By Cole Banker

Below are my projections for the field of 68 as of this week. Asterisks indicate an automatic bid, and teams are sorted by region. Teams in italics are among the last four in. 

South (Houston)

(1) *Baylor vs. (16) *Prairie View A&M/*Merrimack 

(8) Wisconsin vs. (9) BYU

 

(5) *Oregon vs. (12) *East Tennessee State

(4) Creighton vs. (13) *Stephen F. Austin

 

(6) Iowa vs. (11) Memphis

(3) *Auburn vs. (14) *UC Irvine

 

(7) Illinois vs. (10) Stanford

(2) *Florida State vs. (15) *Wright State

 

Midwest (Indianapolis)

(1) Kansas vs. (16) *College of Charleston

(8) Xavier vs. (9) Michigan

 

(5) Penn State vs. (12) Cincinnati/VCU

(4) Michigan State vs. (13) *Akron

 

(6) Colorado vs. (11) Florida

(3) *Seton Hall vs. (14) *New Mexico State

 

(7) *Houston vs. (10) *Northern Iowa

(2) Duke vs. (15) *Colgate

 

West (Los Angeles)

(1) *San Diego State vs. (16) *Siena/*North Carolina A&T

(8) Virginia vs. (9) Ohio State

 

(5) LSU vs. (12) *Yale

(4) Villanova vs. (13) *Louisiana Tech

 

(6) Marquette vs. (11) Rhode Island/Indiana

(3) Kentucky vs. (14) *Winthrop

 

(7) USC vs. (10) Mississippi State

(2) *Dayton vs. (15) *South Dakota State

 

East (New York City)

(1) *San Diego State vs. (16) Northern Colorado 

(8) Texas Tech vs. (9) Michigan)

 

(5) Butler vs. (12) *Liberty

(4) West Virginia vs. (13) *Vermont

 

(6) Arizona vs. (11) Arkansas

(3) *Maryland vs. (14) *Murray State

 

(7) Rutgers vs. (10) Purdue

(2) *Louisville vs. (15) *Arkansas Little-Rock

Edited by Emma Moloney | ehm3gd@mail.missouri.edu