That is a question that should be solved over the next couple of weeks. Right now, there is no way we should be a #1 seed as Florida, North Carolina, UCLA, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Texas A&M are all ahead of us in line. Also watch out for Washington State and Georgetown to stay hot late in the season and sneak up there, with a conference tournament championship they will have a shot to sneak up into #1 seed talk. Still, are we to win out in the regular season and win the Big 12 Tournament title, which would probably have to include a victory over the Aggies, could be enough to slide us up to the first four bids. Remember, all of this is BEFORE Wisconsin's loss tonight to Michigan State, but if I was a part of the selection committee (boy, would that be fun) I would still slide them ahead of us. Let's take a quick look at some bracket projections around the net and see if they agree with my top of the head logic:
Bracketology
#1 Seeds: UCLA, UNC, Wisconsin, Florida
#2 Seeds: Ohio State, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Kansas
Bracketography
#1 Seeds: UCLA, UNC, Wisconsin, Florida
#2 Seeds: Ohio State, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Kansas
Bracket Project
#1 Seeds: UCLA, UNC, Wisconsin, Florida
#2 Seeds: Ohio State, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Kansas
Everybody has the same seeds. I guess that was kind of a wasted adventure. Anyways, I think we are ahead of Pitt in line for a #1 seed. I think that Pittsburgh is a very nice "upset watch" team come Tournament time. They are a very good team at home but even there are beatable (virtue of a loss 8 days ago to Louisville) and have struggled on the road. They will probably sneak past their opening round opponent but whether it is a 6/7/10/11 seed they could be heading home earlier than expected. The other 6 teams we are behind currently, but we might have a better chance than you may think.
Here are the 6 teams "ahead of us", in order of likeliness of receiving a #1 seed:
- Texas A&M
- Ohio State
- Wisconsin
- UCLA
- North Carolina
- Florida
6) Texas A&M
In order for us to do the minimum requirements for a #1 seed we would have to win the Big 12 Tournament, which would either involve a victory over the Aggies or a loss by the Aggies to a lesser opponent. A recent loss like that combined with the fact that we would be riding a 12(?) game winning streak and would have to move us ahead.
5) Ohio State
They would need to lose again, at least once, in order for us to pass them. They do play Wisconsin at least one more time, including this Saturday in Columbus, and those games are far from easy. Of course, if they beat Wisconsin...
4) Wisconsin
They lost tonight in East Lansing, which is far from shameless, but if they lose their second straght in Columbus I would think we would at least be close. It is never good to lose two in a row and even though they were both on the road against very solid teams we would have to move ahead of them. Wouldn't we? It could also set up a potentially #1 seed clinching tournament matchup in the Big 10 (11) Tournament, with the winner clinching a #1 seed and the loser dropping to #2 territory.
3/2/1) UCLA/UNC/Florida
Not much of a chance to move past any of the three virtual locks. UNC has the most potential and probably will be favored by the most people come Tournament time and Florida won it all last year and returned virtually everyone. UCLA has a chance to drop below us, but it would take at least one more loss in the regular season combined with a loss BEFORE the conference championship game in the Tournament.
Still, we have a chance to get a #1 seed for the first time under Self. Whether we will or not will be decided in the next few weeks, but we do know one thing that will be on our side, something that can't be underestimated...
Click On "Read More..." to see what I am talking about, it is pretty large adn I didn't want to slow up the home page
Nick Krug/KU Sports
Rock Chalk!