Even the chairman of the tight-lipped NCAA selection committee can't deny this simple fact: Heading into this week's conference tournaments, there's Kentucky and Syracuse, and then everybody else.

In a teleconference to preview Sunday's release of the NCAA tournament pairings, committee chairman Jeff Hathaway all but handed two of the four top seeds to the Wildcats and Orange, each of whom entered their conference tournaments at 30-1.

Hathaway said Wednesday that a number of teams are lumped into consideration for the other top seeds, along with the No. 2 seeds. Though he didn't get specific, Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri and Michigan State are among those in the mix for remaining top spots.

The brackets come out Sunday evening, with the tournament starting Tuesday.