March Madness Top 16 reveal: Predictions, how to watch, and more

For the first time ever, the NCAA will release the top 16 seeded teams, as of right now, ahead of Selection Sunday. That equates to the top four seeds in each region.

We know that from the mid-major world, Gonzaga will almost definitely be on the 1 seed line. It’s not likely that any other mids will make the cut right now, but if Saint Mary’s beats the Bulldogs Saturday night, the Gaels will have an argument.

Time: Sat., Feb. 11, 12:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

How it works: The top four seeds in each region will be revealed, as they would be if today was Selection Sunday. Those four seeds are known as the “protected seeds,” meaning their first- and second-round sites are determined based on geographic proximity.

Predictions:

OK now here’s the fun part. A few of us took our best guesses at what this will look like. Read now and make fun of us later. We all had the same setup, where the West champion would face the East in the Final Four and the Midwest would face the South:

Austin Brown:

WEST: 1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Kentucky; 2. UCLA vs. 3. North Carolina
EAST: 1. Villanova vs. 4. West Virginia; 2. Wisconsin vs. 3. Virginia
MIDWEST: 1. Kansas vs. 4. Oregon; 2. Louisville vs. 3. Florida State
SOUTH: 1. Baylor vs. 4. Cincinnati; 2. Florida vs. 3. Duke

Chris Schutte:

WEST: 1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Cincinnati; 2. Oregon vs. 3. Virginia
EAST: 1. Villanova vs. 4. West Virginia; 2. Arizona vs. 3. Louisville
MIDWEST: 1. Kansas vs. 4. Wisconsin; 2. Florida State vs. 3. Kentucky
SOUTH: 1. Baylor vs. 4. UCLA; 2. North Carolina vs. 3. Florida

Ellie Lieberman:

WEST: 1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Cincinnati; 2. Louisville vs. 3. UCLA
EAST: 1. Villanova vs. 4. Florida State; 2. Wisconsin vs. 3. Arizona
MIDWEST: 1. Kansas vs. 4. Kentucky; 2. Baylor vs. 3. Virginia
SOUTH: 1. Oregon vs. 4. Purdue; 2. North Carolina vs. 3. West Virginia

Russell Steinberg:

WEST: 1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Florida; 2. UCLA vs. 3. Florida State
EAST: 1. Villanova vs. 4. Kentucky; 2. North Carolina vs. 3. Oregon
MIDWEST: 1. Kansas vs. 4. Wisconsin; 2. Louisville vs. 3. Virginia
SOUTH: 1. Baylor vs. 4. Purdue; 2. West Virginia vs. 3. Arizona