Gonzaga is Number One Overall Seed in Top 16 Bracket Reveal

Gonzaga received the top overall seed in the NCAA’s midseason bracket reveal on Saturday morning. The selection committee got together and determined the top 16 teams at this point of the season, and Mark Few’s team narrowly edged out Scott Drew’s Baylor Bears for the number one overall seed. Of course, both teams are number one seeds and it would take several losses for either of them not to finish the season in that position.

Gonzaga has more Q1 (7-0 vs 6-0) and Q2 (3-0 vs 2-0) wins than Baylor and is ahead of them in several analytical measurements. They even have a slightly stronger strength of schedule according to KenPom. Despite this, Baylor has held the top spot in the NET rankings for several weeks now. The Bears had five games postponed due to their recent Covid pause, including two games against West Virginia. They are scheduled to return to action next week.

Elsewhere in the bracket reveal, multiple Gonzaga non-conference opponents are top four seeds. Virginia, who the Bulldogs beat 98-75, is a three seed in Ohio State’s region. They have won 10 of 11 games since losing to the Zags on December 26. West Virginia is a three seed in Michigan’s region, and Iowa is a four seed in Gonzaga’s region, would could set up a rematch in the sweet 16. Kansas is not in the top 16, but would be solidly in the tournament field if the season ended today.

This is the fourth time in five years that Gonzaga has been a one seed in this bracket reveal. Last year, they were the third overall seed behind Baylor and Kansas. In 2019, they were the fourth overall team behind Tennessee, Duke, and eventual National Champion Virginia. They were also the fourth number one seed in the first ever midseason reveal in 2017.