Editor’s note: For years, our very own Andy Bottoms has been projecting the NCAA Tournament bracket.

Why should you pay attention to Andy? Because according to Bracket Matrix, he is still the #1 ranked bracketologist in the world. He is also the host of podcast Bracketology.fm.

Below is Andy’s latest set of projections for 2017. Expect daily updates between now and Selection Sunday.

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Championship Week is here, and we’ve already seen seven automatic bids handed out. While the one seed picture remains unchanged, the potential for movement remains, particularly if Gonzaga loses in the WCC Championship on Tuesday.

As for the bubble, the pool of potential teams has shrunk a bit given last week’s results, but very little separation remains between the last handful of teams projected in the field and the first few teams out.

On this week’s podcast, I previewed all of the remaining conference tournaments with my guests Jordan Majewski and Raphielle Johnson. Both offered great insight, and it’s worth a listen as one of the best weeks of the college basketball season rolls along.

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The bracket

Here are my projections through the games from March 6.

I’ve also listed my last four in and first four out as usual, but my thoughts on those teams can all be found within the latest edition of Bracket Watch.

EAST (NEW YORK) MIDWEST (KANSAS CITY) Buffalo – March 16/18 Tulsa – March 17/19 1) Villanova 1) Kansas 16) Jacksonville St. / Mount St. Mary’s 16) New Orleans / NC Central 8) South Carolina

8) Michigan 9) Northwestern 9) Arkansas Buffalo – March 16/18 Salt Lake City – March 16/18 5) Cincinnati

5) Notre Dame 12) Iowa / USC 12) UT-Arlington

4) West Virginia 4) Arizona 13) Vermont 13) East Tennessee St. Orlando – March 16/18 Milwaukee – March 16/18 6) Wisconsin 6) Iowa St. 11) Wake Forest 11) Syracuse 3) Florida St. 3) Butler 14) Bucknell 14) Florida Gulf Coast Indianapolis – March 17/19 Indianapolis – March 17/19 7) Virginia Tech 7) Maryland 10) VCU 10) Seton Hall 2) Kentucky 2) Louisville 15) Texas Southern

15) Iona SOUTH (MEMPHIS) WEST (SAN JOSE) Greenville – March 17/19 Salt Lake City – March 16/18 1) North Carolina 1) Gonzaga 16) North Dakota 16) Omaha 8) Dayton 8) Oklahoma St. 9) Wichita St. 9) Marquette Orlando – March 16/18 Milwaukee – March 16/18 5) Minnesota 5) Virginia 12) UNC-Wilmington 12) Nevada 4) Florida 4) Purdue 13) Princeton 13) Winthrop Sacramento – March 17/19 Greenville – March 17/19 6) SMU 6) Saint Mary’s 11) Middle Tennessee

11) Vanderbilt / Xavier 3) UCLA 3) Duke 14) Akron 14) Cal St. Bakersfield Tulsa – March 17/19 Sacramento – March 17/19 7) Creighton 7) Miami (FL) 10) Michigan St. 10) Providence 2) Baylor 2) Oregon 15) Northern Kentucky 15) UC-Irvine

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Note: I broke down the bubble teams in more detail in this week’s Bracket Watch.

Last Four In

Xavier

Vanderbilt

USC

Iowa

First Four Out

Kansas State

Illinois State

Rhode Island

Illinois

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Here is how the bids broke down by conference:

ACC (10): Duke, Florida State, Louisville, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Big Ten (8): Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Big East (7): Butler, Creighton, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova, Xavier

Big 12 (5): Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia

SEC (5): Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vanderbilt

Pac-12 (4): Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, USC

American (2): Cincinnati, SMU

Atlantic 10 (2): Dayton, VCU

West Coast (2): Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s

America East: Vermont

Atlantic Sun: Florida Gulf Coast*

Big Sky: North Dakota

Big South: Winthrop*

Big West: UC-Irvine

Colonial: UNC-Wilmington*

Conference USA: Middle Tennessee

Horizon: Northern Kentucky

Ivy: Princeton

MAAC: Iona*

MAC: Akron

MEAC: NC Central

Missouri Valley: Wichita State*

Mountain West: Nevada

Northeast: Mount St. Mary’s

Ohio Valley: Jacksonville St.*

Patriot: Bucknell

Southern: East Tennessee St.*

Southland: New Orleans

Summit: Omaha

Sun Belt: UT-Arlington

SWAC: Texas Southern

WAC: Cal State Bakersfield

* – Denotes team has earned automatic bid

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Follow Andy on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops and to receive an update whenever new brackets are posted.