NCAA bracket 2017: No. 1 Kansas to face winner of NCC/OCD in Midwest region on March 17

During the Selection Show on Sunday, the Kansas Jayhawks earned the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region and the No. 2 overall seed in the entire 2017 NCAA Tournament after winning the Big 12 Conference regular season title.

Head coach Bill Self’s team will take on the winner of the NC Central-UC Davis game on March 15 at 5:40 p.m. ET in Dayton, Ohio on truTV.

The 28-4 Jayhawks will get to play in Kansas City by making it out of the first weekend, which will begin with a March 17 game against the aforementioned winner of the play-in contest.

Ranked No. 153 nationally by KenPom, NC-Central is a MEAC team led by senior guard Patrick Cole and a stingy defense. A former Division II school, the Eagles are in the tournament for the second time in four years.

Meanwhile, UC-Davis is new to the NCAA tournament after winning the Big West Conference over favored UC-Irvine. The Aggies rank No. 219 in the KenPom rankings and spread the floor with three guards and 6’6 wing Chima Moneke.

Here’s why CBS believes that Kansas can make it to the Final Four for the first time since 2012 and win the school’s fourth overall title:

Why Kansas might win it all: The Jayhawks check every box. They have a future Hall of Fame coach in Bill Self, a legitimate National Player of the Year candidate in Frank Mason, a projected lottery pick in Josh Jackson -- plus great guard play in general, experience, toughness, a winning pedigree ... everything. They’re good offensively, good enough defensively, and Mason is equipped to take over games in big spots and hit big shots. If KU needs him to carry the team, he can.

However, the Jayhawks will have to overcome the lack of big men, so going up against a team with big men who can score inside could be an issue for KU.