Gill explained that the Cyclones' win over Houston and UConn's superior top-three wins ultimately secured the spot. The preliminary list places UConn and Houston as the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, with Illinois and Purdue leading the No. 2 regional seeds. Reigning champion Florida headlines the No. 3 region as the ninth seed.
Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Iowa State Earn 1-Seeds in March Madness Preliminary Rankings
Michigan earned the top overall seed in preliminary March Madness rankings, joining Duke, Arizona, and Iowa State as the No. 1 seeds. Selection committee chairman Keith Gill noted that Iowa State edged out UConn and Houston for the final spot based on head-to-head results and resume comparisons.