Despite losing two games last week to end their 23-game unbeaten start, the Arizona Wildcats were still assigned a tentative No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed in the selection committee’s early reveal Saturday.
The Wildcats (24-2) were named the third overall No. 1 seed and assigned to the West Region during a reveal show on CBS. Joining them in the West as of Saturday's show were Purdue (21-5) as the No. 2 seed, Gonzaga (26-2) as the No. 3 and Michigan State (21-5) as the No. 4.
If those assignments hold up when official selections are announced on March 15, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd could face his former program in a West Region Elite Eight game for the right to reach the Final Four in Indianapolis. Lloyd spent two decades on the Gonzaga staff before becoming UA's coach in 2021-22.
Michigan (25-1) was named the No. 1 overall seed, while Duke (24-2) was the second No. 1 seed and Iowa State (23-3) the fourth. Houston (23-3) was named a No. 2 seed and sixth overall selection entering its game with Arizona on Saturday.
Arizona will face plenty of challenges to maintain their No. 1 seed when Selection Sunday comes around. After they play at Houston later Saturday, the Wildcats still have to play Kansas and Iowa State at home while also playing away games at Baylor and Colorado.
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) swings from the rim after slamming down a dunk during a big run against BYU in the second half of their Big 12 game, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tucson.
On Friday, ESPN’s bracketology projected the Wildcats would open against 16th seeded Long Island in San Diego in the first round and, if they win, face the winner between Iowa and Saint Mary’s in the second round.
Arizona has been a regular exhibition and closed scrimmage opponent of Saint Mary’s in recent seasons, and this season beat the Gaels 81-68 in an Oct. 18 exhibition at McKale.
The Wildcats have been a No. 1 seed in seven of their 35 alltime NCAA Tournament appearances, the last in 2021-22. That season, the first that Lloyd coached the Wildcats, Arizona reached the Sweet 16 before getting upset by Houston in San Antonio.
Arizona has reached the Final Four only once as a No. 1 seed, making it to the national semifinals in 1988 before losing to Oklahoma. The Wildcats reached the 1994 and 2001 Final Four as a No. 2 seed, while winning the NCAA title in 1997 as a No. 4 seed.
The full list of the top 16 seeds as announced during Saturday's show, with overall seed in parentheses:
West Region
(Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in San Jose, Calif.)
1. Arizona (3)
2. Purdue (8)
3. Gonzaga (12)
4. Michigan State (14)
South Region
(Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Houston)
1. Iowa State (4)
2. UConn (5)
3. Nebraska (11)
4. Texas Tech (13)
Midwest Region
(Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Chicago)
1. Michigan (1)
2. Houston (6)
3. Florida (9)
4. Virginia (16)
East Region
(Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Washington, D.C.)
1. Duke (2)
2. Illinois (7)
3. Kansas (10)
4. Vanderbilt (15)
