Good morning, sports activities followers. We’re formally 4 weeks away from Choice Sunday. Are you able to scent March within the air?
The NCAA Event choice committee published its current top 16 seeds on Saturday, a now-annual custom that provides followers a way of the place prime groups stack up in committee members’ eyes.
They nailed down an important gadgets, just like the 4 No. 1 seeds, however I’ve just a few objections down the listing. As you begin getting pumped for bracket season, right here’s what the choice committee received proper and unsuitable Saturday:
Proper: Auburn is the most effective workforce within the nation
Auburn received the nod over rival Alabama and Duke for the No. 1 overall seed, and the Tigers proved their worthiness later within the afternoon with a 94-85 street win over the Crimson Tide in a top-two showdown.
That makes Auburn 14-2 in opposition to Quadrant 1 opponents, and the Tigers rank No. 1, 2, or 3 within the seven main metrics on the committee’s workforce sheets. No must overthink this; Bruce Pearl can peacock a little bit. No one needs to see Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara and firm subsequent month.
Proper: Florida deserves a No. 1 seed
Jan 25, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators ahead Alex Condon (21) walks on the court docket after a name in opposition to the Georgia Bulldogs throughout the second half at Exactech Area on the Stephen C. O’Connell Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Photographs Becoming a member of Auburn, Alabama and Duke on the No. 1 traces was Florida, and I believe that’s the precise name. The Gators are one of many two groups to beat Auburn, and none of their three defeats are that regarding—they might have misplaced to Tennessee by 20, however they beat the Vols by 30 a month prior.
Per committee chair Bubba Cunningham, the one different workforce thought-about for a No. 1 seed was Tennessee. And that is the place I’ve to retort.
Improper: Sleeping on Houston
Jan 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars ahead J’Wan Roberts (13) dribbles in opposition to West Virginia Mountaineers ahead Amani Hansberry (13) within the first half at Fertitta Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Thomas Shea-Imagn Photographs Tennessee, Texas A&M and Purdue held down the fifth by seventh spots total earlier than the committee received to Houston for the final of the No. 2 seeds. Perhaps it is a contact of Houston fatigue after the Cougars earned No. 1 seeds every of the previous two years and misplaced within the Candy 16 each occasions?
Kidding apart, I’d belief Houston greater than a workforce like Tennessee, an apt comparability given each groups are defense-first. All of the Cougars have completed is win 17 of their previous 18 video games after a gradual begin (that includes losses to Auburn and Alabama), and a Saturday rally on the street in opposition to an ascending Arizona workforce was one among their finest wins but. Their predictive metrics (i.e., KenPom and BPI) are higher than Tennessee’s, Texas A&M’s and Purdue’s, for the document.
Improper: Kentucky is simply too excessive
Jan 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats ahead Ansley Almonor (15) celebrates with guard Otega Oweh (00) throughout the second half in opposition to the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Area at Central Financial institution Heart. Obligatory Credit score: Jordan Prather-Imagn Photographs We had been all consuming the Kentucky blue Kool-Assist a bit too rapidly after the Wildcats’ scorching begin beneath Mark Pope, and I absolutely count myself in that category. The offense might be tremendous enjoyable, however there are too many nights once they simply don’t defend.
The committee awarded Kentucky the tenth total spot Saturday, translating to a stable No. 3 seed within the bracket. The Wildcats repaid their religion by… shedding at Texas and dropping to 6-6 within the SEC. Sure, the SEC is a monster every night, and many others., and many others. However a number of groups need to be seeded larger than Kentucky proper now: Wisconsin, Texas Tech, Arizona and probably even St. John’s.
For reference, the committee’s prime 16 as of Feb. 15:
1. Auburn
2. Alabama
3. Duke
4. Florida
5. Tennessee
6. Texas A&M
7. Purdue
8. Houston
9. Iowa State
10. Kentucky
11. Wisconsin
12. Arizona
13. Texas Tech
14. Michigan
15. Kansas
16. St. John’s
