It’s great to be top seed — but maybe not in 2011
It’s all about being No. 1. That quest will push teams in the next month, just as it has the past three. Just know that in 2011 the top spot has been a dangerous place.
Look at the season. Duke held the top spot for the first 10 weeks, but in the next eight weeks the top spot changed hands four times.
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Look at the conference tournaments. The Big East No. 1, Pittsburgh, lost to Cincinnati; the Big Ten No. 1, Ohio State, needed overtime to beat Northwestern in the quarterfinals; potential No. 1 North Carolina needed a furious rally to beat Miami; and Big 12 No. 1 Kansas beat Oklahoma State by one.
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| NCAA Selection Show |
| When » Sunday, 6 p.m. |
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This is where we mention that Cincinnati is the only one of that group of non No. 1s likely to get a berth Sunday. And another potential No. 1 for the NCAA tournament, Notre Dame, lost Friday. Yet the Irish still have a shot at landing a top spot for the first time since 1979.
Yes, the tournament is also about the Bubble Watch. But with 68 teams and some major conferences lacking depth, the Bubble Watch isn’t as exciting — if it ever was. In years past it also could be dubbed the annual Virginia Tech letdown/whinefest. But the Hokies should be off the bubble.
Maryland won’t have to sweat out Sunday’s announcement — unless it’s about the NIT. Georgetown’s fade after Chris Wright’s injury only means it will have a worse seed after once dreaming of a potential No. 2. And where will George Mason get seeded?
Still, the tourney isn’t about 64 or 68; it’s about No. 1. When the pairings are announced Sunday, we’ll find out who No. 1 is.
But the way this season has gone, perhaps a No. 16 seed will win for the first time. Perhaps the tournament will end up with zero No. 1 seeds in the Final Four, which has happened only twice since 1979.
But …
Being No. 1 is never a bad thing. Since 1979, 18 of the tournament champions have been No. 1 seeds. That’s 12 more titles than the No. 2 seed.
And 19 times there have been multiple No. 1 seeds in the Final Four. On five occasions, multiple No. 2 seeds have reached this destination. Also, a No. 1 seed has won the past four tournaments and five of the last six.
So being No. 1 matters. A lot. And that’s a good thing for Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Kansas. Those likely will be the No. 1 seeds when the pairings are announced.
But there’s some mystery. Will an ACC team slip into that group? If not, it’ll be the first time since 2003. A little more unlikely, will a team from the Western Athletic Conference nudge its way up there?
Really, the only time this matters is just before midnight on April 4. That’s when the tournament ends.
