March madness is ever closer to becoming the dominant topic of American sports – if it hasn’t already.
The Super Bowl signifies the end of football’s hold on fans’ attention. They should now be able to focus more clearly on college basketball, where conference play has intensified in the final month of the 2023-24 college basketball season.
Conference games and tournaments remain to be played, which will of course impact the final brackets of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Selection Sunday. Until then, it doesn’t hurt to know where college basketball teams might rank at this point in the season.
MANDATORY READING:Tennessee vs. Arkansas Basketball: Score Prediction, Scouting Report for SEC Game
It is therefore in the SECOND, where seeding questions, the March Madness bubble and potential snubs remain a pressing question for more than a few teams. As we enter the final weeks of the 2023-24 regular season, here’s a look at what the field would look like starting today:
2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions
Note: This projection does not take into account matches that took place on Tuesday, February 13.
** Participate in a play-in game
Last four in:
- Mississippi State
- Butler
- Nebraska
- Cincinnati
First four outs:
- Utah
- Waking up forest
- Gonzaga
- St. John’s
Seeds #1
- UConn (22-2, 12-1 Big East): NET N°4 | KenPom n°3
- Purdue (22-2, 11-2 Big Ten): NET N°2 | KenPom n°2
- Houston (21-3, 8-3 Big 12): NET N°1 | KenPom n°1
- Arizona (19-5, 10-3 Pac-12): NET N°3 | KenPom n°4
Seeds n°2
- Tennessee (17-6, 7-3 SEC): NET N° 6 | KenPom #7
- North Carolina (19-5, 11-2 ACC): NET N°10 | KenPom No. 8
- Marquette (18-5, 9-3 Big East): NET N°11 | KenPom n°10
- Iowa State (18-5, 7-3 Big 12): NET N°9 | KenPom n°9
The Vols have stumbled a bit lately, losing two of their last four games. But they still have a rock-solid resume, which includes a 9-6 record against Quad 1 and Quad 2 teams while avoiding any losses against Quad 3 and Quad 4 teams.
Seeds #3
- Kansas (19-6, 7-5 Big 12): NET N°17 | KenPom No. 18
- Alabama (17-7, 9-2 SEC): NET N°5 | KenPom #6
- Auburn (19-5, 8-3 SEC): NET N°7 | KenPom n°5
- Baylor (17-6, 6-4 Big 12) NET n° 12 | KenPom n°14
As has been the case throughout coach Nate Oats’ tenure, the Crimson Tide has been a juggernaut this season with an offense built around 3-point shots and close-to-the-basket attempts. Alabama is No. 1 among all Division I teams in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
Staying in the Yellowhammer State, Auburn has taken a bit of a step back in recent weeks going 3-3 in its last six games after a 16-2 start. But the Tigers still have a strong statistical profile: They’re No. 4 among all Division I teams in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
Seeds n°4
- Illinois (17-6, 8-4 Big Ten): NET N°13 | KenPom n°11
- Duke (19-5, 10-3 ACC): NET N°16 | KenPom n°13
- South Carolina (21-3, 9-2 SEC): NET No. 45 | KenPom n°45
- Dayton (19-4, 9-2 Atlantic 10): NET N°18 | KenPom: 24
South Carolina is the surprise team in the SEC this season. The Gamecocks are valued much more by the polls – which place them in the top 15 nationally – than by the metrics, which place them outside the top 40. Although they are expected to see even more over the next month, it is possible that there is a disparity. between where the Gamecocks stand in the polls and the seeds they receive.
MANDATORY READING:Live score updates from Vanderbilt basketball vs. Texas A&M in SEC game
Seeds n°5
- Creighton (17-7, 8-5 Big East): NET N°15 | KenPom n°16
- Wisconsin (16-8, 8-5 Big Ten): NET No. 21 | KenPom n°17
- BYU (17-6, 5-5 Big 12): NET N°8 | KenPom n°12
- San Diego State (18-6, 7-4 Mountain West): NET N°19 | KenPom No. 20
Seeds n°6
- Saint Mary’s (20-6, 11-0 West Coast): NET N°14 | KenPom n°23
- Kentucky (16-7, 6-4 SEC): NET No. 25 | KenPom #28
- Texas Tech (17-6, 6-4 Big 12): NET N° 26 | KenPom No. 21
- Florida Atlantic (19-5, 9-2 American Athletic): NET No. 27 | KenPom n°30
The Wildcats are the rare college basketball program in which a top-six seed and a national ranking in both major polls are considered a disappointment. Kentucky is 4-5 in its last nine games and has been horrible defensively, with only lowly Vanderbilt and Missouri ranking worse in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
Seeds n°7
- Colorado State (19-5, 7-4 Mountain West): NET N° 28 | KenPom No. 32
- Clemson (16-7, 6-6 ACC): NET No. 30 | KenPom n°31
- Oklahoma (18-6, 6-5 Big 12): NET N° 31 | KenPom n°25
- Utah State (20-4, 8-3 Mountain West): NET No. 29 | KenPom: 40
Seeds n°8
- Virginia (19-5, 10-3 ACC): NET N° 32 | KenPom n°48
- Texas (16-8, 5-6 Big 12): NET No. 34 | KenPom: No. 26
- Texas A&M (15-8, 6-4 SEC): NET No. 37 | KenPom #39
- Michigan State (15-9, 7-6 Big Ten): NET No. 23 | KenPom n°15
A month ago, the Aggies appeared to be on the outside looking in with a 10-7 record that included a 1-3 mark in SEC play. Since then, coach Buzz Williams’ team has won five of its last six games, capped by a 16-point home win over Tennessee.
Seeds n°9
- New Mexico (19-5, 7-4 Mountain West): NET N° 22 | KenPom n°22
- Florida (16-7, 6-4 SEC): NET No. 33 | KenPom n°27
- Indiana State (22-3, 13-1 Missouri Valley): NET No. 20 | KenPom #38
- Northwestern (17-7, 8-5 Big Ten): NET No. 50 | KenPom n°56
The Gators haven’t made the NCAA Tournament in either of the last two seasons, but that drought could very well end this season. Like Texas A&M, Florida has bounced back from a disappointing start in the SEC by winning five of its last six games. Interestingly, he also had a 16-point win over a top-20 opponent over the weekend (against Auburn, in the Gators’ case).
Seeds n°10
- TCU (16-7, 5-5 Big 12): NET No. 42 | KenPom n°36
- Washington State (18-6, 9-4 Pac-12): NET No. 40 | KenPom n°41
- Boise State (16-8, 7-4 Mountain West): NET N° 48 | KenPom n°54
- Ole Miss (18-5, 5-5 SEC): NET No. 59 | KenPom No. 60
Chris Beard was a controversial recruit for the Rebels, but he’s already showing why a school might be willing to take a chance after his rocky departure from Texas. With one month remaining in the regular season, Ole Miss already has its most wins in a season since 2018-19.
Seeds n°11
- Nevada (19-5, 6-4 Mountain West): NET No. 47 | KenPom n°46
- Mississippi State (16-8, 5-6 SEC): NET N° 36 | KenPom n°35
- Butler (16-8, 7-6 Grand Est): NET No. 50 | KenPom n°49
- Grand Canyon (22-2, 12-1 Western Athletic): NET No. 44 | KenPom n°53
- Nebraska (17-8, 7-7 Big Ten)**: NET No. 53 | KenPom n°51
- Cincinnati (15-8, 4-6 Big 12)**: NET No. 35 | KenPom n°33
The Bulldogs are firmly in the hunt to make the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 15 years. Like last season, coach Chris Jans’ team is stout and stingy defensively, ranking among the top 10 teams in Division I in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
Seeds n°12
- McNeese (21-3, 10-1 Southland): NET No. 57 | KenPom #68
- Samford (22-3, 11-1 South): NET No. 64 | KenPom n°72
- Richmond (17-6, 9-1 Atlantic 10): NET No. 70 | KenPom n°80
- UC Irvine (18-7, 11-2 Big West): NET No. 74 | KenPom n°75
Seeds n°13
- Yale (16-6, 7-0 Ivy): NET No. 83 | KenPom n°89
- Akron (18-6, 10-1 Mid-American): NET No. 89 | KenPom n°95
- South Florida (17-5, 10-1 American Athletic): NET No. 103 | KenPom n°112
- UNC Wilmington (18-6, 9-3 Colonial Athletic): NET No. 101 | KenPom n°102
Seeds n°14
- Morehead State (20-5, 11-1 Ohio Valley): NET No. 102 | KenPom n°110
- Highlight (21-5, 10-1 Big South): NET No. 107 | KenPom n°113
- Vermont (19-6, 9-1 America East): NET No. 113 | KenPom n°114
- Eastern Washington (16-8, 10-1 Big Sky): NET No. 114 | KenPom n°125
Seeds n°15
- Colgate (17-8, 11-1 Patriot): NET No. 132 | KenPom n°141
- Troy (17-8, 10-2 Sun Belt): NET No. 133 | KenPom n°129
- Quinnipiac (19-5, 11-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic): NET No. 152 | KenPom n°181
- Green Bay (17-9, 12-3 Horizon): NET No. 174 | KenPom n°183
Seeds n°16
- South Dakota State (14-11, 7-3 Summit): NET No. 167 | KenPom n°163
- Sam Houston State (13-11, 6-3 Conference USA): NET No. 196 | KenPom n°185
- Eastern Kentucky (13-11, 9-2 ASUN): NET No. 208 | KenPom n°191
- Central Connecticut State (15-9, 9-2 Northeast): NET No. 226 | KenPom n°251
- Central North Carolina (13-9, 5-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic)**: NET No. 268 | KenPom n°262
- Grambling State (11-12, 8-2 Southwestern Athletic)**: NET No. 312 | KenPom No. 301