ACC Nation

2009 NCAA Brackets

Here are the latest 2009 brackets for the NCAA Men’s basketball.

MIDWEST Indianapolis	WEST Glendale	EAST Boston	SOUTH Memphis
GREENSBORO 1 – North Carolina 16 – Morehead State 8 – Marquette 9 – Utah State	KANSAS CITY 1 – Memphis 16 – Morgan State 8 – Oklahoma State 9 – Wisconsin	DAYTON 1 – Pittsburgh 16 – Chattanooga/Alabama St. 8 – Texas 9 – LSU	DAYTON 1 – Louisville 16 – Radford 8 – Butler 9 – USC
PORTLAND 5 – Purdue 12 – Virginia Commonwealth 4 – Washington 13 – Northern Iowa	BOISE 5 – UCLA 12 – Mississippi State 4 – Gonzaga 13 – Stephen F. Austin	PORTLAND 5 – Illinois 12 – Cleveland State 4 – Florida State 13 – North Dakota State	BOISE 5 – Xavier 12 – Siena 4 – Wake Forest 13 – Western Kentucky
MINNEAPOLIS 6 – Clemson 11 – Dayton 3 – Kansas 14 – Cornell	MIAMI 6 – Utah 11 – Maryland 3 – Villanova 14 – American	MIAMI 6 – Arizona State 11 – Texas A&M 3 – Syracuse 14 – Portland State	MINNEAPOLIS 6 – West Virginia 11 – Boston College 3 – Missouri 14 – Akron
PHILADELPHIA 7 – California 10 – Michigan 2 – Connecticut 15 – Cal State Northridge	KANSAS CITY 7 – Ohio State 10 – Temple 2 – Oklahoma 15 – Binghamton	GREENSBORO 7 – BYU 10 – Minnesota 2 – Duke 15 – E. Tennessee State	PHILADELPHIA 7 – Tennessee 10 – San Diego State 2 – Michigan State 15 – Robert Morris

2009 Tournament Dates

March 17: Opening Round Game at Dayton, Ohio (University of Dayton)

First and Second Rounds
March 19 and 21:
Greensboro, North Carolina (ACC)
Kansas City, Missouri (Big 12)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (St. Joseph’s University)
Portland, Oregon (University of Oregon)

March 20 and 22:
Boise, Idaho (Boise State University)
Dayton, Ohio (University of Dayton)
Miami, Florida (Florida International University)
Minneapolis, Minnesota (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities)

Regional Semifinals and Final
March 26 and 28:
Boston, Massachusetts (Boston College)
Glendale, Arizona (Arizona State University)

March 27 and 29:
Indianapolis, Indiana (Butler University/Horizon League)
Memphis, Tennessee (University of Memphis)

Final Four and the NCAA Championship Game
April 4 and 6 in Detroit, Michigan (University of Detroit-Mercy)

CBS has a completed a great printable pdf one here: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets/printable_men

As you can see the ACC is representing with North Caroline, and Duke…They are missing a number 16 against lousiville…but otherwise here is what we know.

The Seeds
The 1s
North Carolina, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Michigan State

The 2s
Connecticut, Duke, Memphis, Oklahoma

The 3s
Missouri, Wake Forest, Villanova, Kansas

The 4s
Syracuse, Florida State, Washington, Gonzaga

The 5s
Illinois, Purdue, Xavier, Arizona State

The 6s
UCLA, Utah, West Virginia, Ohio State

The 7s
Tennessee, Texas, Clemson, Butler

The 8s
LSU, Marquette, California, Oklahoma State

The 9s
BYU, Utah State, Michigan, Texas A&M

The 10s
Boston College, Wisconsin, Minnesota, USC

The 11s
Siena, Dayton, Temple, St. Mary’s

The 12s
Maryland, Mississippi State, Western Kentucky, Northern Iowa

The 13s
Cleveland State, VCU, Binghamton, American

The 14s
Stephen F. Austin, North Dakota State, Portland State, Akron

The 15s
Cornell, Morgan State, Robert Morris, East Tennessee State

The 16s
Cal State Northridge, Radford, Morehead State, Chattanooga (Play-In Game), Alabama State (Play-In-Game)

The Bracket

Cardinals, Panthers, Heels, Huskies earn top seeds

The Big East put up a big number Sunday: Three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament.

Louisville, Pittsburgh and Connecticut helped the Big East, a group originally created for basketball only, become the first conference to put three teams on the top line. North Carolina, regular-season Atlantic Coast conference champions, was the other top seed.

Louisville was the top overall seed in the tournament and will play in the Midwest. The Cardinals will open against the winner of an opening-round game Tuesday between Alabama State and Morehead State. Pitt was tops in the East, Carolina in the South and UConn in the West.

Of the four top seeds, Rick Pitino’s Cardinals were the only team to win its conference tournament. Louisville entered the Big East conference tournament as the top seed, though Pitt and UConn were more highly regarded throughout the regular season, each spending time at No. 1 in The Associated Press poll.

Memphis (31-3) got snubbed, taking the second seed in the West despite a 25-game winning streak. The Tigers are often downgraded for playing in the less-than-steller Conference USA, but John Calipari’s team proved people wrong last year, making it to the national title game.

In the West, it’s No. 2 seed Memphis vs. Cal State-Northridge; Missouri vs. Cornell; Washington vs. Mississippi State; Purdue vs. Northern Iowa; Marquette vs. Utah State; California vs. Maryland; BYU vs. Texas A&M.

Last year’s national champion, Kansas, is almost completely revamped this year and was seeded third in the Midwest with an opening game against North Dakota State.

Arizona extended its string of tournament appearances to a quarter century, and the 25th bid will be among the most debated. The Wildcats were thought by many to be off the bubble after an early loss to Arizona State in the Pac-10 tournament, but made it as 12th seed in the Midwest.

In the Midwest, No. 2 seed Michigan State will face No. 15 seed Robert Morris. In other games: Kansas vs. N. Dakota State; Wake Forest vs. Cleveland State; Utah vs. Arizona; West Virginia vs. Dayton; Boston College vs. Southern California; Ohio State vs. Siena.

Tournament wins by Southern California in the Pac-10 and Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference cost a couple of bubble teams spots among in the 65. Among the last teams to make it were Wisconsin, a 12th seed in the East, and Maryland, a surprisingly high 10th seed in the Midwest.

In the East, it’s No. 2 seed Duke vs. Binghamton; Villanova vs. American; Xavier vs. Portland State; Florida State vs. Wisconsin; UCLA vs. Virginia Commonwealth University; Texas vs. Minnesota; and Oklahoma State vs. Tennessee.

In the South, it’s No. 2 seed Oklahoma vs. Morgan State; Syracuse vs. Stephen F. Austin; Gonzaga vs. Akron; Illinois vs. Western Kentucky; Arizona State vs. Temple; Clemson vs. Michigan; LSU vs. Butler.

Teams that were left out included San Diego State, Creighton, Penn State and Saint Mary’s.

The ACC, Big East and Big Ten all had seven teams, the Big 12 and Pac-10 six each while the A-10 and SEC had three. Florida missed for the second straight year after winning two consecutive titles, and Auburn also was left out after a strong finish.

So enjoy as much of the action as you can…surely its going to be a great battle of men’s basketball to the finish!