Bracketology 2/19/2018

Thought I would elaborate some on the reasoning behind why I have certain teams ranked higher or lower on the seed line compared to the average on Bracket Matrix. 

I have Florida ranked higher, despite losing to Georgia and Vandy last week, in large part because of their great road/neutral site wins. The committee seems to be focusing more attention on how a team fairs away from home this year. Florida has a superb list of wins away from home including true road wins at Texas A&M, Missouri, and Kentucky along with neutral site victories over Cincinnati and Gonzaga earlier in the season. This was the deciding factor on why I placed them as a 6 seed, despite the bad losses they have. 

This strategy was also why I continue to be lower on Kentucky, slotting them in as a 7 seed, because their only notable wins away from home were at West Virginia and LSU. All of their other quality victories have come at Rupp Arena. 

I have Arkansas ranked lower than the average, as a 10 seed, because their only notable wins away from home were at Georgia and at a neutral location vs Oklahoma. 

I have NC State ranked slightly higher, placing more emphasis on their 5 quality wins, rather than their 2 bad losses. 

Syracuse was lacking a quality victory on the road until they went to Miami and knocked off the Hurricanes this past weekend, boosting them into the last 4 teams in at the moment. 

Louisville missed out on a golden opportunity for a marquee win by getting blown out at home to North Carolina.

Georgia is sneaking back into the bubble discussion after wins at Florida and home vs Tennessee this past week. 

The same can be said for Utah after sweeping the Washington schools on the road this past week. Winners of 7 of the past 9, they now have 3 homes games to close out the season, including against USC and UCLA, which would really boost their resume if they could win both of those.

Here is my updated seed list:

1's: Virginia, Villanova, Xavier, Kansas
2's: Duke, Auburn, Michigan State, Purdue
3's: North Carolina, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Tennessee
4's: Clemson, Arizona, Gonzaga, West Virginia
5's: Wichita State, Rhode Island, Ohio State, Texas A&M
6's: Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Arizona State
7's: Kentucky, Creighton, Missouri, Nevada
8's: Saint Mary's, Michigan, Florida State, Houston 
9's: Miami, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, TCU
10's: Butler, Arkansas, North Carolina State, Providence
11's: Kansas State, Texas, Saint Bonaventure*, Baylor*, UCLA*, Syracuse*
12's: Middle Tennessee State, Vermont, New Mexico State, Loyola-Chicago
13's: Louisiana, Buffalo, South Dakota State, East Tennessee State
14's: Rider, Charleston, Belmont, UC Santa Barbara
15's: Montana, Bucknell, UNC-Asheville, Northern Kentucky
16's: Florida Gulf Coast, Wagner, North Carolina A&T*, Harvard*, Sam Houston State*, Southern*
* denotes play-in game

Last 4 Byes: NC State, Providence, Kansas State, Texas
Last 4 in (in order): Saint Bonaventure, Baylor, UCLA, Syracuse (last team in)
First 4 out (in order): Washington (first team out), USC, Louisville, LSU
Next 4 out: Marquette, Georgia, Utah, Penn State