NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch: Alabama takes No. 1 overall seed

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In this space just 48 hours ago (we think; time has been an elastic concept this week), we declared Kansas to be the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament no matter what happened on Saturday and Sunday. Warning: big flip-flop incoming.

Now we’re going with Alabama. Kansas’ 20-point loss to Texas in the Big 12 final — its second blowout loss to the Longhorns in eight days — left us feeling a bit nervous about our decision. We grew even more uncomfortable waking up and seeing the Jayhawks ranked ninth in NET, KenPom and BPI on Sunday morning. Those are very low numbers for a team that would be atop the seed list, even if Kansas is No. 1 in Strength of Record and NET strength of schedule, and second in KPI.

Then we watched Alabama blitz through Texas A&M on Sunday the same way the Crimson Tide rolled through the SEC tournament and much of the regular season. Alabama is No. 1 in KPI and No. 2 in Strength of Record with a top 10 schedule, but unlike Kansas it’s also up there in the quality metrics: second in NET and Sagarin, third in KenPom and BPI. It also has two fewer losses on the season. The final factor that swayed us was this: Bama was No. 1 in the top 16 seed reveal on Feb. 18, three spots ahead of Kansas. Since then, the Tide have only lost once, in the season finale at Texas A&M — a loss they just avenged in a major way. While the Jayhawks have collected more big wins since the reveal, committee members haven’t been given a lot of reasons to dethrone Nate Oats’ team.

Well, OK, there is one major off-the-court reason why they might not want to push Alabama as the marquee team of March Madness. We may never know how much this was discussed, if at all, behind closed doors. But we’re guessing it won’t be a factor.

Practically speaking, this doesn’t affect the bracket that much. Alabama will still be in the South Region, while Kansas should headline the Midwest and get the comfy arrangement of a potential second weekend in Kansas City. It does change our Final Four pairings, however; now they are South vs. East and Midwest vs. West.

We apologize for the late flip-flop and now know we should never run for office. This is our final Bracket Watch update for the 2022-23 season. Now let’s see the real thing.

First Four (Dayton)

Seed	Team
16	Southeast Missouri State
16	Howard
11	NC State
11	Utah State
16	Fairleigh Dickinson
16	Texas Southern
11	Pittsburgh
11	Arizona State

South Region (Louisville)

Seed	Team	Site
1	Alabama
16	Northern Kentucky	Birmingham
8	Michigan State
9	Boise State
4	Indiana
13	Kent State	Albany
5	Duke
12	Drake
3	UConn
14	Princeton	Albany
6	Saint Mary's
11	Pitt/Arizona State
2	Texas
15	Kennesaw State	Denver
7	Creighton
10	Illinois

East Region (New York City)

Seed	Team	Site
1	Purdue
16	Fairleigh Dickinson/ Texas Southern	Columbus
8	Memphis
9	USC
4	Tennessee
13	Iona	Greensboro
5	Virginia
12	Charleston
3	Baylor
14	Colgate	Des Moines
6	Kentucky
11	NC State/Utah State
2	Marquette
15	Vermont	Columbus
7	Florida Atlantic
10	Auburn

Midwest Region (Kansas City)

Seed	Team	Site
1	Kansas
16	SEMO/Howard	Des Moines
8	Maryland
9	Arkansas
4	Xavier
13	Furman	Orlando
5	Texas A&M
12	Oral Roberts
3	Gonzaga
14	Grand Canyon	Denver
6	TCU
11	Rutgers
2	Arizona
15	UNC Asheville	Sacramento
7	Northwestern
10	Providence

West Region (Las Vegas)

Seed	Team	Site
1	Houston
16	Texas A&M-CC	Birmingham
8	West Virginia
9	Iowa
4	San Diego State
13	Louisiana	Orlando
5	Iowa State
12	VCU
3	Kansas State
14	UC Santa Barbara	Greensboro
6	Miami
11	Mississippi State
2	UCLA
15	Montana State	Sacramento
7	Missouri
10	Penn State

(Photo of Arizona’s Kerr Kriisa: Ethan Miller / Getty Images))