March Madness: Final college basketball Bracketology report

Bracketology: East Region (Bold indicates automatic berth)

The Virginia Cavaliers dominated the College basketball scene with a 31-2 overall record, losing just one game in conference play all season — a win that should get Virginia Tech into the “Big Dance.”

Loyola is a very dangerous sleeper deep, and it will be fascinating to see their placement in the March Madness bracket. Even though we have them as a six-seed, the Selection Committee will likely give them (give or take) an 11-seed — with their Missouri Valley Conference bias shown in full display on the conferences’ seeding over the years.

(1) Virginia ACC vs. (16) NC-Central MEAC/ Texas Southern SWAC

(2) Tennessee SEC  vs. (15) UMBC American East

(3) West Virginia vs. (14) Bucknell Patriot

(4) Texas Tech vs. (13) Charleston Colonial

(5) Ohio State vs. (12) Buffalo MAC

(6) Loyola (Chicago) Missouri Valley (11) Texas/Florida St.

(7) Rhode Island Atlantic 10  vs. (10) St. Mary’s

(8) Seton Hall vs. (9) NC State

Look out for two teams out west; Gonzaga and Arizona. The Wildcats seem to have put all of their off-court noise behind them, while Gonzaga’s pressed on after a home loss to conference foe early in the season — they haven’t lost a single game since.

The San Diego State Aztecs were one of the few teams to knock off the Zags this season, but underperformed most of the way, until when it mattered the most. Look out for them as a dangerous 12 seed in your March Madness bracket.

Bracketology: West Region

(1) Xavier vs. (16) Radford Big South

(2) Michigan St. vs. (15) CS-Fullerton Big West

(3) Gonzaga West Coast vs. (14) Georgia State Sunbelt

(4) Arizona Pac 12 vs. (13)  South Dakota St. Summit

(5) Auburn vs. (12) San Diego St. MWC

(6) Houston vs. (11) New Mexico St. WAC

(7) Nevada Mountain West vs. (10) UCLA

(8) USC  vs. (9) Texas A&M