Auburn Tops NCAA Tournament Rankings as SEC Dominates Field

Auburn Tops NCAA Tournament Rankings as SEC Dominates Field \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Auburn claimed the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament’s early bracket reveal, with Alabama and Florida also securing No. 1 regional seeds. The SEC dominated the rankings, holding five of the top six spots. Duke was the only non-SEC team in the top five, while Purdue, Houston, and Iowa State secured 2-seeds. The Final Four will take place in San Antonio on April 5, with the championship on April 7.

Auburn Leads NCAA Bracket Preview as SEC Teams Dominate: Quick Looks

• Auburn Takes Top Spot: The Tigers were named the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament preview.
• SEC Powerhouse: Five of the top six teams are from the Southeastern Conference.
• Other No. 1 Seeds: Alabama and Florida join Auburn, with Duke breaking the SEC streak.
• March Madness Roadmap: Auburn, Alabama, Duke, and Florida lead their respective regional brackets.
• Big Ten & Big 12 Representation: Purdue, Houston, and Iowa State secured 2-seeds.
• Final Four in San Antonio: National semifinals set for April 5, title game on April 7.

Deep Look

Auburn has solidified its status as the nation’s top-ranked team, not only in the AP Top 25 but also in the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s early bracket reveal. The Tigers were named the No. 1 overall seed, with Southeastern Conference (SEC) rivals Alabama and Florida also claiming top seeds. The SEC’s dominance in the rankings is undeniable, with five of the top six teams hailing from the conference.

With one month remaining until Selection Sunday, teams are vying to solidify their positions in the final bracket, where history suggests most of these top-16 teams will remain.

SEC Takes Control of the Rankings

The selection committee’s rankings underscored the SEC’s strength this season. Auburn, Alabama, and Florida all secured No. 1 seeds, with Tennessee and Texas A&M also cracking the top six. Duke, the lone non-SEC team in the top five, secured the No. 3 overall seed.

Auburn’s Case for No. 1

Auburn’s dominance is backed by both traditional rankings and advanced metrics. The Tigers have held the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 for five straight weeks and are ranked:

• No. 1 in KenPom
• No. 2 in Bart Torvik rankings
• No. 3 in Evan Miyakawa’s model

They also boast an impressive 13-2 record in Quadrant 1 games, a key measure for NCAA Tournament seeding. No other team has reached double-digit Quadrant 1 wins, further strengthening Auburn’s position.

Selection committee chairman Bubba Cunningham emphasized Auburn’s unanimous support from the voters.

“Of all the voters in our group that were available to vote, they were the unanimous choice,” Cunningham said on CBS. “So they are clearly our No. 1.”

NCAA Tournament Regional Seeds Breakdown

The committee’s early bracket reveal placed teams into four regional brackets, providing a glimpse at potential March Madness matchups.

South Region (Atlanta)

• No. 1 Seed: Auburn
• Other Top Teams: Texas A&M (2), Wisconsin (3), Texas Tech (4)

Midwest Region (Indianapolis)

• No. 1 Seed: Alabama
• Other Top Teams: Purdue (2), Iowa State (3), Kansas (4)

East Region (Newark, NJ)

• No. 1 Seed: Duke
• Other Top Teams: Tennessee (2), Arizona (3), St. John’s (4)

West Region (San Francisco)

• No. 1 Seed: Florida
• Other Top Teams: Houston (2), Kentucky (3), Michigan (4)

The committee made one key adjustment for balance, swapping Michigan and St. John’s between the West and East regions.

Final Four and Championship Details

The regional winners will advance to San Antonio for the Final Four:

• National Semifinals: April 5
• Championship Game: April 7

Teams on the Bubble for a Top-16 Spot

Cunningham noted that AP No. 11 Michigan State and No. 18 Marquette were just outside the top 16 and could still move up before Selection Sunday.

Ranking Variations Across Metrics

While most of the top teams were consistent across major ranking systems, a few teams showed discrepancies:

• Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, and St. John’s were top-16 seeds but ranked lower in KenPom, Torvik, and Miyakawa’s models.
• Texas A&M was ranked No. 6 in the selection committee’s seed list but placed between No. 12 and No. 16 in other metrics.

These variations highlight potential movement in seeding as the season progresses.

Historical Trends: How Much Will Change?

While the early reveal provides insight, past data shows that most teams in the top 16 stay there:

• Since 2017, 83.9% of teams revealed as top-16 seeds remained in the final bracket.
• Nearly 80% of No. 1 seeds in the early reveal have kept their top spots by Selection Sunday.

However, key matchups in the coming weeks could still cause shifts, including a highly anticipated game between Auburn and Alabama, which could influence the final seeding.

Rivalry Tensions on Display

A lighthearted moment during the bracket reveal came when committee chairman Bubba Cunningham, who is also North Carolina’s athletic director, struggled to announce rival Duke’s placement as the No. 3 overall seed.

“I can’t do it,” Cunningham joked before handing the card to CBS announcer Adam Zucker. “I would love to say something good about them, but I can’t.”

His reaction underscored the fierce rivalry between Duke and North Carolina, which remains one of college basketball’s most storied matchups.

What’s Next?

With conference play heating up and March Madness fast approaching, teams will have a final month to solidify their tournament resumes. The next few weeks will be crucial for those just outside the top-16 cut, while Auburn and its fellow top seeds will look to maintain their dominance.

Expect the NCAA Tournament bracket to continue evolving, but if history is any indicator, most of the teams revealed in this preview will be strong contenders when the final bracket is released on Selection Sunday.

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