Did this team get snubbed? 🏀

Let the MADNESS begin! 🚨

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Did the committee get it right? 🤔

The short answer to this question is they did. Jay Bilas likes to say this bracket ends up being idiot proof and in a lot of ways, he’s right.

There were a few noticeable things that stuck out after it was announced, the biggest one being Rutgers.

Rutgers was left out of the NCAA Tournament with a KenPom ranking of 35 and a NET ranking of 40. Those are two metrics that the committee usually uses to help decide who gets in. Instead, they cited how Rutgers looked like a completely different team after Mawot Mag got injured and finished 2-6 down the stretch in Big Ten after the injury.

The next thing that stood out was what happened between both Houston and Kansas.

By the main metric the committee uses, Kansas beat out Houston in wins against Quad 1 teams, which are teams in the top half of the NCAA’s NET rankings. However, they cited Kansas having more losses against Quad 2 teams, compared to Houston and that Houston was more competitive in their games this year, even losses, as compared to Kansas.

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What Region Stands Out the Most? 🤔

The West

There’s no region more stacked than the West.

Kansas is the 1-seed in this region and DEFENDING CHAMPS. This team is pretty different from last year’s team as they lost 4 of their top 6 scorers, but they haven’t lost a step. Look out for Jalen Wilson on the wing for Kansas. He’s their best player and is capable of taking over any game.

UCLA is the 2-seed and is limping into the tournament. They’ve been fantastic all season, but their best defender, Jaylen Clark, got injured in the last regular season game, and their starting center, Adem Bona was injured in the Pac-12 Tournament. Jaime Jacquez Jr. is capable of taking control for the Bruins, but he can’t do it alone. UCLA’s injuries are something to watch out for in this tournament.

Gonzaga is the 3-seed and has been one of the most consistent teams in all of college basketball in the last few years. They have Drew Timme as their starting center, who’s been there forever and has been nothing, but consistent for the Bulldogs. They come into this tournament more under the radar than usual, and that could end up being a good thing.

UConn might be the best 4-seed in the entire tournament. Adama Sanogo is a beast for the Huskies down low and they can shoot it when needed. They somehow are underrated in this bracket because of all the quality teams. UConn was ranked #2 at point in this season, and they can just as easily win this region.

Saint Mary’s, TCU, and even Arkansas could also make a run as lower seeds because of how much talent they have.

Also, keep an eye on VCU and Iona as potential cinderella teams.

The West Region is shaping up to be the Region of Death.

What Happened with the Bubble Teams? 😳

Last Four In:

Mississippi State: They snuck into the field to play in the First Four thanks in large part to their defense. They were second in the SEC in points given up and they’re going to be a tough out in the tournament because of that defense alone.

Pitt: The Panthers might be the best team that got an invite to Dayton. They’re extremely balanced. They can defend very well and have a very good offense. Look for the Panthers to be an issue in this tournament and potentially make a run.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils got into the field in large part because of their defense. They’re going to cause issues for teams because of that, but they need to find some more offense for the Sun Devils to feel better about their chances.

Nevada: This was the most surprising of the Last Four In because Nevada’s not in a Power conference. However, now that they’re here they defend very well and are in for a dogfight against ASU. There’s going to be talk if they should be there.

First Four Out:

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys were the first team left out. They had so many opportunities in the Big 12, but couldn’t capitalize on enough of them. They just barely missed it.

Rutgers: This was the biggest “snub” by the selection committee. We touched on it already, but it’s still a shock that the Scarlet Knights were left out of the Big Dance.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels completed the biggest disappointment of the year after going from the preseason ranked #1 team to being left out of the NCAA Tournament ENTIRELY. This is one of the biggest disappointments in the history of college basketball too.

Clemson: The Tigers were penalized by the committee for playing an awful non-conference schedule, and even though they were near the top of the ACC all year, it didn’t matter that much because of how down the ACC was this year.

Ranking the 1-Seeds 🏆

#1 Alabama:

No team is playing better than the Crimson Tide right now.

Alabama has been dealing with an off-court controversy surrounding a player on the team being charged with murder, and their best player, Brandon Miller, being connected to it in a roundabout way.

When everything is clicking, there’s no team in the country that can beat the Crimson Tide. They’re extremely balanced on offense and can defend anyone well.

Brandon Miller also stands out as one of the best players in college basketball and he’s going to end up being a lottery pick in the NBA Draft this summer. He can carry the Tide and is a matchup nightmare.

#2 Kansas:

Kansas played the hardest schedule of any team in the country this season and it worked out for them. They had the most wins against Quad 1 teams since the NCAA started using the Quad system at 17.

Kansas is not a typical Bill Self coached team this year, they’re very perimeter focused and don’t have a big man that stands out, but it’s still worked out and the Jayhawks can beat anyone when their team is clicking.

Jalen Wilson is the best player for the Jayhawks and was one of the best players on the team that won it all last year. He’s been a man on a mission this season and could carry Kansas on his own if needed.

#3 Houston:

Houston has been hovering around the Top 5 in the country all year, thanks to a team filled with experience.

The Cougars are one of the best defensive teams in the country and crash the glass for rebounds unlike most teams in college basketball. They’re also extremely well-coached and rarely commit any mistakes thanks to Kelvin Sampson.

Marcus Sasser is the primary scorer for Houston and has been the most consistent player they have. The one issue with the Cougars is that Sasser went out with an injury in the American Athletic Conference Tournament and is questionable with his playing status.

#4 Purdue:

Purdue is the least deserving 1-seed of the bunch and it probably should’ve gone to either UCLA or Arizona from the Pac-12 instead. They have a decent resume, but they don’t pass the eye-test nearly as much as the other three.

The Boilermakers make their mark on efficiency, especially on offense. They need to get more consistent shooting the ball, but this team is all about making the smart basketball play.

Zach Edey is a monster down low for Purdue. He’s 7’4” and is probably going to win the Wooden Award for Player of the Year. He’s capable of carrying the Boilermakers because not many can guard him on top of him being a great basketball player.

• 😂 Look at these guys move.

• 🏀 This is the best new rivalry in the NBA.

• 😎 Jimmy Butler for the win!

• 😳 He got UP for this dunk.

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