Tennessee, Duke land shocking seeds in NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament field for 2022 turned out to be fairly non-controversial, but there were certainly some questions about how teams were seeded.

The biggest uproar came about after Duke received a 2 seed, while Tennessee landed a 3 seed despite winning the SEC Tournament. Some experts had Tennessee in contention for a No. 1 seed, while Duke’s resume was less impressive, particularly after their loss to Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament final.

Based purely on metrics, Tennessee appeared to have a noticeably better resume than the Blue Devils did.

Resume Comparison:

Duke (2-seed):
NET – 13
KenPom – 12
SOS – 67
Q1 Wins – 6
Q2-4 Losses – 4

Tennessee (3-seed):
NET – 8
KenPom – 7
SOS – 4
Q1 Wins – 11
Q2-4 Losses – 0

This is a travesty by the selection committee.#SelectionSunday

— kcekjm (@kcekjm) March 13, 2022

It was also pointed out that Tennessee seemingly received no boost from beating Kentucky in the SEC Tournament.

Someone explain how Kentucky and Duke got two seeds over Tennessee. It’s absolutely indefensible based on all metrics. And Kentucky is the overall number five seed? So what was the point of Saturday’s Tennessee win? Zero impact at all.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 13, 2022

The fact that Duke was the beneficiary was not lost on anyone. Plenty theorized that the committee was influenced by Duke’s prestige, as well as the storyline of Mike Krzyzewski’s impending retirement. The Blue Devils also got a relative home game in Greenville, SC by virtue of their draw, while the Vols were sent to Indianapolis despite remaining in the South region.

Tennessee got absolutely hosed in this bracket. How in the actual hell does Duke get a 2 seed and Tennessee (who had a chance at the 1 line) end up a 3 seed.

Slap in the face to the SEC, Big 12, and Pac-12. All in the name of Coach K and keeping Duke in Greenville. Unreal.

— Pablo Escobarner 🦚 (@PabloEscoburner) March 13, 2022

Selection committee conspiracy theories are nothing new, but it’s hard to legitimately explain this one. The anger and confusion is more than understandable.

Photo: Nov 13, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski calls a timeout during the second half against the Campbell Camels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports