The 2012 NCAA Tournament selection process is approaching quickly, and according to SB Nation's Bracketology the Northwestern Wildcats are on the outside of March Madness, looking in. The Drexel Dragons, South Florida Bulls, North Carolina State Wolfpack, and Mississippi State Bulldogs are listed of the last four teams to get in to the NCAA Tournament, while Mississippi Rebels, Seton Hall Pirates, Washington Huskies and Iona Gaels are the first four with a major beef for being left out of the big dance.
Meanwhile, Northwestern is among the next quartet of teams headed to the NIT, making sad company with the Tennessee Volunteers, Miami Hurricanes and Dayton Flyers. Here's how the process broke down in the latest run by SB Nation's Chris Dobbertean. Northwestern is part of the Next Four Out crowd, so they would need a major miracle to get in the field at this point.
| Bids By Conference | Last Four Byes | Arrivals | Departures |
| Big East: 9 |
California | Arizona | Miami |
| Big Ten: 7 | Southern Mississippi | New Mexico State | Nevada |
| Big 12: 6 | Colorado State | N.C. State | Tennessee |
| ACC: 5 | BYU | ||
| SEC: 5 |
Next Four In | Procedural Shifts | |
| MWC: 4 |
Drexel | Southern Mississippi | Up to an 11 from a 12 |
| A-10: 3 | USF | Xavier | Down to a 12 from an 11 |
| WCC: 3 | N.C. State | ||
| CAA: 2 | Mississippi State | ||
| C-USA: 2 | Last Four Out | ||
| MVC: 2 | Mississippi | ||
| Pac-12: 2 | Seton Hall | ||
| 1-Bid Conferences: 19 | Washington | ||
| Iona | |||
| Next Four Out | d | ||
| Tennessee | |||
| Miami | |||
| Dayton | |||
| Northwestern |
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