NCAA Selection Committee Sees Kentucky as Higher Seed Than Experts

The Wildcats are projected as a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament mock selection exercise.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The NCAA Selection Committee is higher on the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team than many experts and bracketologists. In a mock selection exercise, the committee placed Kentucky as a No. 6 seed, despite the team's recent Quad 2 loss to Georgia. The committee emphasized a new metric called 'Wins Above Bubble' (WAB) that measures a team's accomplishments against its schedule compared to an average bubble team. Kentucky ranks 26th in WAB, suggesting the committee views the Wildcats more favorably than their current No. 6 seed projection.

Why it matters

This insight into the Selection Committee's process and evaluation of Kentucky provides hope for the Wildcats' NCAA Tournament seeding, even after a recent loss that has some experts doubting their chances. The committee's focus on advanced metrics like WAB, rather than just wins and losses, suggests Kentucky may end up with a higher seed than anticipated on Selection Sunday.

The details

During the mock selection exercise, media members were tasked with determining the top 20 teams in the NCAA Tournament field. After the top 5 seeds were set, the NCAA auto-filled the remaining seeds, placing Kentucky as a No. 6 seed playing Tulsa in Oklahoma City. This is higher than the No. 6 seed Kentucky currently holds in most bracketology projections. The committee emphasized a new metric called 'Wins Above Bubble' (WAB) that measures a team's accomplishments against its schedule compared to an average bubble team. Kentucky ranks 26th in WAB, suggesting the committee views the Wildcats more favorably than their current projected seed.

  • The NCAA Tournament Bracket Preview will air on CBS on Saturday, February 22, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET.
  • The NCAA holds an annual mock selection exercise for media members in Indianapolis to illustrate the committee's process.

The players

Kentucky Wildcats

The men's basketball team from the University of Kentucky, a perennial NCAA Tournament contender.

Dan Gavitt

The NCAA senior vice president of basketball who emphasized the importance of the 'Wins Above Bubble' (WAB) metric during the mock selection process.

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What they’re saying

“A popular refrain around BBN after the Georgia loss is, 'This team isn't even going to make the tournament.' That is obviously a stretch.”

— Nick Roush, Author (on3.com)

What’s next

The NCAA Tournament selection committee will convene in March to determine the official 68-team field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, including Kentucky's final seed.

The takeaway

The NCAA Selection Committee's emphasis on advanced metrics like 'Wins Above Bubble' suggests they view Kentucky more favorably than many experts, providing hope for the Wildcats to earn a higher seed on Selection Sunday than currently projected.