(Note: This adds tournament dates and sites and the Ohio Valley Conference, MEAC, Summit League and Big East Conferences)
March madness is upon us. Brackets will be filled out in offices everywhere when the 65-team field is annouced in a couple of weeks. But before one can fill out their bracket, their team has to either win their confernce tournament or be an at-large. Personally, winning the tournament is a hell of a lot better. I went to all the conference websites and using the tie-breaker systems that they use, I came up with some pretty good brackets (some first and second round games), including the Ivy League, which does not host a tournament, so their tournament is hypothetical. In the first posting, I left out the Big East (Thanks, Cheezer!) and then I looked at this thing again and realized I have a cousin that attended and played football for Bethune-Cookman in the 1960's. (Cookman is a member of the MEAC). I left that conference out, so my apologies to you MEAC fans. I went ahead and did your bracket last.
So let the madness begin! Let the dance begin!
America East Conference (March 7-9 in Binghamton, New York; finals at higest remaining seed March 15)
Round 1 (1) Maryland-Baltimore County vs. (8) Maine
(2) Hartford vs. (7) New Hampshire
(3) Vermont vs. (6) Binghamton
(4) Boston University vs. (5) Albany
Atlantic 10 Conference (March 12-15 in Atlantic City, New Jersey)
Round 1 (8) Rhode Island vs. (9) Duquesne
(5) La Salle vs. (12) Dayton
(7) Charlotte vs. (10) St. Louis
(6) Massachusetts vs. (11) Fordham
Round 2 (1) Xavier vs. (8) Rhode Island/(9) Duquesne winner
(4) Temple vs. (5) La Salle/(12) Dayton winner
(2) St. Joseph’s vs. (7) Charlotte/(10) St. Louis winner
(3) Richmond vs. (6) Massachusetts/(11) Fordham winner
Big Sky Conference (March 8, 11-12 at campus sites)
Round 1 (at campus sites)
(6) Idaho State at (3) Weber State
(5) Montana at (4) Montana State
Round 2 (at campus sites)
Highest remaining seed at (2) Northern Arizona
Lowest remaining seed at (1) Portland State
Big West Conference (March 12-15 in Anaheim, California)
Round 1 (5) California-Irvine vs. (8) Long Beach State (Winner plays #3 California-Santa Barbara)
(6) Cal Poly vs. (7) California-Riverside (Winner plays #4 Pacific)
Round 2
(5) California-Irvine/(8) Long Beach State/(3) California-Santa Barbara winner vs. (1) California-Northridge
(6) Cal Poly/(7) California-Riverside/(4) Pacific winner vs. (2) California-Fullerton
Big 12 Conference (March 13-16 in Kansas City, Missouri)
Round 1 (8) Oklahoma State vs. (9) Nebraska
(5) Baylor vs. (12) Colorado
(7) Texas Tech vs. (10) Missouri
(6) Oklahoma vs. (11) Iowa State
Round 2 (1) Texas vs. (8) Oklahoma State/(9) Nebraska winner
(2) Kansas vs. (7) Texas Tech/(10) Missouri winner
(4) Texas A&M vs. (5) Baylor/(12) Colorado
(3) Kansas State vs. (6) Oklahoma/(11) Iowa State winner
Atlantic Coast Conference (March 13-16 in Charlotte, North Carolina)
Round 1
(8) Florida State vs. (9) Georgia Tech
(5) Maryland vs. (12) Virginia
(7) Wake Forest vs. (10) North Carolina State
(6) Miami-Florida vs. (11) Boston College
Round 2 (1) North Carolina vs. (8) Florida State/(9) Georgia Tech winner
(4) Virginia Tech vs. (5) Maryland/(12) Virginia winner
(2) Duke vs. (7) Wake Forest/(10) North Carolina State winner
(3) Clemson vs. (6) Miami-Florida/(11) Boston College winner
Conference USA (March 12-15 in Memphis, Tennessee)
Round 1
(10) East Carolina vs. (7) Southern Mississippi
(6) Marshall vs. (11) Southern Methodist
(8) Tulsa vs. (9) Tulane
(5) Texas-El Paso vs. (12) Rice
Round 2
(10) East Carolina/(7) Southern Mississippi winner vs. (2) Houston
(6) Marshall/(11) Southern Methodist winner vs. (3) Alabama-Birmingham
(8) Tulsa/(9) Tulane winner vs. (1) Memphis
(5) Texas-El Paso/(12) Rice winner vs. (4) Central Florida
Big South Conference (March 4 at home of higher seeded team; semifinals March 6th (both games at home of regular-season champion); championship game March 8th (at home of higher remaining seed)
(7) Radford at (2) North Carolina-Asheville
(6) Coastal Carolina vs. (3) High Point
(8) Charleston Southern vs. (1) Winthrop
(4) Liberty vs. (5) Virginia Military Institute
MAAC (March 7-10 in Albany Colonies, New York)
Round 1
(8) Manhattan vs. (9) St. Peter’s
(7) Iona vs. (10) Canisius
Round 2
(1) Niagra vs. (8) Manhattan/(9) St. Peter’s winner
(2) Rider vs. (7) Iona/(10) Canisius winner
(3) Siena vs. (6) Marist
(4) Loyola-Maryland vs. (5) Fairfield
MAC (March 12-15 in Cleveland)
Round 1
(8) Bowling Green vs. (9) Toledo
(5) Miami-Ohio vs. (12) Buffalo
(7) Central Michigan vs. (10) Ball State
(6) Eastern Michigan vs. (11) Northern Illinois
Round 2
(2) Western Michigan vs. (8) Bowling Green/(9) Toledo winner
(3) Akron vs. (5) Miami-Ohio/(12) Toledo winner
(1) Kent State vs. (7) Central Michigan/(10) Ball State winner
(4) Ohio vs. (6) Eastern Michigan/(11) Northern Illinois winner
Mountain West Conference (March 12-15 in Las Vegas)
Round 1
(8) Wyoming vs. (9) Colorado State
Round 2
(1) Brigham Young vs. (8) Wyoming/(9) Colorado State winner
(4) San Diego State vs. (5) Utah
(2) Nevada-Las Vegas vs. (7) Texas Christian
(3) New Mexico vs. (6) Air Force
Horizon League (March 4 at campus sites, March 7-8 at highest seeded team, March 11 at higher remaining seed)
Round 1
(10) Detroit Mercy at (3) Cleveland State
(7) Wisconsin-Green Bay at (6) Valparaiso
(8) Loyola-Chicago at (5) Wisconsin-Milwaukee
(9) Youngstown State at (4) Illinois-Chicago
Round 2
(6) Valparaiso/(7) Wisconsin-Green Bay winner at (3) Cleveland State/(10) Detroit Mercy winner
(4) Illinois-Chicago/(9) Youngstown State at (5) Wisconsin-Milwaukee/(8) Loyola-Chicago winner
Round 3
(3) Cleveland State/(10) Detroit Mercy/(6) Valparaiso/(7) Wisconsin-Green Bay winner at (2) Wright State
(5) Wisconsin-Milwaukee/(8) Loyola winner/(4) Illinois-Chicago/(9) Youngstown State at (1) Butler
Ivy League+
Round 1
(1) Cornell vs. (8) Dartmouth
(2) Brown vs. (7) Princeton
(3) Columbia vs. (6) Harvard
(4) Penn vs. (5) Yale
Pacific Ten Conference (March 12-15 in Los Angeles)
Round 1
(8) Oregon vs. (9) Washington
(7) California vs. (10) Oregon State
Round 2 (1) UCLA vs. (8) Oregon/(9) Washington winner
(2) Stanford vs. (7) California/(10) Oregon State winner
(4) Southern California vs. (5) Arizona State
(3) Washington State vs. (6) Arizona
Patriot League (March 5 at campus sites, March 9 at campus sites, March 14 at higest remaining seed)
Round 1
(8) Holy Cross at (1) Navy
(7) Army at (2) American
(6) Colgate at (3) Lehigh
(5) Lafayette at (4) Bucknell
Southeastern Conference (March 13-16 in Atlanta)
Round 1
E5-South Carolina vs. W4-Mississippi
W6-Louisiana State vs. E3-Vanderbilt
W5-Alabama vs. E4-Florida
E6-Georgia vs. W3-Auburn
Round 2
E1-Tennessee vs. South Carolina-Mississippi winner
W2-Arkansas vs. Louisiana State-Vanderbilt winner
W1-Mississippi State vs. Alabama-Florida winner
E2-Kentucky vs. Georgia-Auburn winner
Southland Conference (March 12-16 in Katy, Texas)
Round 1
(1) Lamar vs. (8) Texas-Arlington
(2) Stephen F. Austin vs. (7) McNeese State
(3) Northwestern State vs. (6) Texas-San Antonio
(4) Sam Houston vs. (5) Southeastern Louisiana
Sun Belt Conference (March 5 first round at campus sites, semifinal and final rounds March 8-11 in Mobile, Alabama)
Round 1 (9) Denver at (8) Florida Atlantic
(13) Arkansas State at (4) Arkansas-Little Rock
(12) Louisiana-Monroe at (5) North Texas
(11) Troy at (6 Louisiana-Lafayette
(10) Florida International at (7) New Orleans
Round 2
(1) South Alabama vs. (9) Denver/(8) Florida Atlantic winner
(4) Arkansas-Little Rock/(13) Arkansas State winner vs. (5) North Texas/(12) Louisiana-Monroe winner
(3) Middle Tennessee vs. (11) Troy/(6) Louisiana-Lafayette winner
(2) Western Kentucky vs. (10) Florida International/(7) New Orleans winner
Southwestern Athletic Conference (March 12-15 in Birmingham, Alabama)
Round 1
(2) Jackson State vs. (7) Texas Southern
(1) Alabama State vs. (8) Southern
(3) Mississippi Valley State vs. (6) Grambling
(4) Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. (5) Alabama A&M
Colonial Athletic Association (March 7-10 in Richmond)
Round 1
(8) Hofstra vs. (9) Towson
(5) William & Mary vs. (12) James Madison
(7) Northeastern vs. (10) Drexel
(6) Delaware vs. (11) Georgia State
Round 2
(1) Virginia Commonwealth vs. (8) Hofstra/(9) Towson winner
(4) Old Dominion vs. (5) William & Mary/(12) James Madison winner
(2) George Mason vs. (7) Northeastern/(10) Drexel winner
(3) North Carolina-Wilmington vs.
(6) Delaware/(11) Georgia State winner
Southern Conference (March 6-10 in North Charleston, South Carolina)
Round 1
(8) College of Charleston vs. (9) Western Carolina
(7) Wofford vs. (10) Furman
(6) Elon vs. (11) Citadel
Round 2
(1) Davidson vs. (8) College of Charleston/(9) Western Carolina winner
(2) Georgia Southern vs. (7) Wofford/(10) Furman winner
(3) Chattanooga vs. (6) Elon/(11) Citadel winner
(4) Appalachian State vs. (5) North Carolina-Greensboro
Big East Conference (March 12-15 in New York City)
Round 1
(8) Cincinnati vs. (9) Villanova
(5) Marquette vs. (12) DePaul
(7) Pittsburgh vs. (10) Seton Hall
(6) West Virginia vs. (11) Syracuse
Round 2
(1) Georgetown vs. (8) Cincinnati/(9) Villanova winner
(4) Notre Dame vs. (5) Marquette/(12) DePaul winner
(2) Louisville vs. (7) Pittsburgh/(10) Seton Hall winner
(3) Connecticut vs. (6) West Virginia/(11) Syracuse winner
Western Athletic Conference (March 11, 13-15 in Las Cruces, New Mexico)
Round 1 (8) Idaho vs. (9) Louisiana Tech
Round 2
(1) Boise State vs. (8) Idaho/(9) Louisiana Tech winner
(5) Hawai'i vs. (4) Utah State
(6) Fresno State vs. (3) Nevada-Reno
(7) San Jose State vs. (2) New Mexico State
West Coast Conference (March 7-10 in San Diego)
Round 1
(5) Pepperdine vs. (8) Loyola Marymount
(6) San Francisco vs. (4) Santa Clara
(3) San Diego vs. (2) Gonzaga
(1) St. Mary’s vs. (7) Portland
MEAC (March 10-15 in Raleigh, North Carolina)
Round 1
(10) Howard vs. (7) Coppin State
(11) Maryland-Eastern Shore vs. (6) Florida A&M
(9) Bethune-Cookman vs. (8) South Carolina State
Round 2
(2) Norfolk State vs. (10) Howard/(7) Coppin State winner
(3) Hampton vs. (11) Maryland-Eastern Shore/(6) Florida A&M winner
(4) Delaware State vs. (5) North Carolina A&T
(1) Morgan State vs. (9) Bethune-Cookman/(8) South Carolina State winner
Ohio Valley Conference (March 4 at campus site of higher seeds, March 7-8 in Nashville)
Round 1
(8) Eastern Kentucky at (1) Austin Peay
(5) Samford at (4) Tennessee-Martin
(7) Tennessee Tech at (2) Murray State
(6) Tennessee State at (3) Morehead State
Summit League (March 8-11 in Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Round 1
(8) Centenary vs. (1) Oral Roberts
(5) IPFW vs. (4) Southern Utah
(7) Missouri-Kansas City vs. (2) IUPUI
(6) Western Illinois vs. (3) Oakland
+Note: The Ivy League does not host a tournament. The winner of the conference represents the Ivy League in the NCAA Tournament