Selection committee chairman Keith Gill explained that Iowa State edged out UConn and Houston for the final 1-seed. The decision hinged on Iowa State's head-to-head win against Houston and UConn's superior top-three wins.
The Huskies and Cougars are slotted as the No. 5 and 6 seeds, respectively, while UConn and Houston battle for the second line. Selection Sunday remains a month away, though preliminary data suggests stability for the top seeds.