Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, and Gonzaga Are the Number 1 Seeds in NCAA Tournament

Teams from the ACC make up three of the four Number 1 Seeds in the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, with Duke being the top overall seed. The Blue Devils are in the East Regional. The other #1 seeds from the ACC are Virginia (South) and North Carolina (Midwest). Gonzaga is the top seed in the West Regional.

This is the first time since 2009 that three teams from one conference were #1 seeds. That year, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Connecticut, from a very different from today Big East, were all top seeds. None of them won the tournament, but the other #1 seed, North Carolina, did, beating Michigan State in the Championship Game. Last year’s overall #1, Virginia, made history by being the first #1 seed to lose to a #16, Maryland-Baltimore County. The Cavaliers will try to avoid that type of infamy this year against #16 Gardner-Webb. Maryland-Baltimore County did not make it into this year’s field.

With Zion Williamson back following that freak ankle injury a few weeks ago, the Blue Devils are a 2-1 favorite to win it all. The tournament could also be called the Zion Williamson College Basketball Farewell Tour, as he is expected to not only declare for this summer’s NBA draft, he’s the likely #1 overall pick. Here he is in action in the ACC Tournament:

The #2 seeds are from the SEC and Big Ten. Last year’s runner up Michigan is #2 in the West, and fellow in state and Big Ten rival Michigan State is #2 in the East. Tennessee (South) and Kentucky (Midwest) round out the top eight teams.