Where Purdue was Seeded in NCAA Selection Committee's Initial Top 16

The NCAA selection committee revealed its top 16 seeds for the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon. Here's what it means for the Boilermakers.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) drives against Indiana Hoosiers guard Conor Enright (5). | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — With four games remaining in the regular season, Purdue (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten) has put itself in a favorable spot for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The NCAA selection committee revealed its top 16 seeds for March Madness on Saturday, with the Boilermakers at No. 8.

In other words, Purdue is the last No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament based on how things currently stand. The Boilermakers are currently place in the West Region, where Arizona is listed as the No. 1 seed.

Purdue still has four games on the schedule, including matchups against No. 15 Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern, and No. 24 Wisconsin. There are still opportunities to move up.

Here's a look at the top 16 seeds, as well as a look at where each team is expected to play its regional games.

NCAA selection committee's top 16

1. Michigan
2. Duke
3. Arizona
4. Iowa State
5. UConn
6. Houston
7. Illinois
8. Purdue
9. Florida
10. Kansas
11. Nebraska
12. Gonzaga
13. Texas Tech
14. Michigan State
15. Vanderbilt
16. Virginia

Top 4 seeds in each region

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter reacts. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Midwest Region (Chicago)

1. Michigan
2. Houston
3. Florida
4. Virginia

East Region (Washington, D.C.)

1. Duke
2. Illinois
3. Kansas
4. Vanderbilt

West Region (San Jose)

1. Arizona
2. Purdue
3. Gonzaga
4. Michigan State

South Region (Houston)

1. Iowa State
2. UConn
3. Nebraska
4. Texas Tech

What does it mean for Purdue?

Purdue Boilermakers guard Omer Mayer (17) drives around Indiana Hoosiers guard Lamar Wilkerson (3). | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Everyone expected Purdue to get one of the No. 1 seeds before the season tipped off in November. Even though the Boilermakers aren't in that situation, they're still in a good spot as a No. 2 seed.

What it does mean, at least for right now, is that Purdue's hopes of playing close to home for any round of the NCAA Tournament would be a longshot. The Boilers had hoped for an ideal path that would include St. Louis (first two rounds) and Chicago (regional rounds).

Michigan has already put in a request to be in Philadelphia for the first two rounds if it earns the top overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. That then likely means Iowa State and Illinois would head to St. Louis for the opening rounds of March Madness.

That would likely mean Purdue would head out to Buffalo or join Michigan in Philadelphia for the first two rounds of the tournament. Should they advance to the Sweet 16, the Boilers would play those games in San Jose.

There's still a lot of basketball to be played and a chance for Purdue to improve its seed over the next three weeks. It will likely need to win out to challenge for a No. 1 seed, though.

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