Two No. 1 seeds lost during Saturday's regular-season finale. It is that time of year when the desperate play like it and those more fortunate don't necessarily match those efforts.
Alabama and Kansas remain on the top line after losing to Texas A&M and Texas, respectively. Texas is still the top No. 2 seed, while the Aggies got a boost up to a No. 5 seed. Arizona, Baylor Kansas State, Baylor and Tennessee were also among the notable teams to lose on Saturday -- though the Wildcats were the only ones to lose to a higher-seeded team.
The two other No. 1 seeds are in action early on Sunday. Houston travels to Memphis to take on the Tigers, who are desperate for that marquee win. Purdue hosts an Illinois team looking for its third Quad 1 win of the season and third win against a team currently among top six teams of the bracket.
Bracketology top seeds
Check out Palm's latest bracket, full field of 68 and all the teams on the bubble on the Bracketology hub.
With conference tournament brackets rolling out, it is much easier to see each team's path as it strives for selection (and/or a better seed) in the NCAA Tournament. For example: The teams right behind San Diego State in the Mountain West could each use a crack that the Aztecs. A neutral court win over SDSU could be the game that pushes Boise State, Nevada or Utah State into the field. As the No. 4 seed in the MWC Tournament, the Wolf Pack could get first crack at the Aztecs in a semifinal, while Boise State or Utah State (but not both) can get that opportunity.
The first bid to the NCAA Tournament was clinched yesterday when Merrimack won its Northeast Conference semifinal game. The Warriors are not eligible to participate in the NCAA Tournament because they are still in the four-year transition period to Division I. That means the winner of the other semifinal, Fairleigh Dickinson, will represent the NEC in the NCAA Tournament -- win or lose in Tuesday's championship game.
Also, No. 5 seed Southeast Missouri State won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and became the second team into the field. Two down, thirty automatic bids to go. The championships of the Atlantic Sun, Big South and Missouri Valley conferences will take place on Sunday, running the total to five bids.
