The Selection Committee revealed its initial Top 16 teams (seed list) prior to games tipping on Sunday. There were no overwhelming surprising, although one could debate the plusses and minuses of the Committee slotting Oklahoma as its final No. 4 seed, in particular.
Their reasoning throughout the Top 16, whether you agree or disagree, was pretty clear: the Committee still values traditional measures such quality wins, strength of schedule, road performance, and an RPI-based demarkation for sorting teams (now using Groups or Quadrants rather than merely Top 50 or Top 100).
That doesn’t mean individual or collective members of the Committee will not use or value other metrics (BPI, SOR, Ken Pom, etc) in the process, but the ole standbys still appear to be actively in place.
As selections were unveiled, Virginia earned the Committee’s No. 1 overall seed, followed by Villanova, Xavier, and Purdue. Purdue’s overall profile - and its small margins in defeat - kept the Boilermakers on the top line.
That said, we have about a month left, and things can change. We’ve seen teams make late charges; we’ve seen teams go into late-February swoons. The bubble is once again deep and includes a hodgepodge of resumes that look eerily similar. In other words, the race is on.
UPDATED: February 12, 2018
FIRST FOUR PAIRINGS - Dayton (First Round)
- NC State vs. UCLA | East Region
- Kansas State vs. LSU | South Region
- NICHOLLS ST vs. ARK-PINE BLUFF | East Region
- HARVARD vs. NC A&T | South Region
BRACKET PROJECTION
| SOUTH - Atlanta | EAST - Boston | |
| Charlotte | Pittsburgh | |
| 1) VIRGINIA | 1) VILLANOVA | |
| 16) HARVARD / NC A&T | 16) NICHOLLS ST / ARK-PB | |
| 8) Seton Hall | 8) Florida State | |
| 9) TCU | 9) Arkansas | |
| Boise | Boise | |
| 5) RHODE ISLAND | 5) Texas AM | |
| 12) MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 12) LOUISIANA | |
| 4) Tennessee | 4) OHIO STATE | |
| 13) E. TENNESSEE ST | 13) VERMONT | |
| Detroit | Dallas | |
| 6) Miami-FL | 6) Florida | |
| 11) Kansas St / LSU | 11) NC State / UCLA | |
| 3) Michigan State | 3) Texas Tech | |
| 14) CHARLESTON | 14) RIDER | |
| Pittsburgh | Charlotte | |
| 7) Kentucky | 7) Alabama | |
| 10) Washington | 10) Butler | |
| 2) CINCINNATI | 2) Duke | |
| 15) FL GULF COAST | 15) BUCKNELL | |
| WEST - Los Angeles | MIDWEST - Omaha | |
| Detroit | Nashville | |
| 1) Purdue | 1) Xavier | |
| 16) UNC-ASHEVILLE | 16) WAGNER | |
| 8) Creighton | 8) Michigan | |
| 9) NEVADA | 9) Virginia Tech | |
| San Diego | San Diego | |
| 5) West Virginia | 5) Gonzaga | |
| 12) Louisville | 12) LOYOLA-CHI | |
| 4) ARIZONA | 4) Oklahoma | |
| 13) SOUTH DAKOTA ST | 13) BELMONT | |
| Wichita | Dallas | |
| 6) SAINT MARY’S | 6) Arizona State | |
| 11) NEW MEXICO ST | 11) Houston | |
| 3) North Carolina | 3) Clemson | |
| 14) MONTANA | 14) BUFFALO | |
| Wichita | Nashville | |
| 7) Missouri | 7) Wichita State | |
| 10) Providence | 10) Texas | |
| 2) KANSAS | 2) AUBURN | |
| 15) UC-SANTA BARBARA | 15) NO KENTUCKY |
NOTES on the BRACKET: Virginia is the No. 1 overall seed - followed by Villanova, Xavier, and Purdue
Last Four Byes (at large): Providence, Washington, Louisville, Houston
Last Four IN (at large): Kansas State, NC State, UCLA, LSU
First Four OUT (at large): Syracuse, USC, St. Bonaventure, Baylor
Next four teams OUT (at large): Oklahoma State, Temple, Marquette, Boise State
Breakdown by Conference ...
ACC (9): VIRGINIA, Duke, Clemson, North Carolina, Miami-FL, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, NC State
SEC (9): AUBURN, Tennessee, Texas AM, Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, LSU
BIG 12 (7): TEXAS TECH, Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, TCU, Texas, Kansas State
Big East (6): VILLANOVA, Xavier, Creighton, Seton Hall, Butler, Providence
Big 10 (4): OHIO STATE, Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan
Pac 12 (4): ARIZONA, Arizona State, Washington, UCLA
American (3): CINCINNATI, Wichita State, Houston
West Coast (2): SAINT MARY’S, Gonzaga
Mountain West (1): NEVADA
Atlantic 10 (1): RHODE ISLAND
ONE BID LEAGUES: Loyola-Chicago (MVC), Rider (MAAC), Middle Tennessee (C-USA), Louisiana (SBELT), Harvard (IVY), Montana (BSKY), Northern Kentucky (HORIZON), Nicholls State (SLND), East Tennessee State (STHN), UC-Santa Barbara (BWEST), Buffalo (MAC), Florida Gulf Coast (ASUN), Belmont (OVC), Charleston (CAA), UNC-Asheville (BSO), North Carolina A&T (MEAC), South Dakota State (SUM), New Mexico State (WAC), Vermont (AEAST), Bucknell (PAT), Wagner (NEC), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC)
Bracketing principles: read them for yourself at www.ncaa.com.
