Houston, we have a bracket

Ohh, it's almost tournament time! Best time of the volleyball year. Here's the bracket:

NEBRASKA REGIONAL:

(1) Texas vs Texas State
TX-San Antonio vs Texas A&M

Georgia vs American
(16) Duke vs College of Charleston

(9) San Diego vs UC Santa Barbara
New Mexico State vs Arizona

Oregon vs Miami
(8) Nebraska vs Fairfield

ILLINOIS REGIONAL:

(5) Florida vs Jacksonville
Georgia Southern vs Florida State

North Carolina vs California
(12) Wisconsin vs Milwaukee

(13) Illinois vs Morehead State
Louisville vs Marquette

Purdue vs Central Arkansas
(4) Missouri vs IUPUI

USC REGIONAL:

(3) Washington vs Alabama State
LSU vs Michigan

Creighton vs Arkansas
(14) Kansas vs Wichita State

(11) Hawaii vs Idaho State
Arizona State vs BYU

Colorado State vs Cal State Northridge
(6) USC vs New Hampshire

KENTUCKY REGIONAL:

(7) Stanford vs Hampton
Alabama vs Oklahoma

Iowa State vs Colorado
(10) Minnesota vs Radford

(15) Kentucky vs Duquesne
Ohio vs Michigan State

Utah vs Yale
(2) Penn State vs LIU-Brooklyn

Seemingly last four in:

1. Cal State Northridge
2. Miami
3. Georgia
4. Colorado

Likely first four out:

1. Ohio State
2. Butler
3. UCLA
4. Tulsa

This is a bracket I feel like if I'd drawn it up, it would have been shouted down as unrealistic. But we'll go with it!

Texas look like they have a direct ticket to the Final Four, which they probably should as the top seeds. There are those who would have you believe that a potential Elite Eight match with Nebraska could be a tough one, but I don't buy it. Not even with it on Nebraska's home court. Remember that Penn State just beat Nebraska on their home court not-all-that-competitively.

Unless you think Missouri will wilt the second they meet a Big Ten team, they've got a pretty easy draw, too. The Champaign sub-regional (which, by the way is something I considered. Not a huge shock to see Illinois hosting) will produce a worthy winner — I'm discounting Morehead State emerging but I think any of the other three teams could — but not one who can challenge the Tigers in all likelihood. Same really goes for Gainesville and Madison. Should be good, strong volleyball. But championship teams? Ehh.

Hawaii I am surprised to see hosting, especially as it increases the number of teams taking flights for rounds 1 and 2. But good for them. I think they'll do well in the tournament, with a deep run very possible. Wichita State facing seeded Kansas in round 1 tells me they would not have made the tournament as an at-large team (seeded teams seldom play at-larges in the first round). The Kentucky regional looks like chalk, too. I'm not sure I'd pick any seeded team to fall before the Sweet 16, and it's quite possible none of them will.

I'm gonna take a little bit of time off from bloggin' between now and Thursday, the start of the tournament. It should be an amazing ride to see who ends up in Seattle playing for the national championship!