Welcome to Bracketwatch for Monday, January 9th 2006. Starting this
week, i'll start my posting of the projections with a little essay
relating to the bracket. Enjoy.

The Lure of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio. A typical Rust Belt town with a dwindling population and
factories closing at least once a year or so. It also has a 36-year
old basketball venue that still has that new facility sparkle. It's
known as the UD Arena and has hosted 66 NCAA tournament games since
it's 1969 opening.
The last five years has seen the arena host what many people
derogatorily call the play-in game. The NCAA refers to it as simply
the Opening Round game, because both of the participants are
considered as part of the field. And has been the case since 2001,
when it was reintroduced to preserve the 34th at-large bid, they play
to become the last 16th seed in the field.
This year, UD Arena will also host 1st and 2nd round action, which
brings up quite a conundrum for the selection committee; Do we send
the Opening Round winner to another site, or force one of the number 1
seeds to come to Dayton to play the worst seed in the field? Since the
Opening Round winner MUST play in a Friday/Sunday subregional, the
winner will go to just one of 4 places(Auburn Hills, Dallas,
Philadelphia and of course, Dayton). Come Selection Sunday, some #1
seed who has rightfully earned the right to play near their home will
instead be force to play in Dayton, or the opening round winner will
be on the road to a very hostile enviroment.

And now the projections, which are based on all results through Sunday.

Note: Conference leaders have the conference they represent listed in
parenthesis. If there is tie for the conference lead, the team with
the better record gets priority. If the tie cannot be broken by
overall record, the team with the better RPI will get priority. Later
in the season, H2H results will take priority.

Final Four Pairings
Washington vs. Minneapolis
Atlanta vs. Oakland

Washington regional

@ Greensboro, NC
1-Duke(ACC) vs. 16-Robert Morris(Northeast)
8-Syracuse vs. 9-Southern Illinois(Missouri Valley)
@ San Diego
4-Indiana vs. 13-Montana(Big Sky)
5-Arizona vs. 12-Texas A&M(Big 12)
@ Philadelphia
2-Pittsburgh vs. 15-Harvard(Ivy)
7-North Carolina State vs. 10-Iowa
@ Dallas
3-Texas vs. 14-Winthrop(Big South)
6-Bucknell(Patriot) vs. 11-California

Minneapolis regional

@ Philadelphia
1-Connecticut vs. 16-UC Irvine(Big West)
8-George Washington vs. 9-Wake Forest
@ Salt Lake City
4-Washington vs. 13-Miami(OH)(Mid American)
5-Michigan State vs. 12-UAB
@ Auburn Hills, MI
2-Wisconsin(Big Ten) vs. 15-Albany(America East)
7-West Virginia vs. 10-Vanderbilt
@ Jacksonville, FL
3-Boston College vs. 14-Northwestern State(Southland)
6-Iowa State vs. 11- Western Kentucky(Sun Belt)

Atlanta regional

@ Jacksonville
1-Florida(SEC) vs. 16-Delaware State(MEAC)
8-Oklahoma vs. 9-Georgetown
@ Greensboro
4-North Carolina vs. 13-La Salle(Atlantic 10)
5-Northern Iowa vs. 12-Northwestern
@ San Diego
2-UCLA(Pac-10) vs. 15-Samford(Ohio Valley)
7-Ohio State vs. 10-Hawaii(WAC)
@ Dayton, OH
3-Cincinnati(Big East) vs. 14-George Mason(Colonial)
6-Maryland vs. 11-Kansas

Oakland regional

@ Dallas
1-Memphis(CUSA) vs. 16-Opening Round Winner
Opening Round: Florida Atlantic(Atlantic Sun) vs. Southern(SWAC)
8-Air Force(MWC) vs. 9-Washington State
@ Dayton
4-Villanova vs. 13-Manhattan(MAAC)
5-Kentucky vs. 12-Florida State
@ Salt Lake City
2-Gonzaga(West Coast) 15-Davidson(Southern)
7-Tennessee vs. 10-Nevada
@ Auburn Hills
3-Illinois vs. 14-Oral Roberts(Mid-Con)
6-Louisville vs. 11-UW-Milwaukee(Horizon)

Last five in: California, Kansas, Northwestern, UAB, Florida State

Last five out: Missouri State, Wichita State, Nebraska, Michigan,
Houston

Next five out: Arkansas, Creighton, Georgia Tech, Rutgers, Xavier

Multiple Bid conferences: Big East(8), ACC(7), Big Ten(7), Big 12(5),
Pac-10(5), SEC(4), A-10(2), CUSA(2), MVC(2), WAC(2)

Next Projection is 1-16

P.S. BracketWatch is looking for someone to produce a Women's edition
of BracketWatch, so if know someone who is willing to do such an
effort, refer them to BracketWatch.