Selection Sunday has come and gone, meaning March Madness is now in full swing. As always, there were some surprise omissions, seedings and regions that appear to be stronger than others now that the NCAA Tournament schedule is set.
Here are some Selection Sunday winners and losers based on the NCAA Tournament schedule.
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Selection Sunday’s Winners/Losers on the NCAA Tournament Schedule
Winner: The SEC
Coming into Selection Sunday, the SEC had six teams who were considered locks for the NCAA Tournament schedule, with Texas A&M and Mississippi State firmly on the bubble. As it turned out, neither had anything to worry about. Mississippi State received an 8-seed and the Aggies got a 9-seed.
The Aggies avoided the First Four despite four Quad-3 losses and 14 total losses. Elsewhere across the conference, at least five of the other six teams that are dancing must be satisfied with their draw. Tennessee is a 2-seed and avoided UConn’s region while Kentucky is a 3-seed despite losing their first game of the SEC Tournament. In addition, Florida is a seven that will likely face a banged-up Marquette team in Round 2, and Alabama and South Carolina received their best-case scenario seeding.
Ironically, the one team that is likely not pleased with their draw is the conference tournament champion, Auburn. The Tigers are a 4-seed in a loaded East Region (more on that later), despite a dominant showing in the SEC Tournament. Nonetheless, the SEC had a great Selection Sunday, especially considering that both of their bubble teams got in.
Loser: Everyone in the East Region
As they revealed this region, it seemed like every team was either under-seeded or a strong team relative to their seed. The top four seeds (UConn, Iowa State, Illinois, Auburn) all won highly competitive conference tournaments and are entering March Madness with significant momentum. UConn is the best team in the country, while Iowa State made a strong case for the final one-seed after their impressive victory over Houston. Illinois possesses an offensive prowess that can match up against any opponent. And Auburn, given their efficiency and performance in the SEC Tournament, was arguably under-seeded.
Elsewhere in this region, San Diego State returned a significant portion of their Final Four team from last year, BYU ranks 16th in KenPom and Drake is one of the most dangerous mid-major teams in the country. The 8-9 matchup features Florida Atlantic and Northwestern, both equipped with guards (Johnell Davis and Boo Buie) capable of taking over any game they play. This is certainly the premier region of the four, presenting a tough draw for every team involved. If you’re looking for games to watch on the NCAA Tournament schedule, circle the East Region matchups.
Winner: Michigan State
Tom Izzo had managed to make it to each of the last 25 NCAA Tournaments, but that streak was in jeopardy coming into today. Many bracket predictions had the Spartans in Dayton for the First Four, but instead, Michigan State landed as a 9-seed in a relatively weak West Region. They draw Mississippi State in Round 1, who as previously mentioned, was a bubble team themselves. Next, the Spartans would likely see the lowest 1-seed, North Carolina, if they beat the Bulldogs.
Loser: The Big East
According to KenPom, the Big East ranked as the second-best college basketball conference this year. Despite this, only three teams are on the NCAA Tournament schedule. UConn, Marquette, and Creighton all secured top-three seeds, but no other teams made it in. Coming into the day, Seton Hall, St. John’s, and Providence were all considered bubble teams. Unfortunately, due in part to multiple bid stealers on Saturday, all three ended up on the wrong side of the cut line. For a league that seemed as competitive as any and consistently produced exciting games, only sending three teams to the NCAA Tournament is a massive disappointment.
Winner: The 6-Seeds
Although it may seem odd for an entire seed line to be a winner on Selection Sunday, this year’s 6-seeds will face a weaker crop of 11-seeds due to extreme circumstances. Over the weekend, North Carolina State, Oregon and Duquesne emerged as surprise conference tournament champions, teams that would not have otherwise been near the bracket. As a result, all three earned 11-seeds and will be facing 6-seeds in the first round. These teams currently rank 55th, 58th and 86th, respectively in KenPom. Typically, the 11-seeds consist of strong bubble teams or the highest-ranked mid-majors.
While one could argue that these teams are playing their best basketball and thus present a tough matchup, I still believe that South Carolina, Texas Tech, and BYU all have favorable matchups on paper in their first games.
