The race for NCAA Tournament top seeds broken down in our March Madness bracket projection

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The race to be one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA men’s tournament is on.

As the majority of the teams are trying to do all they can to boost their resume just make the tournament field, there are a select few that are not only virtual locks to be part of March Madness, but also get selected one of the four top seeds in the field of 68.

Having the No. 1 designation next to your name doesn’t ensure a forthcoming national championship, but it does offer a great possibility. Not only does it offer a favorable path to the Final Four, but history is on its side; six of the past seven champions were No. 1 seeds.

Selection Sunday is still about seven weeks away − plenty of time for teams to strengthen or fall apart − but the picture of who will be the top seeds in each region is starting to become clear. Here’s a look at the current No. 1 seeds in the latest edition of USA TODAY Sports Bracketology, why they are there, what’s next for them and who else is in contention for the coveted spots.

Auburn

Record: 18-1. Quad 1 record: 11-1. NET Ranking: 1.

Why Auburn is here: When it comes to resumes, no one has as good of one as the Tigers. The 11 Quad 1 wins are the most in Division I, and they are the only team with fewer than two losses − and it was a quality defeat, against strong Duke team in Cameron Indoor Stadium. For as dominant as Auburn has been most of the season, it’s coming off a nail-biting week. It just avoided a last-second shot against Georgia and in one of the biggest matchups of the season, took down Tennessee in a hard-fought contest. While battered and bruised against the Volunteers, it got star center Johni Broome back to help nab another win against a top 10 team.

What’s next: Auburn will be on the road against teams in the bottom half of the SEC, with a trip to LSU on Wednesday and No. 23 Mississippi on Saturday.

Duke

Record: 17-2. Quad 1 record: 5-2. NET Ranking: 3.

Why Duke is here: Led by freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, the Blue Devils have been practically…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/race-ncaa-tournament-top-seeds-110921492.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-29 11:09:00

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