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Bracketology: No. 1 seeds up for grabs
We enter the final push toward Selection Sunday with six teams in play for No. 1 seeds – at least that’s how it looks this morning. Duke’s home loss to North Carolina and Wisconsin’s shocking home loss to Nebraska take a bite out of those teams chances. That leaves Gonzaga, Baylor, Arizona, Auburn, Kansas and Kentucky as the best bets heading into conference tournament play.
Expect daily updates this week – and some days movement may occur – even if teams do not play – as the seed list is reviewed. That’s the way it works. The middle of the bracket is still somewhat fluid in terms of order. This is particularly the case for the bottom of the 5-seed line through the 7-seed line. The bubble is the bubble, so it could be a revolving door until Saturday night – and even then we could end up with a bid thief in play on Sunday. It’s happened many times.
Take a breath. Enjoy the ride! Our 2022 NCAA Tournament bracket is less than a week away.
Bracketology: Auburn returns to top line
The race for at least one of the No. 1 seed positions is wide open – with four strong candidates: Auburn, Kansas, Kentucky and Duke. As within our 2022 Mock Selection Committee, opinions will vary on the exact order. This morning, Auburn replaces Kansas for the final spot.
Honestly, it’s likely to change – perhaps multiple times – between now and Selection Sunday. In terms of the easiest potential path – that would belong to Duke. While the Blue Devils lack the same opportunity to gain high-end victories, they will be heavily favored in every remaining game. Experience suggests it would be hard for the Committee to overlook a 30-4 team with non-conference victories over Gonzaga and Kentucky.
Bracketology: Marching to Selection Sunday
March begins tomorrow. It’s the best time of year to be a college hoops fan. Need a reminder? How about the craziness we witness on Saturday?
With additional results completed from Sunday, here are the latest updates:
The race for No. 1 seeds took an interesting turn on Saturday and created some potential space for additional suitors. This morning, the teams best positioned to earn No. 1 seeds are Gonzaga, Kansas, Baylor, Arizona, Auburn, Kentucky and Duke. Purdue is not out of the running, but the Boilermakers need a strong close – and probably some help. Let’s get through this week and see how things look. Read more…
Bracketology: Arizona in position for a No. 1 seed
If one were hedging bets, Arizona as a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday would be worth a long look. While the Pac-12 doesn’t offer the type of NET victories found in the Big 12, Big 10 or SEC, it also offers much less resistance. Take a look at the Wildcats’ schedule between now and the Pac-12 tournament: there’s a strong possibility that Arizona enters post-season play with a 28-2 record. WIth that resume, and an elite NET rating, there is almost no scenario in which the Wildcats would not be a top-line seed, even with a loss in the league tourney.
Who else is in the No. 1 seed discussion?
For many of the same reasons given about Arizona, Gonzaga feels like a near lock, too. Thus, the real battle might be for the West Region. Here are the other No. 1 seed candidates this morning: Auburn, Kentucky, Kansas, Purdue and Baylor. We’ll have to see how the season-ending injury to Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua impacts the Bears in the closing weeks. Prayers for a full recovery. Duke is still in the conversation but will likely need help – and more dominant play – to move past the others. If the Blue Devils sweep the remainder of their regular-season games, they would enter the ACC tournament at 27-4. Stay tuned.
Bracketology: Race for No. 1 seeds
With a month until Selection Sunday, the race for at least two spots on the No. 1 seed line is heating up. This morning, Gonzaga is the best bet to retain its position come Selection Sunday and could well end up as the No. 1 overall seed again. Auburn remains solid, despite an overtime loss at Arkansas. The final two spots are fully in play – with Kentucky and Kansas occupying those positions today – following Purdue’s rather deflating trip to Ann Arbor. The margins among those three is small, so until someone grabs the bull by the horns, so to speak, we could see a revolving door.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll find out more – including what the actual Selection Committee thinks when they reveal their initial Top 16 seeds (by Region). By the end of the month, the top line contenders may solidify. We’ll see. Arizona is next in line behind Purdue to return to a top-line position. Stay tuned.
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