Selection Sunday: One Final Look at Where the “Experts” Have Virginia

The day is finally upon us.

Selection Sunday is here and since we’re about 7 hours from knowing who and where the Virginia Cavaliers will be playing next week in the NCAA Tournament. Seems like it’s a good time to check in and see where the “experts” and “bracketoligists” think Virginia is going.

One thing is certain: everyone thinks UVa will be a one seed. Bracket Matrix consolidates all the bracket predictions out there and every single one thinks the Hoos are a one. Someone has Duke as a two and I really hope they just haven’t updated their bracket in a while.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi,everyone’s favorite bracketoligist punching bag, has the Hoos as the second overall No. 1 seed behind the Duke Blue Devils and playing in the Louisville regional. Lunardi is also seemingly the only person that thinks UVa is going to Columbus for the first two rounds rather than Columbia.

NBC Sports’ Dave Ommen also has the Hoos as the second No. 1 and in the Louisville regional, but in Columbia with Prairie View, Baylor, and Seton Hall while setting up a possible Elite Eight showdown with Kentucky.

CBS’s Jerry Palm also thinks UVa has been jumped by Duke for the number one overall seed, so he too has Virginia in the Louisville regional and playing in Columbia with Gardner-Webb, UCF, and Ole Miss. Interestingly, Palm’s two seed for UVa’s bracket isn’t Kentucky, but is Tennessee.

Even with Duke’s ACC Tournament win over Florida State last night, Virginia still maintains the number one position in the NET with Gonzaga at two and Duke at three. The Hoos are also tied with Michigan State for the most Quad 1 victories, which we know the Selection Committee will look at in detail.

There are still a few more games to be played today including Michigan State-Michigan for the Big Ten Title and Tennessee-Florida for the SEC Title, but neither should knock UVa from the one line, but could impact whether or not UNC gets a one seed and if the ACC gets two or three one seeds.

Buckle up and let the hot takes cometh