Bracket Watch: Kansas deserves the No. 1 overall seed

We all know, we all know: This timing is bizarre. We’re transferring Kansas to the No. 1 total seed, lower than 24 hours after Invoice Self — merely the highest coach within the sport — went into the hospital and was declared unavailable for the Huge 12 match. The Jayhawks received on Thursday anyway, albeit in opposition to a 19-14 West Virginia workforce they’d already overwhelmed twice. And neither Alabama nor Houston misplaced, which might have been fairly laborious to do since they don’t begin their convention tournaments till Friday.

So, has the Insanity totally taken over our mind, like a cordyceps fungus, or what?

Frankly, that is the place we thought we’d find yourself for a couple of weeks now; it simply appeared bizarre to do after Kansas misplaced at Texas final weekend. Beating West Virginia counted as one other Quad 1 win (Quad 1A, in actual fact, for the reason that Mountaineers got here into the day ranked nineteenth in NET), and thus the Jayhawks at the moment are 16-6 within the high quad. Coming into this yr, the report for many Quad 1 wins earlier than the NCAA Event was 13 by Michigan State in 2019. KU has shattered that, and will nonetheless add two extra. (It additionally leads the nation with seven Quad 1A wins).

Kansas is 20-6 within the first two quads. By comparability, Houston is 13-1, whereas Alabama is 12-5. And positive, the Jayhawks have had an unlimited quantity of Q1 alternatives, principally by taking part in within the stacked Huge 12. Some mid-majors are fortunate to get three or 4 Q1 video games all yr. However to have a look at it one other means, Kansas’ Quad 1 successful share is 73 p.c; Alabama’s is 64 p.c, Purdue’s is 69 p.c and UCLA’s is 63 p.c. True, Houston has received 5 of its six Q1 video games (83 p.c), however the Cougars have solely overwhelmed two high 30 opponents (Virginia and Saint Mary’s). Two of their Q1 wins got here in opposition to UCF and Oregon, each of which can, barring a shock convention match run, miss the NCAA Event. There’s merely no comparability to what Kansas has completed in the most effective league within the nation and what Houston has completed within the AAC.

The one actual knock on the Jayhawks: their curiously low predictive metrics. They got here into the day ranked eighth in NET; the three earlier total No. 1 seeds within the NET period had been ranked No. 3 (Duke 2019), 1 (Gonzaga 2021) and 1 (Gonzaga 2022). KenPom additionally has KU at No. 8.

However Kansas ranks No. 1 in Power of File and No. 2 in KPI, the 2 results-oriented metrics utilized by the committee. It additionally has the No. 1 energy of schedule. Who you beat, who you performed and the place you performed them are at all times the three most vital questions throughout seeding. And there’s little doubt who’s No. 1 when seen that means.

It could, in fact, be good to know if the Corridor of Famer might be again on the sidelines subsequent week. Get effectively quickly, Invoice Self.

Different fast notes on our newest bracket, now simply two days away from Choice Sunday:

• Whereas transferring Kansas to No. 1 total, it felt like an excellent time for brand new seed scrubbing, so that you’ll discover some modifications from earlier within the week. The ultimate No. 2 seed seems open for enterprise after Baylor misplaced to Iowa State on Thursday, sending the Bears to 11-10 in Quad 1. We went with Gonzaga for now, however regulate Marquette if it may get by UConn within the Huge East semis on Friday.

• The bubble, as regular, is sorting itself out. Michigan and North Carolina are not underneath severe consideration for the sector, whereas Nevada received knocked out by shedding to San Jose State. There was no actual disgrace in shedding to Texas on Thursday, however Oklahoma State now has 15 losses and will actually have used that win. Penn State and Rutgers solidified their standing by beating Illinois and Michigan, respectively, within the Huge Ten quarters.

Utah State strikes into our area; the Aggies have some eye-popping metrics (twenty second NET, twenty third KenPom and 14th KPI) however might nonetheless use one other win within the Mountain West match to really feel safer. They’ll face Boise State on Friday. Additionally re-joining the dance: Arizona State, which beat USC within the Pac-12 match for its fifth Quad 1 victory.

• Our Closing 4 pairings are Midwest vs. East and South vs. West, primarily based on our seed checklist, which you’ll find under. The very best remaining seeds in each convention match are denoted with an asterisk. Bracket Watch will seem Saturday and Sunday morning with a remaining replace earlier than the choice present Sunday night, if warranted.

(Picture of Kansas’ Gradey Dick: Jamie Squire / Getty Photos)