Bracketology: Division I girls basketball (Feb. 19)

The Division I girls basketball regular season is down to its final week and there is still a lot to be decided before the postseason begins on Feb. 28.

This week, we'll be updating the playoff picture every day for Sports Insider Members. To signup for a membership, click on the register button below.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I will have 12 teams. These are not official pairings.

Division I

Playoff field (record, rating)

1. Bedford (17-0, 4.0000)
2. Pinkerton (14-2, 3.5000)
3. Manchester Memorial (13-3, 3.2500)
4. Merrimack (13-3, 3.2500)
5. Bishop Guertin (11-5, 2.7500)
6. Manchester Central (10-6, 2.5000)
7. Winnacunnet (9-8, 2.1176)
8. Exeter (8-8, 2.0000)
9. Salem (8-9, 1.8824)
10. Nashua North (7-9, 1.7500)
11. Londonderry (7-9. 1.7500)
12. Nashua South (6-10, 1.5000)

Outside: Concord (5-11, 1.2500); Keene (4-12, 1.0000); Spaulding (4-12, 1.0000); Dover (3-13, 0.7500); Alvirne (3-13, 0.7500); Trinity (1-15, 0.2500).

Tiebreakers

• Manchester Memorial wins the tiebreakers with Merrimack thanks to a head-to-head victory.
• Nashua North wins the tiebreaker with Londonderry thanks to a head-to-head victory.

Schedule

• Monday, Feb. 19: Manchester Memorial at Concord, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 20: Nashua North at Bishop Guertin, 5:30 p.m.; Alvirne at Nashua South, 6:30 p.m.; Bedford at Winnacunnet, 6:30 p.m.; Exeter at Keene, 6:30 p.m.; Trinity at Pinkerton, 6:30 p.m.; Manchester Central at Merrimack, 6:30 p.m.; Dover at Londonderry, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 23: Salem at Alvirne, 6:30 p.m.; Concord at Nashua North, 6:30 p.m.; Manchester Central at Nashua South, 5 p.m.; Merrimack at Dover, 6:30 p.m.; Manchester Memorial at Exeter, 6:30 p.m.; Trinity at Spaulding, 6:30 p.m.; Keene at Londonderry, 7 p.m.; Pinkerton at Bishop Guertin, 7 p.m.

First-round byes

• No. 1 Bedford: Bulldogs have already clinched the top seed.
• No. 2 Pinkerton: Astros have clinched a bye and will clinch the second seed with a win in one of their final two games. Can finish no worse than fourth.
• No. 3 Manchester Memorial: Crusaders will clinch a bye with a win and the third seed with two wins, or a win and at least one Merrimack loss. Could finish second with two wins and two Pinkerton losses. Can finish no worse than fifth.
• No. 4 Merrimack: Tomahawks will clinch a bye with a win. Could finish second with two wins and some help. Can finish no worse than fifth.

Other scenarios

• Bishop Guertin could still get a first-round bye by winning out and finishing in a tie with Merrimack or Memorial. The Cardinals hold the tiebreaker with both. Can finish no worse than sixth.
• Manchester Central has clinched a home game in the opening round. The Little Green could finish fifth, but no worse than seventh.
• Winnacunnet, Salem, Exeter and Londonderry have clinched playoff spots.
• Nashua North, Nashua South, Concord, Keene and Spaulding are still alive for the final two spots.

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Salem at No. 8 Exeter
• No. 12 Nashua South at No. 5 Bishop Guertin
• No. 10 Nashua North at No. 7 Winnacunnet
• No. 11 Londonderry at No. 6 Manchester Central