The bracket for the 2024 NCAA Tournament is set. Broadly speaking, I think the selection committee did a fine-enough job selecting the teams because that truly was a difficult job after five bid-stealers shrunk the bubble. But the seeding? The seeding was ridiculous — most obviously with how the committee made Iowa State the fourth No. 2 seed even though Iowa State had a resume worthy of the fourth No. 1 seed.
The Cyclones have the same overall record of the school that actually got the fourth No. 1 seed — North Carolina. But Iowa State has more Q1 wins than the Tar Heels, three fewer losses outside of Q1 than the Tar Heels, and ISU has accomplished all of this against a schedule that rates more difficult than North Carolina’s. Regardless, the committee gave UNC a No. 1 seed and Iowa State a No. 2 seed. I’ll forever believe that was a mistake just like I’ll forever believe the committee giving Utah State a No. 8 seed was a mistake.
A No. 8 seed?
I’m sure the committee would point to some predictive metrics that don’t love Utah State to justify the No. 8 seed. But Utah State is an outright champion of a conference that placed six schools into the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies are 8-6 in the first two quadrants with four Q1 wins, only one loss outside of Q1 and zero losses in Q3/Q4. That means they have twice as many Q1 wins as Florida Atlantic and five fewer losses outside of Q1 than Florida Atlantic. And yet, somehow, the committee reached the conclusion that those two teams with those two bodies of work deserve the same seed in the NCAA Tournament.
It’s so goofy.
Anyway …
UConn will enter the NCAA Tournament No. 1 in what is the final update of the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings of this season. Iowa State is No. 4 to reflect where I believe the committee should’ve had the Cyclones. And Utah State is No. 14, which should illustrate just how off I believe the committee was in its evaluation of the Aggies.
The next update of the Top 25 And 1 will come April 8. That’ll be a look at next season.
In the meantime, enjoy the tournament.
Final Top 25 And 1 rankings
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