iStockphoto / garymilner
It’s March and the Madness is about to begin. The field was set last night and we know what the bracket looks like after a weekend full of conference championships.
Now it’s time to fill out a bracket before the ‘First Four’ games tip off on 3/19 and 3/20. The NCAA tournament goes into full swing on Thursday/Friday and that means you don’t have a lot of time to make your decisions.
Last year I was a complete bonehead and had UVA winning it all in my bracket which meant I was busted and dead in the water after the first slate of games. This year, I’m hoping to avoid bracket shame by doing slightly more research, and by that I mean I’m scrolling through this handicapper’s power ratings of every team in the field.
ESPN’s Preston Johnson has laid out a power rating of every team which shouldn’t be confused with a power ranking. In this format, teams can have the same rating. The numbers below are the team’s rank, name, and power rating. If you notice the #’s on the side jumping around a little bit it’s becuase he ranks them differently than the team’s power ratings at times.
Here’s what the field looks like according to a man who makes his money gambling on college basketball.
1. Duke 25
2. Gonzaga 24.6
3. Virginia 22.9
4. UNC 21.1
5. Kentucky 20.8
6. Tennessee 19.8
7. Michigan 18.2
8. Michigan State 18.1
9. Texas Tech 18.
10. Purdue 17.3
11. Nevada 16
12. Florida State 16
13. Auburn 15.5
14. Kansas 15.4
15. Houston 15.3
16. LSU 15.2
17. Wisconsin 15.2
18. Iowa State 14.8
19. Villanova 14.8
20. Virginia Tech 14.8
21. Mississippi State 14.5
22. Marquette 14.1
23. Buffalo 14.1
24. Louisville 13.8
25. Maryland 13.7
27. Kansas State 13.2
29. Cincinnati 12.4
30. Florida 12.4
31. Syracuse 12.2
32. Iowa 11.8
34. Utah State 11.6
35. Mississippi 11.1
37. Wofford 11
38. Washington 10.7
39. Baylor 10.6
40. St. Mary’s 10.5
41. VCU 10.5
42. Ohio State 10.4
43. Oregon 10.2
44. Oklahoma 10.1
46. UCF 10.1
50. Minnesota 9.1
52. Arizona State 9
54. New Mexico State 8.9
56. Belmont 8.7
58. Seton Hall 8.5
59. St. John’s 84.
66. Temple 7.5
68. Murray State 7.4
80. Liberty 6.5
87. Northeastern 6.1
94. UC Irvine 5.8
100. Vermont 5.2
99. Yale 5.2
105. Saint Louis 4.8
118. Old Dominion 3.7
119. Montana 3.7
121. Northern Kentucky 3.5
134. Georgia State 2.1
136. Colgate 2
165. Bradley -0.3
176. Abilene Christian -1
180. Iona -1.1
211. Gardner-Webb -2.6
214. North Dakota State -2.7
241. Prairie View A&M -4.6
251. Fairleigh Dickinson -5.3
305. NC Central -8.9
By the way, if you want to win a chance to go to win a trip o a 2019/2020 game and free shirts for a year then check out this awesome March Madness giveaway from Mizzen + Main.
If these numbers are to be believed, I think it’s safe to assume that NC Central won’t be busting anyone’s brackets this season.
If you want to see this list above with the team’s tournament seeds included you can click here to see his original article over on ESPN which will help you along your way in filling out this year’s March Madness bracket. Just remember to go HEAVY on ACC teams, that’s the only advice I’m dishing out this year.