Seeding is Believing | Top seeds starting to be more evenly split

Mens college basketball and Illini beat writer Scott Richey projects his top four seeds for each region of the NCAA tournament ahead of Selection Sunday on March 16.

This week? A little more Big East representation on the slate.

MIDWEST 1.

Alabama 2.

Iowa State 3.

Marquette 4.

Texas A&M Shaka Smart has zigged where most coaches have zagged when it comes to mining the transfer portal as a primary roster-building outlet.

In fact, Marquettes only transfer is senior guard Jack Anderson, who spent the past three seasons at Division III Keystone College (Pa.) and has played a grand total of seven minutes this season.

Sticking with homegrown talent is working for the Golden Eagles.

WEST 1.

Houston 2.

Florida 3.

Kentucky 4.

Texas Tech Houston has claimed the top spot in both Ken Pomeroy and Bart Torviks rankings despite Auburns continued dominance.

Why do the computers love the Cougars so much? A lockdown defense ranked No.

1 in adjusted defensive efficiency certainly helps.

Houston has held four Big 12 opponents to fewer than 50 points and is giving up just 55.3 points per game this season.

EAST 1.

Duke 2.

Tennessee 3.

Michigan State 4.

Memphis The move to SEC play hasnt been particularly kind to Tennessee.

The Vols opened the season with 14 straight wins, including notable victories against Louisville, Baylor and Illinois, but theyve managed to drop four of their first seven in league play.

That all four losses have been to teams either ranked at the time or now ranked in the AP Top 25 softens the blow a little.

SOUTH 1.

Auburn 2.

Purdue 3.

Kansas 4.

St.

Johns St.

Johns hosts Marquette on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The top spot in the Big East will be on the line (as long as neither team loses this weekend).

Its a testament to what Rick Pitino has done for the Red Storm, who were sort of a middling program under Mike Anderson.

Turns out the 72-year-old New Yorker hasnt lost his fastball as coach..

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