NCAA Tournament 2017: Which No. 1 seed likely reaches Final Four?

College Basketball: NCAA Playoffs: Villanova Ryan Arcidiacono (15) victorious, holding up South Regional Championship trophy with teammates after winning game vs Kansas at KFC YUM! Center.Louisville, KY 3/26/2016CREDIT: Greg Nelson (Photo by Greg Nelson /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)(Set Number: SI-296 TK1 ) /

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Mar 11, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) watches his shot during the first half of the Big East Conference Tournament final game against the Creighton Bluejays at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

East: Villanova Wildcats

Nothing is a guarantee in March, but the Wildcats should be able to roll to the Elite Eight, giving them the best overall chance to reach Phoenix of any No. 1 seed. A potential matchup with Duke looms in the Elite Eight, which has a chance to be the best game of the entire tournament.

Assuming a first round win, the Wildcats will move on to take on sliding Wisconsin or Virginia Tech in the second round. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see any of Florida, Virginia, UNC-Wilmington or East Tennessee State in the Sweet 16, as the opening weekend pod in Orlando could get wild.

Things would get really interesting in the Regional Final, as Duke is the most purely talented team in the nation and is coming off an impressive run through the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils have been prone to inconsistent stretches of play to say the least, so Baylor and SMU at least have a small chance.

Wisconsin or Virginia Tech aren’t the easiest 8/9 foes, but Villanova can take advantage of the major flaws on either team thanks to its balance. While Virginia is likely the team the Wildcats would like to avoid in the Sweet 16 after the two played a tight game in Philadelphia on Jan.29, the Cavaliers’ offense has since fallen off in a major way.

The titanic potential Elite Eight showdown for Duke is tough to project, as both teams share strengths and weaknesses. Villanova could find plenty of offensive success inside the arc against a shaky Duke interior defense, but Duke’s shooters could go off on anyone, and Jayston Tatum looks like a tough matchup for the Wildcats.

Even with the coin flip matchup in the Regional Final, the Wildcats have to be considered a slight favorite among the one seeds thanks to their manageable path earlier on.

Final Four chances: 7/10

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