In the annual primer on the NCAA Tournament selection process, it is revealed that the committee evaluates teams based on four key questions. While various ranking systems and statistics are considered, they do not play a significant role in the final decision-making process.

One such ranking system is the NCAA's own NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool), which heavily relies on margin of victory. However, the NET is not used for selecting or seeding teams; its only purpose is to place teams in quadrants on team sheets. Therefore, the rankings of a team's opponents are more crucial than its own ranking.

KenPom.com, another prominent ranking system, also emphasizes margin of victory. Despite its statistical brilliance, Ken Pomeroy advised the NCAA not to use his rankings as they do not align with the committee's intentions. Nevertheless, his rankings, along with Kevin Pauga's (KPI) and the two ESPN ratings (BPI, SOR), are included on the team sheets viewed by committee members. However, these rankings do not significantly impact the selection process.

While quadrant records are important, not all Quad 1 opponents are considered equal. The devil lies in the details, implying that considering quadrant records and computer rankings alone would not be sufficient for the selection process, which typically spans five days of deliberations.

Conference performance, including records and standings, holds little importance in the selection process. The committee is primarily concerned with identifying the automatic qualifier for each conference, as the strength of conference schedules can vary significantly.

Nonconference schedules, on the other hand, hold significance. A poor nonconference schedule can negatively impact a team's chances of making it to the tournament. Power conference teams that face weaker nonconference schedules before struggling in their respective leagues often find themselves on the outside looking in.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no concept of a conference "deserving" a certain number of spots in the tournament. The selection process solely focuses on a team's performance during the current season.

Past tournament performance, whether by a team or a conference, is not considered in the selection process. Teams are evaluated solely on their current season's accomplishments.

As the NCAA Tournament selection process unfolds, various data points and rankings may be present on team sheets, but their value and impact vary among committee members. The selection process encompasses a thorough examination of teams' performances and schedules, aiming to ensure a fair and accurate representation of the best teams in college basketball.