All the metrics, analytics, and number crunching in the world cannot erase the most important statistic attached to the team that captured college basketball's imagination leading into March Madness: Miami of Ohio's record is 31-1. The Redhawks were the first college basketball team in five years to enter their conference tournament with an undefeated record.
Almost everything else about the regular-season champions of the Mid-American Conference—such as their 339th-ranked schedule and their lack of top-caliber (Quad 1) matchups—along with their solitary loss to a not-so-strong UMass team screams of an NIT or perhaps no postseason bid at all. Yet, leaving this mid-major darling out of March Madness when the brackets are revealed would feel, to many, like a crime.
The fact that a team with a remarkable start of 31-0 is uncertain about its tournament inclusion speaks volumes about why March Madness is unparalleled in sports. The unveiling of the 68-team bracket serves as step one on the road to the Final Four, scheduled for April 4-6 in Indianapolis. Before the action gets underway with first-round games Thursday and Friday, four First Four games will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A few noteworthy points to consider when the brackets come out include the expected top seeds. Houston and UConn both had opportunities to make things interesting, but their losses in conference title games have left them pegged as No. 2 seeds in virtually every mock bracket. This situation leaves Duke, which recently secured its 24th ACC title, as the likely overall No. 1 seed. Michigan, Arizona, and the defending champion Florida are anticipated to join Duke as No. 1 seeds.
As for the SEC, the conference enters Selection Sunday with four teams hovering on the bubble: Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, and Auburn. Although the SEC set a record last season by placing 14 of its 16 teams in the tournament, this year’s numbers may not reach such heights. Nevertheless, Auburn's case may be both intriguing and straightforward; while they boast some of the best metrics in the nation, including a third-ranked strength of schedule, their record stands at 17-16, having lost nine of their last 12 games. This scenario means the selection committee could be faced with choosing between a team holding just one loss and another with 16 losses.
Other teams hoping to secure spots in the dwindling pool of bubble teams include SMU, San Diego State, Stanford, and Indiana. A victory for Dayton over VCU in the Atlantic 10 title game could further shrink the number of available spots.
Another question mark surrounds St. John's. Rick Pitino's squad celebrated in their post-game news conference after securing both the Big East regular-season title and the conference championship against UConn. Despite this, few consider St. John's superior to UConn, which is expected to secure a No. 2 seed while St. John's is likely to receive a No. 5 seed. The Big East has faced criticism this season, likely placing only three teams in the tournament, including Villanova but almost certainly not Seton Hall. Still, St. John's has just one fewer win than UConn and has defeated them in two of three meetings this season.
“Three straight nights we didn’t relent at all, and that’s great going into the tournament,” Pitino remarked, reflecting the team's performance as they prepare for the challenges ahead.
