:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5915277/141032394.jpg)
The 2012 NCAA Tournament selection process is approaching quickly, and according to SB Nation's Bracketology the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are currently projected to enter March Madness as a No. 7 seed in the West bracket. That would set Notre Dame up for a first-round matchup against the No. 10 seed Texas Longhorns, with the potential for second-round game against Jared Sullinger and the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Irish suffered a disappointing loss in the Big East Conference semifinals against the Louisville Cardinals, scoring just 50 points and getting buried by a 26-4 run at the end of the first half. Even so, their spot in the 2012 NCAA Tournament is safe, but their seed and matchup may take a bit of a hit.
Here's a complete look at the latest update of SB Nation's NCAA Bracketology:
Teams that have clinched automatic bids appear in all caps.
| (1) MIDWEST St. Louis (Fri/Sun) |
(2) EAST Boston (Thu/Sat) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville (Thu/Sat) | Pittsburgh (Thu/Sat) | ||
| 1 | Kentucky (SEC) | 1 | Syracuse |
| 16 | MVSU/WKU | 16 | UNC ASHEVILLE (Big South) |
| 8 | Iowa State | ↓ 8 | Vanderbilt |
| 9 | Purdue | 9 | Kansas State |
| Portland (Thu/Sat) | Albuquerque (Thu/Sat) | ||
| 5 | CREIGHTON (MVC) | ↓ 5 | Temple |
| ↑ 12 | Arizona (Pac-12) | 12 | BYU |
| ↑ 4 | Florida State | 4 | Indiana |
| ↑ 13 | DAVIDSON (Southern) | 13 | Mississippi State/USF |
| Columbus (Fri/Sun) | Albuquerque (Thu/Sat) | ||
| 6 | Wichita State | ↑ 6 | Cincinnati (Big East) |
| ↑ 11 | West Virginia | 11 | Southern Miss. |
| 3 | Michigan | 3 | Baylor |
| 14 | BELMONT (A-Sun) | 14 | Akron (MAC) |
| Omaha (Fri/Sun) | Greensboro (Fri/Sun) | ||
| ↓ 7 | San Diego State (MWC) | ↑ 7 | New Mexico |
| 10 | VCU (CAA) | 10 | HARVARD (Ivy) |
| 2 | Missouri (Big 12) | 2 | Duke |
| 15 | MONTANA (Big Sky) | 15 | LONG ISLAND U. (NEC) |
| (4) WEST Phoenix (Thu/Sat) |
(3) SOUTH Atlanta (Fri/Sun) |
||
| Omaha (Fri/Sun) | Greensboro (Fri/Sun) | ||
| 1 | Kansas | 1 | North Carolina (ACC) |
| 16 | Lamar (Southland) | 16 | Norfolk State/Stony Brook |
| 8 | Saint Louis (A-10) | ↓ 8 | ST. MARY'S (WCC) |
| ↑ 9 | Alabama | 9 | Connecticut |
| Nashville (Fri/Sun) | Portland (Thu/Sat) | ||
| 5 | MURRAY STATE (OVC) | ↓ 5 | UNLV |
| ↓ 12 | Colorado State | 12 | Xavier |
| 4 | Wisconsin | ↑ 4 | Louisville |
| 13 | N.C. State/Drexel | 13 | SOUTH DAKOTA ST. (Summit) |
| Pittsburgh (Thu/Sat) | Nashville (Fri/Sun) | ||
| 6 | Gonzaga | ↑ 6 | Memphis (C-USA) |
| ↓ 11 | Virginia | ↓ 11 | California |
| 3 | Georgetown | 3 | Marquette |
| 14 | LOYOLA (MD) (MAAC) | ↑ 14 | New Mexico State (WAC) |
| Louisville (Thu/Sat) | Columbus (Fri/Sun) | ||
| 7 | Notre Dame | ↓ 7 | Florida |
| ↑ 10 | Texas | ↑ 10 | Long Beach St. (Big West) |
| 2 | Ohio State | 2 | Michigan State (Big Ten) |
| 15 | LEHIGH (Patriot) | 15 | DETROIT (Horizon) |
| FIRST FOUR (Dayton) | |||
| Tuesday: To Louisville |
Tuesday: To Albuquerque | ||
| 16 | Miss. Valley State (SWAC) | 13 | Mississippi State |
| 16 | WESTERN KENTUCKY (Sun Belt) | 13 | USF |
| Wednesday: To Greensboro | Wednesday: To Nashville |
||
| 16 | Norfolk State (MEAC) | ↑ 13 | N.C. State |
| 16 | Stony Brook (AmEast) | ↓ 13 | Drexel |
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. Notre Dame Fighting Irish news and analysis is available at One Foot Down. For more on Big East basketball, visit the SB Nation blog Big East Coast Bias. Also be sure to check out SB Nation's college basketball hub.
