Where Alabama Lands on Selection Committee's Initial Top 16 NCAA Tournament Seeds

For the first time this season, the selection committee unveiled its top-16 seeds for March Madness if it started today.

Apr 6, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats players against the Connecticut Huskies during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

For the first time this season, CBS Sports and TNT Sports, the broadcasting networks for the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, unveiled the selection committee's top-16 seeds for March Madness.

NCAA Tournament selection committee chair Bubba Cunningham joined Adam Zucker, Clark Kellogg, Jay Wright and Seth Davis in the studio on Saturday to announce the official list if the college basketball season ended today. Each of these teams would be given a No. 1-4 seed among the four quadrants of the bracket. The top-4 teams would be 1-seeds, programs ranked 13-16 would earn 4-seeds and the 5-12 ranked squads would be the 2-3 seeds in between.

According to NCAA director of media coordination/statistics David Worlock, 84 percent of teams featured in the bracket preview have remained on the top four seed lines in the final bracket.

Alabama, which came into Saturday at No. 2 in the AP Top 25, received the same ranking among the top-16 seeds. If the season ended today, the Crimson Tide would be the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.

Top 16 Seeds

1. Auburn (1 seed, South Region)
2. Alabama (1 seed, Midwest Region)
3. Duke (1 seed, East Region)
4. Florida (1 seed, West Region)
5. Tennessee (2 seed, East)
6. Texas A&M (2 seed, South)
7. Purdue (2 seed, Midwest)
8. Houston (2 seed, West)
9. Iowa State (3 seed, Midwest
10. Kentucky (3 seed, West)
11. Wisconsin (3 seed, South)
12. Arizona (3 seed, East)
13. Texas Tech (4 seed, South)
14. Michigan, (4 seed, West)
15. Kansas (4 seed, Midwest)
16. St. John’s (4 seed, East)

This list came out right after ESPN's College GameDay pregame show concluded in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Analysts Rece Davis and company were in Coleman Coliseum to preview the No. 2 Crimson Tide's home matchup against No. 1 Auburn.

This is perhaps the most anticipated Iron Bowl of Basketball in the history of the rivalry, as it'll be the 44th all-time meeting in the entire sport between teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2. It's the first time where this extremely rare event has occurred in the SEC.

Both teams are 10-1 in SEC play, meaning the result of Saturday's game will break the tie. The SEC has indisputably been the best conference in college basketball this season, but Alabama and Auburn have been immune despite having the toughest and third-toughest strength of schedules respectively in the country.

And like their No. 1 strength of schedule ranking, the Crimson Tide is also first in the nation in points per game with 90.5. However, Alabama is 333rd in points allowed per game with 78.5. Auburn is a bit more well-balanced as the Tigers are eighth in scoring offense (84.8 points per game) and 68th in scoring defense (67.7 points allowed).