Perhaps the most anticipated part of Monday's third and final reveal was that the NCAA Division I women's basketball committee included the potential regional assignment for each of its top 16 seeds.
All eyes were on Baylor, which is about as close to a No. 1 seed as you can get without actually being one. The committee put the Lady Bears -- who were No. 5 overall -- in Lexington, Kentucky, where No. 3 overall seed Louisville is the top seed.
Geography could have dictated that Baylor be placed in Kansas City, which is the closest regional site to Waco. But that would have meant Baylor was in the same region as Mississippi State, the second overall seed.
Instead, since Baylor must board a plane for the regional round anyway, the committee seemingly decided it was better for the balance of the bracket to have Baylor fly a little further to Lexington. It's a good move that most -- other than maybe Louisville coach Jeff Walz -- should be satisfied with.
Now Mississippi State is lined up with the No. 8 team (Texas) in the Kansas City Regional. It still puts a Big 12 team in Big 12 country for attendance purposes but doesn't create a possible Elite Eight matchup that most would consider Final Four-worthy.
A look at more insight gained from Monday's reveal, which also added a new perspective on at least one team.
Ohio State back in
The Buckeyes were No. 10 in the first reveal but left out of the second. They're back in, and Ohio State's return isn't as buzzworthy as the fact it probably shouldn't have been removed three weeks ago.
What is curious, however, is that the same committee that omitted the Buckeyes has them back in at No. 13. Ohio State hasn't exactly set the world on fire since the last reveal, with wins against Wisconsin, Illinois, Rutgers and Purdue. That's good, but far from extraordinary. And amid the four wins, the Buckeyes got drilled at South Florida. As standalone results, these don't seem enough to warrant a jump from, at best, No. 17 to No. 13 overall.
This is where it's important to remember that no individual team or single part of this process operates in a vacuum. Ohio State's move back into the top 16 had as much (or more) to do with the struggles of Michigan and Texas A&M, which each fell out, and the fact that the committee didn't find NC State's case for a top-16 seed as compelling.
It's also interesting to note that Ohio State is ahead of Maryland (No. 14). The two are tied atop the Big Ten, and the Terrapins beat the Buckeyes by 30 in late January. Yes, Ohio State's metrics (ratings percentage index, strength of schedule, top-50 RPI wins) are better, but they were also better three weeks ago when Maryland was placed at least four spots ahead of Ohio State.
Tennessee remains a No. 3 seed
Despite their recent two-game skid, the Lady Vols remained on the No. 3 line, at No. 12 overall, just one spot lower than they were in the Feb. 1 reveal.
This isn't a surprise, but much like the Ohio State placement, the fact that the Lady Vols didn't fall far has more to do with a lack of other worthy teams rising up to take their spot.
It seems now that if Tennessee can get back on track, avoid any more upsets and perform reasonably well in the SEC tournament, a No. 3 seed can be expected on Selection Monday. Staying in SEC country to play in the Lexington Regional after two games in Knoxville, Tennessee, should have most Lady Vols fans fairly happy.
South Carolina also stands pat
The Gamecocks lost their first two games since the last reveal, but they were against two of the best -- and only undefeated teams -- in the country in UConn and Mississippi State. No one should be penalized for a pair of losses everyone else would also suffer. South Carolina has won four straight games since and stayed at No. 7 overall, the same spot the Gamecocks held in the last reveal.
However, South Carolina hasn't looked quite right. Wins are wins, but the Gamecocks weren't impressive for big stretches in those games. Still, it was enough for the committee, even though Texas and Florida State -- the two teams right behind the Gamecocks in the past two reveals -- have looked much better as of late and have better RPI and SOS numbers.
Being No. 7 might have little satisfaction, however, because the committee placed the Gamecocks in the same region as UConn. And that might be the biggest takeaway Monday. Even if South Carolina had been No. 8 or No. 9 overall, the collision course in the Albany Regional was going to happen in this reveal -- and the Gamecocks might not have the ability to play their way out of that the rest of the season.