FanNation - The Republic of Sport

From www.collegebasketball247.blogspot.com

Bracketology at  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

ESPN's Joe Lunardi is an expert bracketologist who over the past five years has a 98% rate of predicting teams that will have their names called on Selection Sunday. He releases his pre-season edition of Bracketology on June 18th, and here is what I make of his predictions: Lunardi has nine Big East teams in the field and Pitt as the number one overall seed, viewing the Big East arms and legs ahead of any other conference. In addition, he as a very high number of teams making it to the big dance from the SEC, with 6. Florida is seeded highest as a six seed and Alabama is the lowest seeded team as a 12. What I really can't understand is how Tennessee is only a seven seed, and that Mississippi St. is seeded as a 7 as well. Tennessee is a whole lot better than Mississippi St. with Prince, Smith, Chism and others returning along with Scotty Hopson (a McDonald's All-American) coming in. In comparison, Mississippi State lost all of their key players except for shot blocking specialist Jarvis Varnardo and is clearly no match for the Vols. Arizona is also way over seeded as a 2, but I think this came out before Brandon Jennings decided to play in Italy. C-USA has three teams in despite not placing a second team in the tournament since 2005 (UAB). Memphis also retains a number 1 seed despite losing Rose, Douglas- Roberts, and Dorsey to the NBA. The Atlantic 10 also has three teams in after placing three the last year and looks like the strongest mid-major conference to me. Defending national champion Kansas is seeded 6th, which is a bit high to me considering they lost five players to the NBA and Russel Robinson to graduation. Remember when Florida won back to back titles and then lost all there key players to the NBA, they didn't even make it back to the NCAA's. Last year's Cinderella Davidson is seeded very high, as a 5, and I believe that they will fall back into the 7-9 range. Remember, they did lose Richards who was setting up Curry for all those shots. Also I have a beef with Oklahoma as a four seed. Last year I thought they were over-seeded as a 6 and look what happened, a second round exit in the NCAA's courtesy of Louisville. Might I add that Louisville won that game by 30 points (78-48). Sure, they return Griffin but that didn't save them last year when they played the Ville or when they played the power house of Stephen F. Austin (13 seed in this Bracketology) during the regular season and lost. Both Duke and UNC are number 1 seeds and this will make their two (possibly three) meetings during the season particularly interesting. Other than a couple of things the bracket looks pretty accurate and with that 98% rate of predicting teams that get in, many of the teams on this bracket could be on the final one as well.