Earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament improves a team’s chances to win their side of the March Madness bracket by a significant margin. About half of the Final Four participants are usually seeded at the top of a particular region.

No. 1 seeds have a 143-1 record in the first round of March Madness. Only 20 No. 1 seeds have failed to reach the Sweet Sixteen. A pair of No. 1 seeds faced off in last year’s national championship game.

Here are predictions for the No. 1 seeds in the bracket for March Madness 2022.

Gonzaga

The Bulldogs likely secured the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament when they defeated St. Mary’s for the WCC Championship Tuesday. Gonzaga received 52 of the possible 61 first-place votes in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. With a 26-3 record, Gonzaga has only been defeated by teams that are going to be in the March Madness field. They are the prohibitive favorites after losing in last year’s national championship game. Freshman Chet Holmgren might be the top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Arizona

Ranking second in the AP Poll, Arizona should clinch a No. 1 seed by winning the Pac-12 Tournament. By doing so, the Wildcats would finish with a 31-3 record, the best mark of any team in a major conference. Arizona has marquee wins over Illinois, UCLA and USC, whom the Wildcats beat twice. Arizona ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

Kansas

Baylor’s early elimination in the Big 12 Tournament has cleared the way for Kansas to win the conference championship. It could be difficult for the selection committee to not give the Jayhawks a No. 1 seed after winning a share of the regular-season title and the conference tournament championship. Kansas’ six defeats are tied for the most of any potential No. 1 seed, but all of those losses came at the hands of teams that are at least on the bubble.

Kentucky

When Kentucky blew out Kansas 80-62 on Jan. 29, it sent a message that the Wildcats might be headed for a No. 1 seed. Considering how strong the top of the SEC has been this season, Kentucky will have a strong case if it wins the conference tournament. Auburn has stumbled down the stretch, giving Kentucky a great chance to claim the SEC title. Four of Kentucky’s six losses have come against top-15 opponents. Oscar Tshiebwe is the National Player of the Year favorite.

Gonzaga Basketball
The Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrate on the court after their 88-78 victory over the Brigham Young Cougars to win the championship game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 9, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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