With March being just around the corner…

…it’s not too early to start the discussion about possible #1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.  That’s right, I start thinking about March Madness before the Super Bowl, I guess I lose my love for the NFL after fantasy football wraps up.  Oh, that reminds me, did I mention I was the Pantheon Cup CHAMPION this season?

But I digress.  To this point, Kansas and Kentucky look like the safest bets to secure top seeds.  Interestingly enough, though,both those teams face stern tests this weekend.  Vanderbilt, which is unblemished to this point in SEC play, travels to Lexington while Kansas visits a Kansas State team that’s probably this season’s biggest surprise.

Wall and Company just have to hold serve

Coming off a loss to South Carolina, Kentucky is suddenly in an awkward position.  Back-to-back losses this late in the season might be an indication that the team’s fantastic freshmen are losing a little bit of focus.  However, you have to think that if the Wildcats win the SEC Tournament with three or four total losses, they’re a sure bet to lock down a top seed.

The same goes for Kansas as well, although it’ll be interesting to see if they can outclass a Texas team that’s looked a little shaky in recent weeks.  I don’t see a Kansas team with three or four losses not getting a #1 seed, but I can also see a scenario unfolding where they and Texas can get the Big 12 a pair of top seeds in March Madness.

Another meaningful game this weekend pits Duke against Georgetown in a fascinating interconference tussle.  The winner in this one can start making a case for a top seed…if this win is followed up with a strong conclusion to the regular season and an equally strong conference tournament showing.

A victory for Duke would make them 8-2 against RPI Top 50 opposition, while a Georgetown win would make them 5-2 against teams currently ranked in the AP poll.  Something to keep in mind is that the Hoyas probably have tougher waters to navigate in the Big East than the Blue Devils have in the ACC.

Staying on the topic of the Big East, both Syracuse and Villanova are single loss teams that, after Kansas and Kentucky, have the strongest inside tracks to top seeds.  Syracuse is a sparkling 12-1 against teams currently ranked in the RPI Top 100 while Villanova’s only a slightly less impressive 9-1 against similar opposition.

As with Big 12, this is another league that could possibly boast two top seeds if the chips fall the right way for the ‘Cuse and ‘Nova.  But in a conference whose middle tier teams include UConn, Louisville and Notre Dame, getting out of Big East play relatively unscathed will be easier said than done.

A team that’s likely to encounter far less resistance down the stretch than any of the Big East teams I’ve mentioned is Michigan State.  Their three losses to this point happened to be in their highest profile non-conference games (Florida, North Carolina and Texas), but they’ve bounced back and are currently 8-0 in Big Ten play.

Frank Martin: Master Motivator

If Tom Izzo’s team cruises to the finish line and some other heavyweights stumble down the stretch, they get a top seed.  Keep in mind, though, that the Spartans still have a home-and-home left with Purdue.

Scanning the landscape, two possible dark horses to gain top seeds have already been mentioned:  Vanderbilt and Kansas State.  The SEC is tougher this season, so if Vanderbilt emerges as the class of the league, they can make a valid case to lead a region in March.

K-State’s already dispatched Texas and gets two cracks at Kansas coming down the stretch.  If Frank Martin can terrorize his team into two wins over the Jayhawks along with only one or two more missteps in Big 12 play, not many other teams would have a better resume.

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