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Selection committee reveals its top 16 NCAA tournament teams; Villanova first team out

The Wildcats were considered for the fourth and final No. 4 spot but lost out to Wisconsin because the Badgers had more wins against Quadrant 1 opponents. Of course, it doesn't count until Selection Sunday.

The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee conducted its mid-season bracket reveal and Villanova was the first team left out.
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee conducted its mid-season bracket reveal and Villanova was the first team left out.Read moreMatt Slocum / AP

With five weeks to go until Selection Sunday, the panel that selects teams for the NCAA tournament released its top 16 as of Saturday, and Villanova was the first team left out.

The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee conducted its mid-season bracket reveal on national television, and committee chair Bernard Muir said the final No. 4 seed came down to the Wildcats and Wisconsin.

“While a handful of teams were considered for the final spot, it eventually turned into a two-team race between Wisconsin and Villanova, and the Badgers ended up getting more votes based on having six Quadrant 1 wins, including four away from home,” said Muir, the director of athletics at Stanford.

The defending national champion, Villanova is 3-2 against Quadrant 1 opponents, with losses to Michigan and Kansas, and victories over Florida State on a neutral court, and Creighton and Butler away. They have five more potential Quadrant 1 opponents, including Saturday’s game at Marquette.

The Golden Eagles are a No. 3 seed, the only Big East team in the top 16.

The bracket reveal is based on results prior to Saturday. The final brackets will be announced on March 17.

The committee made Duke, Tennessee, Virginia and Gonzaga its four No. 1 seeds.

“Duke and Tennessee were essentially 1 and 1-A; it was that close,” Muir said. “A slight edge in some of the metrics was the difference in Duke getting the overall top seed. Virginia was a solid No. 3 team on the top line, and Gonzaga got the fourth No. 1 seed based largely on the teams they’ve beaten and the quality of the opponents they’ve lost to.”

The No. 2 seeds were Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan and Michigan State. Marquette was joined by Kansas, Houston and Purdue as 3 seeds, and Wisconsin, Louisville, Nevada and Iowa State were No. 4 seeds.