Field of 68 Projection: Rutgers Joins The Fray, But Can Scarlet Knights Hang On?

[SelectionSunday]

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – My latest Field of 68 projection welcomes Rutgers to the field. Despite a trifecta of bad losses (Lafayette, UMass, Minnesota when it was short 3 starters), it’s no longer possible to ignore the Scarlets Knights’ 6-3 record vs. Quad 1 opponents. … they’ve more than made up for those stinkers. Now the question becomes, can the Scarlet Knights finish the job and hear their named called on Selection Sunday (March 13)?

Rutgers is one of 7 new teams this week. The Scarlet Knights are joined by at-large teams Dayton, Iowa State, and San Diego State, as well as automatic bid place holders Jacksonville State (ASUN), Princeton (Ivy), and Southern (SWAC).

*Automatic qualifiers from multiple-bid conferences are listed first. Auto qualifiers own the best conference record or -- in the event of a tie -- the best NET ranking (noted in parentheses).

FIELD OF 68 PROJECTION (through Feb. 20)
America East (1): Vermont (61)

American (1): Houston (4)

ACC (5): *Duke (12), Wake Forest (40), North Carolina (42), Notre Dame (57), Miami (65)

ASUN (1): Jacksonville State (141)

Atlantic 10 (2): *Davidson (50), Dayton (52)

Big East (7): *Providence (27), Villanova (7), UConn (17), Xavier (25), Marquette (33), Seton Hall (36), Creighton (62)

Big Sky (1): Montana State (128)

Big South (1): Longwood (148)

Big Ten (7): *Purdue (9), Illinois (14), Ohio State (18), Iowa (19), Wisconsin (20), Michigan State (28), Rutgers (80)

Big XII (6): *Kansas (5), Baylor (6), Texas Tech (8), Texas (15), Iowa State (35), TCU (56)

Big West (1): Long Beach (161)

Colonial (1): UNC-Wilmington (200)

Conference USA (1): North Texas (39)

Horizon (1): Cleveland (165)

Ivy (1): Princeton (110)

MAAC (1): Iona (72)

MAC (1): Toledo (87)

MEAC (1): Norfolk (157)

Missouri Valley (1): Loyola (37)

Mountain West (4): *Boise (30), Colorado State (31), San Diego State (32), Wyoming (38)

NEC (1): Wagner (115)

OVC (2): *Murray (26), Belmont (55)

Pac 12 (3): *Arizona (2), UCLA (13), USC (24)

Patriot (1): Colgate (136)

SEC (6): *Auburn (10), Kentucky (3), Tennessee (11), LSU (16), Alabama (22), Arkansas (23)

SoCon (1): Chattanooga (70)

Southland (1): New Orleans (238)

SWAC (1): Southern (192)

Summit (1): South Dakota State (68)

Sun Belt (1): Texas State (129)

WCC (4): *Gonzaga (1), Saint Mary’s (21), San Francisco (29), BYU (54)

WAC (1): New Mexico State (82)
______________________________________
Last 4 In: North Carolina (42), Dayton (52), Belmont (55), Rutgers (80)

First 4 Out: Memphis (44), SMU (46), VCU (58), Virginia (81)

8 to Watch: Michigan (34), Indiana (43), Oklahoma (45), Florida (49), UAB (51), Kansas State (60), Oregon (63), Saint Bonaventure (85)

Non-Power 6 At-Large Bids (7): Saint Mary’s (21), San Francisco (29), Colorado State (31), San Diego State (32), Wyoming (38), Dayton (52), BYU (54)

New to the Field (7): Dayton, Iowa State, Jacksonville State, Princeton, Rutgers, San Diego State, Southern

Dropped from the Field (7): Indiana, Liberty, Memphis, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas Southern, Yale
____________________________
Ineligible for NCAA Tournament (9): Oklahoma State (53), Tarleton (202), Bellarmine (209), Cal Baptist (219), Dixie (259), UC-San Diego (272), Merrimack (299), North Alabama (308), Saint Thomas (315)

 

[Seany]

I'd like to see Rutgers make it, personally. IMO they're deserving, and God knows that program has suffered enough throughout the years. They made a hell of a showing in the tournament last year too. They came so, so, so, so close to making the Sweet 16.