NCAA Tournament 2012 Predictions: Last 4 in on Selection Sunday

With the 2012 NCAA tournament bracket to be announced during the selection show on CBS at 6 p.m. ET, it’s time to predict which four teams will be the last into the tourney.

Stellar programs such as Drexel and North Carolina State are ready to show the NCAA that their selection will be correct. If they get in, they can do serious damage.

All of the following programs deserve to be in this year’s NCAA tournament, and will be if the committee leans the way it should.

North Carolina State [22-12 (9-7), RPI: 46, SOS: 22]

While losing to the North Carolina Tar Heels was a terrible way to end the ACC season, the Wolfpack gave UNC everything they could handle and more.

If North Carolina State can continue to play that suffocating style of defense while shooting as well as it has (seven players shooting over 30 percent from three-point land), it has to be in on the NCAA tourney. They will be dangerous if they get in.

Seton Hall [20-12 (8-10), RPI: 61, SOS: 57]

While Seton Hall’s record isn’t the most impressive of all the teams on the bubble, it’s their quality of losses that makes the difference. Besides a loss to DePaul, all of Seton Hall’s losses came at the hands of teams that are or were nationally ranked this season.

The Pirates haven’t fared well against their more talented competition, but looking at the strength of schedule and the record, Seton Hall has to get into the NCAA tournament.

Drexel [27-6 (16-2), RPI: 64, SOS: 248]

When a school goes 25-2 since December 10 like the Drexel Dragons have, there should be no doubt that they get into the tournament. Despite losing in the conference tournament, the Colonial Conference regular-season champions deserve the right to dance.

It can be argued that the strength of schedule and RPI are not in the favor of the Dragons, but they won 27 games and the regular season title—that should be more than enough to get them in.

Iona [25-7 (15-3), RPI: 42, SOS: 163]

While there may be teams with better RPI and a better strength of schedule, there is no team in the nation that scores more points per game (83.3) and passes the ball more efficiently (19.3) while shooting at the second-best field-goal clip (.504) than the Iona Gaels.

The non-traditional powerhouse has all the offensive weapons to take the NCAA tournament by storm. If they get in, there is chance that they could run the table.

Check back for more on the NCAA Basketball as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s College Basketball Page to get your fill of college basketball.

Follow @Donald_Wood