Historically, the NCAA Selection Committee’s in-season NCAA Tournament bracket preview is highly predictive of what the actual bracket will eventually look like on Selection Sunday; 30 of the 32 teams earning top-four seed inclusion the last two years have gone on to earn top-four seeds in the Big Dance. But in the aftermath of the annual reveal on Saturday, the knee-jerk reaction to the sneak peek feels a whole lot like it was a jinx. In what turned out to be a Saturday full of shakeups, three of the top 16 teams — No. 2 seed Baylor and No. 3 seeds Iowa State and Tennessee — took losses on the same day they were identified by the committee as top 16 teams in America.
That doesn’t include the scares several other teams who fall into that category faced. (Looking at you, Indiana and Virginia.)
The highest-rated seed falling on the day was Baylor, which as a projected No. 2 seed looked to have No. 1 seed Kansas on the ropes inside Allen Fieldhouse … before it didn’t. Baylor led by 13 at halftime and built its advantage to as many as 17 before falling by 16 as Kansas turned in one of the most impressive second-half showings you’ll see all season.
Of course, losing to Kansas on Kansas’ court shouldn’t bring shame; almost every Big 12 team that marches into Lawrence, Kansas, comes up short. But the way in which Baylor fumbled away a potentially monumental win is devastating, thus making the Bears the lead of this week’s winners and losers column. You can take a stab at which category they fall into.
Loser: No. 9 Baylor blows big lead in Lawrence
If there was any doubt, let there officially be none: KU owns the Big 12’s personal house of horrors for opposing teams. No. 5 Kansas overcame a 13-point halftime deficit and dominated No. 9 Baylor in the second half to win 87-71 after trailing by as many as 17 points. It’s the third time this season in league play Kansas has trailed at half and went on…
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