Way-Too-Early 2017 NCAA March Madness Predictions!
The college basketball season gets underway on Friday, and the journey to March promises to be one of the most exciting ever! From superteams like Duke and Kentucky to individual difference-makers like Josh Jackson and Dennis Smith, the talent pool is very deep this year in college hoops. Obviously, March Madness is one of the hardest tournaments to predict as it is, but I'm going to try and make predictions for the tournament before the season even begins. Enjoy!
Automatic Bids
Team | Conference |
Vermont | America East |
UConn | American |
VCU | Atlantic 10 |
Duke | ACC |
Florida Gulf Coast | Atlantic Sun |
Kansas | Big 12 |
Xavier | Big East |
Sacramento State | Big Sky |
Winthrop | Big South |
Michigan State | Big Ten |
Long Beach State | Big West |
UNC-Wilmington | CAA |
UAB | C-USA |
Valparaiso | Horizon |
Harvard | Ivy |
Monmouth | MAAC |
Akron | MAC |
UNC-Central | MEAC |
Wichita State | MVC |
San Diego State | MWC |
Wagner | Northeast |
Murray State | OVC |
Oregon | Pac-12 |
Lehigh | Patriot |
Kentucky | SEC |
Chattanooga | Southern |
Sam Houston State | Southland |
Alabama State | SWAC |
North Dakota State | Summit |
Arkansas-Little Rock | Sun Belt |
New Mexico State | WAC |
Gonzaga | WCC |
At-Large Bids
Team | Conference |
Arizona | Pac-12 |
Baylor | Big 12 |
Butler | Big East |
BYU | WCC |
Cal | Pac-12 |
Cincinnati | American |
Creighton | Big East |
Dayton | Atlantic 10 |
Florida | SEC |
Florida State | ACC |
Georgetown | Big East |
Indiana | Big Ten |
Iowa State | Big 12 |
Louisville | ACC |
Marquette | Big East |
Maryland | Big Ten |
Michigan | Big Ten |
NC State | ACC |
North Carolina | ACC |
Ohio State | Big Ten |
Oklahoma | Big 12 |
Pittsburgh | ACC |
Purdue | Big Ten |
Rhode Island | Atlantic 10 |
Seton Hall | Big East |
SMU | American |
St. Mary's | WCC |
Syracuse | ACC |
Texas | Big 12 |
Texas A&M | SEC |
UCLA | Pac-12 |
Vanderbilt | SEC |
Villanova | Big East |
Virginia | ACC |
West Virginia | Big 12 |
Wisconsin | Big Ten |
South Region
Seed | Team |
1 | Kentucky |
2 | Syracuse |
3 | Michigan State |
4 | UConn |
5 | St. Mary's |
6 | Cal |
7 | Wichita State |
8 | Rhode Island |
9 | Maryland |
10 | Iowa State |
11 | Seton Hall |
12 | UAB |
13 | Akron |
14 | Murray State |
15 | Long Beach State |
16 | Winthrop/Sacramento State |
East Region
Seed | Team |
1 | Duke |
2 | Arizona |
3 | West Virginia |
4 | Xavier |
5 | Purdue |
6 | Dayton |
7 | Virginia |
8 | Baylor |
9 | Texas A&M |
10 | Marquette |
11 | Harvard |
12 | Valparaiso |
13 | UNC-Wilmington |
14 | Vermont |
15 | Sam Houston State |
16 | UNC-Central/Alabama State |
Midwest Region
Seed | Team |
1 | Kansas |
2 | Wisconsin |
3 | North Carolina |
4 | UCLA |
5 | VCU |
6 | Florida |
7 | SMU |
8 | Michigan |
9 | Florida State |
10 | Butler |
11 | Texas |
12 | Pittsburgh/BYU |
13 | Monmouth |
14 | Florida Gulf Coast |
15 | Wagner |
16 | Lehigh |
West Region
Seed | Team |
1 | Oregon |
2 | Villanova |
3 | Cincinnati |
4 | Gonzaga |
5 | Louisville |
6 | Indiana |
7 | NC State |
8 | Creighton |
9 | Ohio State |
10 | San Diego State |
11 | Vanderbilt |
12 | Georgetown/Oklahoma |
13 | Chattanooga |
14 | North Dakota State |
15 | New Mexico State |
16 | Arkansas-Little Rock |
First Four
Region | Matchup | Winner |
South | 16 Winthrop vs 16 Sacramento State | Winthrop |
West | 12 Georgetown vs 12 Oklahoma | Georgetown |
East | 16 UNC-Central vs 16 Alabama State | Alabama State |
Midwest | 12 Pittsburgh vs 12 BYU | BYU |
Nick Emery, BYU
Round of 64
Region | Matchup | Winner |
South | 1 Kentucky vs 16 Winthrop | Kentucky |
South | 8 Rhode Island vs 9 Maryland | Rhode Island |
South | 4 UConn vs 13 Akron | UConn |
South | 5 St. Mary's vs 12 UAB | St. Mary's |
South | 2 Syracuse vs 15 Long Beach State | Syracuse |
South | 7 Wichita State vs 10 Iowa State | Iowa State |
South | 3 Michigan State vs 14 Murray State | Michigan State |
South | 6 Cal vs 11 Seton Hall | Seton Hall |
West | 1 Oregon vs 16 Arkansas-Little Rock | Oregon |
West | 8 Creighton vs 9 Ohio State | Creighton |
West | 4 Gonzaga vs 13 Chattanooga | Gonzaga |
West | 5 Louisville vs 12 Georgetown | Georgetown |
West | 2 Villanova vs 15 New Mexico State | Villanova |
West | 7 NC State vs 10 San Diego State | NC State |
West | 3 Cincinnati vs 14 North Dakota State | North Dakota State |
West | 6 Indiana vs 11 Vanderbilt | Indiana |
East | 1 Duke vs 16 Alabama State | Duke |
East | 8 Baylor vs 9 Texas A&M | Texas A&M |
East | 4 Xavier vs 13 UNC-Wilmington | Xavier |
East | 5 Purdue vs 12 Valparaiso | Valparaiso |
East | 2 Arizona vs 15 Sam Houston State | Arizona |
East | 7 Virginia vs 10 Marquette | Marquette |
East | 3 West Virginia vs 14 Vermont | Vermont |
East | 6 Dayton vs 11 Harvard | Dayton |
Midwest | 1 Kansas vs 16 Lehigh | Kansas |
Midwest | 8 Michigan vs 9 Florida State | Florida State |
Midwest | 4 UCLA vs 13 Monmouth | UCLA |
Midwest | 5 VCU vs 12 BYU | VCU |
Midwest | 2 Wisconsin vs 15 Wagner | Wisconsin |
Midwest | 7 SMU vs 10 Butler | Butler |
Midwest | 3 North Carolina vs 14 Florida Gulf Coast | North Carolina |
Midwest | 6 Florida vs 11 Texas | Florida |
Dillon Brooks, Oregon
Round of 32
Region | Matchup | Winner |
South | 1 Kentucky vs 8 Rhode Island | Kentucky |
South | 4 UConn vs 5 St. Mary's | St. Mary's |
South | 2 Syracuse vs 10 Iowa State | Syracuse |
South | 3 Michigan State vs 11 Seton Hall | Michigan State |
West | 1 Oregon vs 8 Creighton | Oregon |
West | 4 Gonzaga vs 12 Georgetown | Georgetown |
West | 2 Villanova vs 7 NC State | NC State |
West | 6 Indiana vs 14 North Dakota State | Indiana |
East | 1 Duke vs 9 Texas A&M | Duke |
East | 4 Xavier vs 12 Valparaiso | Xavier |
East | 2 Arizona vs 10 Marquette | Arizona |
East | 3 West Virginia vs 6 Dayton | West Virginia |
Midwest | 1 Kansas vs 9 Florida State | Kansas |
Midwest | 4 UCLA vs 5 VCU | UCLA |
Midwest | 2 Wisconsin vs 10 Butler | Wisconsin |
Midwest | 3 North Carolina vs 6 Florida | Florida |
Josh Jackson, Kansas
Sweet 16
Region | Matchup | Winner |
South | 1 Kentucky vs 5 St. Mary's | Kentucky |
South | 2 Syracuse vs 3 Michigan State | Michigan State |
West | 1 Oregon vs 12 Georgetown | Oregon |
West | 6 Indiana vs 7 NC State | NC State |
East | 1 Duke vs 4 Xavier | Duke |
East | 2 Arizona vs 3 West Virginia | Arizona |
Midwest | 1 Kansas vs 4 UCLA | UCLA |
Midwest | 2 Wisconsin vs 6 Florida | Wisconsin |
Lonzo Ball, UCLA
Elite 8
Region | Matchup | Winner |
South | 1 Kentucky vs 3 Michigan State | Kentucky |
West | 1 Oregon vs 7 NC State | NC State |
East | 1 Duke vs 2 Arizona | Duke |
Midwest | 2 Wisconsin vs 4 UCLA | UCLA |
Dennis Smith, NC State
Final Four
Matchup | Winner |
1 Kentucky vs 7 NC State | Kentucky |
1 Duke vs 4 UCLA | Duke |
Grayson Allen, Duke
National Championship Game
Matchup | Winner |
1 Kentucky vs 1 Duke | Kentucky |
Bam Adebayo, Kentucky
