ClutchPoints Bracketology: Just how good is the Big 12?

The cream is starting to rise to the top of college basketball this season as the calendar quickly approaches February, and some of January’s feel-good stories are starting to wane. Vanderbilt is one of those, after Mark Byington’s squad took three losses in conference play as it navigates a very difficult SEC.

On the other side of that coin, Nebraska just keeps winning. Fred Hoiberg’s squad is now up to 20-0 and is ranked No. 5 in the country heading into a blockbuster battle against Michigan on Tuesday night. Win that game, and Nebraska will be firmly entrenched as a No. 1 seed heading into February.

The Big 12 has arguably been the most impressive conference during the first month of conference play, as the top of the league looks like the class of college basketball so far. In addition to Arizona, Houston and Iowa State maintaining their spots among the sport’s elite, Texas Tech, Kansas and BYU are playing some of their best basketball right now.

Where does that land everyone coming into the final week of January? Let’s look at the mock bracket in the latest edition of Bracketology.

Bold = Automatic Qualifier

Note – Now that conference play is in full swing, the AQ for each conference is given to the team in first place in the conference standings as of the morning of Monday, Jan. 26.

West Region

1. Arizona
16. Bethune-Cookman/Long Island

8. Wisconsin
9. Miami (FL)

5. Florida
12. Belmont

4. Virginia
13. UNC Wilmington

6. Clemson
11. San Diego State

3. Michigan State
14. North Dakota State

7. Kentucky
10. Miami (OH)

2. Gonzaga
15. Navy

Midwest Region

1. Michigan
16. Merrimack

8. SMU
9. Auburn

5. Louisville
12. Yale

4. BYU
13. Troy

6. Tennessee
11. UCLA/Virginia Tech

3. Illinois
14. Winthrop

7. Villanova
10. St. Mary’s

2. Iowa State
15. Lipscomb

East Region

1. UConn
16. UT Martin

8. Iowa
9. Utah State

5. Arkansas
12. Hawai’i

4. Kansas
13. Liberty

6. St. John’s
11. USC

3. Vanderbilt
14. East Tennessee State

7. Saint Louis
10. Seton Hall

2. Nebraska
15. Portland State

South Region

1. Duke
16. Maryland Eastern Shore/Vermont

8. Texas A&M
9. UCF

5. Alabama
12. Florida Atlantic

4. Texas Tech
13. Stephen F. Austin

6. North Carolina
11. Ohio State/New Mexico

3. Purdue
14. Wright State

7. Georgia
10. NC State

2. Houston
15. UT Arlington

Bubble Watch

Last Four Byes: St. Mary’s, NC State, Seton Hall, USC

Last Four In: Ohio State, UCLA, New Mexico, Virginia Tech

First Four Out: Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Stanford

Next Four Out: Santa Clara, TCU, Creighton, Baylor

Multi-bid leagues

SEC – 10

Big Ten – 10

ACC – 9

Big 12 – 7

Big East – 4

Mountain West – 3

WCC – 2

Games of the Week

Tuesday, Jan. 27 – Nebraska at Michigan

Tuesday, Jan. 27 – Kentucky at Vanderbilt

Friday, Jan. 30 – Michigan at Michigan State

Saturday, Jan. 31 – BYU at Kansas

Saturday, Jan. 31 – Saint Mary’s at Gonzaga

Saturday, Jan. 31 – Kentucky at Arkansas

Saturday, Jan. 31 – Texas Tech at UCF

Saturday, Jan. 31 – Duke at Virginia Tech

Sunday, Feb. 1 – Alabama at Florida

Sunday, Feb. 1 – Illinois at Nebraska

Biggest storylines to watch

Nebraska has a pair of extremely challenging games ahead against Michigan and Illinois, arguably the two best teams in the Big Ten outside of Lincoln. Fred Hoiberg and company have passed every test thus far, but it is only going to get tougher as the season goes on.

Texas Tech is one of the hottest teams in the country after an impressive win over Houston on Saturday, but Grant McCasland and company would be wise to not overlook a trip to Orlando to play another NCAA Tournament team in UCF.

Mark Pope has Kentucky playing a little bit better than it was at the start of the season, but the Wildcats are still in no man’s land as a middle seed in most mock brackets. Kentucky has a sink or swim opportunity coming this week with road games against both Vanderbilt and Arkansas. A split would do wonders for the Wildcats’ Tournament hopes.

Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s have established themselves as the two clear best teams in the WCC once again, and the longtime rivals meet again on Saturday night. The Bulldogs haven’t been tested yet without Braden Huff, and Graham Ike has been dealing with an injury as well. This will be a good barometer for Mark Few and company.

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