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

• Texas may not have dropped to the second line with just the loss Monday at Kansas State, but falling to Connecticut sealed their fate as far as a #1 seed is concerned for this week’s bracket. The beneficiary is Villanova, who moves to the top line along with Kentucky, Kansas and Syracuse.
• Duke’s win Saturday night at Clemson keeps them at a #2 seed despite the no-show at NC State. Georgetown’s huge road win at Pittsburgh bumps them up to a #2 seed. Kansas State could have been a #2 had they beaten Oklahoma State at home.
• Despite two losses this week, Pittsburgh’s overall slate of wins keeps them at the last #4 seed. They still have road wins at Syracuse, Connecticut and Cincinnati.
• BYU has a glamorous record at 20-1, but they just don’t have the quality wins at this point to move anywhere higher than a #5 seed.
• Two teams moving up quickly are Vanderbilt and Wake Forest.
• Connecticut’s win over Texas moved them from bubble territory to a #7 seed. The #1 SOS is boosting their RPI drastically.
• William & Mary losing at home to Old Dominion hurts, but they still had those big road wins over Wake Forest and Maryland to sneak the Tribe into the field. Seton Hall has three more top-50 wins than Northwestern. Despite Cincinnati losing to Louisville Sunday, it’s about the overall portfolio, and the Bearcats simply have better wins. North Carolina, unbelievably, is skating dangerously close to the NIT.
• That’s right folks: the Pac-10 only has one bid to the tournament. And I’d say there’s a 75% chance that could be the case on Selection Sunday. The Atlantic 10 and CAA benefit.

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