2022 NCAA Tournament Bracketology

Bracketology is both the art and the science of looking at the resumes of 70+ teams and deciding which teams should be “in” and “out” of the field, not based on what I think, but based on the historical trends of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. Predicting what the Committee will do is often a difficult venture but that’s the fun and the challenge. I’ll be updating my bracket projection at least once a week from here until Selection Sunday and including some analytical posts delving deeper into the science of Bracketology.

For starters, check out the Bracketology 101 post to give some baseline for how the Committee develops the bracket.

Here is my latest bracket projection of the 2021-20202College Basketball Season. Once again, I will be taking part in The Bracket Matrix‘s annual bracket competition where I am ranked in the Top 100 in the nation.

Projected Seed List

Bracket Date: 3/13/2022 – FINAL

Highest remaining seeds in conference tournaments are projected as auto-bids and are listed in bold.
Teams in bold red have clinched automatic bids.
The last 4 in teams that play in the “First Four” play-in games are listed in italics.

1 seeds: Gonzaga, Arizona, KansasBaylor
2 seeds: Kentucky, Auburn, Villanova, Tennessee
3 seeds: Purdue, Duke, UCLA, Texas Tech
4 seeds: Wisconsin, Illinois, Arkansas, Providence
5 seeds: Houston, UConn, St Mary’s, Iowa
6 seeds: LSU, Texas,  Alabama, USC
7 seeds: Murray St, Michigan St, Ohio St, Boise St
8 seeds: Colorado St, San Diego St, North Carolina, Seton Hall
9 seeds:
 TCU, Creighton, Marquette, Memphis
10 seeds: Iowa St, Miami, Virginia Tech, Loyola-Chicago
11 seeds: San Francisco, Wyoming, DavidsonOklahoma, Michigan
12 seeds: Indiana, Texas A&M UAB, Richmond, South Dakota St
13 seeds: New Mexico St, Chattanooga, Vermont, Akron
14 seeds: Yale,  Delaware, Georgia St, Colgate

15 seeds: Cal State Fullerton, Montana St, Longwood, Saint Peter’s
16 seeds: Jacksonville St, Bryant, Norfolk St, Wright St, Texas Southern, Texas A&M-CC

The Bubble

Last 3 Byes: San Francisco, Wyoming, Davidson

Last 4 IN: Oklahoma, Michigan, Indiana, Texas A&M

First 4 OUT: Xavier, Notre Dame, Rutgers, BYU

Next 4 OUT: SMU, VCU, Wake Forest, North Texas

NIT Bubble: Florida, Dayton, St Louis, Colorado, St. Bonaventure, Vanderbilt, Mississippi St,, Virginia, Oregon, Belmont, St John’s, Drake, Washington St, Santa Clara, Missouri St, Utah St, Fresno St

NIT Auto-Bids: Northern Iowa (MVC), Texas St (Sun Belt), Cleveland St (Horizon), Towson (CAA), Iona (MAAC), Toledo (MAC), Nicholls (Southland), Alcorn St (SWAC), Long Beach St (Big West), Princeton (Ivy), North Texas & Davidson (if not selected for NCAAT)

Bids By Conference

Big Ten – 8, Big XII – 7, SEC – 7, Big East – 6, ACC – 4, Mountain West – 4, WCC – 3, Pac 12 – 3, American – 2, A-10 – 2