Auburn, Duke and the 66 other teams competing in the

Myron MedcalfMar 16, 2025, 06:45 PM ET

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- Covers college basketball
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

The NCAA tournament field has been announced, so it’s time to fill out your brackets. We’re here to help.

In a year defined by surprises (Rick Pitino owns New York City!) and letdowns (no West Virginia?), men’s college basketball has been a fascinating ride in 2024-25.

Now, the hard part: picking the perfect bracket.

Remember to pay attention to recent injuries and the teams that have played well down the stretch — and also, the teams that have fallen apart in recent weeks.

Here is what you need to know about every team in the field, including what we think will be their ceilings in the Big Dance.

1-seeds

Region: South
Record: 28-5
Tournament ceiling: National championship

It has been 14 years since a national champion lost its final two regular-season games and then made a run to the NCAA title (UConn, 2011). Auburn’s regular-season finish — 4-3, including losing the final two games — still feels like a blip, considering it defeated six top-15 KenPom squads on its way to securing a No. 1 seed and earning “Excellent” ratings on both offense and defense, per Synergy Sports data. Johni Broome (18.6 points per game, 10.6 rebounds per game, 2.6 blocks per game) is the only real competition for Cooper Flagg in the race for the Wooden Award, while Tahaad Pettiford (11.6 PPG, 39% from beyond the arc) is a key player in this 10-man rotation with a fleet of veterans on the roster (for context, Chad Baker-Mazara, 25, is older than Zion Williamson). Bruce Pearl has a serious contender to win the program’s first national title.

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1:02

Which teams can challenge Auburn in the South Region?

Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams discuss which teams in the South Region could give No. 1 overall seed Auburn trouble.

Region: East
Record: 31-3
Tournament ceiling: National championship

Jon Scheyer has gone against the grain in today’s era and found a way to win with one of America’s youngest teams. Led by Wooden Award favorite Cooper Flagg, the young Blue Devils could make a run to the national championship 10 years after a collection of freshmen under Mike Krzyzewski last cut down the nets for the program — assuming Flagg is healthy after he missed most of the ACC tournament with an ankle injury. Key defensive contributor Maliq Brown could miss significant time with a shoulder injury, too. The road to the 2025 national title begins with Flagg, one of the most complete players in recent college basketball history. He’s the offensive leader on a roster that starts three freshmen (Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach). He also anchors one of the best defensive units in the sport, ranked fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom. Duke finished the regular season on a 19-1 run after Flagg turned 18 years old Dec. 21. It also has a win over Auburn. These Blue Devils are special.

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

Region: Midwest
Record: 30-4
Tournament ceiling: National championship

It’s no surprise Houston is a contender again. In the past five seasons under Kelvin Sampson, the program has made it as far as the Final Four, the Elite Eight and the Sweet 16 (the other three times). But this is the best offensive group of Cougars that Sampson has coached. Ranked 10th in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom, they now have the scorers they lacked in past years, including L.J. Cryer (43% from beyond the arc), who averaged 18.0 PPG in the final 12 games of the regular season. The offensive uptick has also turned the Cougars into an elite squad in transition (rated “Excellent,” per Synergy Sports data). This Houston squad, which finished 19-1 in the Big 12 and lost just one regular-season game after Nov. 30, is Sampson’s best shot at his first national title, assuming J’Wan Roberts (who missed the last two games with an ankle injury) is available and Milos Uzan (25 points in the Big 12 tournament title game) continues to excel.

Region: West
Record: 30-4
Tournament ceiling: National championship

During the offseason, coach Todd Golden made a key decision that positioned the Gators to win their first national championship since back-to-back crowns in 2006 and 2007. He moved Walter Clayton Jr. (17.3 PPG, 4.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 37% from the 3-point line) to point guard. As a result, the third-best offense in adjusted efficiency, according to KenPom, has averaged 84.8 points this season. That’s a top-10 mark. The Gators also finished second in defensive efficiency in the SEC behind Tennessee. They went 3-1 against Tennessee (1-1), Auburn (1-0) and Alabama (1-0) in the regular season, and Clayton’s supporting cast — Will Richard, Alex Condon and Florida Atlantic transfer Alijah Martin, all of whom are averaging double figures — is one of the best in the country. There are no doubts about Florida’s title aspirations.

2-seeds

Region: South
Record: 27-6
Tournament ceiling: Final Four

Ready to feel old? Twenty-five years ago, Jason Richardson was a bright-eyed freshman on the 2000 Michigan State team that won the Big Ten’s last national title. This year, his son Jase Richardson is arguably the best player for his father’s former coach, Tom Izzo. The rising star averaged 16.8 PPG in the final nine games of the regular season and is the only NBA prospect (No. 30 in ESPN’s latest mock draft) on the roster. Only one player on this squad was a top-20 prospect in high school (Xavier Booker). But Izzo loves these gritty Spartans, who aren’t great offensively (they’re shooting 30.2% from beyond the arc) but are one of the five best defensive teams in the country — an asset that helped them secure the Big Ten regular-season championship outright following a seven-game winning streak.

2025 men’s NCAA tournament guide

• “>Medcalf: First look at the Field of 68
• Lipscomb: Bracket facts
• Borzello: Instant bracket

3-seeds

Region: South
Record: 24-9
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

The best version of Iowa State started the season 15-1, with a 5-0 tally in Big 12 action. Curtis Jones (17.0 PPG, 37% from beyond the arc), Keshon Gilbert (13.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG) and Milan Momcilovic (11.0 PPG, 40.2% from 3) were having breakout seasons and Tamin Lipsey, an all-Big 12 first-team selection a year ago, lent a steady veteran presence. But things have changed. Gilbert is dealing with a muscle strain that could impact him in the postseason. The Cyclones, who once owned a top-15 mark in adjusted offensive efficiency, slipped to 69th overall after Jan. 15 and through the end of the regular season. They ended the regular season 8-7 while also committing turnovers on one-fifth of their possessions. That’s a lot. The truth is, projecting the ceiling for the current version of Iowa State, which exited the Big 12 tournament in the quarterfinal, is a gamble.

Men’s Tournament Challenge

Region: East
Record: 26-9
Tournament ceiling: Final Four

A year ago, John Tonje suffered a foot injury that cost him the majority of his single season at Missouri. It contributed to the Tigers’ 19-game losing streak to end the 2023-24 campaign. Then he transferred to Wisconsin. And this season, the 6-5 star has put up numbers (18.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 38% from the 3-point line) to earn All-America consideration on a Wisconsin squad that has played the fastest pace (153rd in adjusted tempo on KenPom) of the Greg Gard era while maintaining its poise (17th nationally in turnover rate). Granted, the Badgers had an easy schedule, facing top Big Ten teams Michigan and Michigan State just once, and despite wins over Purdue, Arizona and Illinois they finished the regular season losing three of five games. They can soar in the postseason, but only if Tonje can take them there. He shot just 38% from inside the arc in Wisconsin’s regular-season losses.

Region: Midwest
Record: 22-11
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

Entering the SEC tournament, Kentucky had defeated eight AP top-15 teams this season, tied for a program record. It’s a remarkable accomplishment for Mark Pope — the former team captain of the 1996 national championship Wildcats — in his first season as head coach of the same Wildcats. It’s also noteworthy because Kentucky’s year has been marred by injuries, including a season-ending wrist injury for Jaxson Robinson. Only four players have participated in all 31 regular-season games. But the return of Lamont Butler (11.9 PPG, 4.4 APG) from a shoulder injury late in the season changed the team’s trajectory. The Wildcats, who’d been shaky defensively all year, became a top-40 team in that respect with his return (he’s ranked the 17th-most-impactful player in the country by EvanMiya), which is why the injury he suffered that sidelined him again in the SEC tournament is so concerning. Otega Oweh (16.2 PPG) remains a reliable threat and Koby Brea (44% from 3) is a sharpshooter. Kentucky might be short-handed, but it still has a high ceiling.

Region: West
Record: 25-8
Tournament ceiling: Final Four

Texas Tech has had one of the best seasons in America. The Red Raiders finished second in the Big 12. They were also the only Big 12 squad to beat Houston (82-81 in overtime) on the road. From Jan. 1 through the end of the regular season, they were ranked 10th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 21st in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to BartTorvik.com. They also made 37% of their shots from beyond the arc. They’re legit. And JT Toppin (18.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG) is their superstar, who hasn’t gotten the same attention as some of the other All-America contenders in college basketball. Lubbock’s brightest talent could very well go viral if he leads Texas Tech to its second Final Four in six years.

4-seeds

Region: South
Record: 22-10
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

The Aggies are proof of the SEC’s historic strength. Competing in a league that broke the Big East’s previous record for bids (11) on Selection Sunday, Buzz Williams guided his squad to an 11-7 SEC record, which included four straight losses but also wins against Auburn and LSU to end the regular season. The nation’s top offensive rebounding team has been good against nonconference opponents, too, with wins over Ohio State, Creighton, Texas Tech and Purdue. Although lukewarm offensive groups like the Aggies (sub-40 in adjusted offensive efficiency) struggle to make deep runs in the NCAA tournament, it helps that Wade Taylor IV (15.2 PPG) & Co. are also a top-10 defensive team.

5-seeds

Region: South
Record: 25-9
Tournament ceiling: Final Four

Even Vladislav Goldin (16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.7 BPG) and Danny Wolf (12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.4 BPG) did not think a pairing of two 7-footers — who together run pick-and-roll action and lead the Michigan offense — would work at first. The Wolverines quickly became one of the most balanced teams in the country and a Big Ten title contender, sitting at 20-5 overall and 12-2 in conference play Feb. 16, before their season took a turn in the final three weeks of the regular season and they went from top 40 to sub-230 in adjusted offensive efficiency, making just 22% of their 3-point attempts. Still, they played like a team capable of winning multiple games in March for much of the season. And they have a unique scheme with Wolf and Goldin — both All-Big Ten second-team selections — who will create problems for most opponents.

Region: East
Record: 24-9
Tournament ceiling: Sweet 16

Dana Altman’s team had an odd first season in the Big Ten, finishing 10th in offensive efficiency and ninth in defensive efficiency within the league, but still managing to finish 12-8 in conference play. The Ducks’ introduction did come with a few privileges: They played Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Maryland only one time each, helping them carry a seven-game winning streak into the Big Ten tournament. And while the Ducks don’t have many sexy metrics, they did have the wins to warrant a solid seed, including over Alabama and Texas A&M. Ultimately, the Ducks successfully navigated one of the country’s best conferences and rallied down the stretch — do what you want with that information.

Region: Midwest
Record: 27-6
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

Brad Brownell is now the ACC’s elder statesman, with Leonard Hamilton announcing his resignation earlier this season. For years, Brownell was at the center of hot seat rumors, but he signed a five-year contract worth $20 million after taking the Tigers to the Elite Eight last season. He no longer has veterans Joe Girard III and PJ Hall (now in the G League), but successfully hit the reset button through bigger roles for returnees Chase Hunter (16.0 PPG, 41% shooting from beyond the arc) and Ian Schieffelin (12.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG) as well as key contributions from transfers Viktor Lakhin (11.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 38% from 3) and Jaeden Zackery (11.3 PPG). Clemson won 14 of its final 15 regular-season games, including a win over Duke.

Region: West
Record: 29-5
Tournament ceiling: Sweet 16

Penny Hardaway had an eventful preseason — he built a new staff after dismissing multiple assistants, an anonymous letter alleging major NCAA violations was sent to the school and customized shoes were stolen from his porch — but the drama didn’t follow the Tigers into the season. Led by American Athletic Conference Player of the Year PJ Haggerty and all-AAC first-team selection Tyrese Hunter, this group has given Hardaway his best chance in seven seasons at the helm to lead this program to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009. (But erase all of this if Hunter, who was in a boot after suffering an injury in the AAC tournament semifinals, is unavailable to play this week.) As a player, Hardaway was the leader of a Memphis team that reached the Elite Eight — and this squad arguably has that potential. The Tigers have star power, a respectable top-50 defense and a bunch of shooters (39% from beyond the arc, No. 6 in the country). They could again make history with Hardaway, the AAC’s Coach of the Year.

6-seeds

Region: South
Record: 22-11
Tournament ceiling: Sweet 16

The Rebels are top 30 in offense and defense entering their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2019. But there are concerns. They have one of the smaller teams in the field. And “there aren’t enough ball-dominant players in this lineup,” according to EvanMiya.com. “This lineup may struggle to create offense.” The 84th-ranked team in scoring (77.8 PPG) has dealt with offensive droughts, but it has also compensated with a careful approach to every possession. Ole Miss is ranked third nationally in turnover percentage (8.9 per game). It has wins over BYU, Louisville, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee this season. And Chris Beard’s starting lineup of Jaylen Murray, Matthew Murrell, Dre Davis, Malik Dia and Sean Pedulla has an “A-minus” grade on defense, and a “B-plus” grade overall, on EvanMiya.com.

Region: East
Record: 24-9
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

The Cougars aren’t waiting for the arrival of A.J. Dybantsa — the No. 1 recruit of the 2025 class, who reportedly signed an $8.5 million NIL deal — to pursue a national title. In Kevin Young’s first season at the helm, the former Phoenix Suns assistant has successfully molded a program that has emerged as one of the country’s best over the past month: Between Feb. 11 and Thursday, when BYU beat Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals, the Cougars had the No. 1 offense at BartTorvik.com with 61.2% shooting from inside the arc and 39.2% from beyond it. All-Big 12 first-team honoree Richie Saunders (16.0 PPG, 44% from 3) led this late-season surge, while the 6-9 Egor Demin (10.8 PPG, 5.6 APG) has grown more comfortable running point.

Region: Midwest
Record: 21-12
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

Illinois lost every key player from a group that made a run to the Elite Eight last season, including AP All-America third-team selection Terrence Shannon Jr. Yet, Brad Underwood put together another top-15 offensive unit that also actually plays better defense (40th in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom). This year’s star is Kasparas Jakucionis (15.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.7 APG), a 6-6 guard who is a projected lottery draft pick. Will Riley, a 6-8 forward, is a projected first-round pick, too. A late-season four-game winning streak that ended in the Big Ten quarterfinal has coincided with the return of Morez Johnson Jr. (7.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG) from a wrist injury that sidelined him for five games in February and March. But Underwood’s squad is healthy and connected at the right time.

Region: West
Record: 22-11
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

Missouri’s 19-game losing streak to end the 2023-24 season now makes more sense. John Tonje, who is an All-America candidate at Wisconsin, was injured for most of his one season at Missouri. Caleb Grill (13.8 PPG, 40% from the arc) also missed most of last season due to injury. He’s back, the rest of the team has been healthy, and Dennis Gates has orchestrated one of the greatest turnarounds in recent college basketball history. Grill, Duke transfer Mark Mitchell (14.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG) and Iowa transfer Tony Perkins (8.6 PPG) have anchored one of America’s best offensive teams (fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency) and helped this squad reach the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years. Wins over Kansas, Alabama and Florida were pivotal. Grill, Anthony Robinson and Tamar Bates all endured the losing streak a year ago and could have left but they didn’t. And they’ve been rewarded for that decision.

7-seeds

Region: South
Record: 23-10
Tournament ceiling: Sweet 16

You can look at Marquette’s 4-6 record over the last 10 regular-season games from one of two perspectives: Either the Golden Eagles hit a wall entering the toughest stretch of their schedule, with four matchups against St. John’s and UConn — or their weaknesses that could impact them in the NCAA tournament were exposed. This group has similarities to the Marquette teams that captured No. 2 seeds in the past two NCAA tournaments: It forces a lot of turnovers while not committing many itself, and it is efficient on offense (55% from inside the arc). It also doesn’t hurt that the Golden Eagles are led by an All-America candidate in Kam Jones (19.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG). But it’s worth noting that, entering the Big East tournament, this version of the Golden Eagles hadn’t defeated a top-50 KenPom team since Jan. 3 — and earlier statement wins over Wisconsin, Purdue and Maryland happened before Christmas.

Region: East
Record: 28-5
Tournament ceiling: Sweet 16

Now in his 24th season, West Coast Conference Coach of the Year Randy Bennett will aim to lead the WCC regular-season champions to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010. The Gaels’ top-15 defense will help, as will the trio that carried them to a 17-1 conference record: WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marciulionis (14.3 PPG, 6.1 APG), WCC Defensive Player of the Year Mitchell Saxen (10.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG) and WCC Sixth Man of the Year Mikey Lewis (8.5 PPG, 39% from beyond the arc).

Region: Midwest
Record: 22-10
Tournament ceiling: Sweet 16

After falling to Michigan State at home en route to a 2-4 start to its first season in the Big Ten, Mick Cronin controversially called his team “soft.” But the Bruins responded with the resilience Cronin craved after a four-game losing streak in early January, winning 11 of their next 14 games to close the regular season and play their way into the NCAA tournament. Their résumé includes wins over Oregon, Arizona, Wisconsin, Gonzaga and Michigan State. And the Bruins rank inside the top 20 in adjusted defensive efficiency, forcing turnovers on nearly one-quarter of their opponents’ possessions this season. Tyler Bilodeau leads the team in scoring with 41% shooting from beyond the arc, while Kobe Johnson — brother of Atlanta Hawks standout Jalen Johnson — is the Bruins’ defensive star (1.7 SPG).

Region: West
Record: 21-12
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

This is one of the most perplexing teams Bill Self has coached in Lawrence. The Jayhawks have all of the talent any coach would covet. Hunter Dickinson (17.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.3 BPG) should earn his third AP All-America spot. Veterans Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr. were members of the 2022 national title team. Zeke Mayo, AJ Storr and Rylan Griffen were three of the top available transfers in the offseason. The preseason No. 1 team picked to win the Big 12 had a promising start featuring wins over Duke and Michigan State. But Kansas (60th in adjusted offensive efficiency since Feb. 1) ultimately finished sixth in the standings and lost to Arizona in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals, falling short of its ceiling. On paper, this is a national championship contender. But if you’ve watched Kansas at all this season, the Jayhawks look as disconnected as any edition out of Lawrence in recent memory.

8-seeds

Region: South
Record: 27-7
Tournament ceiling: Elite Eight

After Kenny Payne was fired following last season’s 8-24 finish, Louisville brass sought a new coach with the energy to restore the program and galvanize the fan base. It found the right person in Pat Kelsey, who spent the summer roaming the campus and urging students to come back to the YUM! Center to support the team. By the end of the year, the arena was packed, backing a Louisville team that entered the ACC tournament with a 19-1 record in its previous 20 games. Star Chucky Hepburn, an all-ACC first team selection this season, has also enjoyed a turnaround (9.2 PPG at Wisconsin last season; 16.4 PPG at Louisville this year), while the Cardinals have sported a top-30 offense and defense all season — balance that has fueled a tie for second place in the ACC standings behind Duke, just a year after they finished last.

Region: East
Record: 21-12
Tournament ceiling: Round of 32

Chris Jans has led Mississippi State to its third consecutive NCAA tournament for the first time since the early 2000s, when the program earned an invitation every year between the 2001-2002 and 2004-05 seasons. The Bulldogs don’t have any spectacular wins on their résumé, but they have All-SEC second-team selection Josh Hubbard, from whom they will need a major effort after finishing 8-10 in SEC play. He proved he is equipped for a starring role, averaging 17.3 PPG in those eight SEC victories. Another exceptional performance from Hubbard, who has scored 25 or more points in six games this season, could position the Bulldogs for their…

Auburn, Duke and the 66 other teams competing in the

1-seeds

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2-seeds

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3-seeds

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4-seeds

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5-seeds

6-seeds

7-seeds

8-seeds

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