Selection Sunday is almost here. With that in mind, The Sporting News unveils its seventh Field of 68 for the upcoming NCAA men's basketball tournament, which begins March 15. This year's Final Four is at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans from April 2-4.
Friday brings a full day of action, and the scramble for the No. 1 seeds is on. Gonzaga won the West Coast Conference tournament on Tuesday. Arizona, Kentucky and Kansas are our other No. 1 seeds. Auburn, Baylor, Duke and Wisconsin have a case from the No. 2 line.
MORE: See TSN's final bracket predictions for Selection Sunday
TSN will update our tournament projections each day this week leading up to the Big Dance.
Right now our last four features Wake Forest, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and SMU, and there are several teams in the hunt. Who is our Field of 68? Here is a closer look:
*Denotes projected conference automatic bid
**Denotes clinched tournament berth
MORE: Download your printable March Madness bracket
NCAA tournament Field of 68 projections
No. 1 Seeds
**Gonzaga (26-3, 13-1 WCC)
Resume: Net: 1, KenPom: 1
*Arizona (30-3, 18-2 Pac-12)
Resume: Net: 2, KenPom: 3
*Kentucky (26-6, 14-4 SEC)
Resume: Net: 3, KenPom: 2
*Kansas (27-6, 14-4, Big 12)
Resume: Net: 7, KenPom: 9
Lowdown: Arizona is a lock after becoming the first major conference team to reach 30 wins. Kansas can take a No. 1 seed with a victory in the Big 12 championship. Baylor has a higher Net/KenPom rating, but the teams split the regular-season meetings and the conference title would be a tie-breaker the selection committee would honor. Kentucky also leap-frogs Auburn and can seal that up with a SEC championship.
No. 2 Seeds
Baylor (26-6, 14-4 Big 12)
Resume: Net: 5, KenPom: 4
*Duke (28-5, 16-4 ACC)
Resume: Net: 10, KenPom: 7
*Auburn (27-5, 15-3 SEC)
Resume: Net: 11, Ken: 10
*Wisconsin (24-7, 15-5 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 21, KenPom: 31
Lowdown: Duke has a case for a No. 1 seed, too, but the Jayhawks have 18 wins against the first two Quadrants. Duke has 11. Wisconsin is at risk to slide down to No. 3 after a 69-63 loss to Michigan State. Villanova or Purdue could steal that line depending on what happens in the Big East and Big Ten the next few days.
No. 3 Seeds
*Villanova (25-7, 16-4 Big East)
Resume: Net: 6, KenPom: 11
Purdue (26-6, 14-6 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 13, KenPom: 14
Tennessee (24-7, 14-4 SEC)
Resume: Net: 9, KenPom: 12
Texas Tech (25-8, 12-6 Big 12)
Resume: Net: 8, KenPom: 6
Lowdown: Villanova and Purdue have opportunities to jump Wisconsin, andTennessee also has an interesting resume knowing it does not have a loss outside Quad 1. Texas Tech has the best Net/KenPom combination of the bunch, and a Big 12 championship could bump them up to the No. 2 line, too.
No. 4 seeds
Providence (25-5, 14-3 Big East)
Resume: Net: 26, KenPom: 35
UCLA (25-6, 15-5 Pac-12)
Resume: Net: 12, KenPom: 9
Arkansas (24-7, 13-5 SEC)
Resume: Net: 20, KenPom: 16
Illinois (22-9, 15-5 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 14, KenPom: 18
Lowdown: Creighton blasted Providence 85-58 in the Big East semifinals, and that drops the Friars to the No. 4 line.Arkansas remains a dangerous team heading into the SEC semifinals. The Razorbacks have the lowest Net/KenPom combination on this line, but they are also still in the mix for a conference championship.
No. 5 seeds
*Houston (27-5, 15-3 AAC)
Resume: Net: 4, KenPom: 5
UConn (23-9, 13-6 Big East)
Resume: Net: 17, KenPom: 19
Iowa (23-9, 12-8 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 15, KenPom 14
LSU (22-11, 9-9 SEC)
Resume: Net: 17, KenPom: 17
Lowdown: Houston still could bump up a line with an AAC championship, and that path remains open. Iowa also is heating up at the right time in the Big Ten tournament. The Hawkeyes average 96 points in two Big Ten tournament victories.
No. 6 seeds
St. Mary's (25-7, 12-3 WCC)
Resume: Net: 19, KenPom: 17
Texas (21-11, 10-8 Big 12)
Resume: Net: 18, KenPom: 15
Ohio State (19-11, 12-8 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 27, KenPom: 33
North Carolina (24-9, 15-5 ACC)
Resume: Net: 29, KenPom: 25
Lowdown: St. Mary's is the only team on this line that advance to a conference championship game. Texas and Ohio State did not win a conference tournament game. The Buckeyes easily could slide to a No. 7.
No. 7 seeds
USC (26-7, 14-6 Pac-12)
Resume: Net: 32, KenPom: 41
*Boise State (26-7, 15-3 MWC)
Resume: Net: 31, KenPom: 29
Colorado State (25-5, 14-4 MWC)
Resume: Net: 25, KenPom 30
Alabama (19-13, 9-9 SEC)
Resume: Net: 30, KenPom: 24
Lowdown: Alabama ended the regular season on a three-game losing streak. The Crimson Tide have been ranked as high as a No. 5, but that late-season slide won't be ignored. Boise State and Colorado State continue to shine in a loaded Mountain West Conference.
No. 8 seeds
**Murray State (30-2, 18-0 OVC)
Resume: Net: 22, KenPom: 26
Michigan State (22-11, 11-9 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 37, KenPom: 42
Seton Hall (21-10, 11-8 Big East)
Resume: Net: 36, KenPom: 39
Creighton (22-10, 12-7 Big East)
Resume: Net: 64, KenPom: 66
Lowdown: Murray State might be lower and Michigan State higher in other projections, but this line still feels right for both teams. The Spartans can improve on their case with a victory against Purdue in the Big Ten semifinals.
No. 9 seeds
Iowa State (20-12, 7-11 Big 12)
Resume: Net: 47, KenPom: 48
San Diego State (23-7, 13-4 MWC)
Resume: Net: 28, KenPom: 22
Notre Dame (22-10, 15-5 ACC)
Resume: Net: 53, KenPom: 53
Marquette (19-11, 11-8 Big East)
Resume: Net: 42, KenPom: 46
No. 10 seeds
San Francisco (24-9, 10-6 WCC)
Resume: Net: 24, KenPom: 21
**Loyola-Chicago (25-7, 13-5 MVC)
Resume: Net: 23, KenPom: 23
TCU (20-12, 8-10 Big 12)
Resume: Net: 43, KenPom: 36
Memphis (20-9, 13-5 AAC)
Resume: Net: 35, KenPom: 28
No. 11 seeds
Miami (23-10, 14-6 ACC)
Resume: Net: 63, KenPom: 62
*Davidson (26-5, 15-3 A-10)
Resume: Net: 46, KenPom: 44
Indiana (20-12, 9-11 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 41, KenPom: 40
Michigan (17-14, 11-9 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 34, KenPom: 34
No. 12 seeds
Wake Forest (23-8, 13-7 ACC)
Resume: Net: 45, KenPom: 37
SMU (23-7, 13-4 AAC)
Resume: Net: 48, KenPom: 57
Virginia Tech (22-12, 11-9 ACC)
Resume: Net: 33, KenPom: 27
Rutgers (18-13, 12-8 Big Ten)
Resume: Net: 77, KenPom: 75
*UAB (26-7, 16-2 C-USA)
Resume: Net: 50, KenPom: 50
**South Dakota State (30-4, 18-0 Summit)
Resume: Net: 65, KenPom: 70
No. 13 seeds
*Vermont (27-5, 17-1 America East)
Resume: Net: 57, KenPom: 63
**Chattanooga (27-7, 14-4 Southern)
Resume: Net: 62, KenPom: 71
*New Mexico State (25-6, 14-4 WAC)
Resume: Net: 85, KenPom: 89
*Princeton (22-5, 12-2, Ivy)
Resume: Net: 102, KenPom: 103
No. 14 seeds
*Kent State (23-9, 16-4 MAC)
Resume: Net: 140, KenPom: 130
**Colgate (23-11, 16-2 Patriot)
Resume: Net: 126, KenPom: 119
*Montana State (26-7, 16-4 Big Sky)
Resume: Net: 128, KenPom: 135
**Longwood (26-6, 15-1 Big South)
Resume: Net: 123, KenPom: 143
No. 15 seeds
*Saint Peter's (18-11, 14-6 MAAC)
Resume: Net: 131, KenPom: 126
**Jacksonville State (21-10, 13-3 A-Sun)
Resume: Net: 140, KenPom: 146
**Delaware (22-12, 10-8 CAA)
Resume: Net: 137, KenPom: 145
*Long Beach State (20-11, 12-3 Big West)
Resume: Net: 153, KenPom: 153
No. 16 seeds
**Georgia State (18-10, 9-5 Sun Belt)
Resume: Net: 157, KenPom: 148
*Norfolk State (23-6, 12-2 MEAC)
Resume: Net: 161, KenPom: 170
**Wright State (21-13, 14-6 Horizon)
Resume: Net: 192, KenPom: 182
**Bryant (22-9, 16-2 Northeast)
Resume: Net: 200, KenPom: 183
*Alcorn State (16-15, 14-4 SWAC)
Resume: Net: 259, KenPom: 257
*Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (21-11, 7-7 Southland)
Resume: Net: 248, KenPom: 252
Four on the bubble
Texas A&M (22-11, 9-9 SEC)
Resume: Net: 56, KenPom: 58
Dayton (23-9, 14-4 Atlantic 10)
Resume: Net: 52, KenPom: 47
Oklahoma (18-15, 7-11)
Resume: Net: 38, KenPom: 32
Wyoming (25-8, 13-5 MWC)
Resume: Net: 44, KenPom: 55
Lowdown: The bubble is complicated. Texas A&M beat Auburn in the SEC semifinals, but they are our first team out. Dayton has another intriguing resume in the Atlantic 10 and remains very much alive for a bid. Would that mean Wyoming would be knocked off the bubble? The MWC does not feel like a four-bid league now. North Texas is a tough sell after a shocking 42-36 loss to Louisiana Tech in the Conference-USA tournament. Xavier and BYU also would be longshots at this point.
