LOUISVILLE, (Ky.) — The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee reports for duty in Indianapolis this week with three easy selections for No. 1 seeds — Houston, UConn and Purdue.
After that … it’s a three or four or more team scrum between Tennessee, North Carolina, Arizona and others.
I’m not seeding the teams for the field. I’m just picking my Top 25 teams for the AP poll after the games that I watched last week.
1. Houston (28-3) — The Cougars don’t understand why everybody in the Big 12 feared Kansas.
2. UConn (28-3) — The Huskies dominated the Big East — and the Big East Tournament should be a delight.
3. Purdue (28-3) — The Boilermakers have ruled the Big Ten several times. It’s the rest of this month that has caused them indigestion.
4. North Carolina (25-6) — The Tar Heels can claim the fourth No. 1 seed by winning the ACC Tournament.
5. Tennessee (24-7) — I know the Vols lost to Kentucky Saturday. Their full season resume is stronger.
6. Kentucky (22-9) — Prepare for a BBN takeover of Nashville. Who has a better collection of offensive perimeter players?
7. Creighton (23-8) — The Bluejays are this close to having Top 20 offensive and defensive efficiencies.
8. Arizona (24-7) — USC?
9. Iowa State (24-7) — The Cyclones don’t have enough offense to make the Final Four.
10. Illinois (23-8) — I have nothing to say about Illinois.
11. Auburn (24-7) — The Tigers have the best effective defensive field goal percentage in the country.
12. South Carolina (25-6) — I voted for Lamont Paris as the Southeastern Conference coach of the year.
13. Duke (24-7) — North Carolina tripped the Grayson Allens in Durham, where there were reports the students misbehaved.
14. Baylor (22-9) — The Bears lack the defense to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.
15. Marquette (23-8) — There is no evidence the Golden Eagles can handle UConn in the Big East Tournament.
16. Saint Mary’s (24-7) — We’re waiting on the rubber match with Gonzaga.
17. Gonzaga (24-6) — See above.
18. Utah State (14-4) — Won the regular season title of an ultra-competitive Mountain West.
19. Washington State (23-8) — Could have won the Pac-12 title until the Cougars gagged at home against Washington.
20. BYU (10-8) — Former UK center Mark Pope finished fifth in his first trip through the mighty Big 12. Nice job.
21. Texas Tech (22-9) — The Red Raiders closed with a three-game winning streak by handling Baylor.
22. Nebraska (22-9) — The Cornhuskers earned a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament by winning six of their last seven.
23. Kansas (22-9) — The mighty Jayhawks have lost three of their last four. Maybe they do need Liam McNeeley.
24. Princeton (24-3) — The Tigers will still have to win the Ivy League Tournament to make the tournament that counts.
25. Dayton (24-6) — The Flyers finished third in the Atlantic 10 but have much stronger power ratings than Richmond or Loyola (Chicago).
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
