With the NCAA Tournament bracket set, we're getting one final round of top 25 polls heading into the Big Dance.
First, here's a recap of how the selection committee ranked all 68 teams:
From 1 to 68. #SelectionSunday pic.twitter.com/UJVnFAEYLb
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 12, 2017
Now, prepare to be more angry about Kentucky's tourney draw. The latest Coaches Poll saw the Cats climb all the way up to the No. 5 spot, ahead of North Carolina (8) and UCLA (6), both of whom join the Cats in a loaded South Region, which also has Wichita State, who checked in at No. 19 in this ranking, but somehow got a 10 seed.
Speaking of, Butler, who is the 4 seed in this region, checked in at No. 24 in the latest coaches poll. That's the team who likely will meet UNC in the Sweet 16, who will end up facing an easier Sweet 16 foe than Kentucky, who probably should have been the 1 seed over UNC, will in the round of 32 vs Wichita State. If Kentucky wins that game, they would likely face UCLA, who is ranked sixth in the Coaches Poll and probably should have been a 2 seed.
That all seems fair. Alas, we've come to expect nothing less when it comes to Kentucky's draw in the NCAA Tournament. And more often than not, they make the Final Four anyway.
Here's the fully-updated Coaches Poll:
TOP 25 TEAMS, WEEK 19
RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | 1ST PLACE VOTES | PREV | CHANGE | HI/LOW |
1 | Villanova | 31-3 | 747 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 1/4 |
2 | Gonzaga | 32-1 | 691 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1/14 |
3 | Kansas | 28-4 | 687 | 2 | 1 | -2 | 1/8 |
4 | Arizona | 30-4 | 655 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4/20 |
5 | Kentucky | 29-5 | 586 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 1/12 |
6 | UCLA | 29-4 | 575 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 2/20 |
7 | Duke | 27-8 | 567 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 1/21 |
8 | North Carolina | 27-7 | 564 | 0 | 6 | -2 | 3/16 |
9 | Oregon | 29-5 | 538 | 0 | 5 | -4 | 4/24 |
10 | Louisville | 24-8 | 459 | 0 | 9 | -1 | 4/15 |
11 | Baylor | 25-7 | 400 | 0 | 10 | -1 | 1/NR |
12 | West Virginia | 26-8 | 390 | 0 | 11 | -1 | 7/19 |
13 | Southern Methodist | 30-4 | 362 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 13/NR |
14 | Notre Dame | 25-9 | 356 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 12/NR |
15 | Purdue | 25-7 | 297 | 0 | 12 | -3 | 12/24 |
16 | Cincinnati | 29-5 | 282 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 11/NR |
17 | Florida | 24-8 | 245 | 0 | 13 | -4 | 12/NR |
18 | Florida St. | 25-8 | 219 | 0 | 17 | -1 | 8/NR |
19 | Wichita St. | 30-4 | 198 | 0 | 22 | 3 | 19/NR |
20 | Iowa St. | 23-10 | 185 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 20/NR |
21 | St. Mary's | 28-4 | 166 | 0 | 18 | -3 | 11/23 |
22 | Wisconsin | 25-9 | 159 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 5/23 |
23 | Virginia | 22-10 | 116 | 0 | 21 | -2 | 6/23 |
24 | Butler | 23-8 | 104 | 0 | 20 | -4 | 11/NR |
25 | Middle Tennessee St. | 30-4 | 59 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 25/NR |
The New AP Poll also has Kentucky climbing up to No. 5:
1 | ![]() |
Villanova (59)
Record: 31-3
|
PV Rank
2Points
1,619 |
2 | ![]() |
Gonzaga (6)
Record: 32-1
|
4
1,520
|
3 | ![]() |
Record: 28-4
|
1
1,479
|
4 | ![]() |
Record: 30-4
|
7
1,427
|
5 | ![]() |
Record: 29-5
|
8
1,276
|
6 | ![]() |
Record: 27-7
|
6
1,256
|
7 | ![]() |
Record: 27-8
|
14
1,251
|
8 | ![]() |
Record: 29-4
|
3
1,208
|
9 | ![]() |
Record: 29-5
|
5
1,196
|
10 | ![]() |
Record: 24-8
|
10
983
|
11 | ![]() |
Record: 30-4
|
12
953
|
12 | ![]() |
Record: 25-7
|
9
861
|
13 |
Record: 26-8
|
11
844
|
|
14 | ![]() |
Record: 25-9
|
22
684
|
15 | ![]() |
Record: 25-7
|
13
654
|
16 | ![]() |
Record: 25-8
|
16
570
|
17 | ![]() |
Record: 23-10
|
23
562
|
18 | ![]() |
Record: 29-5
|
15
522
|
19 | ![]() |
Record: 30-4
|
20
438
|
20 | ![]() |
Record: 24-8
|
17
390
|
21 | ![]() |
Record: 23-8
|
18
361
|
22 | ![]() |
Record: 28-4
|
19
305
|
23 | ![]() |
Record: 24-11
|
-
254
|
24 | ![]() |
Record: 22-10
|
21
240
|
25 | ![]() |
Record: 25-9
|
24
153
|
The latest CBS Sports Top 25 (and one) has Kentucky checking in at No. 8:
1. Villanova
2. Kansas
3. Gonzaga
4. Duke
5. North Carolina
6. Arizona
7. Oregon
8. Kentucky
9. UCLA
10. Louisville
11. Notre Dame
12. Baylor
13. Florida State
14. Purdue
15. Iowa State
16. SMU
17. Cincinnati
18. West Virginia
19. Butler
20. Florida
21. Virginia
22. Oklahoma State
23. Wichita State
24. St. Mary's
25. Wisconsin
26. Michigan