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Purdue claimed the top overall seed over reigning national champion Connecticut in the first look at the potential top 16 seeds for the NCAA Tournament.
The committee that will select the field of 68 revealed its preliminary list of top teams Saturday, with the Boilermakers headlining a list that had little drama with the top two teams but some uncertainty after that. Those two teams have topped The Associated Press men's college basketball poll for five straight weeks, though with the Huskies at No. 1 in the Top 25.
Houston and Arizona claimed the remaining No. 1 regional seeds, with North Carolina sitting at fifth overall as the top No. 2 seed.
The nationally televised reveal on CBS grouped the seeds in four-team pods for each region, offering a snapshot of where things stand with exactly one month before the full field is set.
Tennessee, Marquette and Kansas joined UNC on the 2-line, while Alabama, Baylor, Iowa State and Duke were No. 3 region seeds. Auburn, San Diego State, Illinois and Wisconsin were the No. 4 seeds to round out the list.
Selection committee chairman Charles McClelland mentioned Dayton, Creighton and Clemson as the top teams to miss the top-16 cut.
Selection Sunday is March 17, with First Four games beginning two days later. The Final Four will be held in Glendale, Arizona, with the semifinals set for April 6 and the championship game two days later.
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