It's That Time Of The Year Again: Men's Tournament Speculation

This time of the year is why I follow blogs here on WAF.  The vast majority of them have one goal: To predict who will make the annual NCAA men's basketball tournament.  I may not see them but once a year, around now, but when that time does come around, boy, I'm on these sites constantly.  That's why I love them.

This year seems to be different than most in that the bubble appears set and that in fact the field of 68 teams has largely been decided.  The speculator sites have largely been in agreement on that, and most notably have settled in on a line of teams in which the cut line has not moved.

Instead of going through each of the sites, the handy Bracket Matrix adds up all the bracketologists and comes up with a collective mind hive master list of teams in and out.  Ironically, however, they are no longer on my list of followed blogs.  The Bracket Matrix was last year, but it looks as if it now has its own site free of Blogger.

So according to the aggregate Bracket Matrix, as of press time, here is the bubble:

Last Four "Actually" In, AKA The Last Four "Byes":

• Arizona St.
• St. Joseph's
• SMU
• Tennessee

The Four At-Large Teams That Have To Play The Play-In Games:

• Xavier
• Nebraska
• Dayton
• BYU

Last Four Teams Out:

• Southern Miss
• Minnesota
• Cal
• Florida St.

Bracket Matrix might update again Sunday, but assuming I can't look at it then, this is the list by which we'll see if these guys correctly guess the bracket the NCAA Selection Committee will put out 5 o'clock Sunday evening.  I can't wait.  Every year I can't wait!

ETA early Sunday morning that the Bracket Matrix has been updated, and for some reason, Iowa replaces Arizona St. as one of the Last Four "Truly" In.