Through March 14. … the final projection will be late tonight/early Selection Sunday morning.
Available At-Large Bids = 4
Auto Bids Earned = 14 (17 remain)
Automatic Bid/Placeholders (31) -- bold/italic = clinched auto bid
America East: #1 Bryant
American: #1 Memphis
ACC: #1 Duke
ASUN: #1 LIPSCOMB
Atlantic 10: #1 VCU
Big East: #1 Saint John's
Big Sky: #2 MONTANA
Big South: #1 HIGH POINT
Big Ten: #1 Michigan State
Big XII: #1 Houston
Big West: #1 UC-San Diego
Coastal: #2 UNC-WILMINGTON
Conference USA: #1 Liberty
Horizon: #1 ROBERT MORRIS
Ivy: #1 Yale
MAAC: #4 Iona
MAC: #1 Akron
MEAC: #1 Norfolk State
Missouri Valley: #1 DRAKE
Mountain West: #2 Colorado State
NEC: #3 SAINT FRANCIS
OVC: #2 SIU-EDWARDSVILLE
Patriot: #2 AMERICAN
SEC: #1 Auburn
SoCon: #6 WOFFORD
Southland: #1 McNEESE
SWAC: #2 Jackson State
Summit: #1 OMAHA
Sun Belt: #3 TROY
WCC: #2 GONZAGA
WAC: #1 Utah Valley
Non-Auto Bid Locks (33)
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas -- season complete
Baylor -- season complete
BYU -- season complete
Clemson -- season complete
Creighton
Florida
Georgia -- season complete
Illinois -- season complete
Iowa State -- season complete
Kansas -- season complete
Kentucky -- season complete
Louisville
Marquette -- season complete
Maryland
Michigan
Missouri - season complete
New Mexico -- season complete
Oklahoma -- season complete
Ole Miss -- season complete
Oregon -- season complete
Purdue -- season complete
Saint Mary’s -- season complete
San Diego State -- season complete
Tennessee
Texas A&M -- season complete
Texas Tech -- season complete
UCLA -- season complete
UConn -- season complete
Utah State -- season complete
West Virginia -- season complete
Wisconsin
Squarely on the Bubble (6 teams for 4 spots)
Boise State
Indiana -- season complete
Texas -- season complete
UC-Irvine
Vanderbilt — season complete
Xavier -- season complete
No Longer Under Consideration (6)
Dayton -- season complete
North Carolina -- season complete
North Texas
Ohio State — season complete
SMU -- season complete
Wake Forest -- season complete
Lurking As Potential Bid-Stealers If Don't Win Conference Tourney (3)
Colorado State (Mountain West)
UC-San Diego (Big West)
VCU (Atlantic 10)
Saturday Bracket Notes
1. Twelve automatic bids will be doled out today:
America East -- #3 Maine @ #1 Bryant, 10 (ESPN2)
MEAC -- #1 Norfolk State vs. #2 South Carolina State, noon (ESPN2)
Big XII -- #1 Houston vs. #3 Arizona, 5 (ESPN)
Mountain West -- #2 Colorado State vs. #5 Boise State, 5 (CBS)
Big East -- #1 Saint John's vs. #2 Creighton, 5:30 (FOX)
MAAC -- #4 Iona vs. #6 Mount Saint Mary's, 6:30 (ESPNU)
MAC -- #1 Akron vs. #2 Miami-Ohio, 6:40 (ESPN2)
ACC -- #1 Duke vs. #2 Louisville, 7:30 (ESPN)
Conference USA -- #1 Liberty vs. #2 Jacksonville State, 7:30 (CBSSN)
SWAC -- #2 Jackson State vs. #5 Alabama State, 8:30 (ESPNU)
Big West -- #1 UC-San Diego vs. #2 UC-Irvine, 8:30 (ESPN2)
WAC -- #1 Utah Valley vs. #2 Grand Canyon, 10:30 (ESPN2)
2. New Mexico becomes our 33rd non-auto bid lock after falling to Boise State in the Mountain West semifinals. I think Boise State has a better chance for an at-large bid than fellow MW finalist Colorado State, but both are better off not leaving things to chance. The loser very well could be squeezed out, especially with a couple other potential bid-stealers (UC-San Diego, VCU) lurking.
3. Bubblicious games:
Boise State (vs. Colorado State)
UC-Irvine (vs. UC-San Diego)