This is Kansas’ 12th No. 1 seed since 1986 and its the second time the Jayhawks have been chosen No. 1 overall since the selection committee started announcing that information in 2005.
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A topsy-turvy season in college basketball delivered a few more twists when the brackets came out Sunday. Georges Niang has been one of the best players in the Big 12 for several years now and Isaiah Whitehead has not only powered Seton Hall to a Big East Tournament but made a name for himself as one of the most electrifying players in college baskeball. It ended up being 100 percent correct. There were some experts who felt the AAC might be a one-bid league; instead they received four: Tulsa, UConn, Temple, and Cincinnati. The Crusaders will face SWAC champion Southern in a First Four game with the victor getting OR in Spokane, Washington.
The announcement of Virginia as a No. 1 seed in the Midwest was an upset, as it was predicted Big Ten champs Michigan State would take that slot, the New York Post reports.
This is the seventh-straight season that the Jayhawks have earned a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Instead, the Wildcats will go to Louisville, Ky.
The other pod of teams competing in Raleigh includes teams from the East Region.
No. 11 Northern Iowa over No. 6 Texas, West Region. Sorry to ruin the committee’s fun.
Iowa State (21-11) will make its fifth trip into the tournament and this time as the fourth seed and will play No. 13 seed Iona (22-10) on Thursday. It’s a homecoming for Miami coach Jim Larranaga, who played at Providence.
California was assigned a four seed while Colorado will be the eight.
Two ACC teams – North Carolina and Virginia – on the one line could also be debated. The Bears also lost to Georgia State as a No. 3 seed last season. But they were favored to do so the past two years, too, and were ousted by Stanford and Wichita State before they could even think about playing for a championship. Fresno State lost nine games, Buffalo lost 14 and Green Bay 12. After SFA, the WVU basketball team could potentially face the victor of the Notre Dame vs. Michigan/Tulsa game.
– Ryan Anderson, Arizona: The powerful 6-9 senior averaged a double-double this year (15.5 points, 10.1 rebounds per game). Then I have North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia and upstart Wisconsin (sorry about that, Larry Austin and his Xavier teammates) moving on.
Denzel Valentine and Michigan State have plenty to prove after being passed over for a No. 1 seed. Now the Jayhawks head into the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed. The Spartans have eliminated the Hoos from the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons.
WELCOME BACK Oregon State is back in the tournament for the first time since 1990.
OR had its best regular season in 77 years and turned the Pac-12 championship game into a laugher.
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FUTURE PRO The mock drafts project Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown as potential top-10 picks later this year.
