Notes:

• Auto bid holders in this section are noted by the conference names in parentheses.
• Arrows indicate movement up or down the seed list (down to the spot on the seed list).
• New entrants are marked with an asterisk.
• For at-large candidates only, the numbers in parentheses after the team’s name are as follows: record vs. D1 opposition/record in Group 1 and Group 2 games/record in Group 1 games only. This information reflects NET data as of Tuesday, Feb. 26. I pulled the quality win info from WarrenNolan.com’s selection sheets.

No. 1 Seeds

(↑1) Virginia Cavaliers (24-2/14/9) - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Columbus 1
(↑2) Gonzaga Bulldogs (WCC) (27-2/11/4) - ANAHEIM - Salt Lake City 1
(↓3) Duke Blue Devils (24-4/15/8) - LOUISVILLE - Columbia 1
(4) Kentucky Wildcats (24-4/14/9) - KANSAS CITY - Columbus 2

With Duke losing at Virginia Tech for the second straight season, the still Zion Williamson-less Blue Devils loosened their stranglehold on the No. 1 overall seed. That honor now goes to Virginia, with Duke slipping to third behind Gonzaga (thanks in part to the Bulldogs’ head-to-head win in Maui). If Mike Krzyzewski’s team continues to struggle without Williamson, or he fails to return in the near future, they may drop further.

No. 2 Seeds

(5) North Carolina Tar Heels (ACC) (23-5/13/7) - KANSAS CITY - Columbia 2
(6) Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten) (23-5/14/11) - LOUISVILLE - Des Moines 1
(7) Tennessee Volunteers (23-3/10/5) - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Jacksonville 1
(8) Michigan Wolverines (24-4/15/7) - ANAHEIM - Des Moines 2

We were moments away from having three ACC teams on the top line, but Kentucky held off Arkansas at Rupp, preventing UNC from jumping up following the Tar Heels’ home win over Syracuse.

No. 3 Seeds

(9) Houston Cougars (American) (26-1/14/4) - ANAHEIM - Tulsa 1
(10) LSU Tigers (SEC) (22-5/15/7) - LOUISVILLE - Tulsa 2
(↑11) Kansas Jayhawks (21-7/14/10) - KANSAS CITY - Salt Lake City 2
(↓12) Marquette Golden Eagles (Big East) (23-4/13/8) - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hartford 1

No. 4 Seeds

(13) Purdue Boilermakers (20-7/14/8) - KANSAS CITY - Jacksonville 2
(14) Texas Tech Red Raiders (22-5/12/5) - LOUISVILLE - San José 1
(↑15) Virginia Tech Hokies (22-6/10/4) (22-6/10/5) - ANAHEIM - Hartford 2
(16) Florida State Seminoles (22-6/10/5) - WASHINGTON, D.C. - San José 2

Virginia Tech moves back into the top 16, thanks to the combination of their win over Duke and Wisconsin’s baffling double OT loss at Indiana.

No. 5 Seeds

(17) Maryland Terrapins (21-7/12/6)
(18) Kansas State Wildcats (Big 12) (21-7/10/6)
(↓19) Wisconsin Badgers (19-9/11/7)
(↓20) Nevada Wolf Pack (MW) (25-2/8/0)

No. 6 Seeds

(21) Mississippi State Bulldogs (21-7/12/7)
(↓22) Iowa Hawkeyes (21-7/11/4)
(23) Cincinnati Bearcats (23-4/8/3)
(24) Washington Huskies (Pac-12) (22-5/6/1)

Iowa laid an egg on the road at Ohio State, which knocks them off the five line, down to the six.

No. 7 Seeds

(25) Iowa State Cyclones (20-8/9/5)
(↑26) Wofford Terriers (SoCon) (21-4/7/3)
(↓27) Buffalo Bulls (MAC) (24-3/6/2)
(28) Villanova Wildcats (20-8/12/3)

No. 8 Seeds

(29) Baylor Bears (18-9/11/4)
(30) Louisville Cardinals (18-10/8/4)
(↑31) St. John’s Red Storm (20-8/10/6)
(↑32) Mississippi Rebels (19-8/7/4)

No. 9 Seeds

(↑33) Auburn Tigers (17-9/9/2)
(↑34) VCU Rams (A 10) (22-6/5/3)
(↓35) Syracuse Orange (18-10/8/3)
(↑36) Ohio State Buckeyes (18-10/8/5)

Once again, Syracuse failed to pick up a third Group 1 road win, one that would have all but assured a bid, so they drop a bit. VCU held off Saint Louis to keep the Atlantic 10 lead, while Ohio State earned a bit more breathing room by routing Iowa.

No. 10 Seeds

(↓37) Oklahoma Sooners (17-11/10/3)
(↓38) Texas Longhorns (15-12/8/4)
(↓39) Florida Gators (16-11/7/3)
(↑40) Arizona State Sun Devils (19-8/7/4)

No. 11 Seeds

(↓41) TCU Horned Frogs (18-10/7/2)
(↑42) N.C. State Wolfpack (20-8/7/1)
(↑43) UCF Knights (20-6/6/0)
(↑44) Alabama Crimson Tide (17-11/10/2)

TCU had plenty of opportunities to win at West Virginia, but after three overtimes, the Mountaineers prevailed. While the Horned Frogs have five top 40 wins and a sweep of Iowa State, they’re also responsible for one-third of the Big 12 wins earned by West Virginia and Oklahoma State so far.

Alabama jumped out of the First Four places by winning at South Carolina.

No. 12 Seeds

(↓45) Lipscomb Bisons (ASUN) (20-6/3/2)
(↓46 - First Four) Seton Hall Pirates (16-11/10/3)
(↓47 - First Four) Minnesota Golden Gophers (17-11/8/2)
(48) Belmont Bruins (OVC) (22-4/5/2)
(↑49 - First Four) Utah State Aggies (22-6/3/1)
(↓50 - First Four) Temple Owls (20-8/7/2)

Temple’s loss at Memphis didn’t hurt the Owls’ chances too badly, while Utah State’s home win over San Diego State didn’t boost the Aggies’ all that much—so I just flipped them for today. Remember that Craig Smith’s squad hosts Nevada on Saturday.

First Four Out (NIT No. 1 Seeds)

(↑69) Clemson Tigers (16-11/4/1)
(↑70) Saint Mary’s Gaels (19-10/3/1)
(71) Georgetown Hoyas (16-11/7/3)
(↑72) Memphis Tigers (18-11/4/0)
(72)

Next Four Out

(↓73) Furman Paladins (19-6/4/1)
(74) Dayton Flyers (19-9/2/1)
(75) Liberty Flames (21-6/2/1)
(↓76) Butler Bulldogs (15-13/7/2)

Clemson and Saint Mary’s were Tuesday’s biggest bubble winners who didn’t take the floor, while Memphis saw its hopes increase slightly. Remember that the Tigers host the American Athletic Tournament, and that fact could loom large all the way until late Selection Sunday afternoon.

Butler should plan for the NIT following their ill-fated comeback and overtime loss to Providence.

No. 13 Seeds

(51) New Mexico State Aggies (WAC)
(52) Yale Bulldogs (Ivy)
(53) Old Dominion Monarchs (C-USA)
(54) Vermont Catamounts (America East)

No. 14 Seeds

(55) Hofstra Pride (CAA)
(56) South Dakota State Jackrabbits (Summit)
(57) UC Irvine Anteaters (Big West)
(58) Radford Highlanders (Big South)

No. 15 Seeds

(59) Montana Grizzlies (Big Sky)
(60) Texas State Bobcats (Sun Belt)
(61) Missouri State Bears (MVC)
(62) Wright State Raiders (Horizon)

No. 16 Seeds

(63) Bucknell Bison (Patriot)
(64) Sam Houston State Bearkats (Southland)
(65 - First Four) Prairie View A&M Panthers (SWAC)
(66 - First Four) Norfolk State Spartans (MEAC)
(67 - First Four) St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash (NEC)
(68 - First Four) Iona Gaels (MAAC)

The auto bid places remain steady today, thanks to limited action on Tuesday night.

Conference Ranking With Seeds

Note: Auto bid holders are denoted by asterisks.

ACC (8): 1. Virginia, 1. Duke, 2. North Carolina*, 4. Virginia Tech, 4. Florida State, 8. Louisville, 9. Syracuse, 11. N.C. State
Big 12 (8): 3. Kansas, 4. Texas Tech, 5. Kansas State*, 7. Iowa State, 8. Baylor, 10. Oklahoma, 10. Texas, 11. TCU
Big Ten (8): 2. Michigan State*, 2. Michigan, 4. Purdue, 5. Maryland, 5. Wisconsin, 6. Iowa, 9. Ohio State, 12. Minnesota (First Four)
SEC (8): 1. Kentucky, 2. Tennessee, 3. LSU*, 6. Mississippi State, 8. Mississippi, 9. Auburn, 10. Florida, 11. Alabama
American Athletic (4): 3. Houston*, 6. Cincinnati, 11. UCF, 12. Temple (First Four)
Big East (4): 3. Marquette*, 7. Villanova, 8. St. John’s, 12. Seton Hall (First Four)
MW (2): 5. Nevada*, 12. Utah State (First Four)
Pac-12 (2): 7. Washington*, 10. Arizona State

Auto Bid Selection Procedures

Now that we are less than three weeks away from Selection Sunday, I’m using each conference’s tiebreaker procedures to determine auto bid holders when necessary.

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