With just over a week until Selection Sunday, the No. 1 seed line remains unsettled. Kentucky will be the No. 1 overall seed; that much is clear. We’re also confident that some combination of these teams will comprise the other three spots on the top line: Virginia, Duke, Villanova, Wisconsin, Arizona, or Gonzaga. That’s six teams for three spots.
Virginia also looks pretty locked-in as a one-seed; it would take a loss Saturday at Louisville, and an earlier-than-expected exit from the ACC tournament, to create the potential for a slip. Which leaves us, more realistically, with five teams for two spots. In today’s bracket, Duke and Villanova hold spots three and four on the Seed List, with Wisconsin and Arizona next in line. Gonzaga will be discussed, but the Bulldogs likely need every team ahead of them to lose in order to move back up.
Order of the final Seed List is also uncertain - after you get past Kentucky. It matters because it helps determine which team(s) end up in which regions. Virginia has second choice today, so the Cavaliers slot East. Duke (South) and Villanova (West) are next. Arizona would stay West regardless of which No. 1 seed position they might obtain, but if the Tucson version of the Wildcats remains a two-seed, slots three and four will determine which of those teams remains closer to home.
Championship Week begins tomorrow. Our next bracket update is Monday. For the complete Seed List regarding today’s bracket, visit Bracketville.
UPDATED: March 6, 2015
Teams in CAPS represent the projected AUTOMATIC bid. In the event of a tie in the loss column, RPI is the first tiebreaker used. Exceptions are made for teams that use an abbreviation (UCLA, BYU, etc).
FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS - Dayton (First Round)
- Boise State vs. BYU | West Region
- Texas AM vs. Illinois | West Region
- BUCKNELL vs. ST. FRANCIS (NY) | Midwest Region
- NORTH FLORIDA vs. GA SOUTHERN | East Region
BRACKET PROJECTION ...
MIDWEST - Cleveland | EAST - Syracuse | |
Louisville | Charlotte | |
1) KENTUCKY | 1) VIRGINIA | |
16) ST. FRANCIS / BUCKNELL | 16) NO FLORIDA / GA SOUTH | |
8) DAYTON | 8) VCU | |
9) Xavier | 9) Mississippi | |
Seattle | Jacksonville | |
5) North Carolina | 5) West Virginia | |
12) S.F. Austin | 12) WOFFORD | |
4) WICHITA STATE | 4) Arkansas | |
13) HARVARD | 13) IONA | |
Columbus | Pittsburgh | |
6) Georgetown | 6) Providence | |
11) LSU | 11) Davidson | |
3) Iowa State | 3) Maryland | |
14) CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 14) NC-CENTRAL | |
Columbus | Omaha | |
7) SAN DIEGO ST | 7) Butler | |
10) NC State | 10) Purdue | |
2) WISCONSIN | 2) KANSAS | |
15) NORTHEASTERN | 15) SO DAKOTA ST | |
WEST - Los Angeles | SOUTH - Houston | |
Pittsburgh | Charlotte | |
1) VILLANOVA | 1) Duke | |
16) TEXAS-SOUTHERN | 16) ALBANY | |
8) Georgia | 8) Ohio State | |
9) Oregon | 9) Oklahoma State | |
Jacksonville | Portland | |
5) Louisville | 5) Northern Iowa | |
12) Texas AM / Illinois | 12) MURRAY STATE | |
4) Baylor | 4) Utah | |
13) LOUISIANA TECH | 13) VALPARAISO | |
Louisville | Omaha | |
6) Iowa | 6) SMU | |
11) Boise State / BYU | 11) Colorado State | |
3) Notre Dame | 3) Oklahoma | |
14) HIGH POINT | 14) UC-DAVIS | |
Portland | Seattle | |
7) St. John’s | 7) Michigan State | |
10) Indiana | 10) Cincinnati | |
2) ARIZONA | 2) GONZAGA | |
15) NEW MEXICO ST | 15) EASTERN WASHINGTON |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Kentucky is the overall No. 1 seed followed by Virginia, Duke, and Villanova. Next in line: Wisconsin, Arizona, Gonzaga, and Kansas.
Last Five teams in (at large): Davidson, Boise State, BYU, Texas AM, Illinois
First Five teams out (at large): Tulsa, Temple, Texas, UCLA, Miami-FL
Next five teams out (at large): Old Dominion, Stanford, Richmond, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island
Breakdown by Conference ...
Big 10 (8): Wisconsin, Maryland, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa, Purdue, Illinois
Big 12 (6): Kansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Baylor, West Virginia, Oklahoma State
ACC (6): Virginia, Duke, Notre Dame, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State
Big East (6): Villanova, Butler, Georgetown, Providence, St. John’s, Xavier
SEC (6): Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas AM
Pac 12 (3): Arizona, Utah, Oregon
Mountain West (3): San Diego State, Colorado State, Boise State
Atlantic 10 (3): Dayton, VCU, Davidson
American (2): SMU, Cincinnati
Missouri Valley (2): Wichita State, Northern Iowa
West Coast (2): Gonzaga, BYU
Conference USA (1): Louisiana Tech
ONE BID LEAGUES: Georgia Southern (SBELT), Harvard (IVY), Eastern Washingotn (BSKY), Valparaiso (HZN), S.F. Austin (SLND), Wofford (STHN), UC-Davis (BWEST), Central Michigan (MAC), Iona (MAAC), North Florida (ASUN), Murray State (OVC), Northeastern (CAA), High Point (BSO), NC-Central (MEAC), South Dakota State (SUM), New Mexico State (WAC), Albany (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), St. Francis - NY (NEC), Texas-Southern (SWAC)