2015 March Madness Bracketology Predictions and Projections – NCAA Bracket Field of 68 from Expert March Madness Bracket Prognosticators: The field of 68 for the 2015 NCAA Tournament will officially be announced on Sunday, March 15th and teams are still scrambling to play themselves into the March Madness field by winning more games to solidify themselves into at-large bids at minimum – barring any unforseen late season collapses. Many teams not able to submit a resume good enough to earn an at-large bid will still be able to earn the Automatic bids in next month’s exciting Conference Tournament action. Of course, some less fortunate programs will most likley play themselves completely out and off the “March Madness Bubble” by losing must-win games in their March Madness Postseason Conference Tournaments. Who will make it in this year’s 2015 Field of 68 as this year’s 36 at-large selections? We got a pretty good handle on who will be in the field and have listed our March Madness Expert Predictions below as we will be updating this list regularly the next few weeks as we get set to finally see the field announced so we can get down to our main business and start forecasting and predicting the WINNERS of each game and round in this year’s NCAA Tournament 2015 Bracket. Well, let’s cut to the chase and stop the talk, let’s get down to picking and predicting who will make it in and out of this year’s 2015 March Madness Bracket baby!
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NOTE: This FINAL March Madness Bracket UPDATE was last updated at March 14th at 5:30 PM EST. Please bookmark and check back for future updates!
AAC Conference
LOCKS: SMU, Cincinnati, Temple, Tulsa
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: NONE
NOTES: The defending national champion UConn Huskies were still alive and trying to get into the NCAA Tournament this year. With a #67 RPI rating and a loss to SMU in the AAC Tournament Title Game this afternoon they are now OUT of the field.
ACC Conference
LOCKS: Virginia, Duke, Notre Dame, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Pittsburgh, Miami-Fl
NOTES: Both Pittsburgh(RPI 73) and Miami-Fl(RPI 63) had their opportunity to make the field if they could have put together a run to the ACC Tournament semifinals but couldn’t deliver. They are both out and headed to the NIT for sure.
ATLANTIC 10 Conference
LOCKS: VCU, Dayton, Davidson
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Richmond, Rhode Island
NOTES: This Conference is definitely one of the most underrated leagues in the nation. Lots of teams can play. VCU, Dayton and Davidson are all comfortably in the tournament but it’s hard to see Richmond(RPI 58) or Rhode Island(RPI 64) getting an at-large bid. Richmond lost yesterday to VCU so they are OUT and URI also lost in the A-10 semis so they are OUT too.
BIG EAST Conference
LOCKS: Villanova, Providence, Georgetown, Butler, St John’s, Xavier
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: NONE
NOTES: Villanova, Providence, Georgetown, Butler, Xavier and St John’s are all ranked in the Top 36 of the RPI ratings and are LOCKS to get in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. The Big East is one of the best leagues in the nation despite all the teams they’ve lost to the ACC, AAC and Big 12 in recent years.
BIG 10 Conference
LOCKS: Wisconsin, Maryland, Ohio St, Michigan St, Iowa, Purdue
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Indiana
NOTES: Purdue is now a LOCK to make the field of 68 after beating Illinois to finish the Big Ten regular season at 12-6 and now making the Big Ten Tournament semis. Indiana hasa RPI of 56 but 4 wins against Top 50 RPI teams and 8 against Top 100 RPI teams. They were the last team in the field of 68 as an at-large bid but Wyoming’s win over San Diego St knocked them OUT. It should come down to UCLA, Indiana and BYU for 1 of the finals 3 spots on selection sunday.
BIG 12 Conference
LOCKS: Kansas, Iowa St, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Baylor, Oklahoma St
“Bubble Teams” IN: Texas
“Bubble Teams” OUT: NONE
NOTES: Oklahoma St(RPI 47) is a LOCK to us because of 6 Top 50 RPI wins and a season sweep against Texas. There’s no way the selection committee can keep Oklahoma State at home with that resume. No way. No how. Texas with a strong RPI of 42 is still in our bracket due to it’s high RPI, 3 Top 50 RPI wins and 14th overall rated strength of schedule in the nation. However a 3-12 record versus Top 50 RPI teams will give the committee a reasonable explanation for leaving the Longhorns OUT if they choose to.
Conference USA Conference
LOCKS: NONE
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Old Dominion
NOTES: Old Dominion has a strong RPI of 46 but just 1 win over RPI Top 50 teams. They simply don’t have enough quality wins to warrant an at-large bid. They will not get an at-large bid.
Horizon League Conference
LOCKS: NONE
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: NONE
NOTES: This is a one bid league again this year. Only the Horizon League Tournament winner will get their name in the field of 68.
IVY League Conference
LOCKS: NONE
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: NONE
NOTES: The IVY league is a one-bid league like almost always again this year. Nothing to see here folks, let’s move along…
Missouri Valley Conference
LOCKS: Wichita St, Northern Iowa
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: NONE
NOTES: Wichita State is obviously a LOCK for an at-large bid with a #17 RPI and most likely will receive a #6 seed at worst.
Mountain West Conference
LOCKS: San Diego St, Boise St, Colorado St, Wyoming
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Wyoming
NOTES: San Diego St, Boise St and Colorado St are LOCKS for at-large bids. All are rated in the Top 44 of the RPI and have at least two wins each against Top 50 RPI teams to go along with at least 23 wins. Wyoming needed to win the automatic bid to have a chance because of a low RPI of 80 and they got the job done today over San Diego St. That knocked out Indiana.
Pac 12 Conference
LOCKS: Arizona, Utah, Oregon
“Bubble Teams” IN: UCLA
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Stanford
NOTES: The PAC 12 is simply too good of a league to not get 4 teams despite what the RPI ratings say. Period. UCLA(RPI 48) and Stanford(RPI 59) are both Bubble Teams for sure, but UCLA is definitely in much better shape and should get in based largely on name recognition and the fact that the Pac 12 would only get 3 teams IN if they leave UCLA OUT.
Southeastern Conference(SEC)
LOCKS: Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: Texas A&M
NOTES: Texas A&M has a medicore #66 RPI and a 0-5 record versus Top 50 RPI teams. Terrible. The Aggies are going to the NIT. Ole Miss and LSU are two of the last 4 teams IN.
West Coast Conference
LOCKS: Gonzaga
“Bubble Teams” IN: NONE
“Bubble Teams” OUT: BYU
NOTES: BYU is barely OUT with a RPI of 37 but just 1 win against Top 50 RPI teams and only 4 against Top 100 RPI teams. They will either be one of the last two teams IN or OUT depending upon how the committee looks at it.
LAST FOUR BUBBLE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: Temple, Tulsa, Ole Miss, UCLA
LAST FOUR BUBBLE TEAMS OUT OF THE FIELD: Indiana, BYU, Richmond, Old Dominion
BREAKDOWN BY LEAGUE:
7: Big 12
6: Big East, Big 10
5: ACC, SEC
4: AAC, Pac 12, Mountain West
3: A-10
2: Missouri Valley
1: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, CUSA, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern Athletic, Summit, Sun Belt, Western Athletic, West Coast (22)
2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT DATES
Selection Sunday
March 15
First Round
March 17-18
UD Arena (Dayton, Ohio)
Second-Third Rounds
March 19, 21
Veterans Memorial Arena (Jacksonville, Fla.)
KFC Yum! Center (Louisville)
Consol Energy Center (Pittsburgh)
Rose Garden (Portland, Ore.)
March 20, 22
Time Warner Cable Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)
Nationwide Arena (Columbus, Ohio)
CenturyLink Center (Omaha, Neb.)
KeyArena (Seattle)
Midwest Regional
March 26, 28
Quicken Loans Arena (Cleveland)
West Regional
March 26, 28
Staples Center (Los Angeles)
South Regional
March 27, 29
NRG Stadium (Houston)
East Regional
March 27, 29
Carrier Dome (Syracuse)
National Semifinals
April 4
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
Championship Game
April 6
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)