The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has made its presence felt in the early top-16 seeds of the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s preliminary rankings. Auburn, Alabama, and Florida joined as the top overall seed and regional seeds in a dominant performance by the league.
Auburn was ranked as the nation’s best team in the AP Top 25 poll for five straight weeks, solidifying its position as the top seed. The Tigers have consistently performed well in advanced metrics, ranking No. 1 in KenPom, No. 2 in Bart Torvik, and No. 3 in Evan Miyakawa.
The SEC’s strong showing was not without some competition from Duke, which claimed the No. 3 overall seed. However, Auburn’s unanimous top seed status among committee members ensured its position at the top of the bracket.
The Tigers’ performance has had a ripple effect on the rest of the bracket. Florida secured a spot as a regional seed after winning over Auburn in the days leading up to the announcement.
Other SEC teams fared well, with Texas A&M following Tennessee as the No. 6 overall seed and Purdue securing a spot as a regional 2-seed. The conference’s strong showing has made it clear that the NCAA Tournament is shaping up to be an exciting event this year.
The committee made adjustments to balance bracket strength by swapping destinations for Michigan and St. John’s. Regional winners will head to San Antonio for the Final Four, with the national semifinals set for April 5 and the title game two nights later in the Alamodome.
As the selection process continues, teams just outside the top 16 are being considered, including AP No. 11 Michigan State and No. 18 Marquette. The NCAA Tournament is expected to be filled with exciting matchups as the field takes shape.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-tournament-preliminary-seeds-e9d1ee337bf3af70cff9c81856d878a4