March Madness 2022: Top Bracketology Predictions from Around the Web

The 2022 men's NCAA tournament is just around the corner, and teams all over the country are looking to secure a spot in the field of 68.

Several conference tournaments have already crowned champions, while others are in full swing. For many of the teams in smaller conferences, it's title or bust if they want to reach March Madness. In the marquee conferences, a solid tournament run could be the difference between making the tournament or staring at a bid in the NIT.

Selection Sunday is March 13, so this is the home stretch for the bracketology experts looking to provide some insight on what to expect that day. Let's take a look at what a few top writers from around the web are thinking as we wrap up the conference tournaments and get ready for the Big Dance.

Joe Lunardi, ESPN

No. 1 Seeds: Gonzaga, Baylor, Kansas, Arizona

Last Four In: Xavier, Wyoming, Rutgers, SMU

First Four Out: Indiana, BYU, Dayton, Virginia Tech

It seems all but certain that Gonzaga will snag the top overall seed for the second year in a row. They beat Saint Mary's 82-69 to capture the West Coast Conference title Tuesday, so there's nothing left to knock the AP No. 1 team off its pedestal before Selection Sunday.

Drew Timme and company will be looking to avenge last year's loss to Baylor in the 2021 NCAA tournament final. Head coach Mark Few has had the Zags operating at an elite level for years now, but a Division I championship still eludes him.

Like the rest of our experts, Lunardi has the defending champion earning a No. 1 seed. Fellow Big 12 heavyweight Kansas also makes Lunardi's top four. The Bears play Oklahoma on Thursday in the conference tournament, while Kansas awaits the winner of Kansas State-West Virginia.

An early upset for either team wouldn't bode well for March Madness, and it could allow the likes of Auburn, Kentucky and perhaps even Duke to grab a top spot.

As for the teams on the bubble, Lunardi isn't as hot on Wyoming as some of the other experts. CBS Sports' Jerry Palm has the Cowboys as a No. 9 seed, while the writers from USA Today see them getting a No. 10 seed. Lunardi thinks Wyoming will end up in one of the play-in games as a No. 12 seed.

The Mountain West has been a tricky conference this year, and Wyoming gets UNLV on Thursday to start off the tournament. A strong run could help solidify their standings in the eyes of the selection committee.

Shelby Mast and Scott Gleeson, USA Today

No. 1 Seeds: Gonzaga, Kansas, Arizona, Baylor

Last Four In: Indiana, Michigan, SMU, North Carolina

First Four Out: Memphis, VCU, Saint Bonaventure, Rutgers

As you can see, Mast and Gleeson have the same No. 1 seeds as Lunardi at this point. They too see the Zags as the best of that bunch, with Baylor close behind. After that, it gets a little murkier in their eyes. This year has had more than its fair share of upsets during the regular season, so it's a thin line between a top spot and greater potential for early danger as a No. 2 or No. 3 seed.

Here's how Mast and Gleeson describe the stakes for an elite team like Purdue:

"But the projected No. 2 seeds are hardly safe from getting their seeds stolen themselves. Such is the case for Purdue, once in line to snatch a No. 1 seed. The Boilermakers got taken down by No. 3 seed Wisconsin on Tuesday in a game that gave the Badgers the Big Ten regular season title. The NCAA selection committee pays no attention to conference supremacy, which is why Purdue stays – barely – at the No. 2 line in today's bracket.

"But that loss for Purdue means chasing No. 3s Villanova and Texas Tech are close to vaulting ahead. That's especially true for 'Nova after knocking off top Big East threat Providence on Tuesday."

As for the teams on the bubble, Mast and Gleeson see things a bit differently than Lunardi. They have Rutgers missing the tournament and Indiana making it, while Lunardi has those two sides doing the opposite.

Indiana, No. 9 in the Big Ten tournament, could very well slip out of contention if they lose to Michigan on Thursday. The Hoosiers already lost to the Wolverines 80-62 on Jan. 23. Controlling Hunter Dickinson will be key to the Hoosiers' hopes of getting another solid win and improving their stock.

Meanwhile, Rutgers is a No. 4 seed in the Big Ten tournament and gets started Friday against either Nebraska, Northwestern or Iowa.

Jerry Palm, CBS Sports

No. 1 Seeds: Gonzaga, Baylor, Auburn, Arizona

Last Four In: BYU, SMU, Michigan, Rutgers

First Four Out: Wake Forest, Florida, VCU, Indiana

Here we see a difference in the No. 1 seeds. Like the other experts, Palm has Gonzaga, Baylor and Arizona getting top billing. However, he has Auburn getting a top seed over Kansas, who he sees getting a No. 2 seed in the same Midwest Region.

The Tigers are 16-0 at home this season but just 8-3 on the road. Those losses included upsets against unranked Florida on Feb. 19 and No. 9 Tennessee a week later. They managed to pull out fairly comfortable victories against Mississippi State and South Carolina to wrap up the regular season.

But the shaky showings away from home clearly have some experts thinking they won't get a No. 1 seed and likely have many people thinking about picking them to suffer a shock upset on neutral ground once March Madness begins.