2011 NCAA field taking shape

After an initial pass at my yearly mostly-decent-but-never-totally-correct at-large projections, my feeling is that the two Pool B teams have been decided, and 14 of the 20 Pool C bids have been accounted for already. I also have a good hunch on six projected regional hosts.

I’m awaiting the NESCAC and NEWMAC Sunday finals (and the three other Sunday finals) before I go any further with the number crunching. One thing’s for sure. Bubble teams – you know who you are – should be rooting for UMass Boston in the LEC final on Sunday.

I should have my at-large projections posted by 4 p.m. on Sunday. In the interim I’m prepping the online Regional Guides, which I’ll again provide for any regional that features a Midwest or Central region team. If you have not seen my Regional Guides, here’s an example. Here’s another. And another.

-Ricky Nelson