N ow that NCAA Selection Sunday is only 30 days away on March 11th, it’s time to take a closer look at which teams are in the best position to obtain the much coveted #1 seed in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. As March Madness rapidly approaches, the final 3 weeks of the regular season and subsequent Conference Tournaments will determine a lot with upwards of 10 teams potentially still in the running for a top seed. According to Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi at ESPN’s latest predictions(http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology), Kentucky, Syracuse, Missouri, and Kansas would be the #1 seeds if the season ended today but we all know that they don’t call it March Madness for nothing. Of course, Kentucky and Syracuse are virtual locks with multiple game leads in the SEC and Big East Conferences, but the final races in the Big 12, as well as the ACC, Big Ten, and even the Mountain West Conferences still have a shot at landing a #1 seed. Check out which NCAA teams are potential #1 seeds:



Led by high scoring back-court mates Chase Tapley, Jamaal Franklin, and Xavier Thames, the Aztecs have been one of the pleasant surprises of the ’11-’12 college hoops season. After losing all world swingman and defensive stalwart Kawhi Leonard to the NBA, many thought coach Steve Fisher’s bunch would take a step back and concede the Mountain West crown to either UNLV or New Mexico, but this scrappy bunch has been ranked in the Top 25 all season, even reaching as high as #11 this past week. The Aztecs have 3 wins over Top 25 opponents and played a semi-tough non-conference schedule that included Baylor, Long Beach State, and Creighton. Some would think that a recent loss to conference rival UNLV last weekend would put a dent in their chances of winning the Mountain West regular season but the Rebels promptley returned the favor by losing to upstart TCU Tuesday night. The Aztecs are sitting with a 6-2 conference mark, tied with New Mexico, with 6 MWC games remaining. Key to remaining in the discussion for a #1 seed and a possible conference crown is an epic tilt against New Mexico on February 15th leading up to the Mountain West Conference Tournament.



The UNLV Runnin Rebels made the country take notice that they belong among the nation’s top ranked teams when they beat then #1 ranked North Carolina just prior to Thanksgiving. They would go on to reel off 3 different winning streaks of over 5 games, including an impressive 8-0 start to the season. Led by future NBA pros like Mike Moser, Chace Stanback, and Oscar Belfield, the Rebels will undoubtedly be a tough out come March Madness but their chances of securing a #1 seed are now on life support after being upset in overtime by TCU Tuesday night. The Rebels now sit at 6-3 in conference, a half game back of San Diego State and New Mexico, with a key contest remaining against New Mexico on February 18th, along with 4 other winnable MWC games still on the schedule. With only 3 wins against Top 25 opponents, their only hope may be to run the table during the regular season, then winning the conference tournament. Of course, they would also need a total collapse from front-running teams in the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences.



Don’t look now, but Coach Izzo is once again whipping his team into post-season form as the final few weeks of the regular season approaches. With arguably one of his lesser talented teams, Izzo may once again have a squad primed for an amazing 7th Final Four over his last 14 seasons in Lansing. Big man Draymond Green is as skilled as any front-court player in the nation and has emerged as a bonafide Player of the Year candidate. With second year guards Keith Appling and Brandon Dawson finally beginning to reach their lofty potential as mainstays of the offense, big men Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix holding down the paint, the Spartans are once again ranked among the Top 10 teams in the country. The Spartans have 5 wins over Top 25 opponents and are currently sitting at 9-3 in Big Ten play, one half game behind the conference leading Ohio State Buckeyes. The Spartans have 6 more conference games remaining against Wisconsin, Purdue, Minnesota, Nebraska, Indiana, and Ohio State, leading up to the Big Ten Tournament.



As the nation’s preseason #1 ranked team, lofty expectations were immediately heaped upon a mostly upperclassmen laden Tarheel squad. Bolstered by potentially four 1st Round NBA Draft picks in Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller, John Henson, and PG supreme Kendall Marshall in the starting line-up, the Tarheels have gotten off to a 21-4 start, losing only to potential NCAA Tourney bound teams Kentucky, Duke, Florida State, and UNLV. After a hard fought loss to ACC rival Duke, on a last second shot by freshman sensation Austin Rivers, the Tarheels must re-group in quick fashion as they have upcoming tilts against Miami, Clemson, NC State, Virginia, Maryland, and a revenge match-up with the Blue Devils. The Tarheels are tied atop the ACC standings at 9-3 along with Duke and Florida State but lose out in the tiebreaker by virtue of losing to both squads earlier in the season. Although UNC stands a great chance of landing a #2 seed at the moment, they can still earn a #1 by beating Duke in the last game of the regular season, along with winning the ACC Tournament.



By beating rival North Carolina during rivalry week, the Blue Devils now sit firmly in the drivers seat for not only another ACC regular season crown but remain in the hunt for one of the final two #1 seeds available behind Kentucky and Syracuse. Despite losing program stalwarts Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, and #1 NBA Draft pick Kyrie Irving, Coach K once again has the Blue Devils surging as March Madness is rapidly approaching. Led by a new crop of upperclassmen like Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, Ryan Kelly, Miles and Mason Plumlee, along with freshman sensation Austin Rivers, the Dukies are peaking at the right time and may be primed for another deep post-season run. Currently sitting atop the ACC standings at 9-3, and holding tiebreaker over UNC, Duke has 4 wins over Top 25 ranked teams with ACC tilts against NC State, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and rematch with North Carolina to end the regular season. Duke needs to win out the regular season, including a sweep of the Tarheels, in addition to a good showing in the ACC Tourney to be in the conversation for a #1 seed.



As arguably one of the surprise stories of the entire NCAA season to this point, coach Bill Self has done a masterful job of getting the most out of less than stellar talent to have the Jayhawks ranked #4 in the country, in prime position for another Big 12 crown, and firmly in the running for a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After suffering huge losses due to the Morris twins and Josh Selby declaring early, losing Brady Morningstar to graduation, then having nearly their entire incoming recruiting class declared ineligible, many were worried that Kansas’ dominance over the Big 12 was coming to an end with the ever improving Missouri and Baylor touted as conference favorites in the preseason. Led by senior Tyshawn Taylor and Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson, the Jayhawks are 11-2 in conference, sitting a half game in front of Missouri. Kansas has 4 wins over Top 25 opponents with games remaining against Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Texas to end the regular season. The Jayhawks need to beat Missouri in the regular season and put in a good showing in the Big 12 Tourney to earn a #1 seed.



Behind the stellar play of NCAA Player of the Year candidate Jared Sullinger, four year starter William Buford, sophomore forward DeShaun Thomas, and defensive sparkplug Aaron Craft, the Buckeyes are once again the class of the Big Ten Conference and barring a late season collapse, are in good shape for a #1 seed. While Ohio State’s recent loss to Michigan State cluttered up the Big Ten standings, leaving the Buckeyes at 10-3 and only a half game ahead of the Spartans, coach Matta’s squad has 5 wins over Top 25 opponents with five Big Ten regular season games remaining against Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan State. The Buckeyes need to take care of business against Michigan and Michigan State during the regular season and probably make it to the Big Ten Conference Tournament Finals to earn a #1 seed.



Behind the stellar inside play of the highly efficient Ricardo Ratliffe, leading the nation in FG%, and outstanding perimeter production of veteran backcourt mates Marcus Denmon, Kim English, Michael Dixon, and Flip Pressey, the Missouri Tigers currently are the #3 team in the nation, behind Kentucky and Syracuse. With 5 wins against Top 25 opponents including key wins over Kansas and twice over Baylor, the Tigers may get a #1 seed without winning the Big 12 Conference outright. With six Big 12 regular season games to go against Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Kansas State, Kansas, and Texas Tech once again, the Tigers need only to win against the Jayhawks, in addition to winning out in the Big 12, to secure a regular season conference crown, and almost assuredly earn a coveted #1 seed.



Led by senior leaders Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, along with a bevy of talented underclassmen like defensive stalwart Fab Melo, Dion Waiters, and CJ Fair, coach Boeheim has his Orangemen firmly in the running for a #1 seed. Boosted by a 20-0 start to the season, the vaunted Cuse 2-3 zone has held opponents in check mainly because of the improved play of 2nd year big man Fab Melo. While Joseph and Waiters have become the Orangemen’s most potent players offensively, Syracuse boasts one of the deepest teams in the country, where surely some of their bench players could be starting on any number of contending squads across the country. The Cuse are 13-1, a full 3 games ahead of second place Marquette, and have only key contests remaining against Rutgers, South Florida, Connecticut, and Louisville during the Big East regular season. With 4 wins against Top 25 ranked foes in addition to their only loss sustained to probably NCAA Tourney team Notre Dame, the Orangemen actually have a few games in hand towards securing a #1 seed for the Big Dance. Although coach Boeheim won’t allow his team to tank games down the stretch, their real concern should be staying healthy as having Melo man the middle during March has to be the X factor in winning the school’s 2nd National Championship.

