Final Bracket Projection: Will the committee deviate from past precedent?

Alright, here we go. The NCAA will officially unveil its bracket on ESPN-U today at 3 p.m., and with it, the final word on a season that has been anything but predictable.

Let’s dig into the final projection, and there are some interesting things that the committee might have to consider.

First, the final NPI:

1. Michigan [AQ]

2. North Dakota

3. Michigan State

4. Western Michigan

5. Denver [AQ]

6. Dartmouth [AQ]

7. Providence

8. Minnesota Duluth

9. Penn State

10. Quinnipiac

11. Cornell

12. Wisconsin

13. Minnesota State [AQ]

14. Connecticut

15. Merrimack [AQ]

16. Bentley [AQ]

On paper, a straight serpentine bracket would slot teams accordingly.

The conventional approach places No. 1 seeds closest to home. But this bracket has a wrinkle, and it starts with Denver.

As a host in Loveland, Denver is locked into that regional. That has a ripple effect, particularly on Michigan State and Western Michigan. Both are No. 1 seeds, and both are headed on the road regardless. Their placement likely hinged on Denver.