Committee projects Alabama as No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament men's selection committee gave teams and fans a look at its thoughts on tournament seedings on Saturday, less than four weeks before the start of March Madness, and named Alabama as the top overall seed.

Joining the Crimson Tide as projected No. 1 seeds are Houston, Purdue and Kansas.

Alabama currently is the No. 1 team in the nation, but following a 68-59 loss at No. 10 Tennessee on Wednesday, that could change when the new Associated Press Top 25 poll is released on Monday.

Still, Alabama's 71-65 win at then-No. 1 Houston on Dec. 10 clearly was a difference-maker for the committee.

"The No. 1 team is Alabama, on the strength of 13 wins in Quad 1 and 2," Chris Reynolds, the committee chairman, told CBS Sports. "They have a very strong resume, and that win at Houston put them over the top."

The committee's projection put Texas, Arizona, Baylor and UCLA on the second lines.

The third seeds are Tennessee, Virginia, Iowa State and Kansas State, with Indiana, Marquette, Gonzaga and Xavier the fourth seeds.

The 68-team field will be announced during the selection show on CBS, set for March 12 at 6 p.m. ET.

The First Four will be played March 14 and 15 in Dayton, Ohio, with first rounds beginning March 16.