February conjecture

Sporting News, The, Feb 21, 2000

Just three weeks to go until Selection Sunday arrives, bringing with it the glorious frenzy of March Madness. Until then, we must mollify ourselves by pretending to be able to read the NCAA's mind.

Here's our best shot at how the brackets will shape up, based on games through last Sunday (with regional sites).

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME

East (Syracuse, New York)

1. Duke

2. Tennessee

3. Temple

4. Indiana

South (Austin, Texas)

1. Michigan State

2. Syracuse

3. Florida

4. Texas

West (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

1. Stanford

2. Kentucky

3. Oklahoma State

4. Maryland

Midwest (Auburn Hills, Michigan)

1. Cincinnati

2. Arizona

3. Ohio State

4. Oklahoma

Seeds 5-16

5: Connecticut, Seton Hall, Iowa State, Auburn

6: North Carolina, LSU, Tulsa, Oregon

7: St. John's, Purdue, Kansas, Utah

8: Gonzaga, Dayton, Virginia, Wisconsin

9: Louisville, USC, Illinois, Vanderbilt

10: Missouri, UCLA, Kent, Depaul

11: Notre Dame, Pepperdine, UNLV, SMU

12: Hofstra, Utah State, Butler, Indiana State

13: Louisiana-Lafayette, Akron, Murray State

14: Weber State, Central Connecticut, Richmond, Penn

15: Siena, Winthrop, Valparaiso, Lafayette

16: Troy State, Alcorn State, Hampton, Texas-San Antonio

Multiple bids

Twelve conferences will get multiple bids. The teams in italics hold hope of receiving one of the 35 at-large bids.

ACC: Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia. NC State.

Atlantic 10: Temple, Dayton. St; Bonaventure, Xavier.

Big East: Syracuse, Seton Hall, St. John's, Connecticut, Notre Dame. Miami, Villanova

Big Ten: Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin. Penn State

Big 12: Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri.

C-USA: Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville. Marquette, SL Louis, Tulane, UNC Charlotte.

MAC: Kent, Akron.

Mountain West: Utah, UNLV BYU

Pac-10: Stanford, Arizona, Oregon, USC, UCLA California

SEC: Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Auburn, Vanderbilt

WCC: Gonzaga, Pepperdine.

WAC: Tulsa, SMU Fresno State