By Kevin Sweeney

From the time the final buzzer goes off in the National Championship game until Selection Sunday the following season, the common dream shared by all teams is to be among the 68 teams selected to participate in the following season’s NCAA Tournament.  With just a week until all the action gets underway, it’s time to unveil CBB Central’s first 2016-17 NCAA Tournament projection. Auto-bids were given to the team that was picked to win each conference during our “32 Conferences, 32 Previews, 32 Days” series.

East Regional

• #1 Duke vs #16 SC State/Jackson State
• #8 Wichita State vs #9 Ohio State
• #5 Cal vs #12 Nevada/Florida State
• #4 Gonzaga vs #13 Ohio
• #6 West Virginia vs #11 Clemson
• #3 Indiana vs #14 Long Beach State
• #7 Georgia vs #10 Creighton
• #2 Kansas vs #15 Fairleigh Dickinson

Midwest Regional

• #1 Kentucky vs #16 Weber State/Winthrop
• #8 NC State vs #9 Florida
• #5 UCLA vs #12 Northern Iowa
• #4 Michigan State vs #13 UNC-Wilmington
• #6 St. Mary’s vs #11 Davidson/Washington
• #3 Iowa State vs #14 Belmont
• #7 San Diego State vs #10 Oklahoma
• #2 Wisconsin vs #15 Vermont

West Regional

• #1 Oregon vs #16 Sam Houston State
• #8 VCU vs #9 Butler
• #5 Texas A&M vs #12 Chattanooga
• #4 Arizona vs #13 Valparaiso
• #6 Maryland vs #11 Monmouth
• #3 Louisville vs #14 UT-Arlington
• #7 Dayton vs #10 Notre Dame
• #2 Xavier vs #15 Florida Gulf Coast

South Regional

• #1 Villanova vs #16 Lehigh
• #8 Purdue vs #9 USC
• #5 Syracuse vs #12 Seton Hall
• #4 UConn vs #13 UAB
• #6 Texas vs #11 Princeton
• #3 Virginia vs #14 South Dakota State
• #7 Cincinnati vs #10 Rhode Island
• #2 North Carolina vs #15 New Mexico State

Last Four Byes

• Notre Dame
• Northern Iowa
• Florida
• Seton Hall

Last Four In

• Clemson
• Washington
• Nevada
• Florida State

First Four Out

• Michigan
• Texas Tech
• SMU
• Arkansas

Next Four Out

• Houston
• Georgetown
• La Salle
• Colorado