College Basketball: Projecting the No. 1 Seeds for March Madness

The 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is almost here, and teams are vying for last-minute invites, not to mention a chance to secure a No. 1 seed.

Seeding can be very important in this tournament, and it is well-documented just how successful a No. 1 team fares in the opening round.

While it is all about matchups, once the tournament begins, getting the No. 1 seed is very important.

Here are the four teams that will have a No. 1 seed when the tournament begins, starting with the No. 1 overall seed that will be awarded to…

Ohio State Buckeyes

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COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 15: Jared Sullinger #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts while playing the Michigan State Spartans on February 15, 2011 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

This is perhaps the easiest of the No. 1 seeds, as Ohio State has all of the makings of the best team in college basketball. It is also no surprise they are one of the favorites to win the National Championship; Hollywood Sportsbook has the Buckeyes' odds at winning the title at 3.5:1.

They only have two blemishes on their body of work, and both could be considered excusable losses.

They lost twice on the road against Wisconsin and Purdue, two Big Ten teams that are nasty at home and have yet to lose there.  Still, the Buckeyes are the current No. 1 team in the nation for good reason.

Ohio State is just one win away from clinching at least a share of the Big Ten title for the fourth time in six years. Ohio State freshman big man Jared Sullinger is a stud who demands constant double-teams and wreaks havoc with his size and talent.

Many of the teams to receive the top seeds may be debatable, but not the Buckeyes.

Kansas Jayhawks

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LAWRENCE, KS - JANUARY 29: Marcus Morris #22 and Markieff Morris #21 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrate during the game against the Kansas State Wildcats on January 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Kansas is well-deserving of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. They are on the verge of a seventh consecutive title in the Big 12 and have all the pieces for a deep run in the tournament.

Bill Self is one of the best coaches in the game today, and he has a talented front line that consists of Markieff and Marcus Morris. The Morris brothers are interchangeable and relentless in the paint, causing nightmares for opposing defenses.

The odds for Kansas to win the NCAA tournament is 4:1, and they should be awarded a No. 1 seed.

BYU Cougars

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SAN DIEGO, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Jimmer Fredette #32 of the Brigham Young Cougars reacts to being fouled against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half at Cox Arena on February 26, 2011 in San Diego, California. BYU beat SDSU 80-67. (Photo by Kent

While some may argue against a No. 1 seed for the BYU Cougars, they deserve a top spot in the West when the tournament tips off.

The odds for BYU to win the tournament are 10:1, but that may be a steal with the way this team is playing.

Jimmer Fredette is a household name as the face of this BYU squad that can play with any team in the country. They play the 12th toughest schedule in college basketball and have not even flinched with just two losses.

The recent win over San Diego State has launched this team into the top of the college basketball rankings. BYU wins with tenacious defense and aggressive rebounding, not to mention an impressive road résumé.

This team has earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament and should get one.

Pittsburgh Panthers

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VILLANOVA, PA - FEBRUARY 12: Travon Woodall #1 of the Pittsburgh Panthers drives around Mouphtaou Yarou #13 of the Villanova Wildcats at The Pavilion on February 12, 2011 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

The Big East is the best conference in college basketball, and with the Pitt Panthers leading that conference, they are a lock for a No. 1 seed.

Coach Jamie Dixon has the Panthers poised to play well in the Big East tournament and make a run deep into the Madness of March.

Pittsburgh is listed at 7:1 to win the NCAA tournament, making them a good bet to take the national title.

Pitt is deep and talented at nearly every position on the floor and gets key contributions from some surprising sources. Pitt will grab the last No. 1 seed to round out the four teams getting top bids.

The Best of the Rest

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DURHAM, NC - FEBRUARY 23: Ryan Kelly #34 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts to making a basket during their game against the Temple Owls at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 23, 2011 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Texas. The Longhorns dropped a huge game to Colorado they should have walked away with. They have had problems with consistency, especially on the road, and already lost to Pitt, who will steal the seed away from the Longhorns. Texas is 10:1 to win the title.

Duke. While Dukies will clamor for a top seed, they don’t deserve one. Take a look at the résumé for the Blue Devils, and impressive victories will be hard to come by. An early win against Michigan State is suddenly not-so-notable, and losses to Florida State and Virginia Tech hurt their chances. Duke is 4:1 to win the title.

Notre Dame. Another Big East team that deserves a look, but unless they win the Big East tournament, they won’t get the top spot. The Irish are 20:1 to win the title.

Purdue. Beating Ohio State sure looks good on the list of victories, but they will still come up short for a top seed. Purdue is 12:1 to win the title.

The 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is almost here, so get ready to fill out your brackets, and enjoy the great college basketball action!

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Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at [e-mail].