The NCAA Tournament is closer than ever, with now less than a month before Selection Sunday. And that means Bracketology is incredibly important, including those who are on the bubble and who are looking for a 1 seed.
While the key is getting into the top 16 overall seeds for the NCAA Tournament due to having a geographical preference for the best region, being a 1 seed is huge. You are almost guaranteed to make it to the second round and avoid an upset (unless you’re Virginia) and have the easiest possible route on paper to get to the Final Four.
This year, there are a number of programs that are within striking range of one of those four coveted one seeds. In fact, I could argue that there are 10 teams that have a shot. Here’s how I would rank their respective resumes and future prospects in the next month.
Honorable Mention: UConn Huskies
Not too long ago, the Huskies were unbeaten and a definite 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament. But with seven losses that include a Quad 3 at home against St. John’s have them on the outs right now. But this is a team still with a top-10 NET ranking and wins over Marquette, Creighton, and Alabama. If they win out and get the Big East Tournament title, they’ll have enough marquee wins to get back in the mix.
HM: Kansas State Wildcats
Not only does first-year head coach Jerome Tang have Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament picture but they also have a chance to get a top-tier seed. The Wildcats have wins over Kansas, Baylor, TCU, and Texas and only have a bad loss against Butler in the non-conference. They might not have time to get a 1 seed without another win over Texas and Kansas but being in the Big 12 gives them at least eight more chances at a Quad 1 win.