In this new weekly column, I will be looking at Future Headlines in the world of basketball. In this inaugural edition, college ball will be the topic and the NCAA Tournament will be the focus.
Florida, Wichita State, Virginia and Wisconsin named #1 Seeds
The first two might seem obvious, the latter two not so much. Let’s start with the clear-cut top seeds. Florida wins games, that’s obvious. They haven’t lost since December 2nd on the road in Connecticut. They are on a 22-game winning streak with one game remaining, a date with the Kentucky Wildcats at home on March 8th. The last time these two teams met, the Gators came away with a 10-point victory on the road. They shouldn’t have a problem wrapping up the SEC Championship and getting a #1 seed.
Wichita State is another no brainer. They were the first team in NCAA history to finish the season 31-0. They’ll breeze through the Missouri Valley Tournament and cruise into the tournament as a top seed.
Picking the other two teams might seem a little more random, but it’s really not. It actually pains me to pick Virginia, but they extremely deserve a top seed. For the Cavaliers to be a top seed, that means Duke isn’t. It’s justified, though. The ACC is a top conference and Virginia dominated the conference all year; the only blemish on their record is a road loss to the Blue Devils. They will enter the ACC Tournament as the top seed but will likely still have to get through two of Syracuse, North Carolina and Duke – A tough task for any team but especially in March just before the NCAA Tournament. If they win, which I think they will, they’ll be a #1 seed.
Wisconsin, one of the more difficult picks but one I believe in. They have looked unstoppable most of the season. Despite a string of five losses in six games in January, the team is perfect. They have beaten the top teams in the Big 10, arguably the best conference in college basketball, and currently sit second in the conference behind Michigan, who have been equally as impressive this season. With a win on the road against Nebraska on Sunday, they’ll be the second seed in the Big 10 Tournament. Winning the Big 10 Championship will likely secure a #1 seed.
There are a few teams that could alter this headline. One of the biggest earthquakes will be in Arizona if the Wildcats win the Pac-12 Tournament. Arizona has two “easy” games left against Oregon and Oregon State, both on the road, but shouldn’t have too much trouble. They’ll be entering the Pac-12 Tournament as the top seed. The tournament is only 400 miles north in Las Vegas so they should have a pretty good fan turnout.
Villanova and Creighton could make a case for a top seed by winning the Big East Tournament. Both have wins against elite programs and have been or are near the top of the rankings. A conference championship, coupled with Arizona not winning the Pac-12 championship, could propel the Wildcats or Blue Jays to a #1 seed.
Michigan is also a wildcard that could snag a number one seed. If they win the Big 10 Championship, they could take a #1 seed. It will likely come down to the Wolverines and Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship, though there are a bunch of teams that could put up a fight.
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