NCAA Tournament 2015: Predictions for Top Seeds Ahead of Bracket Reveal

Aside from Kentucky's dominance, the 2014-15 NCAA men's college basketball season has been dominated by parity, which has generated plenty of debate regarding seeds for the NCAA tournament.

There is no doubt that the Wildcats will be the No. 1 overall seed in the country, but arguments can be made for at least six teams to fill the other three top seeds. It will ultimately come down to the selection committee's discretion, and while it can be difficult to get a firm grasp on which direction they're leaning in, a few teams seem to have the upper hand on the surface.

With Selection Sunday finally on the horizon, here is a breakdown of which teams are expected to occupy the top seeds once the March Madness field is officially set.

No. 1 Seed Predictions

Kentucky

Due to their depth and overall talent level, the Wildcats have been as good as advertised and then some over the course of the season. They still haven't lost a game, and it may take a superhuman effort to change that.

Kentucky is the only true lock as far as No. 1 seeds go, and that distinction is well-earned. The Wildcats are absolutely stacked with elite players, and they are the best defensive team in the country due to their length and athleticism. They excel in almost every area, but they are continuing to improve on the offensive end, according to Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com:

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Kentucky is becoming a better offensive team in the half court. And that's bad news for the rest of college basketball. 32-0. #BBN

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 13, 2015"

As difficult as it may be to believe that Kentucky can get better, head coach John Calipari believes that every player on his roster is capable of reaching another level in pursuit of a national championship, per Reid Forgrave of Fox Sports:

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We have some guys that are playing better than they ever have in their life. The question is, as you go into these last few weeks, how do you add two or three percent to your game? I'll give you an example. Trey Lyles' two or three percent may be flying up and down the court. Just go a little harder and attacking the backboard, rebounding just a little harder. Aaron (Harrison), it may be attacking the basket. Not settling. Will you be a defensive playmaker every possession? The same with Andrew (Harrison). Each guy has their own little thing that they can do a little bit better. And that's what we're trying to do.

"

If Calipari's squad is able to live up to his expectations, then there isn't a team in the nation that can stop it from reigning supreme and completing a perfect season.

Kentucky will be the hunted rather than the hunter from here on out, but that has been the case for essentially the entire season, and the Wildcats still haven't wavered.

Duke

Kentucky is the closest thing to perfection in college basketball right now, but every other team in the running for a No. 1 seed has some type of deficiency that the selection committee could use against it.

That is the case with Duke, as the Blue Devils fell to Notre Dame in the semifinals of the ACC tournament. With that loss, Duke ended the campaign without a regular-season or tournament title in its conference yet again, according to SportsCenter on Twitter:

As disappointing as that is, the Blue Devils' spectacular season can't be ignored. Their resume is hugely impressive, as they defeated the likes of Michigan State, Wisconsin, Louisville and Virginia in addition to a pair of victories over North Carolina.

With so many quality wins at its disposal, Duke has all the makings of a No. 1 seed, per Joe Giglio of The News & Observer:

The Blue Devils have one of the best players in the nation in freshman big man Jahlil Okafor, and freshman point guard Tyus Jones is developing into a superstar as well. Duke has proved capable of beating anyone when it is on top of its game, and it has done more than enough to earn a No. 1.

Villanova

There has been very little hype surrounding Villanova this season, but the Wildcats have arguably been the best and most consistent team in the nation aside from Kentucky.

Nova has just two losses on its record, and while it can be argued that the Big East Conference is nowhere near what it used to be, the Wildcats still deserve plenty of credit for what they have accomplished as a team.

Nova is among the top scoring teams in the nation, and a big reason for that is its ability to strike from downtown. The Wildcats are also one of the best passing teams, which is why Rothstein views them as the total package:

The three-point shot failed them in a narrow victory over Providence in the Big East tournament semis, but Seth Davis of CBS Sports still came away with a favorable feeling regarding Villanova due to its resolve:

While the Wildcats may not have a true superstar, they have six players who average double figures in scoring, and they play total team basketball. If Nova is able to keep that going in the tourney, then it has a chance to do some serious damage as a No. 1 seed.

Arizona

The fourth and final No. 1 seed is extremely difficult to nail down with Arizona, Wisconsin, Virginia and Gonzaga all making good cases, but the Pac-12's Wildcats boast a combination of things that could help them stand out above the rest.

Arizona is riding a 10-game winning streak into the Pac-12 title game against Oregon, and the bulk of those victories have come in blowout fashion. The Wildcats also have some great wins working in their favor, as they knocked off Gonzaga and have a pair of triumphs over Utah.

With that said, Davis believes they could be relegated to a No. 2 seed due to the fact that their three losses have come against lower-level competition:

It is true that UNLV, Oregon State and Arizona State aren't great defeats, but the losing margin in those games was a total of just nine points. Had a few more breaks gone their way, the Wildcats could very well be undefeated.

Although it may not be something the selection committee considers, Arizona also has the type of roster needed to go deep in the NCAA tournament. With a dominant trio of bigs in Stanley Johnson, Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski as well as an excellent point guard in T.J. McConnell, the Wildcats have all the bases covered.

A No. 1 seed should be a team realistically capable of winning it all, and there is no doubt that Arizona fits the profile.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.