March Madness Bracket Preview: Alabama tabbed as No. 3 seed
The NCAA Tournament field will officially be revealed in four weeks with Selection Sunday set for March 17. But today, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee revealed the current top 16 seeds on CBS via the NCAA March Madness Men’s Bracket Preview.
The Alabama basketball team was projected as the top 3-seed (No. 9 overall). This marks the third time in the last four years the Crimson Tide has been among the initial top 16 teams.
“I think it shows where you’ve gotten the program to,” said Alabama head coach Nate Oats on Friday. “Wherever we end up being … we’ve still got a month of basketball left before Selection Sunday.
“… I’ll find out if we’re in, where we’re at, what seed, all that after the game. And then from there, you’ve got to improve your seeding. Like who can improve it from then till four weeks later? So we’ve just got to be playing our basketball come March.”
The NCAA selection committee first began previewing the bracket’s top 16 teams in 2017, and the March Madness Bracket Preview Show has proven to be a good indicator of what’s to come on Selection Sunday. More than 80 percent of teams (80-of-96) remained among the top four seeds when the actual brackets were revealed after the league tournaments.
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Last year, Alabama was the No. 1 overall seed when the committee unveiled its top 16 teams in-season. The Crimson Tide held onto that top spot after winning the SEC Tournament. Three years ago, Alabama was a No. 2 seed (7) when the top 16 teams were initially announced. The Crimson Tide climbed to the top overall No. 2 seed (5) on Selection Sunday.
From a strength of schedule standpoint, the Crimson Tide has faced four of the top 16 teams, including two of the No. 1 seeds (Purdue, Arizona) and its two rivals (Tennessee, Auburn).
With seven games to go, including today’s matchup with Texas A&M, Alabama currently sits at the top of the SEC standings with a half-game lead over both Auburn and South Carolina. The Crimson Tide (17-7, 9-2 SEC) currently owns the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense (90.3 ppg) and is No. 1 in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom’s 2024 ratings.
Below is the full list of the top 16 teams that were revealed on CBS this morning.
1. Purdue (Midwest Region)
2. UConn (East Region)
3. Houston (South Region)
4. Arizona (West Region)
5. North Carolina (East)
6. Tennessee (Midwest)
7. Marquette (South)
8. Kansas (West)
9. Alabama (South)
10. Baylor (Midwest)
11. Iowa State (East)
12. Duke (West)
13. Auburn (West)
14. San Diego State (Midwest)
15. Illinois (South)
16. Wisconsin (East)
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