Although Clemson was ranked as high as No. 19 in the AP Top 25 poll earlier this season, a trip to the NCAA Tournament was not in the cards for the Tigers.

Clemson will instead have an opportunity to make noise in the NIT, where it will play as a No. 1 seed along with Oklahoma State, Oregon and Rutgers.

The Tigers (23-10) lost six of their final 11 games, but coach Brad Brownell still believed his team was worthy of getting a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

“Eye test — just our team playing right now — I mean, Hunter Thompson and PJ Hall are voted as two of the top 12 or 13 players in the (Atlantic Coast Conference). We have the second-best defense, the fifth-best offense. We won 14 ACC games,” Brownell said ahead of Selection Sunday.

“I just think that if you watch our team play and have seen us throughout the year, we have been one of the top teams in the country to be in this tournament.”

But Brownell’s words fell on deaf ears, and now Clemson is set to face Morehead State (21-11) on Wednesday in the first round of the NIT.

Oklahoma State (18-15), which is the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, will play Youngstown State (24-9) in its first-round matchup on Wednesday. Rutgers (19-14) will take on Hofstra (24-9) on Tuesday, and the Ducks (19-14) will attempt to fend off UC Irvine (23-11) on Wednesday.

“We’re excited about the field that we were able to put together,” said Wren Baker, who serves as the chair of the NIT committee. “There are going to be some great early-round matchups, and I think our semifinal teams are going to have a great experience in Las Vegas.”

As one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina would have been a top-seeded team, but the Tar Heels declined an invitation to participate in the NIT.

“All season, our focus and goal have been on being the best team we can possibly become and reaching our full potential to give us another opportunity to compete, play for and win an NCAA championship,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said in a statement. “Although we no longer have that opportunity and this season wasn’t what we had hoped for, I want to thank our players and staff for their hard work and love for Carolina Basketball.

“Many factors go into postseason play, and we believe now is the time to focus on moving ahead, preparing for next season and the opportunity to again compete for ACC and NCAA championships.”

Sam Houston (25-7), Liberty (26-8), Colorado (17-16) and Michigan (17-15) enter the field as No. 2 seeds.

Wisconsin will also be participating in the NIT as a No. 3 seed, and the Badgers will be looking to somewhat make up for a less-than-impressive season that featured them getting bounced from the Big Ten tournament in the first round. Wisconsin (17-14) had made the NCAA Tournament in 23 of the past 24 seasons, but has recorded its fewest wins since the 2017-18 season.

The NIT semifinals are set for March 28, with the championship game to be played two days later in Las Vegas.

–Field Level Media

Alabama is the tournament’s top overall seed and is set up to play two games in Birmingham. That home cooking is important after the Crimson Tide were regularly jeered away from home after police revealed star Brandon Miller transported the gun to what became a murder scene.

No. 2 seed Arizona reached the Sweet 16 last season before losing and figures to advance at least that far this time. Third-seeded Baylor won the NCAA title two years ago but is a prime team to be sent packing early this time after losing four of its last six games.

Tony Bennett-coached Virginia (No. 4 seed) can go either way — the Cavaliers won a title in 2019 and were the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed (UMBC) 12 months earlier.

TOP SHOT:
Alabama (29-5) will be under pressure throughout March Madness due to the ugly incident in which Jamea Harris was shot and killed on Jan. 15. The school botched the public relations side and coach Nate Oats’ “wrong spot at the wrong time” comment regarding Miller assured this won’t be a feel-good title run. Miller (19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds per game) has kept up his high standard of play under the scrutiny and he will need help from Mark Sears (12.8 ppg) and Noah Clowney (10.3) during the expected tourney run. No matter how good this edition of the Crimson Tide looks, it can’t be forgotten that they were sent home by No. 11 seed Notre Dame in the first round last March.

No. 2 seed Arizona (28-6) is set up to make a deep run behind star big man Azuolas Tubelis (19.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg), sidekick Oumar Ballo (14.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 45 blocks) and three other double-digit scorers. The Wildcats share the ball superbly — three players have topped 100 assists — and have two long-range bombers in Courtney Ramey (83 3-pointers) and Kerr Kriisa (82). The Wildcats were a No. 1 seed last season when they were dispatched by Houston in the Sweet 16. Arizona opens its run against Princeton of the Ivy League.

GAMES TO WATCH:
4 Virginia vs. 13 Furman. A clash in styles as the Cavaliers prefer a slower pace and the Paladins look to run up and down the floor. Virginia often gets the slower pace it desires and that’s why it limited 17 of 32 opponents to 60 or fewer points. The “Dins” topped 90 points nine times while averaging 82.1 per game. A big key for the Cavaliers will be keeping Furman stars Mike Bothwell (18.0 ppg) and Jalen Slawson (15.7 ppg) in check. Do that and the score will be the type Virginia likes — low.

7 Missouri vs. 10 Utah State. The Tigers were streaking with five straight wins before losing to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference tournament semifinals and have the look of a team that could make a surprise dash. Having Kobe Brown (15.8 ppg) and D’Moi Hodge (14.8) both clicking would be preferable against a Utah State team that went 0-3 against Mountain West champ San Diego State and 26-5 against everyone else. The presence of star guard Steven Ashworth (16.3 ppg, 109 treys) makes the Aggies capable of slaying an SEC team.

3 Baylor vs. 14 UC Santa Barbara. The late-season slump makes the Bears beatable with the Gauchos of the Big West certainly feeling like they can notch an upset. While Baylor has three solid scorers in Keyonte George (15.8 ppg), Adam Flagler (15.5) and LJ Cryer (14.5), its defense has often sprung leaks and is allowing 70.3 points per game. Santa Barbara is red hot with seven straight victories and Big West Player of the Year Ajay Mitchell is ready to make some March Madness noise with averages of 16.4 points and 5.1 assists.

GET TO KNOW
–Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton: The 7-foot-1 center is averaging a team-best 15.4 points and leads the nation by shooting 71.4 percent from the field. All five Bluejays starters average over 11 points but nobody is more important to the team than Kalkbrenner. He also has added motivation because he injured a knee in the first-round victory over San Diego State in last year’s NCAA Tournament and missed the second-round loss against eventual champion Kansas.

–Erik Stevenson, West Virginia: The sharpshooter runs hot and cold and the Mountaineers could rack up two wins in Birmingham if the good version shows up. Stevenson (15.5 ppg, 77 treys) recently averaged 24.6 points over a five-game stretch immediately after averaging 5.3 over a three-game span. He also topped 30 points twice during a three-game stretch earlier in the season after being 18 of 67 (26.9 percent) from the field over the previous six contests.

–Nathan Mensah, San Diego State: The Aztecs annually take pride in their defense and the rock behind that philosophy is Mensah, who is the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year for the second time. With guard Matt Bradley (12.9 ppg) the only double-digit scorer, Mensah’s contributions (6.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 50 blocked shots) are as valuable as anyone’s on a 27-6 team. Mensah ranks third all-time in rebounding (860) and second in blocked shots (221) in San Diego State history.

SPREAD THE NEWS
–Creighton (-5.5) went 4-4 down the stretch and was whipped by 22 points by Xavier in the Big East semifinals. But North Carolina State finished 4-5 and was creamed by 26 by Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinals. Look for the Bluejays to cover.

–Baylor (-10.5) hasn’t been playing like a Scott Drew-coached team as of late. Though the Bears should win the game, a hot team like Santa Barbara that hasn’t lost since Feb. 20 will likely cover the spread.

–West Virginia (-2) won four of its past six games with both losses coming against Kansas. Maryland has lost three of its last four games with two of the setbacks coming by double digits. Expect the Mountaineers to prevail.

OUT OF THE SOUTH: Arizona.
Will the pressure get to be too much for Alabama? Last season’s first-round loss is surely on the minds of some of the holdover players. Arizona has the look of a team ready to win this region. Virginia also is a club that could make a deep run. West Virginia could make an Elite Eight run if it is the club that knocks off the Crimson Tide.

–Field Level Media

In soccer, they call the toughest World Cup draw the “group of death.”
For this year’s NCAA Tournament, the West Region is seemingly the best.

The top five seeds in the West all finished in the top 11 in adjusted efficiency margin at KenPom.com. Top-seeded Kansas was ninth, No. 2 seed UCLA was second, No. 3 Gonzaga was eighth, No. 4 UConn was fourth and No. 5 Saint Mary’s was 11th.

Coach Bill Self is expected to rejoin the Jayhawks this week in preparation for the NCAAs. He missed the Big 12 tournament after being hospitalized because of chest tightness and balance concerns.

Consider that after meeting Howard in the first round, defending champion Kansas could potentially have to face Saint Mary’s or UConn in the Sweet 16 and either UCLA or Gonzaga in the Elite Eight in Las Vegas, where the Bruins and Bulldogs both played their respective conference tournaments.

TOP SHOT:

Kansas was considered a potential No.1 overall seed until a 20-point loss to Texas in the Big 12 title game without Self and senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (back spasms). That knocked them down to the third No. 1 seed behind Alabama and Houston, costing them a shot to play the regional semifinals and final in Kansas City despite their impressive 17 Quad 1 victories. The Jayhawks are led by Big 12 player of the year Jalen Wilson.

Second-seeded UCLA lost a No. 1 seed when it was defeated 61-59 by Arizona in the Pacific-12 Conference championship. The Bruins played the entire tournament without guard Jaylen Clark (lower-leg injury), the conference’s defensive player of the year, and the finale without shot-blocking center Adem Bona (shoulder). “It is what it is,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “Get some rest, get ready for the real tournament.” The Bruins are led by Pac-12 player of the year Jaime Jaquez Jr.

GAMES TO WATCH:

4 UConn vs. 13 Iona. The Huskies have been upset in the first round the past two seasons, first by Maryland and then by New Mexico State. The Gaels, under tourney-tested coach Rick Pitino, have won 14 games in a row.

5 Saint Mary’s vs. 12 VCU. This one won’t break any offensive records. The Gaels are one of the nation’s top defensive teams, allowing just 60.1 points per game, while the Rams are in the top 15 nationally in forcing turnovers (16.5 per game).

6 TCU vs. 11 Arizona St./Nevada winner

The Horned Frogs earned their first NCAA victory in 35 years last season but are facing off-court controversy as sophomore center Eddie Lampkin Jr. recently left the team and accused coach Jamie Dixon of “racial remarks.” Both Arizona State and Nevada were bubble teams and are happy to be in the big dance.

GET TO KNOW …
Gradey Dick, forward, Kansas. The 6-foot-8 freshman is expected to be a lottery pick in this June’s NBA draft. He’s an elite outside shooter who is athletic enough to get to the rim and has the length to excel defensively.

Drew Timme, forward, Gonzaga. Despite being perhaps the most productive player in college the past four seasons, Timme doesn’t leave NBA scouts drooling because he lacks the “metrics.” Still, his footwork in the post is remarkable.

Tyger Campbell, guard, UCLA. He doesn’t get the accolades of his teammates, but he’s the engine that keeps the Bruins chugging along. He scored a career-high 28 points against Oregon in the Pac-12 semifinals.

SPREAD THE NEWS:
No. 10 seed Boise State is actually a 1-point favorite over No. 7 Northwestern. Maybe that’s because the Wildcats are making just their second NCAA appearance in more than 100 years.

No. 2 UCLA (-19.5) is heavily favored over UNC Asheville, which isn’t a surprise. Considering the Bruins’ injury woes and uncertainty over who will be available, that line might seem a bit high.

No. 8 Arkansas (-2.5) has a slight edge over Illinois in a matchup of teams that struggled late in the regular season. The Razorbacks, under coach Eric Musselman, have reached the Elite Eight each of the past two seasons.

OUT OF THE WEST: Gonzaga could have Jalen Suggs at the point and Chet Holmgren patrolling the post — if they hadn’t left early for the NBA as top-five draft picks the past two seasons. These Bulldogs aren’t nearly as talented, but they’re still the top offensive team in the country and beat No. 1 overall seed Alabama 100-90 earlier this season in Birmingham, Ala. Don’t overlook the defending champion Jayhawks, who could rally behind their coach’s return to the bench.

–Field Level Media

After putting together its second consecutive 30-win season, Houston sits as the odds-on favorite to win the NCAA Tournament at a number of sportsbooks.

The Cougars sit at +475 on DraftKings, +500 on FanDuel and +600 on Caesars Sportsbook to win their first national title in program history. Houston, which has gone 31-3 and will be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983, begins its quest for a championship against 16th-seeded Northern Kentucky (22-12) on Thursday night.

Alabama (29-5) has the second-best odds to go all the way despite criminal allegations regarding a shooting death surrounding star freshman Brandon Miller, who has not been charged. DraftKings has the Crimson Tide at +650, while Caesars and FanDuel have them at +700 and +800, respectively.

Over at DraftKings, Purdue (+1000), UCLA (+1200) and Kansas (+1200) round out the top five favorites. FanDuel agrees, but Kansas (27-7) is listed at +1000, Purdue (29-5) is at +1200 and UCLA (29-5) is at +1400. Caesars has both Kansas and Purdue at +1000, while UCLA, Arizona (28-6) and Texas (26-8) all sit at +1200.

Gonzaga (28-5) also finds itself among the teams with the best odds to be crowned national champion, sitting at +1500 on both FanDuel and Caesars and +1600 at DraftKings.

FanDuel has Purdue listed as the favorite to win the East Region at +300, while Marquette (28-6), which won its first Big East tournament in program history on Saturday, trails close behind at +420.

In the Midwest Region, FanDuel has Houston as the heavy favorite (+120), while Texas presents the biggest threat to the Cougars at +450. Alabama (+190) is projected to capture the South Region, while Kansas (+320), UCLA (+350) and Gonzaga (+400) are all in a tight race in the West Region.

–Field Level Media

The East Region could be one of the most unpredictable and exciting in this year’s bracket as there is plenty of depth beyond the top four seeds.

Tournament stalwarts such as Duke, Kentucky and Michigan State are out to prove they can still make national title runs. And upstarts like Florida Atlantic and Louisiana could bust some brackets.

The region features some of the nation’s best individual talents like Purdue’s Zach Edey and Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe. It also has veteran national championship-winning coaches — Kentucky’s John Calipari and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo — and others such as Purdue’s Matt Painter and Marquette’s Shaka Smart, who are each still chasing their first.

–TOP SHOT
No. 1 seed Purdue won both the Big Ten regular-season and conference tournament championships for the first time in program history. The Boilermakers will head to Columbus, Ohio for the first weekend and Painter’s squad might be playing its best basketball of the season at the right time. Edey, who leads all Division I players with 26 double-doubles and eight games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, is the focal point. But the Boilermakers, who are chasing their first national title and first Final Four appearance since 1980, might go as far as their young guards, led by freshmen Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith, take them.

No. 2 seed Marquette could be a great sleeper pick to make the Final Four coming off its first Big East tournament championship. The Golden Eagles finished the season on a nine-game winning streak capped with victories over UConn and Xavier. Smart, who guided VCU to a memorable run to the Final Four in 2011, leads a balanced scoring squad that can go nine-deep off its bench and is led by guards Kam Jones and Tyler Kolek, the Big East Player of the Year. Kolek predicted this Marquette run since the start of the season and is the conductor of the Golden Eagles’ offense, averaging 7.7 assists per game.

–GAMES TO WATCH
8 Memphis vs. 9 Florida Atlantic. Memphis’ Kendric Davis is averaging 21.8 points per game and is one of the more dynamic guards in the nation. Florida Atlantic is enjoying a dream season for its program, winning 31 games — already 10 more in one season than it had ever had before.

4 Tennessee vs. 13 Louisiana. Tennessee could be vulnerable to being one of the first upset victims of the tournament after losing guard Zakai Zeigler to a torn ACL. Louisiana forward Jordan Brown is a finalist for the Lou Henson Player of the Year Award, given annually to the top player at a mid-major program.

6 Kentucky vs. 11 Providence. In one of the juiciest storylines, Kentucky transfer Bryce Hopkins leads the Friars against his former team. The Wildcats have won five of their past seven games but exited the SEC tournament in the quarterfinals following a loss to Vanderbilt.

–GET TO KNOW
Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe (16.4 points, 13.1 rebounds per game) is a main event attraction if you like getting a glimpse at future NBA talent rivaled only by Edey at Purdue …

Max Abmas, one of the architects of Oral Roberts’ Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 in 2021, is still one of the nation’s top scorers (22.2 points per game) and looking to lead the Golden Eagles on another such run.

USC point guard Boogie Ellis could make a major impact for the 10th-seeded Trojans as he enters the tournament averaging 18 points and 3.7 assists.

–SPREAD THE NEWS
The 7-10 matchup (Michigan State -2.0) is close to a pick’em between two teams who distribute the ball well with USC’s Ellis and Michigan State’s A.J. Hoggard.

The 8-9 matchup (Memphis -2.0) is another, although slightly more cautious since now we’ll see how legit Florida Atlantic is following its Conference USA championship season.

Tennessee (-11.0) over Louisiana is a tempting bet to take the Ragin’ Cajuns with the points considering they have the potential to pull off an outright upset.

–OUT OF THE EAST
Marquette. How fitting would it be for Marquette to clinch a Final Four spot at Madison Square Garden, where it just won its first Big East crown?

There’s also reason to back Duke, which is on a nine-game winning streak and appears to have the size to compete with Edey if it faces Purdue in the Sweet 16. Or it could finally be Purdue’s time if its backcourt can complement Edey’s dominant presence inside.

–Field Level Media

Upon missing the NCAA Tournament one year after finishing as national runners-up, North Carolina said in a statement Sunday night that it would not participate in the National Invitation Tournament.

The Tar Heels were the No. 1 team in the AP preseason poll. A 20-13 season followed, ending in a loss to Virginia in the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Thursday.

According to the selection committee, North Carolina wound up as the third team outside the field of 68, after Oklahoma State and Rutgers. North Carolina became the first preseason No. 1 to miss the NCAA Tournament altogether.

The Tar Heels likely would have been a No. 1 seed in the 32-team NIT.

“All season, our focus and goal have been on being the best team we can possibly become and reaching our full potential to give us another opportunity to compete, play for and win an NCAA championship,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said in a statement.

“Although we no longer have that opportunity and this season wasn’t what we had hoped for, I want to thank our players and staff for their hard work and love for Carolina Basketball. Many factors go into postseason play, and we believe now is the time to focus on moving ahead, preparing for next season and the opportunity to again compete for ACC and NCAA championships.”

Davis took over for retired coach Roy Williams in 2021-22 and the Tar Heels made a run to the Final Four as an eight seed, losing to Kansas in the championship game.

Teams generally do not turn down invitations to the NIT, though in 2020-21 season several programs declined to play in the second-tier tournament out of health and safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The NIT field will be revealed later Sunday night.

–Field Level Media

This is the third time the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City has served as the Midwest Regional site. Expect a surprising regional champ if the first two occasions are any indication.

In 2019, fifth-seeded Auburn survived 12th-seeded New Mexico State by one point in the first round before blowing through blue bloods Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky to reach the Final Four.

In 2017, top-seeded Kansas earned the chance to play in Tulsa and Kansas City on the road to the Final Four. The Jayhawks crushed UC-Davis, Michigan State and Purdue — only to suffer a 14-point Elite Eight loss to No. 3 seed Oregon before a heavily pro-Kansas crowd in KC.

–TOP SHOT
Houston ranks as the nation’s No. 1 team according to the NET. Houston ranks as the nation’s No. 1 team according to KenPom. But the Cougars slipped to the No. 2 overall seed due to a 71-65 home loss to Alabama on Dec. 10. Houston’s chances to reach the Final Four in its hometown are directly correlated to Marcus Sasser’s health. Sasser (17.1 ppg) missed Sunday’s AAC title-game loss to Memphis after straining his groin Saturday, but told reporters Sunday he believes he’ll be 100 percent for the NCAA Tournament.

Second-seeded Texas proved it can thrive in Kansas City against the best when the Longhorns thrashed Kansas in Saturday’s Big 12 title game. Like Houston, the Longhorns expect to have a key player back for the NCAAs as Timmy Allen (10.5 ppg) missed the Big 12 tournament with a lower-leg injury.

When healthy, Houston and Texas both go nine-deep and there’s a ton of athleticism, physicality, intensity and skill at both ends of the floor. It would make for an incredible Elite Eight game if both can get there.

–GAMES TO WATCH
4 Indiana vs. 13 Kent State. Since 2018, the MAC’s NCAA entrant has gone 3-1 in the first round — and the only loser (Akron) missed a last-second, game-tying layup last year against UCLA. The Golden Flashes have great fifth-year guards (Sincere Carry and Malique Jacobs) to challenge IU freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino, but does Kent State have enough fouls to slow Trayce Jackson-Davis?

8 Iowa vs. 9 Auburn. The Tigers have gone 4-9 since Jan. 25 — but that includes five road losses by five points or less to NCAA teams. The Hawkeyes are the nation’s fifth-most efficient offensive team but also are struggling lately. Can they push the pace and hit enough 3s to frustrate Auburn and former Iowa assistant coach Bruce Pearl?

5 Miami vs. 12 Drake. The metrics say the ACC regular-season champion Hurricanes are way overseeded and should be closer to a 9 or 10. The Bulldogs aren’t the biggest, strongest or fastest mid-major, but they could be the oldest. Soph Tucker DeVries was the MVC’s Player of the Year, and he’s surrounded by four fifth-year seniors that include unflappable PG Roman Penn.

–GET TO KNOW
Indiana senior Trayce Jackson-Davis ranks third on KenPom’s national Player of the Year rankings. He leads the Hoosiers in scoring (20.8 ppg), rebounding (10.8 rpg), passing (4.1 apg) and blocks (2.7 bpg). IU is best when the offense flows through TJD and the lefty finds open men when double-teamed.

Penn State senior guard Jalen Pickett ranks eighth on KenPom’s list because he’s a triple threat (17.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.7 apg) who powers his way into the paint and sprays the ball to open shooters all around the 3-point arc. He’s why the Nittany Lions have their first bid since 2011.

Houston senior guard Marcus Sasser ranks ninth on KenPom’s list. He’s the Cougars’ go-to guy on offense (17.1 ppg), but he also smothers opposing guards as the tone-setter (1.7 spg) on the nation’s No. 4 defensive unit.

–SPREAD THE NEWS
Penn State’s last eight games have been decided by four points or less — so it makes sense that the 10th-seeded Nittany Lions are just a three-point underdog Thursday against No. 7 Texas A&M. But Penn State has a tight turnaround after playing four games in 72 hours in the Big Ten tournament, which makes this the ultimate teaser line between two hot teams.

Third-seeded Xavier (-12.5) has lost No. 2 scorer and top rebounder Zach Freemantle for the year, but this line seems a little light against a Kennesaw State squad enjoying its first winning season and first NCAA bid. On the other hand, KenPom predicts a 12-point Xavier win.

–OUT OF THE MIDWEST
There’s nothing Houston doesn’t do excellently. The Cougars defend to the death, lead the nation in blocks, rank third in offensive rebounds and won’t be outfought.

One potential Achilles’ heel? The Cougars love to play s-l-o-w.

But second-seeded Texas and third-seeded Xavier have the personnel to speed them up and knock them out.

–Field Level Media

Zach Edey totaled 30 points and 13 rebounds to help No. 5 Purdue hang on for a 67-65 victory over Penn State and secure the Big Ten Conference tournament championship on Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

The top-seeded Boilermakers (29-5) won the Big Ten tournament title for the second time in program history and first time since 2009. It was the first time Purdue, which earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, won both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles in the same year.

Penn State (22-13), the No. 10 seed, was the lowest seed to ever advance to the tournament final. The Nittany Lions will try to make a splash in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 10 seed.

Penn State pulled to within a point with 6.4 seconds remaining. Down five, Myles Dread made a 3-pointer, and Camren Wynter then scored following a steal by Evan Mahaffey. Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer was fouled and made the first free throw at the other end but missed the second, allowing Penn State to collect the rebound and call timeout with 3.3 seconds left. But Wynter bobbled a quick pass at the perimeter from Dread and then traveled with the ball, turning it over with 0.6 seconds left.

Memphis 75, No. 1 Houston 65

Kendric Davis poured in 31 points as the Tigers built a huge lead and held on to upset the Cougars and capture the American Athletic Conference championship in Fort Worth, Texas.

Second-seeded Memphis (26-8) earned the AAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and will be a No. 8 seed. DeAndre Williams added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Tigers, with Alex Lomax scoring 10.

Houston, the AAC’s top seed, still earned a No. 1 seed in the 68-team tournament field. Jamal Shead led Houston with 16 points while Jarace Walker had 13 and J’Wan Roberts scored 12 and took 20 rebounds. The Cougars played without All-American and league player of the year Marcus Sasser, who injured his groin Saturday.

No. 4 Alabama 82, No. 18 Texas A&M 63

Brandon Miller had 23 points and 12 rebounds as the Crimson Tide — the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament — cruised to their second Southeastern Conference tournament title in the past three years, beating the Aggies in Nashville, Tenn.

Miller, the SEC’s Player and Freshman of the Year, added four assists and three steals, while Jahvon Quinerly had 22 points for top-seeded Alabama (29-5). Charles Bediako finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks for Alabama, which won for the seventh time in its past eight games.

Second-seeded Texas A&M (25-9), which saw its four-game winning streak end, was led by Dexter Dennis’ 14 points and five rebounds. Wade Taylor IV scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and Tyrece Radford had 12 points for the Aggies, a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

–Field Level Media

The controversy around the Alabama basketball program didn’t stop the Crimson Tide from being the No. 1 overall seed for the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Alabama is the tournament’s top seed for the first time and was joined by Houston, Kansas and Purdue as the other No. 1 seeds when the bracket was revealed Sunday evening.

The Crimson Tide were placed atop the South Region after a strong 29-5 season that revolved around freshman star Brandon Miller.

But the shooting death of Jamea Harris in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 15 continues to hang over the program. Former player Darius Miles is one of two people charged with the murder and police say Miller transported the gun to the scene.

Miller hasn’t been charged in the case but his reputation has taken a massive hit despite averaging 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds and winning Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors.

Still, Alabama (29-5) won both the SEC regular-season and tournament titles while being among the best programs in the country all season.

“We’re excited to be the No. 1 overall seed,” Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said. “Our players have worked hard and accomplished a lot this year. I couldn’t be more proud of them, what they’ve been able to do. It’s nice they got rewarded with it.”

NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee chair Chris Reynolds said Houston edged Kansas for the No. 2 overall seed.

“Houston was competitive in all their games that they lost except for today (against Memphis) and we understand they were without their best player,” said Reynolds, who is vice president of intercollegiate athletics at Bradley University. “For that reason, we kept Houston as No. 2.”

Cougars star guard Marcus Sasser will enter the tournament in less than top form after injuring a groin during Saturday’s American Athletic Conference tournament semifinals. The Cougars lost to Memphis 75-65 in the final on Sunday without Sasser.

Defending national champion Kansas will have coach Bill Self back on the sidelines after he was released from the hospital Sunday after a mid-week heart procedure in which he had two stents “placed for the treatment of blocked arteries.”

The Jayhawks lost to Texas in the Big 12 tournament title game without Self.

“I am proud of our team and coaching staff for how they have handled this and am excited to be back with them as the best time of the season gets underway,” Self said in a statement.

Purdue edged out UCLA for the final No. 1 seed. Joining the Bruins on the No. 2 line are Texas (sixth overall), Arizona (seventh) and Marquette (eight).

The SEC and Big Ten led the way with eight teams in the 68-team field. The Big 12 had seven and the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East each had five. The Pac-12 and Mountain West placed four apiece in the field.

At the other end of the bracket, Nevada (22-10) of the Mountain West was the final at-large selection in the field. The first team out was Oklahoma State (18-15) of the Big 12.

Reynolds pointed out that Oklahoma State won just one third of its Quad 1 games.

“When you look at their resume, they had 18 opportunities in Quad 1 and they won only six games,” Reynolds said. “They had opportunities in the nonconference schedule to win some games to enhance their resume and they fell a little short.”

Other teams who saw their tournament bubbles burst include Rutgers, North Carolina and Clemson.

The Final Four begins April 1 in Houston. The title game is April 3.

The tournament starts Tuesday with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. No. 16 seeds Southeast Missouri State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi square off, as do No. 11 seeds Pitt and Mississippi State. On Wednesday, No. 16 seeds Fairleigh Dickinson and Texas Southern are in action, as are No. 11 seeds Nevada and Arizona State.

Texas Southern (14-20) is the third 20-loss team ever to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers claimed a berth by winning the SWAC tournament.

–Field Level Media