Bracketology 2024: 5 key takeaways from Saturday’s top-16 reveal

2. The Big 12 is on top....once again

The Big 12, once again, remains the conference to dethrone. 

With four teams -- Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Baylor -- included in the top-16 reveal, the Big 12 had the most teams represented from a singular conference.

It’s an interesting dilemma with the Big 12 with many teams owning strong records but with poor non-conference strength of schedules. Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech, BYU, Texas and Cincinnati, for example, are all teams either in the field or on the outside looking in but boast weaker non-conference strength of schedules relative to other teams eying for a bid. 

Given that the overall SOS numbers in the Big 12 are so strong, it's safe to assume that the Big 12 will continue its high volume of teams represented in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

3. Kansas still a two seed despite recent road struggles

Listed as the 8th-overall seed in the top-16 reveal, Bill Self’s Jayhawks found themselves in familiar company despite recent lackluster performances on the road in the rigorous Big 12.

Although Kansas is just 5-4 since Jan. 20, the reasoning for why the committee awarded the Jayhakws a two-seed is because they own arguably the best collection of quality wins: Tennessee, Kentucky, UConn, Houston and Baylor.

With the second-strongest NET SOS in the country, the Jayhawks were awarded for their difficult schedule and quality of wins rather than the questionable losses they have succumbed to over the past two months.