The NCAA Tournament is underway and has a surprise bracket on its hands! We’ve got 3 of the biggest surprises. This year’s tournament could be one for the books.
The “ncaa bracket 2022” is a topic that has been trending on the internet. The 3 biggest surprises of the NCAA Tournament bracket, revealed.
The field of 68 has been established. The brackets were released by the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Committee on Sunday evening, with Gonzaga, Arizona, Kansas, and Baylor receiving the overall No. 1 seeds. With nine invites to the NCAA Tournament, the Big Ten Conference lead all leagues. The Big 12, Big East, and SEC had the next highest total of six. Meanwhile, the ACC, which is usually a powerhouse, received just five invites to this year’s tournament. Let’s take a look at some of the greatest shocks from the bracket leak before we let March Madness begin.
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Michigan is seeded 11th.
Many folks believed the Michigan Wolverines had no business being in the NCAA Tournament this year. After all, they were just 17-14 throughout the regular season and 11-9 during conference play. They also battled down the stretch, winning and losing in each of their last ten games. That’s a criterion that usually has some weight attached to it.
It’s hardly surprising that they’ve qualified for the competition. However, many people were taken aback by the news that they were seeded 11th. They weren’t even on the ‘Last Four In’ list. As one of the last teams to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, even ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi had them on that line.
pic.twitter.com/X3DZKmHAqf
March 13, 2022 — Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi)
However, when the brackets were published, Indiana, Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Wyoming were the last four teams to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Indiana had recently defeated Michigan a few days previously and is doing much better now as the season progresses.
The Wolverines may have relied on their reputation in order to gain their seat. To be honest, their level of competition was exceptionally strong, particularly in non-conference events. That may have been the difference between them and the rest of the pack.
The Tennessee Volunteers, who were seeded third, received the short end of the stick.
Most people were wondering whether Tennessee had done enough to earn a position on the top line as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the SEC Tournament on Sunday morning. They were not only denied a top seed, but were also relegated to the No. 3 seed line.
As a result, Rick Barnes and the Volunteers will almost certainly face a challenging battle in the Sweet 16 against Jay Wright and his Villanova Wildcats.
In general, the committee is interested in who you defeated and when you defeated them. Also, did you make it to the finals of your conference tournament? Tennessee, on the other hand, ticks all of those boxes. Down the stretch, they defeated No. 2 seeds Kentucky and Auburn, as well as No. 4 seed Arkansas. The Volunteers won 12 of their last 13 games to win the SEC Tournament for the first time in 43 years on Sunday.
I’m not sure what more to say to earn a top two seed in the NCAA Tournament. I’m not the only one that feels this way. Even Kentucky supporters are in agreement.
I’m a Kentucky supporter, but I have to acknowledge that Tennessee’s seeding was messed up. They are deserving of a 2 seed.
— March 13, 2022, Philip Bates (@KnoxCat11)
Gonzaga is assured of a spot in the Final Four.
No one can deny that Gonzaga is one of the top basketball teams in the nation. Clearly, they are. They deserved a No. 1 seed and, in some ways, the overall top seed, which they received.
But, yeah, among the top seeds, their route to the Final Four is by far the simplest.
In previous years, the 8-9 victors have caused issues for the No. 1 seeds. Even a No. 1 seed, when Virginia accomplished it a few years back, eventually lost to a No. 16 seed. Boise State and Memphis are the opponents in Gonzaga’s 8-9 tie. Both teams have good teams, but none of them has a chance against Gonzaga. In an 8-9 game, you may expect to see one mid-major, but not two.
In the Sweet 16, the highest seed they can face is No. 4 Arkansas. The Razorbacks finished fourth in the SEC, and are coming off a humiliating loss to Texas A & M in their most recent game. Arkansas’ non-conference schedule left a lot to be desired, making me question how good this team truly is. They have some really good wins, including against Kentucky and Tennessee. But they also have some pretty bad losses including Hofstra.
Gonzaga may be pitted against Duke in the Elite Eight. That would undoubtedly be a difficult exam. Down the stretch, though, this Duke squad has began to show its youth. The Blue Devils will not make it this far, in my opinion. Coach K’s career might end in the second round against Coach Izzo and Michigan State, thus they could not even make it out of the first weekend.
Gonzaga is worthy of a No. 1 seed once again, but this is one of the lightest pathways I’ve ever seen in almost 30 years of monitoring the tournament.
The “tournament bracket challenge” is a game where users compete against each other to see who can predict the most NCAA tournament games correctly. The winner will be awarded $10,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first four in March Madness?
A: The first four in March Madness are North Carolina, Villanova, Kansas State and Texas Tech.
What time will NCAA brackets be announced?
A: The NCAA tournament bracket will be announced on Thursday, March 15th at approximately 11 am.
What teams are in the 2022 NIT Tournament?
A: The 2022 NIT Tournament has the following teams.
Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Indiana State, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
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