Iowa State basketball bracketology update: Cyclones on verge of No. 2 seed
Iowa State men's basketball fans can begin the countdown to Selection Sunday knowing the Cyclones will be safely in the NCAA Tournament.
Video above: Iowa State rises to No. 6 in new AP Top 25
With five regular season games to go, ISU's March Madness possibilities are becoming more focused. The Cyclones are still fighting for a Big 12 regular season title — although their hopes took a hit in Monday night's 73-65 loss at No. 2 Houston — but each game could also have postseason implications.
Last week, Iowa State was a No. 3 seed by most projections, with the possibility of playing the first two rounds in Omaha.
Here's where things stand as the regular season nears its conclusion.
Iowa State basketball NCAA Tournament resume
Record: 20-6 (9-4 in Big 12 play)
NET: 8
Strength of Record (SOR): 6
Strength of Schedule (SOS): 18
Notable wins: Houston, Kansas, at Texas, at TCU, at Cincinnati
You can view .
Bracketology updates: Iowa State remains a No. 3 seed, but no longer in Omaha
Bracket Matrix, a site that tracks dozens of bracketologists, shows Iowa State as the top No. 3 seed with an average seed of 2.87. ISU is a No. 3 seed or better in 97 out of the 98 brackets to be updated within the last week.
, released Tuesday morning, shows Iowa State as a No. 3 seed in the East Region. Iowa State would play its first (and potentially second) game in Pittsburgh. The Cyclones would take on No. 14 seed Vermont in the first round before potentially facing No. 6 seed Colorado State in the second round.
Playing in the East Region means the Cyclones would eventually head to Boston for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight if they were to make it that far in the tournament. Defending national champions Connecticut are the projected No. 1 seed in the East Region.
A new bracket from CBS, updated Tuesday morning, mirrored ESPN's projections for Iowa State very closely. The Cyclones are a No. 3 seed in Pittsburgh once again, albeit vs. a different No. 14 seed (Charleston) and a different region.
would place Iowa State in the Midwest Region, with Purdue as the No. 1 and a potential Sweet 16/Elite Eight run taking the Cyclones to Detroit instead of Boston.
An update from ESPN's Joe Lunardi after Tuesday's games put Iowa State back above Baylor, meaning the Cyclones would take the second Omaha spot instead of the Bears.
Will Iowa State play in Omaha for the NCAA Tournament?
A notable difference from last week's brackets: Iowa State is no longer in Omaha for the first and second rounds. Instead, fellow Big 12 teams Kansas (No. 2 seed in both ESPN and CBS brackets) and Baylor (No. 3 seed) would head to Omaha.
First and second round host cities are not tied to regions or seed numbers; instead, the top 16 teams (every team seeded No. 1 through No. 4 in the final bracket) are numbered off, with the best remaining team assigned to the nearest available site. Each of the eight locations will host two of the top 16 teams.
In other words, Iowa State will need to finish above one (or both) of Kansas and Baylor on the committee's final seed list in order to earn a trip to Omaha. CBS' seed list shows Kansas as the final No. 2 seed, followed immediately by Baylor and Iowa State.
Up next: Iowa State hosts West Virginia
Iowa State goes from arguably its toughest game of the Big 12 slate to its easiest.
The Cyclones host West Virginia (8-17, 3-9 in Big 12 play) on Saturday with a chance to earn their 10th Big 12 win of the season.
If you're hoping to watch the Cyclones in Omaha next month, root against Baylor and Kansas. Baylor plays at BYU Tuesday before hosting Houston Saturday, while Kansas takes on Texas Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.