We normally kick off our NCAA Men’s Basketball coverage with a breakdown of the Bracketbuster games, but the Bracketbuster weekend is no more. So, we have chosen today to begin putting our slant on bracketology.
We have tweaked our Bracketnomics’ formula, and when we get closer to Big Dance time, we will explain our changes as well as why we made changes. There are numerous ratings’ formulas out there, including the major four factors, but those factors are not as reliable in NCAA Tournament play as they are in regular season play, so if you follow this type of rating, you will be barking up the wrong tree after March 10.
The first conference tournaments begin in just 20 days, so we will start by giving you a preview on each conference tournament.
Conference: America East
Site: SEFCU Arena, Guilderland, NY (Greater Albany)
Date: March 8-9, 15
Teams in Tournament: 8 (Massachusetts-Lowell Not Eligible)
Bracket Type: Standard (1-8/4-5/2-7/3-6)
Conference: American Athletic
Site: The Fed Ex Forum, Memphis, TN
Date: March 12-15
Teams in Tournament: 10
Bracket Type: Standard (7-10, 8-9, 1-7-10, 4-5 2-8-9, 3-6)
Conference: Atlantic 10
Site: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Date: March 12-16
Teams in Tournament: 13
Bracket Type: Standard (12-13, 5-12-13, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12-13, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Site: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
Date: March 12-16
Teams in Tournament: 15
Bracket Type: 15 to 12 to 8 (10-15, 11-14, 12-13, 5-12-13, 6-11-14, 7-10-15, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12-13, 2-7-10-15, 3-6-11-14)
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Site: All Games Played at home floor of higher seed
Date: March 4, 6, & 9
Teams in Tournament: 8 (Northern Kentucky Not Eligible)
Bracket Type: Standard (8@1, 7@2, 6@3, 5@4)
Conference: Big 12
Site: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
Date: March 12-15
Teams in Tournament: 10
Bracket Type: Standard (7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6)
Conference: Big East
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date: March 12-15
Teams in Tournament: 10
Bracket Type: Standard (7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6)
Conference: Big Sky
Site: At Home Floor of Regular Season Champion
Date: March 14-16
Teams in Tournament: 7
Bracket Type: Re-Seeded After Each Round (2-7, 3-6, 4-5, 1-bye and plays lowest seeded 1st round winner)
Conference: Big South
Site: HTC Center, Conway, SC (Coastal Carolina)
Date: March 5, 7-9
Teams in Tournament: 12
Bracket Type: Standard Divisional (3N-6S, 4N-5S, 3S-6N, 4S-5N, 1N-4S-5N, 2S-3N-6S, 1S-4N-5S, 2N-3S-6N)
Conference: Big Ten
Site: Banker’s Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Date: March 13-16
Teams in Tournament: 12
Bracket Type: Standard (5-12, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Big West
Site: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Date: March 13-15
Teams in Tournament: 8
Bracket Type: Standard (1-8, 4-5, 2-7, 3-6)
Conference: Colonial Athletic
Site: Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, MD
Date: March 7-10
Teams in Tournament: 9
Bracket Type: Standard (8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7, 3-6)
Conference: Conference USA
Site: Don Haskins Center, El Paso, TX
Date: March 11-15
Teams in Tournament: 15 (Florida Int’l Not eligible)
Bracket Type: 15 to 12 to 8 (10-15, 11-14, 12-13, 5-12-13, 6-11-14, 7-10-15, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12-13, 2-7-10-15, 3-6-11-14)
Conference: Horizon League
Site: First Round at Higher Seed, Quarterfinals and Semifinals at #1 Seed, Championship at Higher Seed
Date: March 4, 7, 8, & 11
Teams in Tournament: 9
Bracket Type: 9 to 6 to 4 (4-9, 5-8, 6-7, 3-6-7, 4-9-5-8, 1-4-9-5-8, 2-3-6-7)
Conference: Ivy League
Site: No Tournament—Regular Season Champion Receives Automatic Bid
Date: If Two Teams Are Tied, the Playoff would be held March 10 or 11
Teams in Tournament: N/A
Bracket Type: N/A
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic
Site: Mass Mutual Center, Springfield, MA
Date: March 6, 8-10
Teams in Tournament: 11
Bracket Type: Standard (6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Mid-American
Site: First Round at Higher Seed, Rest at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH)
Date: March 10, 12-15
Teams in Tournament: 12 (teams seeded 1-12 regardless of which division they are in)
Bracket Type: Standard (5-12, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic
Site: Norfolk Scope, Norfolk, VA
Date: March 10-13
Teams in Tournament: 13
Bracket Type: Standard (4-13, 5-12, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-13-5-12, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Missouri Valley (Arch Madness)
Site: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO
Date: March 6-9
Teams in Tournament: 10
Bracket Type: Standard (7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6)
Conference: Mountain West
Site: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
Date: March 12-15
Teams in Tournament: 11
Bracket Type: Standard (6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Northeast
Site: All Games Played at Higher Seed
Date: March 5, 8, & 11
Teams in Tournament: 8
Bracket Type: Standard (8@1, 5@4, 7@2, 6@3)
Conference: Ohio Valley
Site: Municipal Auditorium (Nashville, TN)
Date: March 5-8
Teams in Tournament: 8
Bracket Type: 8 to 6 to 4 (5-8, 6-7, 4-5-8, 3-6-7, 1-4-5-8, 2-3-6-7)
Conference: Pac-12
Site: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date: March 12-15
Teams in Tournament: 12
Bracket Type: Standard (5-12, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Patriot League
Site: All Games Played at Higher Seed
Date: March 3, 5, 8, & 12
Teams in Tournament: 10
Bracket Type: Standard (10@7, 9@8, 8-9@1, 5@4 7-10@2, 6@3)
Conference: Southeastern
Site: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Date: March 12-16
Teams in Tournament: 14
Bracket Type: 14 to 12 to 8 (11-14, 12-13, 5-12-13, 6-11-14, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5-12-13, 2-7-10, 3-6-11-14)
Conference: Southern
Site: U.S. Cellular Center, Asheville, NC
Date: March 7-10
Teams in Tournament: 11
Bracket Type: Standard (6-11, 7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6-11)
Conference: Southland
Site: Leonard E. Merrell Center, Katy, TX (Greater Houston)
Date: March 12, 14-16
Teams in Tournament: 8 (Abilene Christian, Incarnate Word, & New Orleans Not Eligible)
Bracket Type: 8 to 6 to 4 (5-8, 6-7, 4-5-8, 3-6-7, 1-4-5-8, 2-3-6-7)
Conference: Southwestern Athletic
Site: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date: March 13-16
Teams in Tournament: 7 (UA-Pine Bluff, Grambling, & Mississippi Valley St. are ineligible)
Bracket Type: Standard (2-7, 3-6, 4-5, 1-4-5, 2-7-3-6)
Conference: Summit League
Site: Sioux Falls Arena, Sioux Falls, SD
Date: March 8-11
Teams in Tournament: 7 (Omaha Not Eligible)
Bracket Type: Standard (2-7, 3-6, 4-5, 1-4-5, 2-7-3-6)
Conference: Sun Belt
Site: Lakefront Arena (New Orleans, LA)
Date: March 13-16
Teams in Tournament: 8
Bracket Type: 8 to 6 to 4 (5-8, 6-7, 4-5-8, 3-6-7, 1-4-5-8, 2-3-6-7)
Conference: West Coast
Site: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date: March 6, 8, 10-11
Teams in Tournament: 10
Bracket Type: Standard (7-10, 8-9, 1-8-9, 4-5, 2-7-10, 3-6)
Conference: Western Athletic
Site: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date: March 13-15
Teams in Tournament: 8 (Grand Canyon not eligible)
Bracket Type: Standard (1-8, 4-5, 2-7, 3-6)
The Pi-Rate Ratings 