SBR Bracketology: Latest Expert Picks & March Madness Predictions For Every Seed in NCAA Tournament
Selection Sunday is one of the most anticipated days in sports with teams and fans across the country holding out hope for a high seed, an easier region, or just to make the March Madness field.
Only 68 teams of the 352 full members of Division I men's basketball make the NCAA Tourmament, which is why our SBR bracketology is projecting which programs will be playing in the tournament along with their seeding and how the regions could play out.
Which March Madness odds favorites could end up with the easiest path to the national championship?
📊 SBR Bracketology: March Madness predictions for the NCAA Tournament
Each year the NCAA Division I men's basketball selection committee decides the seeding for the NCAA Tournament on top of the bracketing for each region while making the at-large selections.
While the committee does decide on the 37 at-large bids, there are another 31 teams that are automatic qualifiers. Those teams get in by winning their respective conference tournaments, which run from March 2 until Selection Sunday on March 16. That's why it's so important to stay on top of the key dates and schedule for when college basketball conference tournaments are in anticipation of filling out your bracket.
The entire March Madness bracket will be revealed during CBS' Selection Sunday special on March 16 at 6 p.m. ET following the conclusion of conference tournaments. But for now, we can project how the bracket may turn out.
🏀 NCAA Tournament predictions
🏆 Top overall seed
- Auburn
🥇 No. 1 seeds
- Auburn (South)
- Florida (West)
- Duke (East)
- Houston (Midwest)
📈 Last four in
- San Diego State
- Indiana
- Oklahoma
- Texas
📉 First four out
- Cincinnati
- North Carolina
- West Virginia
- Boise State
❌ Next four out
- SMU
- Nebraska
- Villanova
- Ohio State
4️⃣ First four matchups
- No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 San Diego State (UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio)
- No. 12 Indiana vs. No. 12 Oklahoma (UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio)
- No. 16 American vs. No. 16 Southern (UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio)
- No. 16 SIU Edwardsville vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary's (UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio)
🔮 March Madness bracket predictions for each region
🍑 South (Atlanta)
| Seed | Team | Conference | Matchup | First round location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn | SEC | vs. American/Alabama State | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
| 2 | St. John's (clinched) | Big East | vs. Norfolk State | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 3 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | vs. Grand Canyon | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 4 | Arizona | Big 12 | vs. Akron | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 5 | Gonzaga (clinched) | WCC | vs. McNeese State | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 6 | Louisville | ACC | vs. Colorado State | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 7 | BYU | Big 12 | vs. Arkansas | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 8 | Mississippi State | SEC | vs. New Mexico | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
| 9 | New Mexico | Mountain West | vs. Mississippi State | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
| 10 | Arkansas | SEC | vs. BYU | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 11 | Colorado State (clinched) | Mountain West | vs. Louisville | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 12 | McNeese State (clinched) | Southland Conference | vs. Gonzaga | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 13 | Akron (clinched) | MAC | vs. Arizona | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 14 | Grand Canyon (clinched) | WAC | vs. Wisconsin | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 15 | Norfolk State (clinched) | MEAC | vs. St. John's | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 16 | American (clinched)/Alabama State (clinched) | Patriot League/SWAC | vs. Auburn | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
- Even with Cooper Flagg being the Wooden Award odds favorite over Johni Broome, it's a toss-up between Auburn and Duke for the top overall seed, but the Tigers get the nod for playing in the far more difficult SEC
- Rick Pitino leading St. John's to the Big East regular season title in just his second year should earn the Red Storm a top-two seed, especially with the SEC cannibalizing itself to some degree - Pitino's son Richard also gets his New Mexico team in the same region
- Gonzaga is ranked top 10 on KenPom, even in a down season, making Mark Few's program a potentially scary matchup as a lower seed this season
- After a bumpy start, and losing star freshman Boogie Fland for the season, John Calipari still has a shot at getting Arkansas in with a strong SEC Tournament showing
- One of the most dangerous mid-majors in the country, former LSU head coach Will Wade has McNeese State thriving ... and going viral
🌉 West (San Francisco)
| Seed | Team | Conference | Matchup | First round location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | SEC | vs. Bryant | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
| 2 | Michigan State | Big Ten | vs. St. Francis (PA) | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 3 | Iowa State | Big 12 | vs. Lipscomb | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 4 | Kentucky | SEC | vs. High Point | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 5 | Michigan | Big Ten | vs. Liberty | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 6 | Saint Mary's | WCC | vs. Texas/San Diego State | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 7 | Kansas | Big 12 | vs. Georgia | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 8 | UCLA | Big Ten | vs. Creighton | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
| 9 | Creighton | Big East | vs. UCLA | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
| 10 | Georgia | SEC | vs. Kansas | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 11 | Texas/San Diego State | SEC/Mountain West | vs. Saint Mary's | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 12 | Liberty (clinched) | Conference USA | vs. Michigan | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 13 | High Point (clinched) | Big South | vs. Kentucky | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 14 | Lipscomb (clinched) | ASUN | vs. Iowa State | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 15 | St. Francis (PA) (clinched) | Northeast Conference | vs. Michigan State | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 16 | Bryant (clinched) | American East | vs. Florida | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Ky.) |
- Auburn, Duke, and Houston are obvious one-seeds, but with no clear pick to be the fourth, I've got Florida earning it thanks to its road win over Alabama - it should go to an SEC team between Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama
- If Michigan State wins the Big Ten Tournament, it could also earn a No. 1 seed but makes for a menacing No. 2 with its depth and the play of Jase Richardson down the stretch
- If not for its double OT loss to BYU, Iowa State looked like it could play its way back into a top-two seed, however, the Cyclones haven't been the same team in the second half of the season
- Both Kentucky and Michigan have new head coaches and rosters built by the transfer portal, and neither has played consistent enough basketball the last few weeks to earn better than a No. 4 seed
- When Kansas doesn't earn a top-four seed in the tournament, it will be the first time since 1999-00, and the Jayhawks don't look very scary as a No. 7 seed to upset a No. 2
🏙️ East (Newark)
| Seed | Team | Conference | Matchup | First round location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke (clinched) | ACC | vs. SIU Edwardsville/Mount St. Mary's | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 2 | Alabama | SEC | vs. Robert Morris | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 3 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | vs. Omaha | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 4 | Missouri | SEC | vs. Troy | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 5 | Purdue | Big Ten | vs. Drake | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 6 | Oregon | Big Ten | vs. Xavier | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 7 | Ole Miss | SEC | vs. VCU | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 8 | UConn | Big East | vs. Illinois | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 9 | Illinois | Big Ten | vs. UConn | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 10 | VCU | Atlantic 10 | vs. Ole Miss | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 11 | Xavier | Big East | vs. Oregon | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 12 | Drake (clinched) | Missouri Valley | vs. Purdue | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 13 | Troy (clinched) | Sun Belt | vs. Missouri | Ball Arena (Denver) |
| 14 | Omaha (clinched) | Summit League | vs. Texas Tech | Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.) |
| 15 | Robert Morris (clinched) | Horizon League | vs. Alabama | Rocket Arena (Cleveland) |
| 16 | SIU Edwardsville (clinched)/Mount St. Mary's (clinched) | Ohio Valley/MAA | vs. Duke | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
- There's a chance Duke ends up the No. 1 overall seed with the way Flagg and the Blue Devils have trounced the ACC, but for now, Auburn is projected as the top overall seed by Bracket Matrix
- If Alabama doesn't end up with a No. 1 seed, the Crimson Tide might be the scariest No. 2 in the country thanks to their explosive offense led by Mark Sears ... they could also end up on upset alert if they don't figure it out on defense
- Although Texas Tech has had some tough losses lately, Grant McCasland has one of the most well-rounded teams in the country and a budding superstar in New Mexico transfer JT Toppin
- The back-to-back champs have completely dropped off this year and it's hard to justify UConn earning anything better than a No. 8 seed, but the roster has experience in March and a talented freshman in Liam McNeeley
- Drake may have lost head coach Darian DeVries and his son Tucker to West Virginia, but new head coach Ben McCollum has this team cooking behind Bennett Stirtz and a suffocating defense
🏎️ Midwest (Indianapolis)
| Seed | Team | Conference | Matchup | First round location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston (clinched) | Big 12 | vs. UNC Wilmington | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 2 | Tennessee | SEC | vs. Montana | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 3 | Maryland | Big Ten | vs. Wofford | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 4 | Clemson | ACC | vs. Yale | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 5 | Texas A&M | SEC | vs. Oklahoma/Indiana | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 6 | Marquette | Big East | vs. UC San Diego | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 7 | Memphis | AAC | vs. Baylor | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 8 | Vanderbilt | SEC | vs. Utah State | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 9 | Utah State | Mountain West | vs. Vanderbilt | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
| 10 | Baylor | Big 12 | vs. Memphis | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 11 | UC San Diego (clinched) | Big West | vs. Marquette | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 12 | Oklahoma/Indiana | SEC/Big Ten | vs. Texas A&M | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 13 | Yale (clinched) | Ivy League | vs. Clemson | Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) |
| 14 | Wofford (clinched) | SoCon | vs. Maryland | Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee) |
| 15 | Montana (clinched) | Big Sky | vs. Tennessee | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.) |
| 16 | UNC Wilmington (clinched) | CAA | vs. Houston | Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kans.) |
- While not quite on the level of Auburn and Duke, Houston is the obvious third-best team in the country behind a defense that has the ability to shut down any team and two reliable scorers in LJ Cryer and J'Wan Roberts
- Fighting with fellow SEC teams Alabama and Florida for a No. 1 seed, Tennessee has had really bright moments, including wins over Alabama and Florida, behind a defense led by Zakai Zeigler
- Led by arguably the most underrated freshman in the country in center Derik Queen, Maryland has a physical front court with a star guard in Ja'Kobi Gillespie who's capable of leading this team deep into March
- Vanderbilt might have the record for court storms this season with upset wins over Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee in Mark Byington's first season at the helm ... clearly the Commodores can play up to its competition
- No team has a better shot at being a Cinderella than UC San Diego - which is easily the highest-ranked mid-major by EvanMiya and KenPom - thanks to the way longtime head coach Eric Olen has built this program behind the play of New Zealand's Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones
🔢 Conferences with multiple projected March Madness bids
| Conference | Number of teams | Highest seed |
|---|---|---|
| SEC | 14* | Auburn/Florida (No. 1) |
| Big Ten | Nine | Michigan State (No. 2) |
| Big 12 | Seven | Houston (No. 1) |
| Big East | Five | St. John's (No. 2) |
| Mountain West | Four | New Mexico/Utah State (No. 9) |
| ACC | Three | Duke (No. 1) |
| West Coast Conference | Two | Gonzaga (No. 5) |
* The record for teams from one conference in a single NCAA Tourmament is 11, set by the Big East in 2010-11.
📅 March Madness key dates
- Selection Sunday: March 16
- First Four: March 18-19
- First round: March 20-21
- Second round: March 22-23
- Sweet 16: March 27-28
- Elite Eight: March 29-30
- Final Four: Saturday, April 5
- National championship game: Monday, April 7
💰 March Madness betting odds pages
| March Madness Odds | Wooden Award Odds | ACC Odds | Big 12 Odds | Big Ten Odds |
| Final Four Odds | March Madness MVP Odds | Big East Odds | Pac-12 Odds | SEC Odds |
🏀 Best college basketball betting sites for March Madness
Looking to bet on the NCAA Tournament? Here are our best March Madness betting sites as determined by our expert team at Sportsbook Review, along with our best March Madness betting promos ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
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