Bracketology — How Saturday’s top-10 faculty basketball chaos impacts the 2022 NCAA event bracket

The ultimate Saturday in February turned out to be a historic day in faculty basketball. Every of the highest six groups within the AP Top 25 misplaced, the primary time that has ever occurred on a single day within the historical past of the ballot. A complete of seven members of the AP high 10 fell, additionally a single-day file.

What does it imply from a Bracketology perspective? Effectively, think about an NFL weekend by which each sport ends in a tie. No crew would lose or achieve an inch within the standings. That is what occurred in faculty basketball on Saturday.

Answering probably the most pertinent questions:

Who had been the projected No. 1 seeds after the mud settled Saturday, and why?

We ended virtually precisely the place we began. The highest three groups on the morning seed checklist — Gonzaga, Arizona and Kansas — all misplaced main street video games in hostile environments. Three of the groups in the very best place to supplant them — Kentucky, Purdue and Texas Tech — suffered the identical destiny. Baylor was the one top-10 crew to enhance its seed. The Bears started the day sixth total and ended up fourth total. That offers the defending NCAA champions the ultimate 1-seed. Simply do not write it in ink. Baylor visits Texas on Huge Monday.

Of the top-10 groups to lose Saturday, whose loss was probably the most damaging from a bracket perspective?

Auburn, Kentucky and Purdue all slipped a single spot on the seed checklist. The one seed to vary was Auburn, which fell from fourth total to fifth and a No. 2 seed within the bracket. Kentucky and Purdue solely slid inside the 2-seeds. So the so-called harm was relative and, in essence, minimal.

Does Gonzaga’s loss to Saint Mary’s affect its standing because the No. 1 total seed — or did anybody transfer nearer to the Zags on the No. 1 total line?

Some will say Gonzaga suffered the worst loss within the high 10, however provided that they’ve by no means been to Moraga. The Zags keep proper the place they began, becoming a member of an extended checklist of marquee applications to be reminded of the 2 worst four-letter phrases within the sport: street sport. It is the frequent and apparent thread connecting all of Saturday’s upsets.

No. 7 Duke ended up because the highest-ranked crew to win Saturday — and seemed spectacular in doing so. What does its end result, coupled with the chaos above the Blue Devils, do for his or her bracket standing?

Not solely did the Blue Devils win, they did so on the street, a feat to be celebrated underneath the circumstances. In addition they seemed the a part of a No. 1 seed. The issue for Duke is that, regardless of how spectacular it performs down the stretch, it can’t match the résumé wins of the non-ACC powers this 12 months.

There might be appreciable momentum behind the Blue Devils, particularly given the Coach Ok angle, however it ought to inform us one thing that Duke — regardless of being the one winner on the highest two traces — leapfrogged only a single crew within the seed checklist. The Blue Devils and Purdue swapped the seventh and eighth positions. It was a day to cherish, not construct a brand new bracket. At the very least not but.