Bracketology - week of Jan 6

[BRS24]

Here we go kids. Our friend Charlie is now in the two updates a week phase, and I'll try to keep up. In my first attempt to see if today's update had been posted, all I got was a blank screen, so yeah. And now that it's live, it's got ... a new look with moving graphics. I'll post Friday's update here, so we only have one thread per week.

Welcome to Texas Tech and Michigan State in the top 16. Goodbye to Notre Dame (8) and North Carolina (5). Of note, Villanova is in LFI, and Seton Hall and Marquette in the NFO groups.

Women's Bracketology: Why LSU's seed could be determined in the next two games

LSU has work to do after its 0-2 start in SEC play, but opportunity arrives with the season's most crucial two-game stretch.

www.espn.com

Chaos reigned in the first week of 2026 as seven teams in the top 16 of the last Bracketology update lost in a five-day span -- and LSU and Notre Dame each lost twice. The top four teams were unaffected, so the gap between UConn, Texas, South Carolina and UCLA and the rest of the country grew larger. But the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seed lines were significantly shaken up. Kentucky was the biggest winner of the upheaval. The Wildcats -- whose upset of LSU on Jan. 1 might have been the week’s most impactful win -- jump from a 3-seed (No. 12 overall) to solidly on the 2-line (No. 6 overall). Clara Strack and Tonie Morgan might be the most underrated post-guard duo in the nation.​

12 - Big Ten
11 - SEC
9 - Big 12
7 - ACC
2 - Big East
2 - Summit League

 

[azfan]

Sun Devils in!?!?!

 

[oldude]

As a UConn fan, I would love to lock in this bracket for March right now. After disposing of 2 teams in Storrs, facing Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 and Vandy in the Elite 8, if the tournament goes “chalk”, is about the easiest road to the FF that you could imagine.

 

[Huskee11]

Texas, on the other hand, seems to have a tough road as the number 2 team under Crème’s analysis. Louisville is coming on strong and if LSU gets past Louisville, it would mean that LSU will have righted the ship.

 

[Skeets]

If it goes chalk, it would be Geno vs. Shea. That would be worth watching 🙂

 

[BRS24]

If it goes chalk, it would be Geno vs. Shea. That would be worth watching 🙂

I hate when this happens, even it's correct vs the S curve or whatever. I'm always thinking, stop making fetch happen

 

[triaddukefan]

As a UConn fan, I would love to lock in this bracket for March right now. After disposing of 2 teams in Storrs, facing Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 and Vandy in the Elite 8, if the tournament goes “chalk”, is about the easiest road to the FF that you could imagine.

Vandy wouldn't be in the Elite 8 in that bracket.

 

[oldude]

Vandy wouldn't be in the Elite 8 in that bracket.

I suppose, if I absolutely had to, I could live with the Blue Devils in the Elite 8…. 😎

 

[NC28604]

I do love the new format ESPN has done.

 

[BRS24]

Completely forgot we're at two-a-weeks for B'ology now. Ole Miss in and Iowa State out of the top 16. Of note, Villanova is in LFI, and Seton Hall and Marquette still in the NFO groups.

Women's Bracketology: Why LSU's seed could be determined in the next two games

LSU has work to do after its 0-2 start in SEC play, but opportunity arrives with the season's most crucial two-game stretch.

www.espn.com

LSU shook off the shock of its first 0-2 start in SEC play since 2011 with a 21-point victory Thursday. After going scoreless against Vanderbilt, Flau'jae Johnson led the Tigers with 25 points and all seems right again in Baton Rouge. With its confidence restored, LSU now faces its most crucial two-game stretch of the season: hosting Texas on Sunday and at Oklahoma seven days later. The Tigers must win both games to have a chance to win the SEC or a No. 1 NCAA tournament seed. In fact, LSU might have to go unbeaten the rest of the way to reach either of those goals. If the Tigers lose both games, securing even a No. 2 seed is all but gone, and staying in the top 16 to host tournament games would be in jeopardy.

12 - Big Ten
11 - SEC
9 - Big 12
7 - ACC
2 - Big East
2 - Summit League

 

[Phil]

The four ones are fine

I hope Vandy is worthy of a two seed. They look great against LSU but their resume is thin.

Louisville is decent but I'm not yet convinced there are a two seed.

TCU looks fine.

Both Michigan and Michigan State as four seeds? At least one may be both deserve higher.

Texas Tech will stumble.

LSU is tough to figure out but we will know a lot more tomorrow.

No love for Ohio State? Not a big fan but they are more likely to be a 4 than a 6.

 

[Bone Dog]

I hope Vandy is worthy of a two seed. They look great against LSU but their resume is thin.

I’ve been wondering about this. I only watched this game on TV. But they didn’t look all that wonderful to me. They seemed stagnant on offense, disorganized and easily harried. Admittedly, they were playing a ‘top’ team. Galvan in particular looked to be too easy to knock off her game. She got hot from 3 toward the end. But I think that was because LSU’s defense faltered. They had totally disrupted her — and the Vandy offense — for most of the game. Other than Blakes, they had precious little consistency or organization.

Against a truly top tier team, I think they’d be crushed. UConn, Texas, SC or UCLA all would roll over them like a Mercedes over a paper clip. Even the second tier teams like OU or Louisville or TCU or Iowa or Maryland or UK or NC St or Michigan or tOSU would be able to handle them. In each case, I suspect, Blakes would get her points, Pierre would get her rebounds, and the rest of the team would struggle.

In a sense, this game against LSU was a perfect storm between two medium tier teams. They could disrupt each other’s offense. But neither could really achieve anything like a dominant victory. They reminded me of punch drunk prizefighters.

I could be wrong in this assessment, and Vandy will get several chances to prove me wrong in conference play, as will LSU. But until they beat more teams like OU or Michigan or UK, or avoid being blown out by SC or Texas, I will remain skeptical.

 

[Phil]

I’ve been wondering about this. I only watched this game on TV. But they didn’t look all that wonderful to me. They seemed stagnant on offense, disorganized and easily harried. Admittedly, they were playing a ‘top’ team. Galvan in particular looked to be too easy to knock off her game. She got hot from 3 toward the end. But I think that was because LSU’s defense faltered. They had totally disrupted her — and the Vandy offense — for most of the game. Other than Blakes, they had precious little consistency or organization.

Against a truly top tier team, I think they’d be crushed. UConn, Texas, SC or UCLA all would roll over them like a Mercedes over a paper clip. Even the second tier teams like OU or Louisville or TCU or Iowa or Maryland or UK or NC St or Michigan or tOSU would be able to handle them. In each case, I suspect, Blakes would get her points, Pierre would get her rebounds, and the rest of the team would struggle.

In a sense, this game against LSU was a perfect storm between two medium tier teams. They could disrupt each other’s offense. But neither could really achieve anything like a dominant victory. They reminded me of punch drunk prizefighters.

I could be wrong in this assessment, and Vandy will get several chances to prove me wrong in conference play, as will LSU. But until they beat more teams like OU or Michigan or UK, or avoid being blown out by SC or Texas, I will remain skeptical.

The SEC saw it differently:

Blakes and Galvan Honored

Vanderbilt's backcourt duo earns a pair of weekly awards from the SEC

vucommodores.com

"...freshman Aubrey Galvan was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week."

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[cancontent]

I’ve been wondering about this. I only watched this game on TV. But they didn’t look all that wonderful to me. They seemed stagnant on offense, disorganized and easily harried. Admittedly, they were playing a ‘top’ team. Galvan in particular looked to be too easy to knock off her game. She got hot from 3 toward the end. But I think that was because LSU’s defense faltered. They had totally disrupted her — and the Vandy offense — for most of the game. Other than Blakes, they had precious little consistency or organization.

Against a truly top tier team, I think they’d be crushed. UConn, Texas, SC or UCLA all would roll over them like a Mercedes over a paper clip. Even the second tier teams like OU or Louisville or TCU or Iowa or Maryland or UK or NC St or Michigan or tOSU would be able to handle them. In each case, I suspect, Blakes would get her points, Pierre would get her rebounds, and the rest of the team would struggle.

In a sense, this game against LSU was a perfect storm between two medium tier teams. They could disrupt each other’s offense. But neither could really achieve anything like a dominant victory. They reminded me of punch drunk prizefighters.

I could be wrong in this assessment, and Vandy will get several chances to prove me wrong in conference play, as will LSU. But until they beat more teams like OU or Michigan or UK, or avoid being blown out by SC or Texas, I will remain skeptical.

Curious as to how you define "handle" with respect to these teams. I think several of these match ups would be a toss up, especially after seeing how the likes of Iowa, Michigan, Maryland, NC State have shown they can be vulnerable when challenged. Looking forward to seeing them play Michigan in a few weeks.

 

[Bone Dog]

Curious as to how you define "handle" with respect to these teams. I think several of these match ups would be a toss up, especially after seeing how the likes of Iowa, Michigan, Maryland, NC State have shown they can be vulnerable when challenged. Looking forward to seeing them play Michigan in a few weeks.

By “handle” I meant give a very competitive game to, and probably win much of the time. This is hardly consistent with the ranking discrepancies that putting Vandy at #5 would create. Obviously, these are merely subjective guesses on my part. But if Nc St—Vandy for example would be a toss-up in your view (would it?) shouldn’t they have similar rankings?

It may also be a question of what we think a ranking is, or should be. I think of them as forecasts in two senses: first of potential matchups today, and second of potential matchups by the end of the season. I don’t currently believe Vandy would beat most of the teams ranked below 5 on most days. But time may make a believer out of me yet.

 

[Vowelguy]

I’ve been wondering about this. I only watched this game on TV. But they didn’t look all that wonderful to me. They seemed stagnant on offense, disorganized and easily harried. Admittedly, they were playing a ‘top’ team. Galvan in particular looked to be too easy to knock off her game. She got hot from 3 toward the end. But I think that was because LSU’s defense faltered. They had totally disrupted her — and the Vandy offense — for most of the game. Other than Blakes, they had precious little consistency or organization.

Against a truly top tier team, I think they’d be crushed. UConn, Texas, SC or UCLA all would roll over them like a Mercedes over a paper clip. Even the second tier teams like OU or Louisville or TCU or Iowa or Maryland or UK or NC St or Michigan or tOSU would be able to handle them. In each case, I suspect, Blakes would get her points, Pierre would get her rebounds, and the rest of the team would struggle.

Pierre transferred to NcSt over the summer.

 

[Bone Dog]

Pierre transferred to NcSt over the summer.

Yes, I realized the error when Gael pointed it out above.