The first top 16 ranking from the NCAA selection committee, released Sunday, has already caused significant shifts in the projected bracket. While UConn, UCLA, and South Carolina hold their No. 1 seeds, Vanderbilt fell to a No. 2 seed after a loss to Georgia, with Texas moving up to the top line.
Other notable changes include Ohio State dropping from a No. 3 to a No. 5 seed after consecutive losses. Duke improved to a No. 2 seed after key wins, edging out Louisville. Nebraska remains a puzzling case, staying in the field despite zero Quad 1 wins, relying on strong NET and schedule rankings.
Minnesota's win over Ohio State propelled them into a host seed position, bolstered by a high NET ranking and a nine-game conference win streak. The battle for multiple bids from mid-major conferences intensifies, with the Ivy League's Columbia and Princeton now on the bubble, while the Atlantic 10's two-bid hopes faded after bad losses by Richmond and Rhode Island.