It looks like the game of musical chairs involving the best teams in the SEC and the top line of our NCAA men’s tournament bracket will continue all the way to Selection Sunday.
Florida returns to a No. 1 seed and Tennessee falls to the No. 2 line after the Gators’ road win against Alabama and the Volunteers’ loss at Mississippi. All three of the Gators, Volunteers and Crimson Tide have spent time at No. 1 in the past three weeks.
With two losses in a row and four losses in six games, the Tide have the hardest road back to a No. 1 seed. Alabama ends the regular season against Auburn, Florida takes on the Rebels and Tennessee hosts South Carolina.
Auburn, Houston and Duke are well-established top seeds. Michigan State is another option for a No. 1 should the Spartans close things out by winning the Big Ten tournament.
But the most likely fourth top seed will come out of the SEC, making the upcoming conference tournament a huge showdown for which team earns that coveted No. 1 landing spot.
Two SEC teams drop in our bracket. Mississippi State falls to a No. 8 after losing at home to Texas while Vanderbilt drops to the No. 9 line after losing to Arkansas.
The win in Starkville brings the Longhorns back into the field as a No. 12 seed in a play-in game opposite Xavier. Texas replaces Indiana to give the SEC a 13th tournament team.
Bracketology: NCAA Tournament bracket projection
Last four in
Boise State, Ohio State, Xavier, Texas.
First four out
Oklahoma, Indiana, North Carolina, Nebraska.
NCAA Tournament bids conference breakdown
Multi-bid leagues: SEC (13), Big Ten (9), Big 12 (8), Big East (5), Mountain West (4), ACC (3), West Coast (2).