Updated Championship Week Predictions: "May the Living Be Dead (In Our Wake)"

Yesterday gave us some close games and some upsets.  Once again, multiple high seeds -- including six 1-seeds! -- lost earlier than they should have:

• AAC 3-seed Charlotte in the quarterfinals
• Big Ten 4-seed Northwestern in the quarterfinals
• Big West 1-seed UC Irvine in the semifinals
• CUSA 1-seed Sam Houston State in the semifinals
• MAAC 1-seed Quinnipiac in the semifinals
• MEAC 1-seed Norfolk State and 2-seed North Carolina Central in the semifinals
• Mountain West 1-seed Utah State in the semifinals
• Pac-12 1-seed Arizona and 2-seed Washington State in the semifinals
• SEC 1-seed Tennessee, 2-seed Kentucky, and 3-seed Alabama in the quarterfinals
• WAC 2-seed Tarleton in the semifinals

Today, we have another 15 or so hours of college basketball to watch whilst pounding Guinness, beginning at 11 a.m. ET with the tip of the America East title game between Vermont and UMass Lowell and the first Ivy League semifinal game between Princeton and Brown, and continuing all the way to the end of the WAC title game between Grand Canyon and UT Arlington that tips off at 11:30 p.m. ET.  Thirteen (!) automatic bids will be clinched today, so buckle up for another drama-filled day of college basketball action.

Today's song is both relevant to Championship Week and St. Patrick's Day weekend.  With the number of top seeds that have been smote during the last few days -- before many of us get smote by Guinness, Smithwick's, Harp, and Jameson today and/or tomorrow -- I went with Celtic punk stalwarts Flogging Molly's "May the Living Be Dead (In Our Wake)."

Here's what happened in yesterday's action and what we have to look forward to:

• In the ACC semifinals, 1-seed North Carolina topped 4-seed Pittsburgh, 72-65, and 10-seed NC State continued it's Cinderella run, surviving and advancing by beating 3-seed Virginia, 73-65 in OT.  When they face off tomorrow night in the title game, the Tar Heels are a lock for the NCAA Tournament and will be playing in their 53rd NCAA Tournament and first since 2022 (when they lost in the title game to Kansas), while the Wolfpack -- who need to win to get into the NCAA Tournament -- are playing for their 29th NCAA Tournament appearance and second in a row.
• In the Big 12 semifinals, top seed Houston crushed 4-seed Texas Tech, 82-59, and 2-seed Iowa State easily beat 3-seed Baylor, 76-62.  They'll meet tonight for the championship game.  Both teams are locks for the NCAA Tournament, and Houston will likely be a 1-seed, win or lose, and could be the overall 1-seed if they win.  The Cougars will be playing in their 25th NCAA Tournament and fourth in a row, while the Cyclones will the playing in their 23rd NCAA Tournament and third in a row.
• In the Big East semis, 1-seed UConn ousted 5-seed St. John's, 95-90, and 3-seed Marquette finished off 7-seed Providence, 79-68.  They will face off tonight in the title game.  Both UConn and Marquette are locks for the NCAA Tournament.  The defending national champion Huskies are also likely a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless of the result, and they'll be playing in their 37th NCAA Tournament and fourth in a row, while the Golden Eagles will be playing in their 36th NCAA Tournament and fourth in a row.
• In the Big West semifinals, 4-seed Long Beach State upset 1-seed UC Irvine, 83-79, and 2-seed UC Davis nearly gave up a double-digit lead in the last four minutes before holding off 3-seed Hawaii, 68-65.  When they meet in tonight's championship game, the Beach (f/k/a the 49ers) will be seeking their 10th NCAA Tournament berth and first since 2012, and the Aggies will be seeking their 2nd berth and first since 2017.
• In the C-USA semis, 5-seed UTEP went on a huge second-half run to upset 1-seed Sam Houston State, 65-63, and 3-seed Western Kentucky dumped on 7-seed Middle Tennessee State, 85-54.  When they play this evening for the title, the Miners will be playing for their 18th trip to the Big Dance and first since 2010, while the Hilltoppers will be playing for their 24th bid and first since 2013.
• In the MAAC semifinals, 5-seed St. Peter's got a tip-in at the buzzer to upset 1-seed Quinnipiac, 62-60, and 2-seed Fairfield held off 3-seed Marist, 65-61.  When they clash in tonight's championship game, the Peacocks will be playing for their 5th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2022 (when they became the first 15-seed to advance to the Elite Eight, beating Kentucky and Purdue on the way), and the Stags are playing for their 4th appearance and first since 1997.
• In the MAC semifinals, 2-seed Akron survived 3-seed Ohio, 65-63, and 8-seed Kent State downed 5-seed Bowling Green, 73-60, to set up an all-Northeast Ohio championship game.  This will be the fifth time the Zips and the Golden Flashes will have faced off in the MAC Tournament championship game (they're 2-2, by the way).  The Zips will be playing for their 6th NCAA Tournament berth and first since 2022, and the Golden Flashes will be playing for their 8th berth and second in a row.
• In the MEAC semis, the top two seeds fell, as 4-seed Howard upset top seed Norfolk State, 80-74, and 6-seed Delaware State upset 2-seed North Carolina Central, 71-58.  When they play in this afternoon's title game, the Bison will be playing for their 4th NCAA Tournament appearance and second in a row, and the Hornets will be playing for their 2nd appearance and first since 2005.
• In the Mountain West semifinals,  5-seed San Diego State made easy work of 1-seed Utah State, 86-70, and 6-seed New Mexico topped 7-seed Colorado State, 74-61.  Both teams should be locks for the NCAA Tournament.  The Aztecs (who made it to their first Final Four and title game last year) will be playing in their 16th NCAA Tournament and 4th in a row, while the Lobos will be playing in their 16th and first since 2014.
• In the Pac-12 semis, the top two seeds also lost, as 4-seed Oregon took down top seed Arizona, 67-59, and 3-seed Colorado beat 2-seed Washington State, 58-52.  The Ducks need to win to get into the NCAA Tournament, and they'll be playing for their 18th appearance and first since 2021.  The Buffaloes are likely in regardless, so they'll be playing in their 16th NCAA Tournament and first since 2021.
• In the SWAC semis, 1-seed Grambling dropped 5-seed Bethune Cookman, 65-53, and 3-seed Texas Southern staved off 7-seed Alabama A&M, 72-65.  When they meet in tonight's title game, the Tigers will be seeking their first ever NCAA Tournament bid, while the other Tigers will be seeking their 13th bid and fourth in a row (and 7th SWAC Tournament title in the last ten years).
• In the WAC semifinals, top seed Grand Canyon bounced 4-seed Seattle, 80-72, and 3-seed UT Arlington got a game-winning three with five seconds left to beat 2-seed Tarleton, 87-84.  When they play in the last of today's 13 championship games, the Antelopes will be playing for their 3rd NCAA Tournament appearance and second in a row, and the Mavericks will be playing for their 2nd appearance and first since 2008.
• In the AAC quarterfinals, 1-seed South Florida ensured they didn't fall off the bubble by thumping 8-seed East Carolina, 81-59, 2-seed Florida Atlantic eked out a win over 7-seed North Texas, 77-71, 11-seed Temple upset 3-seed Charlotte, 58-54, and 4-seed UAB dropped 12-seed Wichita State, 72-60, to advance to today's semifinals.
• In the Big Ten quarters, 1-seed Purdue got a scare before holding off 8-seed Michigan State, 67-64, 2-seed Illinois barely survived 10-seed Ohio State, 77-74, 3-seed Nebraska demolished 6-seed Indiana, 93-66 (making sure the rest of my March is anxiety-free), and 5-seed Wisconsin took down 4-seed Northwestern, 70-61, to advance to today's semifinals.
• In the Second Round of the SEC, 9-seed Mississippi State handily beat top seed Tennessee, 73-56, 7-seed Texas A&M significantly helped its NCAA Tournament hopes by beating 2-seed Kentucky, 97-87, 6-seed Florida bounced 3-seed Alabama, 102-88, and 4-seed Auburn annihilated 5-seed South Carolina, 86-55, to advance to today's semifinals.
• The final conference tournament starts today (Ivy League), and 18 conference tournaments have games today.
• 13 conference tournaments have title games today (ACC, America East, Big 12, Big East, Big West, C-USA, MAAC, MAC, MEAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, SWAC, WAC), and five conference tournaments have semifinals today (AAC, A-10, Big Ten, Ivy League, SEC).
• Here are the teams still playing in the conference tournaments that have never been to the NCAA Tournament (not including teams who are ineligible for this year's NCAA Tournament):
• America East:  2-seed UMass Lowell
• SWAC:  1-seed Grambling
• Bubble teams that won yesterday (in conference tournaments):  Colorado, Florida Atlantic, Mississippi State, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, South Florida, Texas A&M
• Bubble teams that lost yesterday (in conference tournaments):  Colorado State, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John's, Texas Tech, Virginia
• Bubble teams that did not play yesterday (in conference tournaments) or whose conference tournaments have not yet started:  Princeton
• Bubble teams whose regular seasons are done (and how they finished in their conference tournaments):  
• Boise State (lost in Mountain West quarterfinals)
• Cincinnati (lost in Big 12 quarterfinals)
• Colorado State (lost in Mountain West semifinals)
• Drake (MVC champ)
• Indiana State (lost in MVC title game)
• Iowa (lost in Big Ten second round)
• James Madison (Sun Belt champ)
• Kansas State (lost in Big 12 quarterfinals)
• McNeese (Southland champ)
• Memphis (lost in AAC second round)
• Michigan State (lost in Big Ten quarterfinals)
• Nevada (lost in Mountain West quarterfinals)
• Northwestern (lost in Big Ten quarterfinals)
• Oklahoma (lost in Big 12 second round)
• Pittsburgh (lost in ACC semifinals)
• Providence (lost in Big East semifinals)
• Seton Hall (lost in Big East quarterfinals)
• St. John's (lost in Big East semifinals)
• Syracuse (lost in ACC second round)
• TCU (lost in Big 12 quarterfinals)
• Texas (lost in Big 12 second round)
• Texas Tech (lost in Big 12 semifinals)
• Utah (lost in Pac-12 quarterfinals)
• Villanova (lost in Big East quarterfinals)
• Virginia (lost in ACC semifinals)
• Wake Forest (lost in ACC quarterfinals)

With that, here are the tournaments starting today, the tournaments with games today, bids up for grab today, who has already clinched an automatic berth, and my predictions for the remaining conference tournaments.

Tournaments starting today

-Ivy League

Tournaments with games today

-AAC

-ACC

-America East

-Atlantic 10

-Big 12

-Big East

-Big Ten

-Big West

-Conference USA

-Ivy League

-MAAC

-MAC

-MEAC

-Mountain West

-Pac-12

-SEC

-SWAC

-WAC

Bids up for grabs today (all times Eastern)

-America East (11 a.m.; ESPN2):  (2) UMass Lowell at (1) Vermont

-MEAC (1:00 p.m.; ESPN2):  (4) Howard vs. (6) Delaware State

-Big 12 (6 p.m.; ESPN):  (1) Houston vs. (2) Iowa State

-Mountain West (6 p.m.; CBS):  (5) San Diego State vs. (6) New Mexico

-Big East (6:30 p.m.; Fox):  (1) UConn vs. (3) Marquette

-MAAC (7:30 p.m.; ESPNU):  (2) Fairfield vs. (5) St. Peter's

-MAC (7:30 p.m.; ESPN2):  (2) Akron vs. (8) Kent State

-ACC (8:30 p.m.; ESPN):  (1) North Carolina vs. (10) NC State

-Conference USA (8:30 p.m.; CBSSN):  (3) Western Kentucky vs. (5) UTEP

-Pac-12 (9 p.m.; Fox):  (3) Colorado vs. (4) Oregon

-Big West (9:30 p.m.; ESPN2):  (2) UC Davis vs. (4) Long Beach State

-SWAC (9:30 p.m.; ESPNU):  (1) Grambling vs. (3) Texas Southern

-WAC (11:30 p.m.; ESPN2):  (1) Grand Canyon vs. (3) UT Arlington

Already clinched automatic berths (I will add in parentheses the NCAA tournament appearances for each school, including the bid just clinched and last NCAA Tournament appearance where applicable, and for conferences whose tournaments have not yet ended, I'll list the date of the championship game)

-AAC (March 17)

-ACC (March 16)

-America East (March 16)

-Atlantic 10 (March 17)

-Atlantic Sun:  Stetson (1)

-Big 12 (March 16)

-Big East (March 16)

-Big Sky:  Montana State (6; 2023)

-Big South:  Longwood (2; 2022)

-Big Ten (March 17)

-Big West (March 16)

-Coastal:  Charleston (7; 2023)

-Conference USA (March 16)

-Horizon:  Oakland (4; 2011)

-Ivy League (March 17)

-MAAC (March 16)

-MAC (March 16)

-MEAC (March 16)

-Missouri Valley:  Drake (7; 2023)

-Mountain West (March 16)

-Northeast Conference:  Wagner (2; 2003)

-Ohio Valley:  Morehead State (9; 2016)

-Pac-12 (March 16)

-Patriot League:  Colgate (7; 2003)

-SEC (March 17)

-Southern Conference:  Samford (3; 2000)

-Southland:  McNeese (3; 2002)

-Summit:  South Dakota State (7; 2022)

-Sun Belt:  James Madison (6; 2013)

-SWAC (March 16)

-WAC (March 16)

-West Coast:  St. Mary's (13; 2023)

Remaining Tournaments (all times are Eastern)

AAC (March 13-17; Fort Worth)

3/16 – Semifinals

3 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) South Florida vs. (4) UAB.  Predicted winner:  South Florida

5 p.m. (ESPN2) (2) Florida Atlantic vs. (11) Temple.  Predicted winner:  Florida Atlantic

3/17 – Finals

3:15 p.m. (ESPN) (1) South Florida vs. (2) Florida Atlantic.  Predicted winner:  Florida Atlantic

ACC (March 12-16; Washington, DC)

3/16 – Finals

8:30 p.m. (ESPN) (1) North Carolina vs. (10) NC State.  Predicted winner:  North Carolina

America East (March 9, 12, 16; campus of higher seed)

3/16 – Finals

11 a.m. (ESPN2) (2) UMass Lowell at (1) Vermont.  Predicted winner:  Vermont

Atlantic 10 (March 12-14, 16-17; Brooklyn)

3/16 – Semifinals

1 p.m. (CBSSN) (9) St. Joseph's vs. (5) VCU.  Predicted winner:  VCU

3:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (7) St. Bonaventure vs. (6) Duquesne.  Predicted winner:  Duquesne

3/17 – Finals

1 p.m. (CBS) (6) Duquesne vs. (5) VCU.  Predicted winner:  VCU

Big 12 (March 12-16; Kansas City)

3/16 – Finals

6 p.m. (ESPN) (1) Houston vs. (2) Iowa State.  Predicted winner:  Houston

Big East (March 13-16; New York)

3/16 – Finals

6:30 p.m. (Fox) (1) UConn vs. (3) Marquette.  Predicted winner:  UConn

Big Ten (March 13-17; Minneapolis)

3/16 – Semifinals

1 p.m. (CBS) (1) Purdue vs. (5) Wisconsin.  Predicted winner:  Wisconsin

3:30 p.m. (CBS) (2) Illinois vs. (3) Nebraska.  Predicted winner:  Nebraska

3/17 – Finals

3:30 p.m. (CBS) (3) Nebraska vs. (5) Wisconsin.  Predicted winner:  Nebraska

Big West (March 13-16; Henderson, NV)

3/16 – Finals

9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (4) Long Beach State vs. (2) UC Davis.  Predicted winner:  UC Davis

Conference USA (March 12-16; Huntsville, AL)

3/16 – Finals

8:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (5) UTEP vs. (3) Western Kentucky.  Predicted winner:  Western Kentucky

Ivy League (March 16-17; New York)

3/16 - Semifinals

11 a.m. (ESPNU) (1) Princeton vs. (4) Brown.  Predicted winner:  Princeton

2 p.m. (ESPNews) (2) Yale vs. (3) Cornell.  Predicted winner:  Cornell

3/17 - Finals

12 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Princeton vs. (3) Cornell.  Predicted winner:  Princeton

MAAC (March 12-16; Atlantic City, NJ)

3/16 – Finals

7:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (2) Fairfield vs. (5) St. Peter's.  Predicted winner:  Fairfield

MAC (March 14-16; Cleveland)

3/16 – Finals

7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (2) Akron vs. (8) Kent State.  Predicted winner:  Akron

MEAC (March 13-16; Norfolk, VA)

3/16 – Final

1:00 p.m. (ESPN2) (4) Howard vs. (6) Delaware State.  Predicted winner:  Delaware State

Mountain West (March 13-16; Paradise, NV)

3/16 – Finals

6 p.m. (CBS) (5) San Diego State vs. (6) New Mexico.  Predicted winner:  San Diego State

Pac-12 (March 13-16; Paradise, NV)

3/16 – Finals

9 p.m. (Fox) (1) Arizona vs. (3) Colorado vs. (4) Oregon.  Predicted winner:  Colorado

SEC (March 13-17; Nashville)

3/16 – Semifinals

1 p.m. (ESPN) (9) Mississippi State vs. (4) Auburn.  Predicted winner:  Auburn

3:30 p.m. (ESPN) (6) Florida vs. (7) Texas A&M.  Predicted winner:  Florida

3/17 – Finals

1 p.m. (ESPN) (4) Auburn vs. (6) Florida.  Predicted winner:  Auburn

SWAC (March 13-16; Birmingham, AL)

3/16 – Finals

9:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (1) Grambling vs. (3) Texas Southern.  Predicted winner:  Texas Southern

WAC (March 13-16; Paradise, NV)

3/16 – Finals

11:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Grand Canyon vs. (3) UT Arlington.  Predicted winner:  Grand Canyon