Top 11 college basketball teams guaranteed to make the NCAA Tournament ft. Purdue, Houston and more

For some, NCAA Tournament selection will come down to a nervous Selection Sunday, but not so much for Purdue, Houston and a few other teams, as they are pretty much already in. While there are still plenty of games to be played, some teams have made strong enough cases to be all but certainly in the field.

Here are 11 teams deemed to have a 100% chance to be chosen, according to College Basketball Report's team rankings, and let's see why these schools are in the shape they are in.

Top 11 college basketball teams guaranteed to make the NCAA Tournament

#1. Purdue

Purdue center Zach Edey, returning National Player of the Year, is all but guaranteed an NCAA Tournament appearance this season.

This one doesn't qualify as a shocker. With the sport's returning Player of the Year in Zach Edey, a No. 2 ranking in the latest AP poll and an 18-2 record, Purdue's ticket for the Big Dance is very much punched. That 18-2 mark also comes against one of the nation's toughest schedules, and if Purdue isn't invincible, it's pretty close.

#2. Houston

Kelvin Sampson's team doesn't have anything to prove. The Cougars sit at 17-2 and ranked fourth in the most recent AP poll. Defense makes UH so fearsome, as opponents average an NCAA-lowest 51.9 points per game. Fresh off an impressive win at BYU, it seems reasonable to say Houston is in the NCAA field already.

#3. North Carolina

Even if the Atlantic Coast Conference provides some hiccups for UNC, the Tar Heels should already be in the NCAA Tournament field. Sitting at 16-3 and ranked third in the nation, UNC boasts an almost unmatchable inside-outside duo in guard RJ Davis and post player Armando Bacot. With his team scoring 83.5 ppg, Hubert Davis's team is in the Big Dance already.

#4. Tennessee

Given how jumbled the Southeastern Conference is, this might surprise a few. But consider the fifth-ranked Vols (14-4) as a team already set for the NCAA Tournament. Transfer guard Dalton Knecht might be the SEC Player of the Year, and UT is holding opponents to under 38% shooting, the fifth lowest in college basketball. Book the Vols for the NCAA Tournament immediately.

#5. Arizona

Arizona guard Caleb Love leads a team that is pretty much certainly in the NCAA Tournament already.

Tommy Lloyd's team has quietly all but guaranteed its NCAA prospects. The Wildcats are 14-4 and ranked 9th in the AP poll. With Caleb Love leading an offense that averages 89.9 points per game (second-best in the sport), Arizona has had an impressive season. They're in the Big Dance field.

#6. Auburn

Bruce Pearl's Tigers had a tough loss (79-75) at Alabama on Wednesday night, but it doesn't change the fact that their NCAA Tournament case has already been made. Eighth-ranked Auburn (16-3) has outscored its average opponent by 17 points, a trend that could carry them far.

#7. Alabama

On the other hand, the Tide, fresh off besting Auburn, might surprise many. At 13-6, Alabama is unranked, but the math says the Tide have done enough work to merit an NCAA bid. Mark Sears leads an offense that is fourth-best in college hoops at 88.6 ppg, and his team only has a single loss in January.

#8. Kansas

Meanwhile, back in the grouping of unsurprising teams, here's the Jayhawks. Sitting at 16-3, Kansas has a great 1-2 punch with Kevin McCullar and Hunter Dickinson. While KU is just 3-2 in its last five games, there's enough good basketball from the Jayhawks to proclaim that they have earned an NCAA spot.

#9. Illinois

Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini have NCAA Tournament status already in hand. At 14-5, the 10th-ranked Illini will still have to battle a tough league that has seen them go 3-3 in their last six games. But with Terrence Shannon and a team ranked fifth in the nation in rebounding, Illinois is in the Big Dance.

#10. Wisconsin

The Badgers, 15-4 and 13th in the national poll, have hit their stride in conference play. Sitting at 7-1 in the Big Ten, the Badgers are atop a tough league. Sophomore guard AJ Storr went to four high schools and two colleges in the last six years but seems to have found a home at Camp Randall. Seven-foot standout Steven Crowl is also worth watching for a Wisconsin team that has punched its NCAA Tourney ticket.

#11. Dayton

The Dayton Flyers aren't a big name like North Carolina or Kansas, but their resume is still stout. Sitting at 16-2 and ranked 16th, Anthony Grant's team is legitimate. Junior forward DaRon Holmes III could be an NBA guy, and Dayton has reeled off 10 straight wins. Consider them in the NCAA field.