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Selection Sunday: Where New Jersey's teams might land in NCAA Tournament, NIT

jerry carino, asbury park press
·3 min read
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Mar 10, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Cam Spencer (10) is congratulated by guard Derek Simpson (0) after scoring against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Cam Spencer (10) is congratulated by guard Derek Simpson (0) after scoring against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The drama is building for Rutgers basketball.

To a lesser extent, it’s building for Fairleigh Dickinson, Princeton and Seton Hall, too.

Selection Sunday is one of the great unveilings in all of sports, and the New Jersey college hoops community will have a stake when the brackets are unveiled – the NCAA Tournament field at 6 p.m. on CBS, and then the NIT field at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.

Here’s a look at where Garden State programs could be going and who they might be facing when March Madness gets underway in the coming days.

Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights should squeeze into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed (they are a No. 11 right now in the reliable Facts & Bracks bracketology). The hazier question is: Will they play in the First Four in Dayton March 14-15 – or get a spot in the main bracket? Brad Wachtel, publisher of Facts & Brackets, has them in Dayton, right at the cutoff of the Dayton/bye cut line.

Potential opponents in the First Four: Pittsburgh, N.C. State, Arizona State, Utah State, Mississippi State, Providence, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt, Nevada.

Potential opponents if Rutgers goes directly into the main bracket: Kentucky, TCU, San Diego State, Creighton, Saint Mary’s, Texas A&M.

Potential sites: It’s unlikely the selection committee will place Rutgers in Albany, thereby giving a double-digit seed an advantage over a better seed, unless another regional team (would have to be UConn) is the opponent. Keep an eye on Columbus, Des Moines and Greensboro as potential landing sites. Also, the Scarlet Knights’ seed might be bad enough that it gets placed in the East Region (with the assumption that it won’t reach the regional), which could pay off down the line.

FDU's Joe Munden Jr. and Ansley Almonor help a teammate up in the NEC Tournament semifinals at the Rothman Center
FDU's Joe Munden Jr. and Ansley Almonor help a teammate up in the NEC Tournament semifinals at the Rothman Center

Fairleigh Dickinson

It’s safe to assume the Knights will be a No. 16 seed in the First Four in Dayton March 14-15. Potential opponents include Texas Southern, Northern Kentucky, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Howard and Southeast Missouri.

Which No. 1 seed they would face after a win there – Kansas, Alabama, Houston or Purdue, is anybody’s guess.

Princeton

After winning the Ivy League Tournament, the Tigers likely will be a No. 14 seed. Potential opponents include Baylor, Gonzaga, Kansas State, Marquette, UConn and Tennessee. Any of these games would take place in the opponent’s region. If it’s UConn, Princeton would be in Albany.

DePaul Blue Demons center Nick Ongenda (14) blocks a shot at the buzzer by Seton Hall Pirates guard Femi Odukale (21) during the second half at Madison Square Garden.
DePaul Blue Demons center Nick Ongenda (14) blocks a shot at the buzzer by Seton Hall Pirates guard Femi Odukale (21) during the second half at Madison Square Garden.

Seton Hall

The Pirates are headed to the NIT for the first time since 2012. John Templon, who runs a well-regarded NIT bracketology site, has them hosting as a No. 3 seed (seeds 1 through 4 host a first-round game on Tuesday or Wednesday; if the Hall hosts, it will be in Walsh Gym). Since geography drives the first-round matchups in the NIT, Colonial Athletic Association regular-season champion Hofstra is a potential opponent; so is Ivy League regular-season champion Yale.

Another possibility: Virginia Tech. While that doesn't seem local on the surface, at the moment the only other northeastern team locked into Templon’s 32-team NIT bracket is Villanova. Seton Hall vs. Villanova won't happen this week; conference opponents cannot face off in the first or second round.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Selection Sunday: Where NJ teams might land in NCAA Tournament, NIT