Now that the calendar has turned to March, and Selection Sunday is less than two weeks away, it is that time of year that teams across the nation to either begin to gear up for a deep tournament run or have their hearts broken and settle for the NIT. We begin today with predictions for who will get a Number One Seed and the favorites for National Player of the Year.

Number One Seeds

East Region: Virginia Cavaliers

AP Ranking: 2

BPI: 91.8

BPI Rank: 2

SOS: 60.5

Record: 28-1 (16-1 ACC)

Tony Bennett has his team playing some of the best defense in the country, with his team currently third in the nation in Defensive Rating at 85.8. With their only loss coming to Duke at the end of January, the Cavaliers hold a 13-1 record in the ACC, as well as quality wins over Maryland, Louisville, and Notre Dame. They are the type of team that could make a deep run in the tournament, solely on the strength of their suffocating defense, but the concerns come with injuries to the roster. Leading scorer Justin Anderson is still out with a broken finger, and point guard London Perrantes sustained a broken nose and concussion this past weekend in a collision with a teammate. If they can bounce back, their chances in the tournament look good.

Midwest Region: Duke Blue Devils

AP Ranking: 3

BPI: 87.7

BPI Rank: 7

SOS: 61.8

Record: 26-3 (13-3 ACC)

I struggled with this spot between Gonzaga and the Blue Devils, but after watching Gonzaga get beaten by BYU, Duke is the right choice. While all two of their three losses have come to unranked teams – NC State and Miami by over 10 points each – it is their performances against the big name teams that really stand out. They have played seven games against top 25 opponents, and have won seven of them, including wins over Louisville, Notre Dame, and Virginia. They perform well against high profile opponents, something essential for deep a tournament run. Thier offense is elite (119.4 Offensive rating, third overall), led by the big man in the middle, Jahlil Okafor. Okafor is an artist in the post, moving in ways that is highly skilled for a man, much less a nineteen year old. While everyone has talked about Okafor all year, I really like their other high profile  freshmen, Tyus Jones, a smart and speedy point guard who has really come on of late, and Justise Winslow, a pitbull of a perimeter defender who runs like a gazelle. They are one of the few teams in the nation that has three freshmen who average over ten points a game, but they have experience in the lineup as well, with junior Amile Jefferson and senior Quinn Cook. They have balance, and one of the greatest coaches in college history in Mike Krzyzewski. Expect a tournament run as Coach K chases another title.

West Region: Wisconsin Badgers

AP Ranking: 6

BPI: 90.7

BPI Rank: 3

SOS: 60.3

Record: 26-3 (14-2 Big Ten)

Wisconsin has one of the best starting fives in all of college basketball, and their balance and depth is their biggest strength. They have an experienced backcourt in senior guards Traevon Jackson and John Gasser, and a strong athletic wing in Junior Sam Dekker. Forward Nigel Hayes provides a solid mid range and athletic presence next to Frank Kaminsky, who is the frontrunner for player of the year. Sophomore Bronson Koenig proved a more than capable shooter during Jackson’s absence this year, giving the bench an added stretch and dimension. With notable wins over Marquette, Purdue, and Iowa, the Badgers have the fourth best offensive rating in the nation (119.4), and have so many ways to score the ball, which is what makes them so dangerous heading into the tournament.

South Region: Kentucky Wildcats

AP Ranking: 1

BPI: 95.3

BPI Rank: 1

SOS: 58.8

Record: 30-0 (17-0 SEC)

Kentucky has been the best team in college basketball all year, never losing a game and never relinquishing the top ranking. They may not be the most skilled or most disciplined team, but they are loaded with talent. Even after losing Alex Poythress for the season early, the Wildcats are two deep at every position. They have championship experience in the Harrison Twins and Willie Cauley-Stein, who is an athletic freak who was put on this earth to play defense. The seven foot junior averages 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks, often switching to guard smaller guards and forwards on the perimeter, which is unthinkable for a man as large as he is. Freshman Karl-Anthony Towns is a force down low when he wants to be, and Trey Lyles can switch between the Small and Power Forward spots without it negatively affecting the team. They rely on fast breaks to score their points, but their defense is suffocating (81.3 Defensive Rating, first overall), so they can still play that way. While I do not think John Calipari is a great coach, I do believe he is a great leader and developer of talent. They are the favorites to win the tournament as of now.

National Player of the Year

Frank Kaminsky, Center, Wisconsin

Kaminsky has been the favorite for National Player of the year since the early start of the season, but Okafor has closed the gap in recent weeks. However, what the big man has done for his Badgers cannot be ignored, as he averages 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He has such a versatile skill set, whether scoring on fadeaway and up-and-under moves in the post, or flashing his 39.7% three point stroke and one made three pointer a game. He gives the Wisconsin offense a new dimension, a center who can spread the floor. While he may not be the strongest defender down low, Kaminsky knows how to move his feet and has a good concept of team defense, which leads him to record 1.6 blocks per game. He also has the best Player Efficiency Rating (34.5) and produces the most Win Shares (6.8) in the country, showing how important he is to the Badgers, and making him the favorite for Player of the Year.

Jahlil Okafor, Center, Duke

I mentioned Okafor above, but despite the other two freshmen succeeding at Duke this year, Okafor has been head and shoulders above them and most other players in the country, figuratively and literally. He averages 18.4 points per game, 9.4 rebounds per game, and shoots an unthinkable 66.5% from the field, the second best in Division One. His size is his main advantage, and at 6-11, 270 lbs, Okafor has an array of post moves, from jump hooks to drop-steps to jump-stops, and a counter move for every counter move. His footwork is phenomenal, and he has become a good passer out of the double team, which he frequently faces on a nightly basis. With his long arms and girth, he rebounds well, specifically in traffic, which shows up in his overall offensive rebounding percentage, the seventh best mark in Division One at 16.4%. Even though he shoots a ghastly 54.2% from the free-throw line, he scores inside will excellent efficiency, with a fifth best 31.8 Player Efficiency Rating. The only reason he is below Kaminsky is his struggles on defense, specifically in the pick and roll, where his lack of lateral movement and mental concentration make him a liability. However, he has dominated the college game unlike any freshman we have ever seen, and has been a central piece to Duke’s success.

Kyle Wiltjer, Forward, Gonzaga

For those of you who remember the 2011-2012 National Championship Kentucky Basketball team, you will recall that their success was attributed to the number one overall recruiting class. While it has become commonplace for John Calipari to draw in historical freshman classes, this one was extra special, containing four McDonald’s All-Americans; the top power forward and overall prospect, Anthony Davis; the top small forward, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist; the top point guard, Marquis Teague; and the number five power forward, Kyle Wiltjer. Yes, the same Wiltjer that averaged 5.0 points per game as a freshman and won the SEC’s sixth man award as a sophomore is now the man crushing competition as a starter at Gonzaga. Wiltjer transferred to Gonzaga, and, following the steps of Kelly Olynyk, used his redshirt year to rebuild his body from the ground up. The results have been spectacular; leading the Bulldogs in scoring at 17.0 points per game, Wiltjer has been on fire all season long, shooting 54.1% from the field and 46.5% from three-point range. He has been an unstoppable offensive force, ranking fourth in PER (32.4), third offensive rating (135.3), and fourth in win shares (6.4) in Division One. While he is not a top flight defender, Wiltjer can now body guys in the post and move his feet on the perimeter, and he has an excellent grasp of Gonzaga’s defensive system. Through his extensive transformation and excellent play, Wiltjer has Gonzaga poised for its seventeenth consecutive trip to the tournament. And if that does not do it for you, just google some of his trick shots. They defy explanation.

Seth Tuttle, Forward, Northern Iowa

Every year there is one mid-major team that ends up gaining national recognition. While not many people would have considered Northern Iowa to be that team, I do not think any fan outside of the Northern Iowa campus knew the name Seth Tuttle. Great post players are rare, but post players who call the offenses plays instead of the point guard is almost unheard of, but that’s exactly what Tuttle does. “He’s a coach’s dream,” said Loyola Chicago coach Pete Moser in the New York Times when talking of Tuttle. “You don’t see post players with his kind of feel and command of their team.” Tuttle gives UNI everything, leading them in points (15.6), rebounds ( 6.6) and assists (3.3) per game, while shooting a sky-high 63.0% from the field and 44.7% from three-point range. He hums with efficiency, posting the fifth best PER (31.7) and the fourth best Win Shares (6.5) in all of college basketball, and holds the nineteenth best True Shooting Percentage (64.5%) for his CAREER since the statistic began being tracked in 1997. Tuttle does everything for a top ten team that has exceeded everyone’s expectations this year, and for that he deserves to be considered for National Player of the Year.

Jerian Grant, Guard, Notre Dame

Before the season started, CBS Sports predicted that the Fighting Irish would finish ninth in the ACC standings, behind the University of Pittsburgh, North Carolina State, and Florida State. As of today, Notre Dame sits third in the conference and ninth in the nation. Simply put, the Irish would not be there without Jerian Grant, who has been the lead guard on one of the most efficient offensive attacks in the nation. After being deemed academically ineligible last season, Grant has returned with a vengeance, averaging 16.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He shoots almost fifty percent (49.5%) from the field, which contributes to a Notre Dame offense whose biggest strength is the second best overall field goal percentage (50.8%) in the nation. Grant’s assists numbers show his central spot in the Irish’s offense, as he is responsible for attacking the lane and finding Notre Dame’s deadly wing shooters. Quick and explosive, Grant has the ability to move his feet to stay in front of ball handlers, and his seventh best assists per game and first overall offensive win share (5.0) in the nation have Irish poised to make a tournament run.

Delon Wright, Guard, Utah

Delon Wright is what makes Utah go. He is their leader, their engine, their floor general. This year, he has carved up the PAC-12 to the tune of 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. His importance to his team can not be overstated, for without him playing, the Utah offense falls apart. He holds the tenth best offensive rating in division one (130.6), yet also has the fifth most defensive win shares (2.7), making an impact on both ends of the floor. Using his height and length, Wright is a savvy defender who knows how to play the passing lanes, and while he is not the best shooter, he can get to the rim and knows how to finish. Wright’s overall win shares (6.9) – second in Division One – demonstrate his importance to one of the top teams in the nation, and the senior guard has built a commendable National Player of the Year resume.