(Editor’s note: This is part of the Bracket Central Series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)
For the first, and likely not the last, time this week, the bubble has burst. The Portland Pilots are going dancing, securing the automatic qualifying bid by winning the West Coast Conference tournament. Portland was solid this season, finishing a respectable third in the conference behind Santa Clara and Gonzaga.
Gonzaga had been projected in the field and looked like a lock to host for much of the season, with a stellar nonconference run and dominance in the WCC. The Zags beat Portland by 21 the first time they met and defeated Portland 90-40 just two weeks ago. Now Portland walks out with a trip to March Madness with a 1-point victory over the Bulldogs.
This is what March is all about. Everything we think we know can change in an instant.
| Last four in | First four out | Next four out | Last four byes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marquette |
Columbia |
Saint Joseph’s |
UNLV |
|
Texas A&M |
Washington State |
Villanova |
Michigan |
|
Arizona |
Mississippi State |
VCU |
Vanderbilt |
|
Miami |
Penn State |
Washington |
Auburn |
Multi-bid conference
| League | Bids |
|---|---|
|
ACC |
9 |
|
SEC |
8 |
|
Big Ten |
7 |
|
Big 12 |
7 |
|
Pac-12 |
7 |
|
Big East |
3 |
|
West Coast |
2 |
