Men’s College Basketball: NCAA Tourney Bracketology 7.0 (2023)

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12 March 2023

Welcome to my seventh and final bracketology article this season. I appreciate you all joining me on this journey and am excited to celebrate Selection Sunday later tonight. Be sure to check back to BettingPros throughout the week, as we will be providing loads of content for every bracket-filling need.

Men’s College Basketball: NCAA Tourney Bracketology 7.0

Here are the auto-bids thus far

Texas (Big 12)
Arizona (Pac-12)
Marquette (Big East)
Gonzaga (West Coast)
San Diego State (Mountain West)
Duke (ACC)
Florida Atlantic (CUSA)
College of Charleston (Colonial)
Oral Roberts (Summit)
Drake (MVC)
Kent State (MAC)
Iona (MAAC)
Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt)
Furman (Southern)
UC Santa Barbara (Big West)
Grand Canyon (WAC)
Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun)
Colgate (Patriot)
Montana State (Big Sky)
Vermont (America East)
UNC-Asheville (Big South)
Northern Kentucky (Horizon)
Fairleigh-Dickinson (Northeast)
Texas A&M Corpus Christi (Southland)
Southeast Missouri State (Ohio Valley)
Howard (Mid-Eastern)
Texas Southern (SWAC)

Otherwise, here are my at-large locks entering power conference tournament play.

ACC

In: Virginia, Miami, Duke
Bubble: Pittsburgh, N.C. State, Clemson

Big 12

In: Kansas, Texas, Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia
Bubble: Oklahoma State

Big East

In: Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, UConn
Looking Good: Providence

Big Ten

In: Purdue, Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan State, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, Penn State
Bubble: Rutgers, Wisconsin

Pac 12

In: UCLA, Arizona
Looking Good: USC
Bubble: Arizona State

SEC

In: Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Auburn
Bubble: Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

Mid-Major

In: Houston, Saint Mary’s, San Diego State, Memphis, Boise State, Florida Atlantic
Bubble: Utah State, Nevada

Here are how games today may have a potential impact on seeding

Yale vs. Princeton: This is a play-in game. The winner will likely be a 13 seed.

Dayton vs. VCU: This is a play-in game with neither team repping a solid enough at-large resume. I’m guessing the winner will be the last 12-seed.

Texas A&M vs. Alabama: A win tonight for Bama would probably lock up the number one overall seeding in the committee’s eyes. Either way, the Crimson Tide is going to be a one-seed. The Aggies have the potential to play up to a five seed with three straight solid victories but are a comfortable six as of now.

Memphis vs. Houston: The Cougars are also playing for a chance at the number one overall seed with the exact opponent they were hoping to face to accomplish that. Memphis is in the tournament and could reach an 8-seed with a win but is a comfortable nine now.

Penn State vs. Purdue: I don’t see this outcome as impactful for Purdue basically at all. They are locked in as the third or fourth-best 1-seed. Penn State has played itself into the tournament with its impressive three wins and sits as a borderline 9/10 seed as of now. The committee historically has not favored conference tournament play when seeding bracket, so I am guessing a win would send Penn State no higher than a nine seed.

In terms of futures that I like right now before the bracket drops, Texas A&M sitting at +6000 (FanDuel) still is ridiculous, especially considering the fact that they are playing in the SEC title game today. They are playing their best basketball right now, which is a sustainable way of playing.