It’s that exciting time of year again.
The NCAA Tournament brackets are just around the corner, with 68 teams hoping to secure their spot and ultimately cut down the nets in Indianapolis.
Before the bracket announcements this Sunday night, here’s some guidance on how to get ready for the selections.
No.1
Predicting the top seeds is generally straightforward. It’s pretty safe to say that Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida will hold the No. 1 seeds. They’ve consistently topped the seed lists for quite a while now.
Florida has recently edged past Connecticut for the last No. 1 spot after the Huskies suffered a home loss to Creighton. This was a setback following a few other not-so-great performances. Meanwhile, the Gators have racked up 17 victories in their last 19 games in a significantly tougher conference.
Interestingly, Wisconsin did manage to beat Florida in December, but over the past couple of months, the Gators have been more consistent against stronger teams. Both Wisconsin and Florida had tough losses over the weekend, but Florida State also boasts a better record in key games, which holds weight with the selection committee.
As far as the top overall seed goes, Duke seems to be the clear frontrunner.
Bubble Burst
Could the selection committee actually overlook a team that’s gone undefeated in the regular season? Most experts think Miami (Ohio) is still in the mix, even after their elimination in the Mid-American Conference quarterfinals. But it’s not guaranteed—really, it’s a bit shaky. Their strength of schedule is notably weak, coming in at 269th.
On the flip side, you’ve got Auburn, which has faced one of the toughest schedules in the country. They’ve collected wins against both conference champions but, with 16 losses, their chances look slim. No team has ever been selected for at-large bids with that many losses.
Adding an interesting twist to the night, former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl will be featured on the CBS selection show after stepping down last September to support his son in landing a head coaching job.
Other teams on the bubble, like Oklahoma, Texas, and VCU, need to watch out for those surprise winners from lower conferences that might snag a spot by winning their tournament. The Atlantic 10 conference, for instance, could lose a bubble slot due to this.
Local Scenery
Three teams have secured their spots: St. John’s, which won both the Big East regular season and tournament, Hofstra, champions of the CAA, and LIU, the regular season and postseason champions of the Northeast Conference.
Starting with St. John’s—they’ve come through with a strong 28-6 record after taking down Connecticut, earning them a No. 4 seed. Although their Quad 1 wins are fewer than ideal, their strong overall record certainly positions them as a respectable contender.
Hofstra is entering the tournament for the first time since 2001, potentially landing a No. 12 seed. A NET ranking of 88 and impressive road victories against Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolster their case.
A loss in their conference tournament to a mid-level champion could even help elevate Hofstra’s seeding. They would certainly benefit if Yale, from the Ivy League, were to cancel their title game on Sunday.
LIU wraps up the trio. Typically, NEC representatives head to Dayton for the First Four, a trend that’s held for the past 12 tournaments. Will the Sharks be able to break that cycle? With 24 wins, they’re enjoying their best season since 2011-12.
