Bracketology: Division I Boys Basketball (Feb. 24)

(Updated Feb. 24) The Division I boys basketball regular season has a week left in it. While there is still a lot to be decided before the postseason starts, here is what the playoff field would look like if the NHIAA playoffs started now.

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Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I will have 13 teams. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official pairings.

Division I

Playoff field (record, rating)

1. Portsmouth (15-2, 3.5294)
2. Winnacunnet (12-4, 3.0000)
3. Manchester Memorial (12-4, 3.0000)
4. Exeter (12-4, 3.0000)
5. Bedford (12-4, 3.0000)
6. Alvirne (11-5, 2.7500)
7. Manchester Central (11-5, 2.7500)
8. Londonderry (10-6, 2.5000)
9. Spaulding (8-8, 2.0000)
10. Salem (8-8, 2.0000)
11. Merrimack (7-9, 1.7500)
12. Dover (7-9, 1.7500)
13. Pinkerton (5-11, 1.2500)

Outside: Nashua South (5-11, 1.2500); Concord (5-11, 1.2500); Keene (4-12, 1.0000); Nashua North (4-12, 1.0000); Bishop Guertin (3-13, 0.7500); Trinity (2-15, 0.4706).

Tiebreakers

• In the four-way tiebreaker, Winnacunnet (2-1, 2.6667) and Manchester Memorial (2-1, 2.6667) finish ahead of Exeter (1-2, 1.3333) and Bedford (1-2, 1.3333) thanks to a better rating in head-to-head games.
• Winnacunnet wins the tiebreaker with Manchester Memorial thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Manchester Memorial (2-0, 4.0000) wins the three-way tiebreaker with Exeter (1-1, 2.0000) and Bedford (0-2, 0.0000) thanks to a better rating in head-to-head games.
• Exeter wins the tiebreakers with Bedford thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Alvirne wins the tiebreaker with Manchester Central thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Spaulding wins the tiebreaker with Salem thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Merrimack wins the tiebreaker with Dover thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Pinkerton (3-9, 1.0000) wins the three-way tiebreaker with Nashua South (3-10, 0.9231) and Concord (2-10, 0.6667) for the final playoff spot thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

Schedule

• Tuesday, Feb. 27: Manchester Central at Salem, 6:30 p.m.; Alvirne at Winnacunnet, 6:30 p.m.; Concord at Pinkerton, 6:30 p.m.; Dover at Nashua South, 6:30 p.m.; Exeter at Nashua North, 6:30 p.m.; Keene at Merrimack, 6:30 p.m.; Trinity at Bedford, 7 p.m.; Manchester Memorial at Londonderry, 7 p.m.
• Friday, March 2: Bedford at Bishop Guertin, 5:30 p.m.; Portsmouth at Alvirne, 6:30 p.m.; Salem at Dover, 6:30 p.m.; Pinkerton at Exeter, 6:30 p.m.; Keene at Nashua South, 6:30 p.m.; Londonderry at Nashua North, 6:30 p.m.; Merrimack at Manchester Memorial, 6:30 p.m.; Manchester Central at Winnacunnet, 6:30 p.m.; Concord at Spaulding, 7 p.m.

Scenarios

• Portsmouth has clinched the No. 1 seed.
• Bishop Guertin and Trinity are the only teams that have been mathematically eliminated.

First-round byes

• No. 1 Portsmouth
• No. 2 Winnacunnet
• No. 3 Manchester Memorial

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Spaulding at No. 8 Londonderry
• No. 12 Dover at No. 5 Bedford
• No. 13 Pinkerton at No. 4 Exeter
• No. 10 Salem at No. 7 Manchester Central
• No. 11 Merrimack at No. 6 Alvirne