Rush The Court

Zach Hayes is RTC’s  resident bracketologist.  He’ll regularly be out-scooping, out-thinking and out-shining Lunardi over the next three months.   

With roughly three weeks to go until Selection Sunday, we are now truly into the stretch run.

That said, the head honchos at Rush the Court have allowed me to change my Weekly Bracketology into a Daily Bracketlet from now until March 15. I’ll still provide my bracket for Monday mornings with crazy predictions like Villanova going to the title game. For the other days of the week, you’ll see a post like this one: summing up the previous night’s action in college basketball and how that influences any changes in the seeding. Only two games last night, but one team made a huge statement:

What Changed- Louisville’s dismantling of a finished Georgetown team in DC last night probably gives them the upper hand for a Big East regular season title. They have winnable home games against Marquette and Seton Hall and a tough road visit to West Virginia on the last Saturday of the season. With Connecticut and Pittsburgh still set to face each other on that same day, Louisville could very well surpass the loser of that game for a #1 seed. There’s no way the Big East receives 3 #1 seeds, so it will likely come down to the Big East Tournament, anyway. But Louisville is creeping.

The biggest story of Monday night is out of Norman, where the Blake Griffin-less Sooners fell at the hands of a young Kansas Jayhawks team quickly ascending up the ranks. Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Tyshawn Taylor are playing phenomenal basketball, and Kansas now has the upper hand for the Big 12 title. Does Kansas have enough to pass Oklahoma for a #1 seed? Check out how close their resumes are (RPI vs. top 25, 26-50 and 51-100):

• Oklahoma- 25-3 (11-2), 4 RPI, 26 SOS, 2-1, 6-1, 8-0, beat UAB, Purdue, Davidson, USC, Utah, VCU, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma State.
• Kansas– 23-5 (12-1), 7 RPI, 16 SOS, 4-2, 3-2, 6-0, beat Washington, Temple, Tennessee, Siena, Kansas State (2), Oklahoma State, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma still maintains a top-4 RPI, but Kansas holds the lead in SOS and wins over the RPI top 25. Oklahoma has the better overall record and quality wins, yet Kansas has the 1-game lead in conference and a victory at Oklahoma. The overall resumes are eerily close. Slight, slight edge to Oklahoma right now. And before you argue that head-to-head should trump all, you’re wrong. It’s your overall performance throughout the season that trumps head-to-head.

1 Seeds: Pittsburgh, Connecticut, North Carolina, Oklahoma
2 Seeds: Memphis, Louisville, Kansas, Michigan State
3 Seeds: Duke, Marquette, Villanova, Clemson
4 Seeds: Wake Forest, Washington, Missouri, Purdue
5 Seeds: Xavier, LSU, Arizona State, Illinois
6 Seeds: Florida State, West Virginia, California, UCLA
7 Seeds: Utah, Syracuse, Texas, Gonzaga
8 Seeds: Arizona, Minnesota, Butler, Dayton
9 Seeds: Kentucky, Utah State, Boston College, Ohio State
10 Seeds: Tennessee, Penn State, BYU, Florida
11 Seeds: UNLV, South Carolina, Siena, Wisconsin
12 Seeds: Davidson, Kansas State, Creighton, Maryland
13 Seeds: VCU, Western Kentucky, San Diego State, Buffalo
14 Seeds: Weber State, North Dakota State, American, Binghamton
15 Seeds: Cornell, Radford, Sam Houston State, Robert Morris
16 Seeds: Morgan State, Long Beach State, Jacksonville, Alabama State, Morehead State

Last Four In: Kansas State, San Diego State, Maryland, UNLV
Last Four Out: Michigan, Oklahoma State, Saint Mary’s, Miami (FL)
Next Four Out: Cincinnati, Southern Cal, Virginia Tech, Providence
Also Considered: Notre Dame, Temple, Nebraska, UAB, Rhode Island, Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Mississippi State