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(Editor’s note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s & women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)

The selection committee made it possible for this to be the easiest bracket of the season to construct, though the top 16 teams unveiled Saturday needed to cooperate on the court to keep things the same.

They mostly did. Let’s go through each of the top four seed lines, with a nod to the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” celebrated most effectively Sunday night with Paul McCartney tearing through the finish to “Abbey Road,” Eddie Murphy impersonating Tracy Morgan and Kate McKinnon dominating even with five decades of SNL legends on hand.

No. 1 seeds (The Phil Hartman Era, late 1980s, redefines and saves the entire enterprise)

1. Auburn (South)
2. Alabama (Midwest)
3. Duke (East)
4. Florida (West)

This was the easiest line to predict. Auburn’s convincing win at rival Alabama, in the biggest college basketball game to be played in that state, does nothing to change it. The question moving forward continues to be the SEC’s chances of bumping Duke down a line and making No. 1 seed history. Committee chair Bubba Cunningham said “it’s possible” that Duke could be overtaken, and I don’t think that was the product of North Carolina AD bitterness.

No. 2 seeds (The Gilda Radner Era, original cast, enough said)

5. Tennessee (East)
6. Texas A&M (South)
7. Purdue (Midwest)
8. Houston (West)

Cunningham also called the SEC’s performance this season “unprecedented,” and if there was any doubt about that paying off when the committee convenes, witness five of the top six spots going to SEC teams. Tennessee and Texas A&M both were challenged at home Saturday, by Vanderbilt and Arkansas respectively, but both prevailed. Purdue then betrayed the committee’s confidence by giving up 58 second-half points in a home loss to Wisconsin. Houston validated it with a tremendous comeback win at Arizona. So here’s the first subtle switch, Houston and Purdue switching spots. This may not seem like much but it’s punitive for the Boilermakers — San Francisco instead of Indianapolis if they make the regional semifinals. That’s quite a bit closer for Houston, though it means, what, a couple of hours less in the air?

No. 3 seeds (The Chris Farley era, early ’90s, Farley, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock take center stage as the Dana Carvey-Jan Hooks-Jon Lovitz dominance fades)

9. Iowa State (Midwest)
10. Kentucky (West)
11. Wisconsin (South)
12. Arizona (East)

This group saw two Saturday losses, the aforementioned Houston comeback at Arizona and Kentucky’s loss at Texas. Considering the SEC Wildcats’ injuries — Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson both out is a killer — and the quality of the Big 12 Wildcats’ opponents (including Monday at Baylor), both teams hold. Wisconsin does, too, though the comeback at Purdue was the best win of the week that didn’t belong to Auburn.

No. 4 seeds (The Tina Fey era, early 2000s, Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Will Forte inject life, Will Ferrell is still around, and by the way, Kenan Thompson started in 2003!)

13. Texas Tech (South)
14. Michigan (West)
15. Kansas (Midwest)
16. St. John’s (East)

Marquette was the one team I predicted Saturday to be in the top 16 that wasn’t, with St. John’s in that spot instead. Marquette may be the unofficial Big Ten champ — wins over Wisconsin, Purdue and Maryland — but recent play matters. St. John’s got a big win over Creighton on Sunday, and Michigan continued its mastery of close games at Ohio State. Should Kansas drop from the top 16 after losing at Utah while Michigan State — the team Cunningham cited as No. 17 — jumps in after winning at Illinois? It’s an interesting debate over two programs with the consistent excellence of Kenan Thompson. Keep it Kansas thanks to more big wins, including one over the Spartans.

 

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(Photo of Cooper Flagg: Zachary Taft / Imagn Images)