The unofficial college hoops holiday known as Selection Sunday is only 3 1/2 weeks away, and Wisconsin figures to be featured prominently in the discussion for its first No. 1 NCAA tournament seed in program history. But much remains to be decided on the court before teams are finally locked into seeds and regions on March 15.
Still, where's the fun if we can't at least speculate before the regular season is over?
Most NCAA tournament projections list Wisconsin as a No. 2 seed, but any slip-up from above could vault the Badgers onto the top seed line. Depending on the "bracketologist," Wisconsin will play its first two tournament games in Louisville, Ky., Omaha, Neb., or Columbus, Ohio. If Wisconsin indeed earns a No. 2 seed, pundits believe it will come either in the Midwest Region or South Region. A No. 1 seed, meanwhile, could send the Badgers to the West Region.
Here's a look at where some pundits project Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament:
Jerry Palm, CBSSports.com
Wisconsin, No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region (Louisville, Ky.) vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast
Notes: This bracket has Wisconsin in the same region as top-seeded Kentucky, which surely does not seem all that fair for a Badgers team some believe are the second-best team in the country right now.
There's no question UW would love to have another opportunity at playing Kentucky in the NCAA tournament after the Wildcats edged the Badgers in the final seconds of last year's national semifinal. But both teams probably would prefer if they could meet again at the Final Four rather than in the regional final.
Palm's No. 1 seed projection: Midwest 1 seed: Kentucky; South 1 seed: Duke; East 1 seed: Virginia; West 1 seed: Gonzaga
Stewart Mandel, FOXSports.com
Wisconsin, No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region (Columbus, Ohio) vs. No. 15 North Carolina Central
Notes: Another bracket that puts Wisconsin in the same region as No. 1 and undefeated Kentucky. Mandel noted a few days earlier that, "no one else garnered serious consideration," and mentioned Villanova and Wisconsin in that group just below the No. 1 seeds. Of course, there is no guarantee Kentucky and Wisconsin will win its first three tournament games to meet in the Elite Eight. But if it happens, buckle up for one of the most compelling games of the tournament.
Mandel's No. 1 seed projection: Midwest 1 seed: Kentucky; South 1 seed: Duke; East 1 seed: Virginia; West 1 seed: Gonzaga.
Joe Lunardi, ESPN.com
Wisconsin, No. 2 seed in the South Region (Omaha, Neb.) vs. No. 15 Albany
Notes: This bracket has Wisconsin in the same region as No. 1 seed Duke, which would present the opportunity for a regional final rematch between the two programs. Duke beat Wisconsin, 80-70, at the Kohl Center on Dec. 3 in one of the most highly anticipated nonconference games of the regular season. In that game, Duke set a Kohl Center record by shooting an astounding 65.2 percent from the field (30 of 46). However, the Blue Devils no longer have guard Rasheed Sulaimon, who was dismissed from the team last month. Sulaimon scored 14 points in 21 minutes off the bench for Duke against Wisconsin.
Lunardi's No. 1 seed projection: Midwest 1 seed: Kentucky; South 1 seed: Duke: East 1 seed: Virginia; West 1 seed: Gonzaga
Mock selection committee bracket*
Wisconsin, No. 1 seed in the West Region (Columbus, Ohio) vs. No. 16 Coastal Carolina
Notes: This is among the only bracket projections out there that list Wisconsin on the top seed line for the NCAA tournament. In this edition, Wisconsin earned the No. 1 seed ahead of Gonzaga, which is 26-1 with its only loss coming by three points in overtime to Arizona. Wisconsin's strength of schedule rating, according to KenPom.com, is 43. Gonzaga's is No. 81.
As the Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein noted: "Wisconsin had that ugly loss at Rutgers, but as (Mike) Tirico pointed out, the Badgers played without Frank Kaminsky, who was recovering from a concussion. Several mock committee members believe Gonzaga has superior personnel (a.k.a. "the eye test"), but the Zags are 0-1 versus our NCAA tournament teams. The Badgers are 5-1 against that group."
Mock committee's No. 1 seed projection: Midwest 1 seed: Kentucky; South 1 seed: Duke; East 1 seed: Virginia; West 1 seed: Wisconsin
*A group of 20 media members compiled their own NCAA tournament projection last week.
Ian Powers, New York Daily News
Wisconsin, No. 2 seed in the West Region (Columbus, Ohio) vs. No. 15 Georgia Southern
Notes: In this edition, Powers penalizes Wisconsin for its loss against Rutgers and puts Gonzaga ahead of the Badgers. He writes:
"The reason I have the Badgers (23-2) off the 1-seed line now, is simply that loss at Rutgers on Jan. 11. And, yes, the Badgers played without national player of the year candidate Frank Kaminsky (concussion), but I still have to think that a loaded Wisconsin minus Kaminsky can win that game. As much as I admire the job Eddie Jordan is doing in trying to resurrect the Scarlet Knights, Rutgers is 0-8 since that court-storming 67-62 win at the RAC.
"The key for the Badgers making a run in March may rest on the right foot of point guard Traevon Jackson. His poise on key possessions on the offensive end late in games, plus his ability to slow opposing perimeter playmakers hasn't been missed too much since fracturing the foot in mid-January. Yet, if he can return and give quality minutes in March, it will severely increase the Badgers' chances of a return trip to the Final Four."
Powers' No. 1 seed projection: Midwest 1 seed: Duke; South 1 seed: Kentucky: East 1 seed: Virginia; West 1 seed: Gonzaga
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