Part 5/9:
Drawing parallels with college basketball, there’s a precedent of teams from lesser-known conferences receiving higher seeds based on misleading records without facing true competition. Past instances, such as Wichita State's number one seed despite a lack of rigorous challenge, illustrate that this kind of inflation doesn’t foster true competition. When evaluating criteria for top-seed placements, it’s essential to discern the actual caliber of competition faced.