An Early Look at March Madness 2022

March is just around the corner, but first college basketball teams will have to navigate February. The month will offer several tests to contenders for this year’s national championship. There is still a long way to go before we get to March Madness and a lot can happen in a month. Just ask Seton Hall. With that said, here’s an early look at teams that will likely be a part of all the March Madness this year.

Crazy Big East

Speaking of Seton Hall, the Pirates went 9-1 in their first ten games and were ranked in the AP Top 25. Then came a COVID halt after which Seton Hall has gone 3-6. The Pirates are now ninth in the Big East. The team that was picked to finish ninth in the conference – Marquette – has beaten Illinois, lost four in a row, then promptly won seven straight before a two-point loss (65-63) to Big East leader Providence.

Wait…what? Providence? Yep, the Friars were picked to finish seventh in the Big East but with four graduate student starters Providence is 8-1 in conference play and 18-2 overall. Oh, and they’re ranked No. 15.

Where’s Villanova, you say? The Wildcats are still hanging around. Jay Wright’s team is 9-2 in the conference and 16-5 overall. Villanova will play Providence twice before the end of the regular season.

No. 1 for How Long?

Auburn (20-1, 8-0) earned the top spot in the AP poll for the first time in school history. The Tigers have yet to lose an SEC game, but can they get through the rest of the conference schedule? Auburn will face rival Alabama on Feb. 1 and then travels to Arkansas, Florida, and No. 22 Tennessee before the season is over. The only bonus for the Tigers is that they don’t have to face Kentucky.

Speaking of the Wildcats

There may not be a hotter team in the country than Kentucky. The Wildcats have vaulted to No. 5 in the latest AP poll. They just went to Kansas and beat the formerly fifth-ranked Jayhawks by 18 points in Allen Fieldhouse. The Wildcats have two losses in their last 12 games and both were to ranked opponents – Auburn and LSU. 

This is not a freshman-filled roster either. Head coach John Calipari’s veteran lineup is first in the nation in rebounding margin, fifth in field goal percentage, and Oscar Tshiebwe leads the nation in rebounds. This is a team to be reckoned with come tournament time.

Who Emerges from Big Ten?

Five teams from the Big Ten are ranked and six are within 1.5 games of first place. None of them is preseason favorite Michigan, which is 10-8 overall and just 4-4 in conference play. No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 18 Illinois lead the conference with 8-2 records. No. 13 Michigan State is 7-2. Fourth-ranked Purdue is 7-3 and No. 16 Ohio State is 6-3. Indiana, at 7-4, is still in the thick of the race.

Rutgers is also 6-4 and has home wins over Purdue and Michigan. If the Scarlet Knights finish strong, the Big Ten could get as many as nine teams in the NCAA tournament.

The ACC?

Quick, name all the ACC teams currently ranked in the Top 25? It shouldn’t take long. Duke (No. 9) is the only one. There were six teams in the preseason ACC poll just behind Duke – Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. Those six teams have a combined ACC record of 31-31. Wake Forest was picked to end up 13th in the ACC. They are 1.5 out of first with a conference record of 7-4. The Demon Deacons are 17-5 overall and appear headed to the NCAA tournament. It’s possible that 2019 national champion Virginia does not make it to the Big Dance.

Cinderellas

Looking for some Cinderellas to keep an eye on this March? Start it off with Boise State. The Broncos have the nation’s longest win streak at 14 games. Boise State leads the Mountain West Conference with an 8-0 record (17-4) overall. 

Army is currently 13-9 overall and 7-3 in the Patriot League. Navy is also 7-3 in the league. Colgate (5-2) has the highest winning percentage but is only 9-11 overall. If Army can win the league tournament title, the Black Knights would make the school’s first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament. 

It was 64 years ago when Seattle, led by a guy named Elgin Baylor, played for a national championship. Fifty-three years ago was the Redhawks last appearance in the NCAA tournament. Currently, Seattle is 8-0 in the WAC and 17-4 overall. UNC-Wilmington was picked to finish ninth in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Seahawks are 8-0 in the conference and 15-5 overall. Both teams could play Cinderella this March.