With just 22 days until Selection Sunday, the men’s NCAA tournament selection committee gave us an early look at where teams stand with its annual reveal of the current top 16. This sneak peek, if interpreted correctly, can give bracket analysts some insight into how the committee is thinking about the entire field, not just the top four seeds.
The committee’s top 16:
1. Gonzaga (No. 1, West)
2. Auburn (No. 1, Midwest)
3. Arizona (No. 1, South)
4. Kansas (No. 1, East)
5. Baylor (No. 2, South)
6. Kentucky (No. 2, East)
7. Purdue (No. 2, Midwest)
8. Duke (No. 2, West)
9. Villanova (No. 3, East)
10. Texas Tech (No. 3, Midwest)
11. Tennessee (No. 3, South)
12. Illinois (No. 3, West)
13. Wisconsin (No. 4, East)
14. UCLA (No. 4, Midwest)
15. Providence (No. 4, South)
16. Texas (No. 4, West)
So what does this all mean? Here are five takeaways from the reveal:
