Field of 68 - Final Seed List, March 17, 2013

Time to go final with the projected tournament seeds.  I am comfortable enough on Wisconsin at a #4 to just get this done.  I will follow with my bracket.  Thanks to everyone who has been following.

1 - LOUISVILLE, Indiana, KANSAS, MIAMI, FL
2 - GONZAGA, DUKE, NEW MEXICO, Georgetown
3 - Ohio State, Florida, Michigan State, Marquette
4 - ST. LOUIS, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin
5 - Kansas State, Syracuse, UNLV, Oklahoma State
6 - UCLA, VCU, MEMPHIS, Butler
7 - North Carolina, CREIGHTON, OREGON, Notre Dame
8 - Pittsburgh, San Diego State, Illinois, Colorado State
9 - Missouri, NC State, Villanova, Temple
10 - Minnesota, Colorado, Cincinnati, Wichita State
11 - Iowa State, California, Oklahoma, Boise State/St. Mary's
12 - MISSISSIPPI, AKRON, BELMONT, LaSalle/Tennessee
13 - BUCKNELL, NEW MEXICO STATE, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE, VALPARAISO
14 - DAVIDSON, FLORIDA GULF COAST, NORTHWESTERN STATE, MONTANA
15 - HARVARD, IONA, PACIFIC, ALBANY
16 - JAMES MADISON, WESTERN KENTUCKY, NORTH CAROLINA A&T/SOUTHERN, LONG ISLAND/LIBERTY

• Tough Call between Duke and Miami, FL for the final #1.  Miami, FL double dipped the ACC regular season and tournament championships, so I am going out on a limb that they will nab the final #1.  Duke was 18-1 with Ryan Kelly, but failed in the ACC Quarters with Kelly in the line-up.
• I wanted to put St. Louis as a #3, but there is not much historical context for an A-10 team with a 16 RPI and a bad loss to take that slot.  I instead went with Marquette, but I don't feel great about it, despite their share of the Big East championship.
• The quality of Wisconsin's wins has vaulted them past Kansas State.
• I have penalized Notre Dame and Pitt a seed line for their horrific Non-Conference schedules.  Let's see if the committee does the same.
• I wanted to put Butler lower, but you can't take away wins over Indiana, Gonzaga, Marquette and North Carolina.  They just can't beat St. Louis.
• Memphis as a 6?  At 30-4, it seemed like the right spot, but I over-seed them every year now.
• I went with my gut on Villanova as a 9 based on quality wins.
• Finally, I am giving Tennessee the last spot over Middle Tennessee.