Monday morning, ESPN women’s basketball bracketologist Charlie Creme had a new No. 1 overall seed in the latest projections for the NCAA Tournament.
The Texas Longhorns.
The Longhorns built an impressive resume over the regular season with wins over South Carolina and LSU, going undefeated at home in conference play. But Texas (29-2, 15-1) got some help in rising to the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY coaches and AP polls and overtaking UCLA for the No. 1 overall seed in the projections.
Notre Dame lost to North Carolina State in double overtime last Sunday and lost Thursday to Florida State. Fellow SEC conference superpower South Carolina was upset Feb. 16 by UConn 87-58. UCLA, which held the No. 1 spot in polls, was upset Feb. 14 by USC. Then Sunday evening UCLA could not even the series against USC and lost to the Women of Troy 80-57.
In Creme’s projection, the Longhorns are currently on the same side of the bracket as South Carolina.
Here is where other SEC teams are expected to be in his latest update:
What SEC teams can make the NCAA women’s tournament?
Other teams expected to make the tournament are Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
Performance in the conference tournament, which starts Wednesday, will help determine final seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
Where could SEC teams be seeded?
In Creme’s projection, South Carolina took over Notre Dame’s No. 1 seed in the tournament after the Irish lost to Florida State.
More: Texas women’s basketball showed championship mettle in comeback vs LSU | Golden
Tennessee bounced between a No. 3 and a No. 4 seed, but after a 72-69 loss to unranked Georgia, the Lady Vols dropped to No. 5, per Creme. The Kentucky Wildcats hold at No. 3. Alabama’s stunning upset Thursday against LSU put the Crimson Tide within the top 16 teams and a projected No. 4 seed in the tournament. LSU still holds a No. 2 seed, but according to Creme, the Tigers risk losing the seeding with Flau’Jae Johnson out of the tournament.
Ole Miss climbed to a No. 4 seed and Mississippi State holds at No. 9. Oklahoma is a No. 3 seed and Vanderbilt is No. 8.
How does Selection Sunday work?
The best-case scenario for the Longhorns is to win the SEC tournament to automatically qualify for one of 68 spots with an inside shot at hosting a postseason game.
If Texas is eliminated from the conference tournament, its seeding is at the mercy of the committee, which, at this point, is likely to select Texas as an at-large team. Receiving an at-large bid is determined “based upon play to date, regardless of whether the team could eventually represent its conference as the automatic qualifier,” according to the NCAA.
More: Texas basketball: Longhorns win share of SEC title but lose coin toss for SEC’s top seed
The SEC tournament ends Sunday in Greenville, S.C.
The Selection Sunday show will be broadcast at 7 p.m. March 16 by ESPN.
Important March Madness dates
March 19-20 First Four
March 21-22 First Round (Round of 64)
March 23-24 Second Round (Round of 32)
March 28-31 Sweet 16 and Elite Eight
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Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala.
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Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wa.
April 4 Final Four and April 6 National Championship
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: NCAA tournament brackets: Where Texas women’s basketball lands
