Commentary
VBDI's Selection Sunday projection
Updated: March 12, 2012, 1:26 PM ET
By
Dick Vitale | ESPN.com
Here it is, my projections for the field of 68.
The VBDI (Vitale Bald Dome Index) has gone absolutely bananas, baby!
Breaking down the field of 68 is not easy. A number of bubble teams are rooting for Xavier over St. Bonaventure. If the Bonnies win, it is one for the bid stealers.
I have tried to sort things out, by conference.
| IN | |
|---|---|
| AMERICA EAST | Vermont |
| ATLANTIC 10 | Temple, Saint Louis, Xavier |
| ACC | North Carolina, Duke, Florida St, Virginia, NC State |
| ATLANTIC SUN | Belmont |
| BIG 12 | Kansas, Missouri, Baylor, Iowa St, Kansas State, Texas |
| BIG EAST | Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Notre Dame, Connecticut, Louisville, Cincinnati, West Virginia, South Florida |
| BIG SKY | Montana |
| BIG SOUTH | NC-Asheville |
| BIG TEN | Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue |
| BIG WEST | Long Beach State |
| CAA | VCU, Drexel |
| C-USA | Memphis, Southern Mississippi |
| HORIZON | Detroit |
| IVY | Harvard |
| MAAC | Loyola-Maryland |
| MEAC | Norfolk State |
| MVC | Creighton, Wichita State |
| MOUNTAIN WEST | UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State |
| NEC | LIU Brooklyn |
| OVC | Murray State |
| PAC-12 | Colorado, Washington |
| PATRIOT | Lehigh |
| SEC | Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State |
| SOUTHERN | Davidson |
| SOUTHLAND | Lamar |
| SWAC | Mississippi Valley State |
| SUMMIT | South Dakota State |
| SUN BELT | Western Kentucky |
| WCC | St. Mary's, Gonzaga, BYU |
| WAC | New Mexico State |
If St. Bonaventure wins, then Mississippi State will fall out of the field, in my view.
This is based on what I believe the committee will do. Personally, I would reward more of the mid-majors like Iona for great play during the regular season.
We will find out on Sunday how this all plays out. The committee may see things a little differently, like with VCU last season.
Dick Vitale, college basketball's top analyst and ambassador, joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season. His thorough knowledge of the game is brought forth in an enthusiastic, passionate style. Vitale also contributes columns to ESPN.com.
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