NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Losses by Auburn and Michigan State on Saturday likely assured that the SEC will have multiple No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the modern era when the field of 68 is revealed Sunday on CBS.
Entering the day, Auburn was the top overall seed, followed by Duke, Houston and Florida on the top line, with the Tigers, Blue Devils and Cougars virtually assured of finishing in those spots, according to CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm.
The fourth No. 1 seed is still in play, but after Tennessee beat Auburn 70-65 in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and Wisconsin defeated Michigan State 77-74 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, who will finish as the fourth No. 1 seed has some clarity.
“I believe the SEC Tournament champion now will be the fourth No. 1 seed,” CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm said after the Tigers and Spartans fell during semifinal action in their respective conferences.
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Had the Tigers won the SEC Tournament and had Michigan State won the Big Ten Tournament, the final No. 1 seed line could have consisted of Auburn (SEC), Duke (ACC), Houston (Big 12), and Michigan State (Big Ten).
But with someone other than Auburn now guaranteed to win the SEC Tournament, that team will be well-positioned to end up on the No. 1 seed line. Michigan State’s loss could also end up helping a team like Tennessee, which entered the day as a projected No. 2 seed in Palm’s Bracketology. The Volunteers will face either Florida or Alabama in Sunday’s SEC Tournament final in what could be a game to decide the last team on the top line.
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Jerry Palm
Michigan State also entered Saturday as a projected No. 2 seed in Palm’s Bracketology but saw its hopes of rising take a hit with a 77-74 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
The SEC is also on track to place 13 or 14 teams in the Big Dance, which will shatter the Big East’s old record of 11, which was set in 2011 when the league had 16 teams. When the NCAA Tournament consisted of 48 teams in 1980, both Kentucky and LSU received No. 1 seeds.
