This past week, I took my first stab at putting together this year’s iteration of SI’s Magic Eight, the tradition wherein we offer a group of eight teams—no more than six from the AP poll’s top eight, and at least one from outside the top 15—from which the national champion will emerge. Compiling the list is a mix of analysis and instinct, but one of the guiding principles tends to be that the national champion will be a team with demonstrable balance: among the 16 title-winners in the Kenpom.com era, the median pre-tourney offensive and defensive efficiency ratings have been four and 12.
How the Composition of an NCAA Tournament Champion Has Changed
