We’re about five weeks from one of my favorite days of the year.
Selection Sunday!
The men’s NCAA basketball tournament begins with play-in games on March 19-20 before the real deal gets underway on March 21. It’s been an interesting year. We’ve had more big matchups than I can remember, particularly in the non-conference, and seemingly more upsets than there’s ever been.
What does that mean for the tournament?
Will we see a 16 seed beat a 1 for the third time ever — in what would be the third occurrence in the last seven years? Will the Final Four be all chalk, as there seem to be a handful of teams ahead of the rest of the potential field?
What will this year’s field look like? There are a number of ranked mid-majors, but it feels like the field will comprise an unusually high number of teams from Power 6 conference.
Tonight is the first look we’ll take at the potential field, detailing multi-bid leagues. Of the 32 Division 1 leagues, 23 will likely be one-bid conference, depending on how the committee and computers view the Atlantic 10 and American.
Starting tonight, each week until Selection Sunday we’ll take a look at which teams in projected multi-bid leagues are locks and teams with work to do to solidify their resumes.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Atlantic 10
Lock
Dayton (19-3, 1st A-10)
Computer rankings: NET: 16, KenPom: 23
Work to do
Richmond
ACC
Locks
North Carolina (18-5, 1st ACC)
Computer rankings: NET: 10, KenPom: 8
Virginia (18-5, 2nd ACC)
Computer rankings: NET: 34, KenPom: 50
Duke (17-5, 3rd ACC)
Computer rankings: NET: 20, KenPom: 15
Work left to do
Wake Forest, Clemson, NC State, Miami
American
Lock
Florida Atlantic (18-5, 2nd American)
Computer rankings: NET: 28, KenPom: 28
Work left to do
Charlotte, South Florida, SMU, Memphis
Big 12
Locks
Houston (20-3, 1st Big 12)
Computer rankings: NET: 1, KenPom: 1
Baylor (17-5, T-2nd Big 12)
Computer rankings: NET: 14, KenPom: 16
Iowa State (17-5, T-2nd Big 12)
Computer rankings: NET: 9, KenPom: 12
Kansas (18-5, 4th Big 12)
Computer rankings: NET: 12, KenPom: 13
Work left to do
TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Cincinnati, BYU
Big East
Locks
UCONN (21-2, 1st Big East)
Computer rankings: NET: 4, KenPom: 3
Marquette (17-5, 2nd Big East)
Computer rankings: NET: 11, KenPom: 10
Work left to do
Seton Hall, Creighton, St. John’s, Providence, Butler
Big Ten
Locks
Purdue (21-2, 1st Big Ten)
Computer rankings: Net: 2, KenPom: 2)
Illinois (17-5, 2nd Big Ten)
Computer rankings: NET: 13, KenPom: 9
Wisconsin (16-7, 3rd Big Ten)
Computer rankings: NET: 15, KenPom: 14
Work left to do
Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan State, Indiana, Nebraska
Mountain West
Locks
Utah State (19-4, T-1st Mountain West)
Computer rankings: NET: 30, KenPom: 44
University of New Mexico (19-4, T-1st Mountain West)
Computer rankings: NET: 18, KenPom: 19
San Diego State (18-5, T-1st Mountain West
Computer rankings: NET: 21, KenPom: 20
Colorado State (18-5, 2nd Mountain West)
Computer rankings: NET: 27, KenPom: 32
Work left to do
Boise State
Pac-12
Lock
Arizona (18-5, 1st Pac-12)
Computer rankings: NET: 3, KenPom: 5
Work left to do
Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Washington State
SEC
Locks
Alabama (16-7, T-1st SEC)
Computer rankings: NET: 6, KenPom: 7
South Carolina (20-3, T-1st SEC)
Computer rankings: NET: 43, KenPom: 45
Auburn (19-4, T-1st SEC)
Computer rankings: NET: 7, KenPom 4
Tennessee (17-5, 2nd SEC)
Computer rankings: NET: 5, KenPom: 6
Kentucky (16-6, 3rd SEC)
Computer rankings: NET: 23, KenPom: 24
Work left to do
Texas A & M, Ole Miss, Florida
