In four short weeks, we'll be fully immersed in the glory that is the NCAA Tournament.
That also means just two weeks until conference tournaments get underway. It'll be a mad dash to that point, and with as wide open as this season has been, there will surely be a lot of movement within the mock brackets.
The top seeds have certainly begun to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, but the middle of the bracket is currently a jumbled mess. The last few weeks of the regular season might help clear things up -- but they could also just make things muddier.
Just to give an idea of how tight things are in the middle of the pack, let's do a blind resume test.
Team B has one more Q1 win, but team A has a pretty comfortable edge in the metrics, which can be a big determining factor for the selection committee.
Team A is Michigan State, Team B is Michigan.
Currently, I've got the Spartans holding onto the final 5-seed and the Wolverines as the second 6-seed. MSU's metrics are keeping them afloat in the push for a top-4 seed right now, but with Michigan's wins over Gonzaga and Creighton looking better by the day, Juwan Howard's team is shooting up the seed list.
It would not be a shock to see the Wolverines land a better seed than the Spartans, the way things have been trending. Michigan has won six of its last seven and became the first team to beat Rutgers at the RAC on Wednesday night. Michigan State, meanwhile, had dropped four of five before a dominant win at Nebraska Thursday.
1. Baylor (Big 12) vs. 16. Robert Morris (NEC) / Norfolk State (MEAC)8. Wisconsin vs. 9. USC
4. Penn State vs. 13. Stephen F. Austin (Southland)5. Auburn vs. 12. Stanford / Georgetown
3. Louisville (ACC) vs. 14. UC Irvine (Big West)6. Marquette vs. 11. Northern Iowa (MVC)
2. Dayton (A-10) vs. 15. South Dakota State (Summit)7. Illinois vs. 10. Wichita State
1. Kansas vs. 16. Little Rock (Sun Belt)8. Xavier vs. 9. Rutgers
4. Kentucky (SEC) vs. 13. Akron (MAC)5. Butler vs. 12. Liberty (Sun Belt)
3. Seton Hall (Big East) vs. 14. Colgate (Patriot)6. Michigan vs. 11. Virginia
2. Duke vs. 15. Hofstra (CAA)7. LSU vs. 10. Oklahoma
1. Gonzaga (WCC) vs. 16. Siena (MAAC) / Prairie View A&M (SWAC)8. Texas Tech vs. 9. Arizona State
4. Colorado (Pac-12) vs. 13. North Texas (C-USA)5. Michigan State vs. 12. East Tennessee State (SOCON)
3. Creighton vs. 14. Wright State (Horizon)6. Arizona vs. 11. Indiana
2. Florida State vs. 15. Montana (Big Sky)7. Ohio State vs. 10. Rhode Island
1. San Diego State (MWC) vs. 16. Austin Peay (OVC)8. Houston (AAC) vs. 9. St. Mary's
4. Villanova vs. 13. Yale (Ivy)5. Oregon vs. 12. Vermont (America East)
3. West Virginia vs. 14. New Mexico State (WAC)6. Iowa vs. 11. Cincinnati / NC State
2. Maryland (Big Ten) vs. 15. Winthrop (Big South)7. BYU vs. 10. Florida