Bracketology 2012: Washington Huskies Projected For 10 Seed In March Madness

The Washington Huskies may lack the resumé of other bubble teams, but a likely regular season championship in the Pac-12 speaks for itself. Combine that with the potential for yet another conference tournament championship, and the Huskies should feel pretty good about their chances at March Madness.

With just one game remaining against UCLA, the Huskies don't have much time to improve their tournament stock. Most projected brackets have the team earning a bid somewhere in the 10-12 range, but we simply do not know how the Selection Committee will reward teams in the Pac-12 after playing in such a weak conference this season.

According to the latest Bracketology update from SB Nation, the Washington Huskies are slated to earn a 10-seed, facing the seven-seed Creighton Blue Jays in the first round. Should the team advance, they would likely face the slumping Ohio St. Buckeyes for a chance to go to the Sweet 16.

Plenty of hoops remain in the next week before Selection Sunday, and the Huskies cannot afford to lose any games they should win. Their resumé simply isn't good enough.

For more on the Huskies, head on over to UW Dawg Pound.

Bracketology 2012: Washington Huskies Not Safe Yet

The Washington Huskies might be in first place in the Pac-12. They might very well win the conference this week with two wins in Los Angeles. But they still are hovering on the bubble to get selected for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Washington still lacks a good win on their resume, and they have plenty of tough results. They've lost to Cal, Oregon and Colorado on the road, but their OOC results have all been terribly unfavorable. If not for their narrow wins over Arizona, they might be off the bubble completely.

So what do they need to do to lock up their berth? Andy Glockner of Sports Illustrated filed this report in his latest Bubble Watch.

The Huskies rallied past state rival Wazzu in Pullman, thanks in large part to the Cougars Cougin' in from the free throw line (6-of-20 in the second half). Bottom line: A win's a win and the Huskies are now alone in first place. The profile can't improve as far as quality, so UW needs to sweep in L.A., grab the conference crown by itself and hope that's enough in a weak bubble. They likely will finish 3-8 against the top 100.
GW: Sweep of Arizona??
BL: Home to South Dakota State by 19

Washington wrapping up the conference title would do wonders for the Huskies, because generally teams that win conference titles from the traditional Big Six conferences are hard to dismiss from the tournament. But it might not be a total guarantee for a team lacking big resume wins. Washington might need to at least earn a couple of victories in the tournament to get in as well.

To discuss Washington basketball with Husky fans, go to UW Dawg Pound. To check out bracketology info in general, go to Blogging the Bracket.

2012 NCAA Bracketology: Washington On The Bubble As No. 10 Seed

March is drawing near which means the madness is right around the corner. Not every team will be participating in the NCAA basketball tournament, though. According to SB Nation's Chris Dobbertean's latest analysis on which teams will make it in and which teams will be shut out, the Washington Huskies will be one of the teams that will extend their season by making it into the tournament as a No. 10 seed, but that they're on the bubble and things could go either way right now.

For starters, Harvard faces a significant Ivy homestand (more on that later), while Long Beach State looks to stay perfect in Big West play when UC Riverside comes calling. Among the contenders from multi-bid conferences, Cincinnati, Purdue, and Washington can all grab huge road wins, while Alabama, Arizona, and Seton Hall face tricky challenges on their home floors. Meanwhile, UConn will look to be rude hosts when No. 1 overall seed Syracuse visits. I'll have more specifics on all of these games at the end of the post.

The Huskies have won eight of their last nine games and are currently riding a three-game winnings streak. They play Saturday night against the 14-13 Washington State Cougars on the road. Then their last two games, both on the road as well, are against USC on Thursday and UCLA on Saturday. The 19-8 Huskies will need to win at least two, and should win all three, of their final games if they want to earn a spot in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

For more on the Huskies, head to UW Dawg Pound.

Bracketology Predictions 2011: Final NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections On Selection Sunday

The Selection Sunday show is just about half an hour away, giving us one more chance to sweep through the bracketology predictions to get a better idea of which teams are in or out and where our local teams may land. The bubble is still incredibly flexible ahead of the NCAA Tournament selection show, but we do know the Washington Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs are in. Where the Zags and Huskies will land, though, remains in question, with projections still varying for each.

Here’s a look at the final NCAA Tournament projections ahead of Selection Sunday.

Washington Huskies: SB Nation has the Huskies as a No. 7 seed in the West region. The Huskies face Michigan, the No. 10 seed, in SB Nation’s bracket, with the first round matchup set to take place in Tucson. Washington seems to have stabilized as a No. 7 seed in almost every bracket as the experts form some kind of consensus on where Washington projections.

Gonzaga Bulldogs: SB Nation has the Zags as a No. 10 seed in its final bracketology, getting Gonzaga off the dreaded 8/9 line, but bumping the Bulldogs down a seed. Gonzaga would face Old Dominion in the first round of the Southeast region in Tulsa. Texas would likely await the winner in the second round.

Stay with our bracketology StoryStream throughout the day for the latest updates leading up to the NCAA Tournament selection show at 3 p.m. Be sure to check in with Washington and Gonzaga fans throughout the day at SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits.

Bracketology Predictions 2011: More NCAA Tournament Brackets Ahead Of Selection Sunday

Selection Sunday is just over an hour away and the NCAA Tournament bracket projections are still rolling in as bracketology experts make late adjustments to the field. For teams on the bubble, it’s a nervous time as nobody can seem to agree on the final four teams in the field this late in the game. For the Washington Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs, it’s a decidedly less nerve-wracking time as both teams are safely in the NCAA Tournament field.

Where the two teams will land is still up for debate, with projections narrowed, but still varying to some degree. Joe Lunardi has the Huskies as a No. 7 seed, Jerry Palm agreed, but others have the Huskies lower. It appears Washington’s ceiling is as a seven seed, with the floor either an eight or nine seed.

SB Nation’s latest bracketology moved the Huskies up a few spots after the Pac-10 Tournament, moving Washington from a No. 11 seed to the dreaded No. 8 seed. Chris Dobbertean projects the Huskies will face Marquette in the first round in Tulsa, with the winner moving on to face Kansas in the second round.

Gonzaga is also on the dreaded 8/9 seed line, one spot lower than Washington at No. 9. The Bulldogs are matched up with Tennessee in the Southeast regional, traveling all the way to Washington D.C. for the first round matchup. The winner of the Tennessee-Gonzaga game would face Pittsburgh, the No. 1 seed in the region, in the second round.

Stay with our bracketology StoryStream throughout the day for the latest updates leading up to the NCAA Tournament selection show at 3 p.m. Be sure to check in with Washington and Gonzaga fans throughout the day at SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound and The Slipper Still Fits.

Bracketology Predictions 2011: Washington A No. 7 Seed In Jerry Palm's NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections

How big was the Pac-10 Tournament win for the Washington Huskies? After floating around on the bubble last week, Washington has seen its seed jump following its win over Arizona on Saturday. Before the win, Washington was widely seen as a No. 10 seed, but after securing an automatic NCAA Tournament bid, the Huskies are moving on up.

Earlier this morning, we checked out Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology. Lunardi moved the Huskies up from No. 10 to No. 7 in his Selection Sunday morning, all on the back of the Pac-10 Tournament win. But Lunardi wasn’t alone as many bracketologists followed suit.

CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm bumped the Huskies up, as well, moving them to the No. 7 seed line. Palm has the Huskies in the Southwest region, set to square-off against Tennessee in the first round. The news on the travel front isn’t as good, though, as Palm projects the Huskies will head to Chicago in the first round.

Stay with our bracketology StoryStream throughout the day for the latest updates leading up to the NCAA Tournament selection show at 3 p.m. Be sure to check in with Washington fans throughout the day at SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound.

Bracketology Predictions 2011: NIT Bracket Projections For Washington State

The Washington State Cougars are surely our of the NCAA Tournament discussion, but remain safely in the NIT. The Cougars saw any hopes of stealing an NCAA bid disappear in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament with a loss to eventual champion Washington. While the rest of the college basketball world waits on pins and needles during the Selection Sunday show, the Cougars will have to wait a few more hours to find out where they’ll be playing in March during the NIT Selection Show.

Before then, we can get a better idea of where Washington State may end up by looking through the latest NIT bracketology projections.

The NIT Bracket Project: Washington State is a No. 3 seed in the NIT according to The Bracket Project. The Cougars are in UAB’s region, set to take-on Dayton in the first round. The projections are subject to change and have not been updated on Selection Sunday yet.

NITology: Washington State is a No. 2 seed in the latest NITology update. Instead of projecting matchups, NITology just predicts seed lines. Washington State joins UAB, Cleveland State and Harvard as No. 2 seeds, with Alabama, Georgia, Boston College and Missouri State taking the No. 1 seeds.

The NIT Selection Show gets underway following the NCAA Selection Sunday show, live on ESPNU. Stay with our bracketology StoryStream throughout the day for updates on the NIT and NCAA bracket projections. For more on the Cougars, head over to SB Nation’s CougCenter.

Bracketology Predictions 2011: Joe Lunardi's Latest NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections

With just a few hours to go until Selection Sunday, bracketologists are making the final tweaks to their 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket projections. Joe Lunardi, ESPN’s resident bracketology expert, continues to shuffle his field around, changing seeds while making last-minute decisions on bubble teams throughout the day.

Lunardi’s full bracketology update can be found here. Let’s take a look at where the local schools are on Selection Sunday.

Washington Huskies: Washington is safely in after winning the Pac-10 Tournament on Sunday. The Huskies clearly improved their NCAA Tournament stock during the Pac-10 Tournament, winning three-straight games to bring home the title. Lunardi rewarded the Huskies, bumping them from a No. 10 seed to a No. 7 seed overnight. In his latest bracketology, Lunardi has the Huskies paired with Georgetown in the first round of the West regional, set to take place in Phoenix.

Gonzaga Bulldogs: The Zags are holding steady in the latest bracketology, but their opponent has changed. Previously, Gonzaga was a No. 9 seed and paired with Utah State. The Bulldogs are still a No. 9 seed on Selection Sunday, but are paired with Missouri in the Southeast regional. Lunardi projects the two teams will meet in Chicago in the first round.

Stay with our bracketology StoryStream throughout the day for the latest updates leading up to the NCAA Tournament selection show at 3 p.m.

Bracketology Predictions 2011: NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections Ahead Of Selection Sunday

The Washington Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs are safely in the NCAA Tournament, awaiting their seeding on Selection Sunday. For both the Huskies and Bulldogs, it's no longer a matter of if, but where, as each took home an automatic NCAA Tournament bid with conference tournament wins this past week. Now that we know they're in, it's time to take a look at the latest bracketology predictions to get a better idea of where each may be playing next week in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Washington Huskies: According to Joe Lunardi's latest bracketology at ESPN, the Huskies are a 10 seed, paired against a seven seed in the first round. Lunardi has the Huskies facing the Georgetown Hoyas in the first round of the West regional. The better news for Washington, however, is the location. Lunardi projections the Huskies and Hoyas will play in Denver to open the NCAA Tournament, a short jaunt from Seattle compared to other possible locations.

Gonzaga Bulldogs: Gonzaga faces a tougher draw if Lunardi's bracketology holds true. The Zags are on the dreaded 8/9 seed line, pegged as a nine seed in the Southwest regional. Lunardi has the Bulldogs paired with Utah State in the first round, set to take place in Tulsa.

The projections go out the window as the field of 68 is announced on Selection Sunday, live on CBS. Stay with our bracketology StoryStream throughout the day for the latest updates leading up to the NCAA Tournament selection show at 3 p.m.

To connect with Washington fans, stop over at UW Dawg Pound. To see what Gonzaga fans are thinking, check out The Slipper Still Fits.

NIT Bracketology: Washington State A No. 2 Seed, USC Takes No. 1 Seed

The Pac-10 is well-represented in the latest NIT bracketology projections, with three teams in the top-half of the rankings. Washington State, California and USC are all listed as “in” the field, with USC holding an outside shot at an NCAA Tournament bid. With a top-half seed comes the chance to host a game as the NIT field battles for a trip to Madison Square Garden.

In the latest NIT-ology projections, the Washington State Cougars are a No. 2 seed along with UAB, Colorado State and Cleveland State. USC, on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, is a No. 1 seed, joining Boston College, Georgia and Missouri State. The one-seeds are right on the bubble with a shot at the NCAA Tournament still possible, depending on how the field shakes out.

California is also a top-half seed, coming in on the No. 4 line. The Bears are joined by Miami, Minnesota and Marshall. The Bears, Cougars and Trojans are the only three Pac-10 teams in the NIT, with three other teams — Washington, Arizona and UCLA — listed as “in” the NCAA Tournament field.

For more projections, check out the rest of our NCAA bracketology StoryStream.

NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections: Washington Huskies, St. John's Red Storm Paired In First Round

The Washington Huskies continue to boost their case for the NCAA Tournament as Selection Sunday nears, winning two consecutive Pac-10 Tournament games to reach the finals. The Huskies appear to be safely in the NCAA Tournament after an impressive performance at Staples Center. On Saturday, though, the Huskies can ensure themselves a spot in the Big Dance with a win over Arizona in the Pac-10 Championship with the automatic bid on the line.

The latest SB Nation bracketology arrived this morning following a long night of college basketball on Friday. As it stands now, the Huskies are on the 11-seed line, set to take on St. John’s in the first round. It’s the location that should have Huskies fans excited: SB Nation projections Washington will play its first round game in Denver.

While both teams in the Pac-10 Tournament championship — Arizona and Washington — appear to be safely in the tournament, there’s still plenty on the line. Both teams are playing for a higher seed and Arizona, according to SB Nation’s Chris Dobbertean, is playing for a top-four seed.

The Pac-10 Tournament concludes with Arizona facing Washington (CBS, 6 p.m. ET). The Wildcats have a shot at a top four seed with a victory.

Follow along with our Pac-10 Tournament StoryStream for the latest as Washington and Arizona battle for an automatic NCAA Tournament bid on Saturday.

Bracketology 2011: Washington Headed To Pac-10 Tournament Final, Washington State Hoping To Host An NIT Game

After their decisive win against Oregon last night in LA, Washington has all but clinched their spot in the NCAA tournament, but there is still one game between them and Selection Sunday. Washington takes on Arizona in the Pac-10 conference Tournament final and you can find all of the coverage you need right here on SB Nation Seattle.

But let's take a moment and look past today's matchup. Now that Washington is virtually guaranteed a spot in the big dance, whether it's as an at large or through winning today's game, where will the selection committee place them? In our most recent look at bracket projections from some of the most trusted sources in the game, The Huskies were seeded somewhere between a tenth seed and an eleventh seed, but this was before their wins against Washington State on Thursday and Oregon yesterday.

Today those same projections list Washington anywhere from an eighth seed to a tenth seed. The win over Oregon didn't do much for Washington's seedings, but a win over Arizona tonight could have a huge impact on it. Should The Huskies defeat The Wildcats today, look for their stock to skyrocket, maybe even as far as a sixth or seventh seed

For Washington State, it's a very different story.

Their loss to Washington on Thursday officially knocked them out of NCAA Tournament contention once and for all. Now, they have turned their attention to playing in the NIT. WSU Athletic Director Bill Moos thinks this could be a great opportunity for the school and hopes that his school will be able to host the games:

"With our record and how we’re playing right now, I think we’ve got a good chance [to be in the field]," said athletic director Bill Moos. "And, hopefully, we have a chance to host it. We want to."

It was previously presumed that, due to a substantial fee that hosting an NIT game demands, Washington State would be adverse to hosting a game while students are on spring break. Moos addressed this issue to:

"I don’t like to step over the dollars to get the nickels," Moos said. "We need to continue to play in the postseason and give our fans an opportunity to watch us. So we’re holding out hope that we first, get invited, and then that we host it."

There aren't many bracketology websites around for NIT projections, but there are some. One projection (NITology) has WSU as a one seed, two other projections (ChicagoNow and CollegeHoopsnet) have them as two seeds and one (The Bracket Project), the one that carries the most clout of the four, has them as a three seed. Should Bracket Project be right, WSU would not be able to host games, unless a higher seed declines the offer to host.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Seattle all weekend as we cover the final days of conference championship games and finally make it to the faithful day so many teams have been waiting for: Selection Sunday.

NIT Bracket Projections: Washington State In After Pac-10 Tournament Loss

The Washington State Cougars still held an outside chance of making the NCAA Tournament ahead of Thursday night’s loss to the Washington Huskies in the Pac-10 Tournament. But with the loss, any hopes of making the Big Dance evaporated, leaving the Cougars facing the prospects of playing in the NIT. The players know it, the coaches know it and the fans are facing the harsh reality of what might have been following a two-point loss to the Huskies at Staples Center. There is good news in the latest NIT bracket projections for the Cougars, though.

In the latest NIT bracketology, the Cougars are a three-seed, ensuring at least one home game in the tournament, should they choose to take it. Washington State is a two seed in the latest bracketology, just behind Alabama. In the first round, the Cougars would face Coastal Carolina and would have the hosting duties, as well. Should the Cougars advance, they’d play the winner of the 3/6 game, either third-seeded Missouri State or sixth-seeded Northwestern.

While the Cougars’ NCAA hopes are gone, Washington State still has the chance to gain valuable postseason experience in the NIT, a positive as head coach Ken Bone tries to build the program.

For the latest on the projections, check out the rest of our bracketology StoryStream. For more on the Cougars, visit SB Nation’s CougCenter.

NCAA Tournament Bracketology: Washington Huskies Improving After Pac-10 Tournament Win

The Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars engaged in a fierce battle to close the second day of the Pac-10 Tournament with NCAA Tournament hopes on the line. The Cougars needed to advance to the finals, if not win the tournament, to make it to the Big Dance while the Huskies were looking to solidify their spot in March Madness. With a two-point win to advance to the semifinals, Washington may have locked up a bid to the NCAA Tournament after an up-and-down season.

Over at SB Nation, the Huskies are in the latest bracketology update, sliding in as an 11-seed. The Huskies are projected to face UNLV in the first round of the Southwest region in Charlotte, North Carolina. Washington is also listed among the “next four in,” as well.

The Huskies still have a chance to improve their seeding with wins in the semifinals, over Oregon, and perhaps lock up a seed with a Pac-10 Tournament Championship over the next two days. Washington and Oregon hit the court on Friday night at 8:30 with a spot in the championship on the line.

For more projections, check out the rest of our bracketology StoryStream. To connect with UW fans, visit SB Nation’s UW Dawg Pound.

Bracketology 2011: The Final Look Before Apple Cup Part 3

Tonight is a make or break night for both Washington schools. In a game that is scheduled to tip off at 8:30, but probably won't until about 9, the NCAA hopes of both teams are hanging in the balance. For Washington State, they sit firmly on the bubble. In all but one bracket projection they are one of the first eight teams out of the dance. If they complete the season sweep against Washington, they may be in, but it gives them a win over a shot at playing another good team in what will likely be UCLA.

For the Huskies, a loss may throw them out of the tournament. They will play this game with out Venoy Overton and may play it without Justin Holiday. They need a great performance from everyone on the team to ensure a win.

Tonight will do a lot to decide what Pac-10 teams are dancing. It's The Cougars. It's The Huskies. Drama is bound to be happening.

Here are the most recent bracket projections. We'll be back with another look this Saturday and see how the first rounds of the Pac-10 impact the bracket projections.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated 3/10/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded Temple Owls - Seed steady
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Ninth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and Second-round games in Tulsa- Projected to play the eighth seeded Utah State Aggies - Seed rising [Last time: Tenth seed]
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as fourth team in "First Four Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Boston College), UCLA (Seventh seed in Newark bracket - vs. Saint Marys)

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 3/10/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Eleventh seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Tampa - Projected to play the sixth-seed UNLV Rebels - Seed steady
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte- Projected to play the Seventh-seed Georgetown Hoyas  - seed steady
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Boston College), UCLA (Eight seed in Anaheim Bracket - vs. Illinois)
  

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated 3/10/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Eleventh seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Washington DC - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Vanderbuilt Commodores - Seed falling [Last time: Tenth seed] 
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Ninth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the eighth-seeded UCLA Bruins - Seed rising [Last time: Tenth seed]
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as first team in "Second Four Out" category
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs.Michigan State /Virginia Tech), UCLA (Eighth seed in Anaheim Bracket - vs. Gonzaga)

Bracketology 101 (Updated 3/10/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Washington D.C. - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores - Seed steady
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded UCLA Bruins - Seed steady
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as last team in the "Next Four Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Michigan State/Alabama), UCLA (Seventh seed in New Orleans Bracket - vs. Gonzaga )
  

Bracketville (Updated 3/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Kansas State Wildcats - Seed steady
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte - Projected to play the seventh-seeded UNLV Bruins - Seed rising [Last time: Eleventh seed]
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as final team in "First Five Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Marquette), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. Villanova)

NCAA Tournament 2011 Bracket: Washington A Nine Seed In Joe Lunardi's Latest Bracketology

The Washington Huskies experienced a bump in the road down the stretch of Pac-10 play but are still safely in the NCAA Tournament field. The Huskies aren’t quite on the bubble, though a loss in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament, to rival Washington State, could place the Huskies on the bubble, making for a stressful selection Sunday. Should the Huskies make the NCAA Tournament — which looks likely as of now — the road they face is a tough one without the benefit of a high seed.

In Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology entry, the Huskies are listed as a nine-seed in the Southeast regional, set to take on Missouri in the first round. If Lunardi’s projection is correct, Washington would have to travel to Cleveland for the first round of play, as well. From there, the winner would likely face the No. 1 seed in the region — Pittsburgh according to Lunardi.

At this point, the Huskies should be happy to be in the NCAA Tournament considering all that’s gone on in the last two weeks. Head coach Lorenzo Romar has dealt with his share of adversity with the season winding to a close, dropping games to Washington State and USC while dealing with the legal troubles of guard Venoy Overton.

Washington is in Los Angeles for the Pac-10 Tournament, set to take on Washington State on Thursday. The Huskies will be without Overton after Romar suspended his senior guard on Tuesday. Washington may also be without Justin Holiday as he deals with concussion symptoms stemming from a blow to the head during Saturday’s loss.

For the latest projections, check out the rest of our bracketology StoryStream.

2011 NIT Bracket: Washington State Cougars A Two Seed In Latest Bracketology

Barring a deep run in the Pac-10 Tournament, with an automatic NCAA Tournament likely necessary, the Washington State Cougars are headed to the NIT. Washington State is still, technically, on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but remains on the outside looking in with Selection Sunday looming. While the Cougars will make a postseason tournament, the latest bracketology projections reveal Washington State looks to be heading for the little brother, hitting the court in the NIT.

Over at The Bracket Project, the Cougars are a two-seed in the NIT, joining the teams that miss-out on the Big Dance. Three Pac-10 teams are in the field, with Washington, UCLA and Arizona still listed in the NCAA Tournament field.

Here’s how it all shakes out.

Washington State is a No. 2 seed in the Alabama region. The Crimson Tide lead the field, with Washington State, Missouri State, Southern Mississippi, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Coastal Carolina and Murray State also in the region.

USC is a No. 1 seed, heading up a region filled with some recognizable names. New Mexico, Baylor, Minnesota, Miami and others populate the region.

Cal is also in the NIT field, listed as a four-seed in the latest bracketology. The Golden Bears are in Penn State’s region, joining VCU, Cleveland State, Princeton and others. Princeton would make the field if it loses to Harvard in a one-game playoff for the Ivy League title on Saturday.

The field is subject to change as the conference tournaments finish later this week. USC and Washington State could still sneak into the NCAA Tournament field with a deep run in the Pac-10 Tournament, with USC still holding slightly better odds of taking a bid, even without winning the tournament.

For the latest bracket projections, check out the rest of our bracketology StoryStream.

Bracketology Projections 2011: Washington Hangs On To Positioning And Gonzaga Keeps Improving

Washington is still alive. Despite losing three of their last five games, Washington is still in a pretty good position. They are sitting on the bubble, but they are a solid tenth seed in four of our brackets, and an eleventh seed in the fourth. Some people say that a loss to Washington State in LA, may toss them out of the tournament, but I don't think that's the case. While a loss in that game may be enough to put The Dawgs in one of the new first four play in games, I think their resume could whether the storm.

For Washington State, it's a totally different matter. In order for the Cougars to make the tournament, they are going to have to go a long ways in this tournament. But an at large-bid may not be out of reach. In four of our projections, The Cougars are listed as one of the first eight out of the bracket. In the only bracket they were left out of, Jerry Palm's, he only listed the first four teams out. If Washington State can finish the season sweep against Washington, beat a, what will likely turn out to be a, UCLA team in LA, before playing a solid, competitive game in the finals, all the while getting some help by other bubble teams falling early, they can still do it. While possible, I think it would be a lot better for the health of Cougar fans everywhere if they win the tournament and take any suspense out of selection Sunday.

As for Gonzaga, they make things a whole lot less interesting. The Bulldogs just keep winning and they keep moving up the brackets. They play in the finals of the WCC tournament tonight and with a win, they may cement themselves as getting a seed in the top half of the bracket.

All the projections from five of the most reliable sources in the game are below. Stay tuned to SB Nation Seattle throughout the week as we take you through the conference tournaments and to Selection Sunday.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated 3/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats - Seed falling [Last week: Ninth seed]
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and Second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the seventh seeded Villanova Wildcats - Seed rising [Last week: Eleventh seed]
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as second team in "Next Four Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Michigan State/Virginia Tech), UCLA (Seventh seed in Newark bracket - vs. Saint Marys)

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 3/6/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Eleventh seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte - Projected to play the sixth-seed Kansas State Wildcats - seed falling [Last week: Tenth seed]
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the Seventh-seed Arizona Wildcats - seed steady
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Gonzaga), UCLA (Ninth seed in Anaheim Bracket - vs. MIssouri)
  

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated 3/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Tucson - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Florida State Seminoles - Seed Steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Tampa - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Temple Owls - Seed steady
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as first team in "Second Four Out" category
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Marquette/Virginia Tech), UCLA (Eighth seed in New Orleans Bracket - vs. Tennessee)

Bracketology 101 (Updated 3/6/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Washington D.C. - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores - Seed steady
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded Texas A&M Aggies - Seed steady
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as last team in the "Next Four Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Michigan State/Alabama), UCLA (Seventh seed in New Orleans Bracket - vs. Richmond)
  

Bracketville (Updated 3/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Kansas State Wildcats - Seed steady
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Eleventh seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the sixth-seeded Temple Owls - Seed steady
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as third team in "Next In Line" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Marquette), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. Old Dominion)

Bracketology 2011: Washington State Looks Towards The NIT, Washington Hopes To Avoid That Fate

After a heartbreaking, gutsy overtime performance in Pullman yesterday, Washington State's at-large bid hopes are all but extinguished. While they still can make the tournament by winning the Pac-10 tournament (They will play the rival Washington Huskies this Thursday at 8:30 PM on FSN), chances are, their postseason games will be played in the NIT tournament.

In an extensive search for NIT bracket projections I turned up two different sites, neither of which been updated since yesterday's action. One (The Bracket Project) had The Cougars in as a first seed playing Hofstra, the other (Chicagonow.com) has them as a second seed playing Rutgers.

Even if Washington State is eligible to host a game in the NIT, they are unlikely to do so. The games would fall during spring break, and are unlikely to sell a lot of tickets. The NIT requires a certain guarantee of tickets in order allow a team to host a game. This is not a chance that WSU athletic director Bill Moos is likely to take.

Meanwhile, across the state, Washington struggled against USC. A sweep this weekend would have likely punched their ticket into the dance, now Washington may very likely have some work to do to stay on the right side of the bubble. Jerry Palm, of CBS Sports, is the only person who we cover in our weekly bracketology update to update their projections through yesterday's games, has dropped UW down to a double digit seed for the first time this year. And, according to the Bracket Matrix, all but one of the recently updated projections have The Huskies as a ninth seed or lower.

A loss this Thursday in LA to Washington State may bump them out of the tourney, but it will make Husky fans squirm. There is nothing more suspenseful than sitting at home on Selection Sunday, waiting for your name to be called, when it never will be.

When Washington and Washington State clash for a third time this season, there will be a lot on the line. Both will be fighting for their NCAA Tournament life. The Cougars need to win it all, The Huskies just need to win a couple. When the Huskies and Cougars clash, tensions are always high. This week, it will be no different.

Bracketology 2011: How Can The Cougars Break Into The Tournament

Being on the bubble is one of the most exciting times a team can experience. Every game is a must win. Because of this, being on the bubble is one of the most stressful things a team can experience.

The Cougars were victorious last night and ended the USC win streak at four. That means that Wsahington State is now, officially, on a win streak. They have beaten Washington and now USC and have put together as good a stretch as they have all season.

But is it too little too late? Can The Cougars grab the attention of the selection committee and break into the field of 68 by getting an at-large bid?

With the schedule they have left, Washington State can do what it takes, but it won't be easy.

ESPN's Doug Gottleib was quoted as saying on Sunday night after the Washington/Washington State game that if Washington State were to win their next three games, USC, UCLA and at least one game in the Pac-10 tournament in LA, they would more than likely find their way into, not only Joe Lunardi's bracetology projection, but into the actual field.

One down, three to go.

This Saturday, UCLA makes their way into Friel Court at Beasley Colosseum in what now becomes the biggest game of the year for both teams. A UCLA win, coupled with an Arizona loss to Oregon, and UCLA cliches a share of yet another Pac-10 title. A WSU win, keeps their dreams alive for another day.

The game should be a good one. It will be broadcast nationally on FSN and anything less than a back-and-forth barn burner will be unacceptable.

These two teams are more even than it may appear at first look. Ken Pomeroy of Kenpom.com predicts that Washington State, the 48th team in the nation, will beat, 41st team in the nation, by a score of 68-65 with 63% confidence.

When it comes to predictions, 63% is practically nothing. With everything riding on the line for both teams, it will be one hell of a game. If the Cougars can continue their roll, they can still make it to the spot all teams want when they start the season: The NCAA tournament.

Bracketology: Washington Falters Again And Washington State Fights Their Way Back To The Bubble

Selection Sunday is a little more than a week and a half away, and it's make or break time for teams around the country. For Washington State, they are in a position where they can't let up. After a commanding win in Seattle against Washington, they have found them selves firmly on the outer edge of the bubble once again. In order to make a case, they will need to make a statement and sweep the LA schools before heading to the Staples Center and winning a game or two in the Pac-10 Tournament.

For Washington, they are more than likely in the dance, barring a complete meltdown. This loss to Washington State did nothing more than hurt their seeding and put them on edge. A split with UCLA and USC would almost certainly be enough to say they're in, but being sweep would mean they need to make a splash in the Pac-10 tournament to be a sure thing.

In Spokane, Gonzaga has quietly been inching their way off the bubble. They have worked their way out of the play-in game in every projection and are in good shape after splitting the WCC title with St. Mary's. A good showing in Las Vegas at the WCC tournament would, not only, cement their spot in the field of 68, but also help them avoid one of the dreaded "First Four" play-in games.

Below you'll see all the bracket projection. In the coming weeks, we'll be stepping up our bracetology coverage. We'll have pieces on what all three teams need to do in order to make the tournament and have a good position come selection Sunday. We'll also be having updates as soon as the projections update their websites. SB Nation Seattle and our Bracketology story stream is the place you'll want to be for all the bracketology coverage you care about.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated 2/28/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Ninth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver- Projected to play the eighth-seeded Kansas State Wildcats - Seed falling [Last week: Seventh seed]
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Eleventh seed - San Antonio bracket - First and Second-round games in Tucson - Projected to play the sixth seeded West Virginia Mountaineers - Seed rising [Last week: Twelfth seed]
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Missouri State), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Old Dominion)

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 3/1/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the seventh-seed Villanova Wildcats - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Eleventh seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Tulsa - Projected to play the Sixth-seed UNLV Rebels - seed rising [Last week: Twelfth seed]
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Eighth seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Illinois), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. Utah State)
  

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated 3/1/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Florida State Seminoles - Seed Falling [Last week: Eighth seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Texas A&M Aggies - Seed rising [Last week: Not included]
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as second team in "Second Four Out" category
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Michigan State), UCLA (Seventh seed in San Antonio Bracket - vs. Virginia Tech)

Bracketology 101 (Updated 2/28/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the Seventh-seeded Temple Owls - Seed falling [Last week: Ninth Seed]
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Eleventh seed - Newark bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte - Projected to play the Sixth-seeded Arizona Wildcats - Seed rising [Last week: Thirteenth Seed]
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Gonzaga), UCLA (Seventh seed in New Orleans Bracket - vs. Tennessee)
  

Bracketville (Updated 2/28/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the ninth-seeded Temple Owls - Seed falling [Last week: Eighth seed]
  
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Eleventh seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Washington DC - Projected to play the sixth-seeded Xavier Musketeers - Seed rising [Last week: Twelfth seed]
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as second team in "Next In Line" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Illinois), UCLA (Seventh seed in Anaheim Bracket - vs. Virginia Tech)

Bracketology: Will Heartbreak For Huskies Cost Them Positioning?

It was a rough week for the two Washington Pac-10 teams. Washington was able to pick up a win in Tempe, but they were heartbroken on a last second block from player of the year candidate Derrick Williams. Washington State, on the other hand, was easily handled by the Wildcats and played a bad first half that cost them the game against Arizona State.

That loss against The Sun Devils may very well have eliminated The Cougs from any possibility of getting an at large big. For Washington State, according to projections, their hopes fall on next month's Pac-10 Tournament in LA.

Washington, meanwhile, looks to be doing just fine. They have won three of their last four and are looking to add to that with wins this week against rivals Seattle U and Washington State. It's clear, barring a complete meltdown, The Huskies are headed to the dance. It's just a question of where they will be and who they will play.

For Gonzaga, they are on a roll. They have won six of their past seven games and have worked themselves back onto the bubble. In most projections they are either in, barely, or in a "first teams out" category. They have a shot to make a splash as they get a shot at a Saint Mary's team on the road and avenge a loss they suffered at home earlier this season.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated 2/21/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Seventh seed - Neward bracket - First and second-round games in Tucson - Projected to play the tenth-seeded Georgia Bulldogs - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Boston College Eagles (Note: Winner would take on Kentucky in the Washington, D.C. regional of the Newark bracket)
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Minnesota), UCLA (Ninth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Illinois)

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 2/22/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Charlotte - Projected to play the seventh-seed Xavier Musketeers - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Virginia Commonwealth Rams (Note: Winner would take on either Texas A&M or Arizona [Seed location not specified]) - Listed as first team in "Last Four In" Category
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Play-in game winner), UCLA (Ninth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. Georgia)
  

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated 2/22/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Eighth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Washington DC - Projected to play the ninth-seeded Old Dominion Monarchs - Seed Falling [Last week: Seventh seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket (Listed as third team in "First Eight Out" category)
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed in "Also Considered category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. winner of Colorado State/Richmond First Four game), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. UNLV)

Bracketology 101 (Updated 2/21/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Ninth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Cleveland - Projected to play the eighth-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Thirteenth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Nebraska Corn Huskers (Note: Winner would take on Connecticut in the Washington, D.C. regional of the San Antonio bracket)
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Kansas State), UCLA (Seventh seed in New Orleans Bracket - vs. Georgia)
  

Bracketville (Updated 2/21/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Eighth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Cleveland - Projected to play the ninth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers  - Seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Richmond Spiders (Note: Winner would take on Connecticut in the Washington, D.C. regional of the San Antonio bracket)
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed in the "Also Considered" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in San Antonio bracket - vs. Missouri State), UCLA (Seventh seed in Anaheim Bracket - vs. Georgia)

Bracketology: Washington Stays Steady After Strong Week

Washington was able to rebound with wins at home against both California and Stanford. Some people thought that a three-game losing streak was the end of the world for the Huskies, but today's projections show that they are in a great position right now, and with a win at Arizona this weekend, they can get themselves in an even better spot.

Meanwhile Washington State split the games against Stanford and California at home. The loss to Stanford moved them from all but one projection this week and puts them in a position to get some work done. As with Washington, a win in Tuscon against the nationally ranked Arizona Wildcats would put them in a great position. If they can pull of the upset on Thursday, look for the Cougars to move their way back into most projections.

For Gonzaga, they were able to pick up the road sweep against Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine. Up next for the Bulldogs are home rematches with Santa Clara and San Francisco, two teams who beat Gonzaga in California just a few weeks ago. After that is a game that could make or break the Zags' at-large bid: A road game against conference leader St. Mary's.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated 2/14/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Seventh seed - Anaheim bracket - First- and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the tenth-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket (Listed as third team in "Next Four Out" category)
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as fourth team in "First Four Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Belmont), UCLA (Ninth seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. George Mason)

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 2/15/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed - San Antonio bracket - First- and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the seventh-seed UNLV Rebels - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Play-in game winner), UCLA (Ninth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. Old Dominion)
  

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket 

Note: This projection has not yet been released. I will update this post once it is

Bracketology 101 (Updated 2/14/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Ninth seed - San Antonio bracket - First- and second-round games in Tulsa - Projected to play the eighth-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers - seed steady
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket (Listed as second team in "First Four Out" category)
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as third team in "Next Four Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Memphis), UCLA (Eighth seed in Anaheim Bracket - vs. Florida State)
  

Bracketville (Updated 2/14/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Eighth seed - Newark bracket - First- and second-round games in Cleveland - Projected to play the ninth-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies  - Seed Rising [Last week: Ninth Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket (Listed as fourth team in "Also Considered" category)
  
• Washington State Cougars: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Wichita State Shockers  (Note: Winner would take on Kentucky in the Washington, D.C. regional of the San Antonio bracket)
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Boston College), UCLA (Seventh seed in San Antonio Bracket - vs. Old Dominion

Bracketology: Washington Tries To Stay Alive During Three Game Losing Streak

We are getting closer and closer to the big day. As conferences have passed the halfway point in their season, it's time to get serious. We have decided that it is no longer "Way too early" and have shifted into our just plain bracketology column. We have also added two new bracketology sites to our index. We are proud to welcome the fine folks from Bracketology 101 and Bracketville into our tour around bracketology on the web. As we get closer and closer to March 13, we'll look at adding even more projections. If you have any site that you think would be a great addition, post it in a comment and I'll look into it.

Now, on to the main event. Last week was a funky week for Washington teams. Both Washington and Washington State fell flat on their face following the Apple Cup in Pullman. The Cougars were able to recover against Oregon State, but Washington took its two-game losing streak into the new Matt Court and the Ducks made it a three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, the team across the state went to Oregon as well, and came out of Portland with a win. Their next game was back in Spokane where Gonzaga had a big opportunity to beat a very good Memphis team. They played a very close game, but couldn't pull it out in the end. 

All three teams suffered losses, It will be very interesting to see what these losses did to the bracket projections for all three teams

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated 2/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Seventh seed - New Orleans bracket - First- and second-round games in Tucson - Projected to play the 10th-seeded Georgia Bulldogs - Seed Falling [Last week: Fifth Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not Included in bracket [Last week: Twelfth Seed]
• Washington State Cougars:  Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Missouri State Bears (Note: Winner would take on Missouri in the Tucson regional of the New Orleans bracket) - Seed steady
• Pac-10: Arizona (Fifth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Cleveland State), UCLA (Ninth seed in Newark Bracket - vs. Marquette)

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 2/8/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Tenth seed -  New Orleans bracket - First- and second-round games in Chicago - Projected to play the seventh-seeded Temple Owls - Seed falling [Last week: Seventh Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs:  Not included in bracket
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Richmond), UCLA (Ninth seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Georgia)
  

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated 2/8/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Seventh seed - San Antonio bracket - First- and second-round games in Tucson - Projected to play the tenth seeded Boston College Eagles - Seed falling [Last week: Fifth Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket (Listed as second team in "First Eight Out" category)
  
• Washington State Cougars: Not included in bracket (Listed as fifth team in "First Eight Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Richmond), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Utah State)
  

Bracketology 101 (Updated 2/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Ninth seed -  Anaheim bracket - First- and second-round games in Cleveland - Projected to play the eighth-seeded Saint Mary's Gaels
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not included in bracket (Listed as third team in first four out category)
  
• Washington State Cougars: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Colorado State Rams (Note: Winner would take on Kentucky in the Tucson regional of the New Orleans bracket)
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket - vs. Boston College), UCLA (Eighth seed in Newark bracket - vs. Cincinnati)

Bracketville (Updated 2/7/2011)

• Washington Huskies: Ninth seed -  New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Tulsa - Projected to play the eighth seeded Georgia Bulldogs
• Gonzaga Bulldogs:  Not included in bracket (Listed in "Also Considered" category)
  
• Washington State Cougars:  Not included in bracket (Listed as first team in "First Five Out" category)
  
• Pac-10: Arizona (Sixth seed in Anaheim bracket - vs. Alabama), UCLA (Seventh seed in New Orleans - vs. Marquette)

Both Washington State and Gonzaga both seem to be firmly on the bubble. According to most projections they are either barely in, or very nearly in. Should these teams come out and grab a couple wins this next week, look for them to be back in the fray in the eyes of most bracketologists.

While Washington's position seems to be fairly solid, despite what most would call a disastrous week. Should they recover and sweep Cal and Stanford at home, they will have no problem getting their stock back on the right side of the spectrum. Should they falter and get swept, look for their stock to plummet. A disaster like that would more than likely place them on the bubble and saddle them with a double digit seed, or maybe even a spot in a play-in game.

Way Too Early Bracketology: Will The Apple Cup Win Propel The Cougs?

Washington State got a huge win at home this past weekend. I had said in the past that winning two out of three for Washington State (Out of Arizona State, Arizona, and Washington) would firmly put them back on the bubble, now, here they are. The Cougars are in both projections and if they keep winning, They will just keep rising.

Meanwhile, Washington's loss didn't hurt them too bad. They remained in basically the same position as before.

(Note - 2/2: I have updated the post with the new projection from Blogging the Bracket.)

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated: 1/31/11)

• Washington Huskies: Fifth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the winner of the twelfth seed play-in game between Gonzaga Bulldogs and Butler Bulldogs - Seed falling [Last week: fourth seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Butler Bulldogs (Note: Winner would take on Washington in Denver regional of Anaheim bracket) - Seed steady
• Washington State Cougars: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Wichita State Shockers (Note: Winner would take on Wisconsin in the Tampa regional of the New Orleans bracket) - Seed steady
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket), UCLA (Eleventh seed in Newark bracket)

If this bracket hold true: The matchup that the powers that be didn't want us to see would be one game away. If the Bulldogs can get past... Well... The Bulldogs, we will finally be able to see the matchup that was taken taken from us just a couple years ago. Gonzaga will surely have a bone to pick (get it? because they're Bulldogs) with The Huskies after they ended the long running series between the two. Meanwhile, we also get that coveted WSU vs. WSU matchup we've all been waiting for as The Cougs take on Wichita State.

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated: 2/1/11)

• Washington Huskies: Seventh seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Tucson - Projected to play the Tenth-seeded St. Johns Red Storm - Seed Falling [Last week: Sixth Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Not in bracket [Last week: Twelfth seed in play-in game]
• Washington State Cougars: Eleventh seed - Play-in game in Dayton, OH - Projected to play Virginia Tech Hokies (Note: Winner would take on Florida Gators in New Orleans Bracket) - Seed steady (Note: Listed as last team in the "Last four in" category)
• Pac-10: Arizona (Eighth seed in San Antonio bracket), UCLA (Tenth seed in Newark bracket)

If this bracket holds true: For the first time this year, Gonzaga is not projected to go dancing. The Bulldogs have been on a pretty horrible stretch, losing three of their lost four. They have a chance to make a statement as they face the projected tenth seed Memphis this Saturday. Meanwhile, while the Huskies have a higher seed, Jerry Palm projects Arizona to win the conference and get the autobid. The Huskies would face a very good St. Johns team that destroyed Duke this past week and the Cougars would take on Viriginia Tech in a play-in game.

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated: 2/2/11)

• Washington Huskies: Fifth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Tampa - Projected to play the play-in game winner between Gonzaga and Penn State - Seed Falling [Last week: Fourth Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs - Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Penn State Nittany Lions (Note: Winner would take on Washington Huskies in Anaheim Bracket) - Seed steay
• Washington State Cougars: Twelfth seed - Play-in game in Dayton, Ohio - Projected to play Richmond Spiders (Note: Winner would take on Texas A&M Aggies in New Orleans Bracket) - Seed rising
• Pac-10: Arizona (Eighth seed in New Orleans bracket), UCLA (Twelfth seed in Newark bracket)

If this bracket holds true: A double play in game for our Washington schools... Not good. The good news is, for a second bracket this week, we can set up A Gonzaga vs. Washington matchup. That's a matchup I know I want to see, I think we all do.

Way Too Early Bracketology: Washington Stays Strong, Gonzaga Losing Spots

The Washington Huskies pulled out a dominating win on Thursday against the nationally ranked Arizona Wildcats, and they are looking good in the eyes of the "experts". On the other side of the state, Gonzaga is reeling from two straight losses and Washington State has lost has stayed pretty much on a level plain since last week since splitting with the Arizona schools at home. Let's take a look at the most recent projections from the words of bracketology experts everywhere:

SB Nation: Blogging the Bracket (Updated: 1/25/11)

• Washington Huskies: fourth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the thirteenth seeded Belmont Bruins - Seed Rising [Last week: sixth Seed]
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Twelfth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the Fifth seeded Vanderbilt Commodores - Seed Falling [Last week: seventh Seed]
• Washington State Cougars: Not in bracket - Included as second team listed in "First Four Out" category
• Pac-10: Arizona (Ninth seed in New Orleans bracket), UCLA (Twelfth seed in Anaheim bracket play-in game)

If this bracket holds true: Fans get to see the matchup they've been waiting for: Huskies and Bulldogs. It wouldn't be all that far fetched either, as the matchup would take place in the second round in the west coast friendly location of Denver. Personally, I'm surprised that the Zags are still in the bracket. This projection has St. Mary's winning the autobid, and still has Gonzaga as a twelfth seed not playing in a play in game. It's very likely that another loss will throw the Zags out of the bracket.

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated: 1/25/11)

• Washington Huskies: Sixth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the eleventh seeded Memphis Tigers - Seed rising [Last week: Eighth Seed]
•  Gonzaga Bulldogs: Twelfth seed - Play in game in Dayton, OH - Projected to play the twelfth seeded Miami Hurricanes - Seed falling [Last week: Ninth Seed]
• Washington State Cougars: Eleventh seed - Play in game in Dayton, OH - Projected to play the Eleventh seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys - Seed rising [Last week: Twelfth Seed]
• Pac-10: Arizona (Twelfth seed in Newark bracket), UCLA (Eleventh seed in Anaheim bracket)

If this bracket holds true: Holy four Pac-10 teams in the dance Batman! For the first time since the long and storied history of this bracketology preview (two weeks), more than three Pac-10 teams are projected to go dancing. The huge negative with this bracket is that both Washington State and Gonzaga will be in play-in games, which are very likely to cripple your chances to go any further to go past the second round. This projection, for the second straight week, is also the lowest seeding for the Huskies.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated: 1/24/11)

• Washington Huskies: Fourth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second-round games in Denver - Projected to play the Thirteen seeded Valparaiso Crusaders - Seed steady [Last week: Fourth Seed]
•  Gonzaga Bulldogs: Tenth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second-round games in Tulsa - Projected to play the seventh seeded Georgetown Hoyas - Seed falling [Last week: Ninth Seed]
• Washington State Cougars: Not in bracket - Included as third team listed in "First Four Out" category
• Pac-10: Arizona (Seventh seed in New Orleans bracket), UCLA (Twelfth seed in Newark play in game)

If this bracket holds true: For the Zags and the Huskies, this is some of the best positioning you'll find. Fourth is highest you'll find Washington out there and Gonzaga gets a ten seed, thus avoiding the dreaded play-in game. Plus, three Pac-10 schools in the dance isn't too shabby.

Again, The Cougs only make one projection. As I said last week two out of three wins in this series will put them in great position. They beat Arizona State, but blew a shot at taking out Arizona, in a heartbreaker. Now they are tasked with beating the Huskies this Sunday. A win will put Washington State in great position about halfway through the conference season, a loss would by no means end the season but it would give The Cougs an uphill battle as they move on to the second half of conference play.

Way Too Early Bracketology: Washington and Washington State Falter

Well, this week was interesting. Gonzaga dominated, but both Washington and Washington State split their series in Northern California. They were close losses, The Cougars lost in overtime, but they were losses none the less. The upcoming home games give both teams a shot at gaining ground, but Arizona, newly placed at No. 25 in the most recent poll, is tough draw, and a marquee matchup, for both sides. A win will do a lot for the seedings of both teams

SB Nation: Blogging the Bracket (Updated: 1/18/11)

• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Seventh seed - San Antonio bracket - First- and second-round games in Washington, D.C. -  Projected to play the 10th-seeded Colorado Buffaloes - Seed steady
• Washington Huskies: Sixth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second round games in Denver - Projected to play the 11th-seeded Xavier Musketeers - Seed falling
  
• Washington State Cougars: No longer in bracket - Included in the "Also Considered" Category
• Pac-10: Arizona (Eighth seed in Anaheim Bracket)

If this bracket holds true: The Zags, as they do for all three projections, travel far east for their game and draw a future Pac-12 team in Colorado. The Huskies get a sixth seed, but they draw a Xavier team, that in my opinion, should be seeded a little higher than where they are. A win for the Cougars over Arizona on Saturday, will do wonders for their projected seeding, and severely damage Arizona's.

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated: 1/18/11)

• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Ninth seed - New Orleans bracket - First- and second-round games in Cleveland -  Projected to play the eighth-seeded Temple Owls
  
• Washington Huskies: Eighth seed - Anaheim bracket - First- and second-round games in Tucson-  Projected to play the ninth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels
  
• Washington State Cougars: 12th seed - First Four Play-in games played in Dayton -  Projected to play the 12th-seeded Cleveland State Vikings
• Pac-10: Arizona (11th seed - Play in game)

If this bracket holds true: The Cougs are in, but they will have to earn it. They fall victim to the first ever at large play-in game. If they, or Cleveland State, want to make it into the sweet 16 then they will have to play three all or nothing, sudden death games in six days. Meanwhile, The Huskies stay near the West Coast until the Final Four, but draw a very tough, and always tricky, North Carolina team and Gonzaga travels east to play the owls.

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated: 1/18/11)

• Gonzaga Bulldogs: Ninth seed - Anaheim bracket - First- and second-round games in Cleveland -  Projected to play the eighth-seeded Arizona Wildcats - Seed steady
  
• Washington Huskies: Fourth seed - San Antonio bracket - First- and second-round games in Denver -  Projected to play the 13-seeded Iona Gaels - Seed rising
  
• Washington State Cougars: No longer in bracket - Included as first team in "Next Four Out" Category 
• Pac-10: Arizona (Ninth seed in Anaheim region)

If this bracket holds true: For the second straight week, we have a Gonzaga vs. Arizona prediction (Last week it was Blogging the Bracket who predicted it), and I'm perfectly fine with that. I would absolutely love to see a Wildcat/Bulldog matchup. This is also the best case scenario for The Huskies. A fourth seed is a great placement for a Pac-10 team that will more than likely win the conference. Plus, they get a favorable opening round location and the second best bracket option. Huskies fans should pray that this bracket does hold true.

Don't panic Cougar fans, bracketologists are fickle, fickle people. If the Cougs can pull out two of their next three (ASU, Arizona, and Washington), all at home, they will more then likely be restored to a favorable position in the eyes of the "experts."

Way Too Early Bracketology: Where Do The Washington Teams and The Pac-10 Fall

Believe it or not, we are just under two months away from the most exciting four weeks in sports. The opening round starts on March 15, and with conference play well under way, it's time for the way to early projections to begin. Over the next couple months, meltdowns will occur and underdogs will rise, so take these predictions with a grain of salt.

SB Nation's Blogging The Bracket (Updated 1/11/11)

SB Nation's own bracketology site checks in first with their projected bracket. Gonzaga, Washington State, and Washington all check in this bracket, along with one other Pac-10 team (Arizona). This bracket also features USC as one of the last four teams out of the tournament.

• Gonzaga Bulldogs - Seventh seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second round games in Tampa, FL - Projected to play the tenth seeded Arizona Wildcats - Seed rising
  
• Washington Huskies - Fifth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second round games in Tampa, FL - Projected to play the twelfth seeded Boise State Broncos - Seed rising
  
• Washington State Cougars - Eleventh seed - Newark bracket - First and second round games in Chicago, IL - Projected to play the sixth seeded Vanderbilt - Newly added

If this bracket holds true: Washington basketball fans can buy their ticket to Tampa and enjoy both Gonzaga and Washington in the same day. People making that long trip would also get to see a northwest matchup between Boise State and Washington in a location about as far away from the northwest you can get.

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm (Updated 1/11/11)

This one, again, has three Pac-10 teams in, but it features Arizona as one of the last four in. Because of this, Arizona would be one of the first victims of the NCAA Tournament's new play in games for four twelfth seeded teams. Again, all three major Washington teams make the cut.

• Gonzaga Bulldogs - Ninth seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second round games in Tulsa, OK - Projected to play the eighth seeded St. John's Red Storm
• Washington Huskies - Eighth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second round games in Washington, D.C. - Projected to play the ninth seeded Georgia Bulldogs
• Washington State Cougars - Eleventh seed - San Antonio bracket - First and second round games in Tucson, AZ - Projected to play the eighth seeded Florida Gators

If this bracket holds true: We get to see a Cougar-Bulldog rematach in the Elite Eight matchup in San Antonio... Maybe. Both Gonzaga and Washington get hosed here playing as an eight or nine seed, meaning that even if they win, they run into the number one seed in the next round. This is, by far, the lowest Washington is projected in any bracket

ESPN: Joe Lunardi (Updated: 1/10/11)

Joe seems to have a little more love for the Pac-10. Four teams from the Pac-10 are in, according to Joe Lunardi, and UCLA is one of the last eight out. Lunardi's projection gives predictions on who he thinks will win the conferences, giving nods to Washington, but choosing St. Mary's over Gonzaga for the WCC crown.

• Gonzaga Bulldogs - Ninth seed - Newark bracket - First and second round games in Charlotte, NC - Projected to play the eighth seeded West Virginia Mountaineers - Seed falling
  
• Washington Huskies - Fifth seed - Anaheim bracket - First and second round games in Denver, CO - Projected to play the eleventh seeded Oakland Grizzlies - Seed holding steady
  
• Washington State Cougars - Tenth seed - New Orleans bracket - First and second round games in Tampa, FL - Projected to play the tenth seeded Temple Owls - Seed rising
  

If this bracket holds true: This is the best case scenario for the Huskies. They are a five seed playing on the west coast, before, hopefully, playing in the Sweet Sixteen in California. While this is good news for Washington, both Gonzaga and Washington State have a long road trip ahead of them.