2024 NCAA Bracket Preview Predictions

Image Courtesy: San Diego Union-Tribune

The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee will share who their top four seed lines (top 16 seeds) are this afternoon at 12:30 PM ET on CBS just a month away from Selection Sunday. Here is who what I think the top sixteen will look like:

1 Seeds
1.Purdue Boilermakers 23-2 (12-2) Big Ten
2.Connecticut Huskies 23-2 (13-1) Big East
3.Houston Cougars 21-3 (8-3) Big 12
4.Arizona Wildcats 19-5 (10-3) Pac-12

Purdue and UConn are clear and away the top two teams in the country. We will see how the committee ranks them. The Huskies have looked better than the Boilermakers as of late but both teams deserve the top overall seed at this point. Whoever is better over the next month will be the top overall seed in March Madness. Houston has solidified themselves as the third overall seed entering the weekend, just a game back of the two leaders with their overall record of 21-3. A loss to Kansas is the lone set back over the last few games since losing back to back games to Iowa State and TCU on the road. Arizona’s five quad one wins have them clinging onto the overall four seed and the Pac-12 with a showdown coming up on Saturday against instate rival Arizona State.

2 Seeds
5.Marquette Golden Eagles 19-5 (10-3) Big East
6.North Carolina Tar Heels 19-6 (10-3) ACC
7.Tennessee Volunteers 18-6 (8-3) SEC
8.Alabama Crimson Tide 17-7 (9-2) SEC

The two seed line has changed so much over the last two weeks Marquette has ascended with the play of Tyler Kolek getting better and better every game. The Golden Eagles will be tested on Saturday when they face 1.UConn on the road. North Carolina’s head to head win over Tennessee the first annual ACC/SEC Challenge should put them over the Volunteers in this early reveal. That said, North Carolina’s struggles since beating Duke (and even on the Tuesday before when they fell to Georgia Tech) are real. The Tar Heels have lost three of their last five games including the game against the Yellow Jackets, at home to Clemson, and Syracuse on the road just this past Tuesday. North Carolina must bounce back at home on Saturday against Virginia Tech to continue their pursuit of a one seed and an ACC title. Tennessee must sweep the season series against Vanderbilt on Saturday to move up the two line if North Carolina loses. Alabama has quickly risen after falling in nonconference opportunities against Purdue, Arizona, Ohio State, and Creighton by splitting the season series with Auburn and beating South Carolina.

3 Seeds
9.Iowa State Cyclones 19-5 (8-3) Big 12
10.Kansas Jayhawks 19-6 (7-5) Big 12
11.Duke Blue Devils 19-5 (10-3) ACC
12.Baylor Bears 18-6 (7-4) Big 12

Iowa State has consistently been one of the best teams in the Big 12, being tied with Houston atop the league standings. The Cyclones beat Houston and Kansas earlier in conference play so TJ Otzelberger’s team is primed to be on the three line. Behind them are the Jayhawks, who have a complicated resumé up to this point. The Jayhawks have beaten UConn, Houston, and Baylor at home. But, they have lost to Kansas State, Texas Tech, Iowa State, and Central Florida. That is not the norm for Bill Self’s team. Since Duke’s lost to North Carolina, they have quietly gone undefeated since with wins over Notre Dame, Boston College, and Wake Forest. Those may not be the best wins for their NCAA Tournament resumé but they have gotten themselves just a half game back of North Carolina in the ACC standings. Losses against Arizona, Arkansas, and Georgia Tech earlier in the season are holding them back from moving up the seed list. Duke’s head to head win over Baylor puts them over the Bears on the three line.The Bears have beaten Auburn, Iowa State, BYU, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma have them as the final three seed.

4 Seeds
13.Auburn Tigers 20-5 (9-3) SEC
14.Illinois Fighting Illini 18-6 (9-4) Big Ten
15.Creighton Blue Jays 18-7 (9-5) Big East
16.Dayton Flyers 20-4 (10-2) Atlantic-10

Auburn tying the season series against Alabama last week and their forty point win over South Carolina at home on Wednesday has given them a chance to move back up to the three line with a win over a struggling Kentucky team on Saturday. Illinois is the only team in the Big Ten with a real shot to catch Purdue. The Illini’s only signature win is against Florida Atlantic so they will be hunting for one against the Boilermakers in two and a half weeks on March 5. Creighton (best win is against Providence) and Dayton (best win is against Louisville) cling onto spots fifteen and sixteen with Wisconsin, Clemson, BYU, and South Carolina right behind them with major conference resumés.

Next Up: Wisconsin, Clemson, BYU, South Carolina

So, this afternoon’s bracket reveal should something like this:

Midwest (Detroit)
1.Purdue
2.Marquette
3.Iowa State
4.Dayton

West (Los Angeles)
1.Arizona
2.Alabama
3.Kansas
4.Creighton

East (Boston)
1.Connecticut
2.North Carolina
3.Baylor
4.Auburn

South (Dallas)
1.Houston
2.Tennessee
3.Duke
4.Illinois