Originally posted on Monday, March 8, 2004.

Teams proceeded by their conference names in all caps are the current MRI leaders of the teams remaining alive in those conferences projected to get one bid.

East Region - East Rutherford, NJ
Buffalo, NY
#1Connecticut #16NORTHEAST: Central Conn. St.
#8Florida #9Southern Illinois
Raleigh, NC
#5Arizona #12UNC-Charlotte
#4North Carolina #13SOUTHERN: East Tennessee State
Kansas City, MO
#3Texas #14SWAC: Mississippi Valley State
#6Wake Forest #11UTEP
Orlando, FL
#7BIG WEST: Utah State #10Utah
#2Mississippi State #15IVY: Princeton

South Region - Atlanta, GA
Raleigh, NC
#1Duke #16Play-in game: BIG SOUTH: Liberty vs. BIG SKY: Weber State
#8Kansas #9BYU
Denver, CO
#5Nevada #12Auburn
#4Western Michigan #13Boston University
Milwaukee, WI
#3Wisconsin #14SUNBELT: UL-Lafayette
#6Memphis #11Xavier
Kansas City, MO
#7North Carolina State #10Boston College
#2Oklahoma State #15SOUTHLAND: Stephen Austin

West Region - Phoenix, AZ
Seattle, WA
#1Gonzaga #16MEAC: South Carolina State
#8Providence #9UAB
Denver, CO
#5Vanderbilt #12Nebraska
#4Georgia Tech #13ATLANTIC SUN: Central Florida
Milwaukee, WI
#3Louisville #14MVC: SW Missouri State
#6Seton Hall #11South Carolina
Buffalo, NY
#7MAAC: Manhattan #10Maryland
#2St. Joseph's #15AMERICA EAST: Vermont

Midwest Region - St. Louis, MO
Columbus, OH
#1Cincinnati #16PATRIOT: American
#8Syracuse #9HORIZON: Illinois-Chicago
Orlando, FL
#5Illinois #12Troy State
#4Kentucky #13Air Force
Seattle, WA
#3Stanford #14COLONIAL: Virginia Commonwealth
#6OVC: Murray State #11Florida State
Columbus, OH
#7Texas Tech #10Wichita State
#2Pittsburgh #15MCC: IUPUI


Conferences with multiple bids: ACC (7), SEC (6), Big East (6), Big 12 (5), C-USA (5), Mountain West (3), MVC (3), Big 10 (2), Atlantic 10 (2), Pac-10 (2), WAC (2), America East (2), Atlantic Sun (2)

Moved Down for placement requirements: None
Moved Up for placement requirements: None

Last 4 At-Large Teams In: Nebraska, Auburn, Boston University, Air Force
Last 4 At-Large Teams Out: Rhode Island, Michigan, Kent State, St. Mary's

I just go by my numbers. I tried as best I could. I know this is far from what the actual bracket will look like come March, and I am sure that my bracket will look a lot different then also.

Interesting :
  1. Dayton is shut out of the tournament despite 20 wins with two teams from non-top conferences getting the nod. Ouch. They have a lot to do to improve their lot for the tournament
  2. Michigan State, a team that contended for the conference title, is left out of the dance. They need a big statement in the conference tournament to get themselves into the picture.
  3. A number of the MRI leaders in the smaller conferences are nowhere near the conference leaders in the standings: Central Conn. St., Weber State.
  4. Boston University and Troy State get the nod for amazing regular seasons and sneak into the tournament as at-large bids. This will most likely change once the Major Conferences start their tournaments, but it is a nice thing to see at least this week.
  5. I have no illusions that Wichita State will make the tournament, but you can't blame me for the numbers. They have played well enough to warrant consideration and as a result are in the field from the MRI's point of view. I know I will get at least one team wrong this year, but until the committee starts using the MRI to narrow the field, I feel confident in my placement of them. I would imagine they may get an invite into the NIT and will most likely do well.

Toughest Region: East
Easiest Region: West


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