Oregon
Next Four Out: Wisconsin, Utah State, Charleston, Penn State
South Region (Louisville)
No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Alcorn State/Fairleigh Dickinson
No. 8 NC State vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic
No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No 12 Liberty
No. 4 Xavier vs. No. 13 Utah Valley
No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Nevada/Memphis
No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 Eastern Washington
No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 10 Kentucky
No. 2 UCLA vs. UNC Asheville
West Region (Las Vegas)
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 TAMU-CC
No. 8 Missouri vs. No. 9 Northwestern
No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 12 Drake
No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 Furman
No. 6 Miami vs. No. 11 Boise State/Oklahoma State
No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 14 Akron
No. 7 Creighton vs. No. 10 USC
No. 2 Texas vs. No. 15 Youngstown State
Midwest Region (Kansas City)
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 16 UMES/Morehead State
No. 8 Pittsburgh vs. No. 9 Michigan State
No. 5 UConn vs. No. 12 Oral Roberts
No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 13 Hofstra
No. 6 Providence vs. No. 11 Clemson
No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Princeton
No. 7 Maryland vs. No. 10 New Mexico
No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 Vermont
East Region (New York)
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Rider
No. 8 Auburn vs. No. 9 North Carolina
No. 5 Rutgers vs. No. 12 VCU
No. 4 TCU vs. No. 13 Louisiana
No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Arkansas
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 UCSB
No. 7 Duke vs. No. 10 West Virginia
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Colgate