NCAA tournament 2022: Meet the No. 1 seeds in the men’s bracket
Gonzaga and Arizona lead the way for the top seeds in the men’s NCAA tournament.
The bracket is set, and field of 68 teams in the 2022 men’s basketball NCAA tournament is ready to get underway. While this season has felt wide open from the very start, the four teams that earned top seeds will again define the bracket.
Both teams from last year’s national championship game — the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears — will again be No. 1 seeds this season. The Zags earned the No. 1 overall seed in the field for the second year in a row. The Bears were the last team to claim a top seed, but enter the tournament as one of the few teams in America that can boast a top-10 offense and top-15 defense.
Kansas and Arizona are the other top seeds. It’s a group no one could have predicted at the start of the season.
Before the 2022 men’s NCAA tournament gets underway, here’s everything you need to know about the four top seeds.
No. 1 seed in West Region: Gonzaga Bulldogs
A year ago, Gonzaga entered the national championship game with an undefeated record before falling to the Baylor Bears. The Zags lost so much talent off that team — including two first round draft picks in Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert — but they still might have the most talented roster in America again this year.
All-league center Drew Timme is back as the star in the middle. The Zags have another blue chip freshman and future top-3 draft pick in 7-footer Chet Holmgren. Andrew Nembhard is veteran 6’5 guard who is at the controls in the backcourt, and sophomore wing Julian Strawther has developed into an essential scorer and shooter for one of the country’s best offenses.
Gonzaga enters the tournament ranked No. 3 in offensive efficiency and No. 7 in defensive efficiency. They score quicker than any offense in America, but force their opponents into long possessions. The twin towers look of Timme and Holmgren is unguardable when it’s at its best, but it’s fair to wonder if the drop-off in shot creation from last season will ultimately hurt this team. Gonzaga has accomplished everything but winning a national title. This could be the year.
No. 1 seed in South Region: Arizona Wildcats
Arizona entered the season with a first-time head coach in Tommy Lloyd and a team that was picked to finish in a tie for fourth in the Pac-12 in the preseason polls. The Wildcats quickly proved they were better than anyone anticipated by finishing a challenging non-conference schedule with only one loss (to Tennessee). Then Arizona ran through the Pac-12, dropping only two games on their way to regular season and conference tournament titles. At this point, the Wildcats’ success is obviously no fluke. This is a real national championship contender.
Sophomore Bennedict Mathurin has emerged into one of the best guards in the country, and a likely NBA draft lottery pick. Arizona also has two great big men inside in Christian Koloko and Azuolas Tubelis. Dalen Terry has grown into the sort of long, lockdown wing defender great teams need even as his outside jump shot remains questionable. The big question for the Wildcats is the health of point guard Kerr Kriisa, who recently injured his ankle and was hold out of the Pac-12 tournament final.
Arizona boasts a top-5 offense and top-20 defense entering the NCAA tournament. This team has an offensive star in the backcourt, multiple talented bigs up front, and an offensive approach that led the Wildcats to assisting on the highest percentage of made field goals in the country. Pick against them at your own peril.
No. 1 seed in Midwest Region: Kansas Jayhawks
All Kansas does is dominate the Big 12, and it happened again this year. The Jayhawks won a share of the regular season crown in the conference and then won the Big 12 tournament. After getting blown out in the of round of 32 last year against USC, KU enters the field this year with legitimate national title aspirations.
Kansas has one of the best all-around players in the country in senior wing Ochai Agbaji. It has another dynamic wing scorer in junior Christian Braun. The big question for the Jayhawks is who will emerge as a reliable third scorer. For now, 6’8 sophomore forward Jalen Wilson and Arizona State transfer Remy Martin are the two best options. The Jayhawks will also need starting center David McCormick to stay out of foul trouble and on the floor.
Kansas enters the NCAA tournament with the country’s No. 6 offense and No. 29 defense. It feels like their five-best lineup is as good as anyone’s in the field. After disappointing early exits in their last two tournament appearances, expect Kansas to be looking to make a long run.
No. 1 seed in East Region: Baylor Bears
Baylor stamped its greatness as a program forever by winning the 2021 national championship. The Bears lost most of their star-power from last season, but remained one of the best teams in the country all year long. At this point, it needs to be stated that Baylor is one of the sport’s most reliable winners under Scott Drew.
James Akinjo is the guard at the controls for Baylor after stops at Georgetown and Arizona earlier in his career. He’s flanked to two standout freshman forwards in Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan, who bring length and athleticism to the defensive side of the ball while finishing well at the rim on offense. Championship holdovers Adam Flagler and Matthew Mayer offer shooting and athleticism. The big question is if Baylor has the depth to go on another long run in March.
The Bears are currently top-15 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. We know Drew has grown into one of the best head coaches in the game. The names have changed, but the Bears remain very good.