Bracketology Breakdown
Last Four In: Nicholls, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Albany
First Eight Out: Towson, Tennessee-Martin, The Citadel, Maine, North Dakota, Chattanooga, Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky
A first, maybe, ever - no changes in the field. At least from those going in or out, with one exception. Holy Cross replaces Lafayette as the automatic projection in the Patriot League. A little shuffling with the seeds also. South Dakota State jumps back in after thoroughly destroying Northern Iowa. Wofford jumps into Furman’s spot, after beating them head-to-head and claiming the Southern Conference automatic in the process. Monmouth (Big South), Central Connecticut State (Northeast), San Diego (Pioneer), James Madison (Colonial) and North Dakota State (Missouri Valley) all finished up bid clinching with a week to go also.
Not going to get too into the how’s and why’s of bids at this point. There will be a Bracketology Bonus on Monday. That will spell everything out, including the first eight out and what has to happen for them to be in consideration come next Sunday (Selection Sunday) morning.
Bids By Conference
Big Sky (4): *Montana, Sacramento State, Weber State, Montana State
Big South (2): #Monmouth, Kennesaw State
Colonial (3): #James Madison, Villanova, Albany
Missouri Valley (5): #North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Illinois State, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois
Northeast (1): #Central Connecticut State
Ohio Valley (2): *Austin Peay, Southeast Missouri State
Patriot (1): *Holy Cross
Pioneer (1): #San Diego
Southern (2): #Wofford, Furman
Southland (3): *Southeastern Louisiana, Central Arkansas, Nicholls
* denotes projected conference automatic qualifier
# denotes automatic qualifier clinched
