BRACKETOLOGY 307

REVISED BRACKET

    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone throws a wrench into the works.

    Such was the case today when Indiana State beat Missouri State in the Missouri Valley's Arch Madness in St. Louis. It would be difficult to exclude Cuonzo Martin's hard-luck Bears from the NCAA tournament after they won the regular season title; but trying to remedy past slights from the selection committee this year could be a tough sell.

    Michigan, with its win over Michigan State, now moves into the bubble picture. If Princeton beats Penn Tuesday night, the Ivy League will be decided by a 1-game playoff between Princeton and Harvard. One of those teams will be eliminated from NCAA consideration, which is too bad because both have had solid seasons. For now, I have to move Harvard to a "first four out" position to make room for Indiana State. I would give Missouri State an invitation if the tournament started today.

    Several pretty teams won't have a date to The Dance. After Coastal Carolina (28-5) lost in the Big South tournament, UNC-Ashville (18-13) will get the league's only invitation. Morehead State (24-9) goes dancing with an Ohio Valley tournament title. Murray State (23-8) wears the conference tiara but won't be at the party. Nor will there be a limousine for Wichita State (24-8, 14-4) which finished second in the Missouri Valley and lost in the tournament semifinals.

    Belmont (30-4, 19-1), wearing all the jewel s from the Atlantic 10 Conference, could be a Cinderella at the March Madness Ball. With an RPI of 50, the Bruins' only losses were to Tennessee (twice), Vanderbilt and East Tennessee State. Right now, I have them as a 14 seed but with a good chance of moving up.

    For the moment Missouri State, Boston College (18-11, 8-7), UTEP (23-8, 11-5), and Cleveland State (26-8, 13-5) are my "last four in"; and Harvard, Illinois, Michigan and Colorado State are my "first four out". Statistically, Harvard is the ugly stepsister of the four, any of which could get a late date to the festivities.

    Listed below are the pairings and seeds for my "Revised Bracket".

 

SEED	EAST	SEED	SOUTHWEST
1	NORTH CAROLINA	1	KANSAS
16	BUCKNELL/MCNEESE	16	FAU/TEXAS SOUTHERN
8	TENNESSEE	8	TEMPLE
9	OLD DOMINION	9	UAB
4	TEXAS	4	LOUISVILLE
13	PRINCETON	13	VERMONT
5	VANDERBILT	5	BYU
12	MOREHEAD STATE/BUTLER	12	CHARLESTON
2	SDSU	2	PURDUE
15	KENT STATE	15	HAMPTON
7	WEST VIRGINIA	7	UNLV
10	MEMPHIS	10	VIRGINIA TECH
3	WISCONSIN	3	UCONN
14	BELMONT	14	MONTANA
6	VILLANOVA	6	KENTUCKY
11	GEORGIA	11	GEORGE MASON
SEED	WEST	SEED	SOUTHEAST
1	PITT	1	OHIO STATE
16	UTAH VALLEY STATE	16	UNC-ASHEVILLE
8	BOSTON COLLEGE	8	MISSOURI
9	MICHIGAN STATE	9	CINCINNATI
4	KANSAS STATE	4	SYRACUSE
13	ST. MARY'S	13	MISSOURI STATE
5	GEORGETOWN	5	UCLA
12	CLEVELAND/INDIANA ST	12	FLORIDA STATE
2	DUKE	2	NOTRE DAME
15	LONG ISLAND	15	FAIRFIELD
7	XAVIER	7	WASHINGTON
10	UTEP	10	MARQUETTE
3	ARIZONA	3	FLORIDA
14	LONG BEACH STATE	14	OAKLAND
6	TEXAS A&M	6	ST. JOHNS
11	UTAH STATE	11	GONZAGA

    (Teams listed in Bold Type are automatic qualifiers and "in" the tournament today.)

    

    All of today's hypotheses are predicated on the premise that "nothing will change" before next

Sunday's announcement of the official NCAA tournament seeds.