With less than a month to go before the NCAA men's basketball tournament field is finalized on March 15, the selection committee has unveiled its top 16 seeds. Surprisingly, Alabama didn't make the cut.
Keith Gill, the NCAA selection committee chairman, mentioned that Alabama and Arkansas were just outside the top 16. The committee took a close look at Alabama's performance in games featuring Charles Bediako, noting a 3-2 record with him and 16-5 without. However, Gill explained that Bediako's presence didn't significantly impact their seeding, especially compared to other teams dealing with player availability issues.
Gill emphasized that player availability, not just injuries, has been a significant factor this year. This broader perspective includes various reasons players might be unavailable.
Both ESPN's Joe Lunardi and CBS Sports have projected Alabama as a No. 4 seed, placing them at No. 15 overall. However, Alabama's athletics director, Greg Byrne, who is part of the selection committee, can't participate in discussions about the Tide due to a conflict of interest.
Martin Newton, Samford's athletics director and vice chairman of the committee, noted that Alabama and Arkansas were just edged out by Virginia for the last No. 4 seed spot. Virginia's strong road record, with eight wins and no losses, gave them the edge.
Here's a look at the current top 16 seeds:
- Michigan
- Duke
- Arizona
- Iowa State
- UConn
- Houston
- Illinois
- Purdue
- Florida
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Gonzaga
- Texas Tech
- Michigan State
- Vanderbilt
As the tournament approaches, these rankings will undoubtedly be a hot topic of discussion among fans and analysts alike.