Kentucky's road to the Final Four isn't too obstacle-laden
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Kentucky's path to the Final Four doesn't look too daunting.
The top seeds in the Midwest Region are a Kansas team it defeated by 32 points earlier this season, a Notre Dame team with a history of struggling in the NCAA tournament and a Maryland team making its first appearance since 2010.
Kentucky earned the NCAA tournament's No. 1 overall seed as expected and will face either Manhattan or Hampton in the round of 64 and either Purdue or Cincinnati in the round of 32. Kansas is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, while Notre Dame is the No. 3 and Maryland is the No. 4.
CBS traditionally has revealed the four No. 1 seeds at the beginning of the selection show, but it opted not to do that this year to drag out the suspense. Wisconsin (31-3), Duke (29-4), and Villanova (32-2) were given the other No. 1 seeds. Virginia (29-3) was snubbed and ended up as a No. 2 seed in Villanova's region.
The race for the final No. 1 seeds took on greater importance this season because of the assurance of not having to face top-ranked Kentucky until at least the Final Four. The Wildcats (34-0) are the first team from a power conference to enter the NCAA tournament unbeaten since Indiana's undefeated national title team did it in 1976.
Midwest region
1. Kentucky
16. Manhattan/Hampton
8. Cincinnati
9. Purdue
5. West Virginia
12. Buffalo
4. Maryland
13. Valparaiso
6. Butler
11. Texas
3. Notre Dame
14. Northeastern
7. Wichita State
10. Indiana
2. Kansas
15. New Mexico State
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East Region
1. Villanova
16. Lafayette
8. NC State
9. LSU
5. Northern Iowa
12. Wyoming
4. Louisville
13. UC Irvine
6. Providence
11. Boise State/Dayton
3. Oklahoma
14. Albany
7. Michigan State
10. Georgia
2. Virginia
15. Belmont
South Region
1. Duke
16. North Florida/Robert Morris
8. San Diego State
9. St. John's
5. Utah
12. SF Austin
4. Georgetown
13. Eastern Washington
6. SMU
11. UCLA
3. Iowa State
14. UAB
7. Iowa
10. Davidson
2. Gonzaga
15. North Dakota State
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West Region
1. Wisconsin
16. Coastal Carolina
8. Oregon
9. Oklahoma State
5. Arkansas
12. Wofford
4. North Carolina
13. Harvard
6. Xavier
11. BYU/Ole Miss
3. Baylor
14. Georgia State
7. VCU
10. Ohio State
2. Arizona
15. Texas Southern
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
