Why Seedings in the NCAA Tournament Might Not Mean Much Any Longer

Every year the NCAA basketball selection show reveals the seedings for the tournament but not without some controversy. This year there were people thinking that there could be a 16 seed that finally beat a number one seed, but people were thinking Penn would beat Kansas, not UMBC beating Virginia. This tournament has seen everything.

Every year when the top four seeds are revealed everyone looks at what region is the strongest and who has a tough and easy road to their regional final, and eventually the final four. It seemed this year that Virginia had the toughest road, with CIncinnati, Tennessee, and Kentucky as the 2, 3 and 4 seeds all being very good. The Midwest of Duke, Michigan State, and Auburn also being a rough region. There really wasn’t an easy road this year.

There were also lower seeds that weren’t expected to make runs. Kansas State, Loyola-Chicago and even UMBC were not expected to make runs into the later rounds, but it happened. UMBC as a 16 seed, took down the “best” team in the tournament in Virginia the only lost to Kansas State by nine. Loyola Chicago as an 11 seed, beat Miami, then beat Tennessee, and also just beat Nevada to advance within one game of the final four. Also Buffalo as a 13 seed crushed Arizona and Texas A&M beat 2 seeded North Carolina. Syracuse as an 11 seed also went from the First Four to the Sweet 16 but just lost to Duke. Even Florida State, an 9 seed are within one game of a final four berth.

It seems that seeds are just irrelevant, and anyone can beat anyone. I wouldn’t be surprised if another 16 seed beats a 1 seed in the very near future. Top seeds take note, don’t overlook any lower seed. You might end up going home early.