This is March.
Between now and Selection Sunday, each day I’ll give a “BRACKET BREAKDOWN” with my 68 projected teams for the 2025 NCAA Tournament along with my Top 16 seeds as well as emerging trends.
The team who is currently in first place in their respective conference will be listed as that league’s “automatic qualifier” while the team that’s clinched an automatic qualifier will have a * next to its name.
The Current Field
Atlantic Sun (1)
Lipscomb (AQ) *clinched AQ
America East (1)
Bryant (AQ)
American Athletic Conference (1)
Memphis (AQ)
Atlantic 10 (1)
VCU (AQ)
ACC (3)
Duke (AQ), Clemson, Louisville
Big 12 (8)
Houston (AQ), Kansas, Iowa State, Arizona, Baylor, West Virginia, Texas Tech, BYU
Big East (5)
St. John’s (AQ), Marquette, UConn, Creighton, Xavier
Big Sky (1)
Northern Colorado (AQ)
Big South (1)
High Point (AQ) *clinched AQ
Big Ten (9)
Michigan State (AQ), UCLA, Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Wisconsin, Maryland, Oregon, Indiana
Big West (1)
UC San Diego (AQ)
CAA (1)
UNCW (AQ) *clinched AQ
Conference-USA (1)
Liberty (AQ)
Horizon League (1)
Robert Morris (AQ) *clinched AQ
Ivy League (1)
Yale (AQ)
MAAC (1)
Quinnipiac (AQ)
MAC (1)
Akron (AQ)
MEAC (1)
Norfolk State (AQ)
Missouri Valley (1)
Drake (AQ) *clinched AQ
Mountain West (4)
New Mexico (AQ), Utah State, San Diego State, Boise State
NEC (1)
St. Francis PA (AQ) *clinched AQ
OVC (1)
SIU Edwardsville (AQ) *clinched AQ
Patriot League (1)
American (AQ) *clinched AQ
SEC (13)
Auburn (AQ), Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Florida, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma
Southern (1)
Wofford (AQ) *clinched AQ
Southland (1)
McNeese (AQ)
SWAC (1)
Southern (AQ)
Summit (1)
Omaha (AQ) *clinched AQ
Sun Belt (1)
Troy (AQ) *clinched AQ
WCC (2)
Gonzaga (AQ) *clinched AQ, Saint Mary’s
WAC (1)
Utah Valley (AQ)
Last Four In
Oklahoma, Xavier, San Diego State, Boise State
First Four Out
North Carolina, Texas, Colorado State, Ohio State
Top 16 Seeds
1: Auburn, Duke, Houston, Florida
2: Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan State, Texas A&M
3: Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Iowa State, St. John’s
4: Purdue, Kentucky, Oregon, Maryland
Five Things To Know
- St. John’s doesn’t have a loss outside of Quad 1. Don’t discount the Red Storm from pushing for a two seed if it can win the Big East Tournament this week at MSG.
- The Big East is in position to have five teams in March Madness if Xavier beats Marquette today at MSG. It only had three teams in the NCAA Tournament last season.
- The SEC will have a minimum of 13 teams in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, which will break the old Big East’s record of 11. It could have 14 if Texas beats Texas A&M today in the SEC Tournament in Nashville.
- Wisconsin could wind up playing first and second round games in the NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee if it doesn’t stumble in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers will take on Northwestern today in in Indianapolis.
- Ohio State’s loss to Iowa on Wednesday night means that the Buckeyes will miss the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
