Kentucky Is the Overall #1 Seed, Louisville a 4-Seed in 2015 NCAA Tournament

Selection Sunday is my Christmas. Well, it's another type of Christmas for me. I love it. I get out the notebook on which I have already constructed my own bracket and fill it in as they start naming schools. This year, I already had one filled in before the announcement.

That's right, the Kentucky Wildcats, thanks in (ahem) no small part to their 34-0 record, were tabbed as the NCAA Tournament's overall #1 seed in the Midwest Region. UK will open play in Louisville against the winner of a Tuesday play-in game between Manhattan (coached by former Wildcat Steve Masiello) and Hampton.

That game will happen Thursday night somewhere between 8:30 and 9PM. There's a Cincinnati/Purdue game at the KFC Yum! Center at 6:10. So the Kentucky game is slated for 30 minutes after that one ends.

Speaking of Louisville, the Cardinals kind of got the short end of the stick in terms of placement. By the time the Cards got selected, all nearby venues were taken, so they will open play in the East Region, ironically, in SEATTLE of all places.

Basically, I think it's an unfair draw for Louisville since they'll open against 13-seeded UC-Irvine. And it doesn't take a genius to know that Irvine, California is a WHOOOOOLE lot closer to Seattle than Louisville, Kentucky.

Anyway, the Cards and the Anteaters (yes, the ANTEATERS--my favorite mascot name in the tourney) will tip off somewhere between 3 and 3:30 Friday afternoon. Again, we're talking about another situation where there's a game in the same venue prior to the Cards and UCI, so there'll be a half-hour lapse between that game and Louisville's.

For a complete look at the schedule of all games, click here.

For a printable bracket, click here.

There are some interesting possibilities in Kentucky's region, including potential rematches with Texas and Kansas, not to mention Wichita State. Remember last year's epic hook-up with the Shockers in the Round of 32?

As for Louisville, the East Region offers possible games against former Big East rivals Villanova and Providence as well as a potential rematch with current ACC rival (and a team the Cards beat just a little over a week ago) Virginia.

I love this! It's gonna be a blast!

Oh, hey, why don't you play the Million Dollar Bracket Challenge? Like it says, you could win a bundle! Good luck!