UCONN (15-7)
Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2016
Andy Katz Tournament Seed Rank: 7
The Huskies season started like most teams, in the long dark of COVID. Losing most of their December schedule, however they did pick up two wins over tournament teams in Hartford and USC. They have been hot coming down the stretch, winning five straight until falling to Creighton in the Big East semifinals. They may have seven loses, but three of those are to Creighton and two are to Villanova. The Huskies are going as far as James Bouknight takes them. The Sophomore guard is the engine that drives most of UCONNs offense. The loss to Creighton probably drops them to the eight-nine line in the bracket, I like them to win that game but the number one seed should handle them without many problems.
North Carolina (18-10)
Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2019
Andy Katz Tournament Seed Rank: 9
Less then a month ago, the conversation was around will there be an NCAA tournament without Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina? Well Roy Williams and the boys righted the ship, grabbed a tier one win over Florida State, a good win over a tournament bound Virginia Tech squad and should have sealed up a spot with their ACC tournament run. The Tar Heels don't bring that run and gun style at you, they don't have some unbelievable NBA first round talent, but what they do well is hit the boards. Number one offensive rebounding team in the country. The loss to the Seminoles probably drops them into the 10 line. I don't have any confidence in them making a run, but let's see what they draw in the bracket.
Villanova (16-6)
Last NCAA tournament Appearance: 2018
Andy Katz Tournament Seed Rank: 3
For the first time since 2016 the Wildcats wont win the Big East tournament. Villanova opened the season 11-1 and rose as high as third in the rankings, but are just 5-5 in their last ten. The big reason behind that slide is the loss of co-Big East Player of the Year Collin Gillespie. The Wildcats have lost all their momentum and that early exit coupled with Gillespie injury, probably pushes them into the always dangerous 5-12 line on the bracket. I hate picking against Villanova as they have Jay Wright and a championship pedigree, but they have lost their mojo and are ripe for the upset.
Michigan State (15-12)
Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2019
Andy Katz Tournament Seed Rank:10
We debated long and hard about saying the Spartans are in, but ultimately the volume of tier one wins puts them in. They have beaten Illinois, Ohio State, and Michigan in the last two weeks to punch their ticket even with their early Big 10 tournament exit. The early exit probable pushes them down to an 11 seed or maybe even a first four matchup. Michigan State can beat anyone in the country and make a deep tournament run or they can flame out in the first round, they have been that way all year. Good luck trying to
figure out which Spartan team shows up.
Wisconsin (17-12)
Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2019
Andy Katz Tournament Seed Rank: 7
The Badgers have been the "get in, where you fit in" Big Ten team, handling the bottom half of the league and getting handled by the top half of the league. Andy has them on the seven line, but they are the classic 8-9 matchup and that's where I expect them to land. The tough and efficient style of basketball the Badgers play is always a tough draw come March. Playing against top flight competition all year should let them get through the 8-9 matchup and then provide a game test for a number one seed.