Auburn Tops March Madness Bracket; Key Matchups Unveiled

AUBURN, Ala. — The NCAA selection committee announced the March Madness brackets on Sunday, naming Auburn as the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament. Joining Auburn on the top line are Duke, Houston, and Florida.

The Tigers, sporting a 28-5 record, were recognized for their impressive season, despite suffering three losses in their last four games. Coach Bruce Pearl expressed pride in his team’s competitiveness, stating, “I believe this team did enough to be the number one overall seed in this tournament. Our resume is historically one of the strongest in college basketball history with the number of Quad One wins we’ve achieved.”

In a historic twist, 14 teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) made the tournament, the most ever for a single conference. Florida emerged as a slight favorite to win at the Final Four in San Antonio on April 5-7, following a decisive SEC tournament victory where they won three games with an average margin of 15 points.

The NCAA tournament kicks off with preliminary games on Tuesday, leading into the main draw on Thursday and Friday, featuring 32 games across eight sites nationwide. This year, the tournament will include both North Carolina and Texas, who barely made it off the bubble, while notable omissions include Indiana, West Virginia, and Boise State.

The selection show opened with a tribute to Greg Gumbel, a familiar face in NCAA basketball circles, contributing a sense of nostalgia as the bracket was revealed. Notably, North Carolina’s inclusion sparked discussion, especially following their 1-12 record against Quad One opponents. Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who served as chair of the selection committee, recused himself from discussions regarding his own team.

While the SEC saw success with 14 teams in the tournament, the Big Ten followed with eight and the Big 12 with seven. The ACC managed to scrape together four teams, narrowly escaping its worst showing since 2000. This year’s tournament features some standout players like Duke’s freshman Cooper Flagg, who currently averages 19 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and is expected to play despite a recent ankle injury.

Among the intriguing matchups is Rick Pitino leading St. John's into the tournament for a sixth time, starting off with a first-round game against Omaha in Providence, the same venue where he led the Friars to an unexpected Final Four appearance in 1987.

Coach Tom Izzo also returns with Michigan State, marking his 27th consecutive tournament appearance. The Spartans are seeded second and will face America East champion Bryant in their opener.

Auburn’s successful season prompts discussions on whether the SEC can capture its first national title since 2012. The prevailing excitement around the tournament also raises questions about potential expansion, as the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 comprised 42.5% of selected teams.