March Madness 2022: Latest Bracketology and NET Rankings Before Selection Sunday
Conference championship week has already produced plenty of thrilling moments, and things are only going to get more exciting with March Madness next week. However, before the 68-team field for the NCAA tournament is announced on Sunday, there are still some big games to play.
Several major conference tourneys will be wrapping up Saturday and Sunday, and the outcomes could impact the NCAA tourney bracket. The winners will receive automatic bids to March Madness. If their resumes weren't going to be strong enough to warrant an at-large bid, it could bump some bubble teams out of the field.
During the leadup to March Madness, top college basketball experts track everything that is happening and provide bracketology updates. ESPN's Joe Lunardi was among those who quickly updated his projections after Friday's action. And it's also important to keep an eye on the NCAA's NET rankings, which have replaced RPI in recent years in helping the selection committee determine the field.
There will be plenty more updates over the next two days, so college basketball fans will want to follow the projections and rankings, as surprise results could force major changes to the bracket.
As Selection Sunday gets closer, here's a look at some of the latest bracket storylines.
Who Takes Auburn's Spot as No. 1 Seed?
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Many bracketology experts had Auburn as one of the four No. 1 seeds prior to the SEC tournament. If the Tigers had a strong showing, they'd likely maintain that position. However, that didn't happen. Auburn, the No. 1 seed in its conference tourney, was upset by No. 8-seeded Texas A&M in the quarterfinals.
That was the Tigers' first and only game in this year's SEC tournament, and the loss may have cost them a No. 1 seed. Lunardi was among the analysts who dropped Auburn to a No. 2 seed by the end of Friday's action. Now, who is going to take that spot?
Lunardi and CBS Sports' Jerry Palm agree that Gonzaga, Arizona and Baylor should all be No. 1 seeds. But Lunardi has Kansas as the fourth No. 1 seed, while Palm has Kentucky in that position. The Wildcats (No. 4) are currently higher in the NET rankings than the Jayhawks (No. 7).
Both Kentucky and Kansas are still alive in its respective conference tournaments. The Jayhawks are facing Texas Tech in the Big 12 tourney championship game on Saturday, while the Wildcats will take on Tennessee in the semifinals of the SEC tourney.
Baylor lost to Oklahoma in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament. Could the Bears fall from a No. 1 seed and both Kentucky and Kansas end up getting one? It'll be interesting to see how things shake out at the top.
Does Virginia Tech Need to Win ACC Tourney Title to Get In?
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Virginia Tech has made a remarkable run through the ACC tournament as the No. 7 seed. Over the past three days, the Hokies have defeated No. 10 Clemson, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 North Carolina, setting them up for a matchup against No. 1 Duke in the championship game.
Has Virginia Tech done enough to make the NCAA tournament if it doesn't win the ACC tourney title? It appears the bracketology experts don't think so.
Lunardi has the Hokies as his first team out of the March Madness field, even though they've had such an impressive week. The Athletic's Eamonn Brennan also has Virginia Tech currently on the wrong side of the bubble, noting that the Hokies have only two Quad 1 wins this season, even though they're at No. 30 in the NET rankings.
If the NCAA selection committee feels the same way as Lunardi and Brennan, then Virginia Tech will need to win the ACC tournament title on Saturday to extend its season. It's going to be a challenge, considering how strong Duke has been all year. But the Hokies are on a roll right now, so perhaps they'll beat the Blue Devils and punch their ticket to March Madness.
Michigan's Quick Big Ten Tourney Exit May Not Matter
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Michigan went 11-9 in Big Ten play during the regular season and is now 17-14 after getting eliminated by Indiana in the second round of the conference tournament. And yet, the Wolverines may still be heading to the NCAA tourney, as Lunardi has them among his final four teams in the field.
Some fans may be questioning whether Michigan is deserving of a spot, especially after it went 0-1 in the Big Ten tournament. But the Wolverines had a solid overall season despite having one of the more challenging schedules in the country. And as Brennan noted, Michigan has played 15 games against Quad 1 opponents, notching wins in five of those contests.
"Anyone who brings up '17-14' as though it’s a helpful data point or historical reference probably needs to stop," Brennan wrote. "Michigan adding another cupcake game or two on its schedule to get to 19 wins, or whatever, wouldn’t have changed the calculus here."
It's quite possible the NCAA selection committee will give the Wolverines an at-large bid for March Madness for the same reasons. So don't be surprised if Michigan ends up in the 68-team bracket, even though it has endured some recent struggles.
