Selection Sunday winners and losers

Selection Sunday has come and gone and our esteemed bracketologists can retire to their bunkers for another year. There are games to be played.

But some teams will be more pleased than others about their potential path to the Final Four in Minneapolis. Not all seeds are created equal, and some power programs have reason to be perturbed by the committee’s selections. Meanwhile, an underdog found its way to the dance, much to the delight of the viewing public.

Here are our winners and losers from Selection Sunday.

Winners

ACC

The ACC came away with three No. 1 seeds after Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina each received the top spot in their respective regions. This is the first time a conference has earned three top seeds in the NCAA Tournament since the Big East had Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Connecticut atop their sections of the bracket in 2009.

Three of the top-ranked teams in the nation played in the ACC Tournament's semifinals, and it's only right for that same scenario to be possible in the Final Four.

Belmont Bruins

Things were looking grim for Belmont following its Ohio Valley Tournament loss to Murray State. Ja Morant went off in the final, registering 36 points in yet another signature performance.

Though Rick Byrd's team boasted a 26-5 record, a conference tournament championship appeared to be the Bruins' only shot at getting a ticket to the dance. The argument against them was straightforward: Who did they beat? In the end, the committee got it right, rewarding an incredible season from Dylan Windler and Co. Now, Belmont will battle Temple for the 11-seed in the East.

Wofford Terriers

The Terriers' 18-0 run in Southern Conference play was rewarded when the selection committee granted them the seventh seed in the Midwest. It's the highest slot ever awarded to a Southern Conference team - including Stephen Curry’s 2008 Davidson squad, which reached the Elite Eight that season.

While a potential meeting with No. 4 Kentucky awaits should Wofford advance to the Round of 32, the Terriers can shoot the lights out. The school ranks second in the nation in 3-point percentage (41.6) and sixth in threes made per game (11.0). Wofford also boasts senior guard Fletcher McGee, who's second in Division I history with 502 3-pointers made (trailing Travis Bader by two triples).

Losers

Michigan State

Tom Izzo has reason to be upset. His Spartans overcame the odds all season, losing key players to injury but capturing the Big Ten regular-season crown with a pair of signature wins over the hated Wolverines. Michigan State followed that up by taking the Big Ten Tournament, beating Michigan again in the final.

The Big Ten received eight tournament bids overall, which was the most from any conference and a testament to Michigan State's impressive season. So what did Izzo and his charges earn for their efforts? The No. 2 seed in the East with top overall seed Duke. That’s tough.

Pac-12

The Conference of Champions endured one of its worst seasons in years but managed to sneak three teams into the Big Dance - largely thanks to Oregon's upset of Washington in the Pac-12 Tournament final. Arizona State rounds out the trio of schools representing the conference. Yet Selection Sunday should still be viewed as a disappointment.

Washington is the Pac-12's highest seed - slotted ninth in the Midwest region - despite winning the regular-season title, while Arizona State needs to play for a Round of 64 spot in the First Four. Mid-majors Buffalo and Wofford fared better, seeded sixth and seventh in their respective regions.

Wisconsin

The fifth-seeded Badgers probably deserved a better fate after a strong Big Ten regular season - featuring a win over No. 10 Michigan - and a run to the semifinals at the conference tournament. Wisconsin's first-round opponent is Oregon, which enters the NCAA tourney fresh off a conference title and riding an eight-game win streak.

The Round of 64 matchup is in San Jose, Calif., which could entice a decent contingent from Eugene, Ore., to make the trip. If the Badgers reach the Sweet 16, No. 2 overall Virginia might await.