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The NCAA selection committee will release the men’s basketball tournament bracket on Sunday. Here’s a look at which region Kansas will be placed in.
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NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2020 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament will begin on March 17, 2020 and will conclude with the championship game on April 6. The “First Four” will take place on March 17 and 18. This year’s tournament will be the first to have all games played in isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overview of the tournament
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, also known and branded as NCAA March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), to determine the national championship. The tournament was created in 1939 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and was the idea of Ohio State University coach Harold Olsen. Played mostly during March, it has become one of the most famous annual sporting events in the United States.
The tournament teams include champions from 32 Division I conferences (which receive automatic bids), and 36 teams which are awarded at-large berths. These “at-large” teams are chosen by an NCAA selection committee. Eighteen Freebie Five conference schools qualify automatically for the tournament.
The 68 teams are split into four regions and each region plays at a pre-selected site:
Latin America: Mexico City, Mexico; San Juan, Puerto Rico; South America: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Europe: Munich, Germany; Paris, France; Africa: Cairo, Egypt; Asia: Beijing, China; Australia: Sydney, Australia
How the teams are selected
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee is responsible for selecting, seeding and bracketing the field for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The committee is made up of 10 members: four from NCAA-affiliated conferences and six who represent the public. The committee members serve staggered five-year terms, and the members’ identities are not made public until their terms are completed.
The chairman of the committee serves a one-year term and rotates among the 10 members. The current chairman is Michigan State University Athletics Director Mark Hollis.
Conference representatives on the committee are appointed by their respective conference commissioners. The public members are appointed by the NCAA president.
The Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks will be a number one seed no matter where they are placed. They easily could have won the Big 12 tournament title, but that did not come to fruition. Instead, the Jayhawks will likely be placed in the Midwest region.
Their season so far
This has been a down season for the Jayhawks. After starting the season ranked #3 in the AP poll, they have suffered losses to Indiana, Wichita State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Texas Tech, and most recently, Baylor. With a record of 12-6 (3-4 in conference), it is safe to say that this is not the Kansas team we are used to seeing. They currently sit at 4th place in the Big 12 standings.
Despite their struggles, there is still hope for Kansas to turn things around and make a run in the NCAA tournament. They have a talented roster led by Senior guard Devonte’ Graham (17.2 ppg, 7.5 apg) and freshman guard Marcus Garrett (9.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg). If they can get back on track and start playing up to their potential, they could be a dangerous team in March.
Only time will tell what kind of team Kansas will be come tournament time, but if their recent play is any indication, they will most likely be placed in the South region of the bracket.
Their ranking
The Jayhawks are currently ranked #1 in the nation and are expected to be a number 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. They are one of the favorites to win the whole thing and will most likely be placed in the Midwest region.
The Bracket
The Midwest region is where most people think Kansas will be placed, but with their recent loss to Oklahoma State, will the selection committee place them elsewhere?
The four regions
The four regions are:
-West
-Midwest
-South
-East
Where the Jayhawks could be placed
As the season enters its final stages, the Jayhawks have done enough to project as a No.4 seed in the NCAA tournament.
The top-line projection has Kansas playing in the Midwest Region, which would send the Jayhawks to Indianapolis for the first two rounds. That said, there is some thought that the Jayhawks could end up as a No. 5 seed in the East Region and play in New York City.
The most likely scenario has Kansas as a No. 4 seed playing in Indianapolis, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Jayhawks could be a No. 5 seed in the East Region and play in New York City.
The Jayhawks’ Potential Opponents
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee will release the identities of the four regional sites for the 2020 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship on Sunday, March 15. The committee will also reveal the seedings for the entire field of 68 teams that will be vying for the National Championship. The Jayhawks are looking to be a top seed in the tournament, but which region will they be placed in?
If they are placed in the East region
If the Jayhawks are placed in the East region, they could potentially face any of the following teams:
Duke (#1 seed)
Virginia (#2 seed)
North Carolina (#3 seed)
Kentucky (#4 seed)
TSU (#5 seed)
Auburn (#6 seed)
Wofford (#7 seed)
Utah State (#8 seed)
nsidering their recent form, the Jayhawks would be underdogs against any of these teams. They would need to step up their game considerably in order to have a chance at making it to the Final Four.
If they are placed in the Midwest region
If the Jayhawks land in the Midwest, they could potentially faceoff against these teams:
1) Louisville Cardinals
2) Auburn Tigers
3) Marquette Golden Eagles
4) Wisconsin Badgers
5) Villanova Wildcats
Conclusion
As of right now, it is difficult to say which region Kansas will be placed in for the bracket. They could potentially be placed in the Midwest region, but their final placement will likely depend on how they fare in their remaining games.
