After a long and arduous wait, the March Madness is finally upon us. And by the end of the day Sunday, there will be a 68-team bracket.
Selection Sunday marks the unofficial start of the men’s NCAA Tournament, when bids are given out, seeds are set and matchups are etched into a bracket that will be filled out by millions of people nationally during a beautifully chaotic three-week stretch that will culminate with men’s and women’s national champions being crowned.
The bracket reveal ends weeks and even months of speculation over how the tournament field will look. Who will be the No. 1 seeds, the ones who invariably enter the event as the favorites to win it all? Which teams will end up on the right side of the bubble? And which ones will have to endure the agony of just missing out on being selected?
USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest men’s bracket reveal updates, conference tournament highlights, news, analysis and more throughout the day. Follow along here:
REQUIRED READING: Bracketology predicts NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeds, bubble races
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Bruce Pearl says Tigers are “very pleased” with No. 1 overall seed
Despite closing the season with three losses in its final four games, Auburn earned the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Still, the Tigers had a strong regular season and earned the top seed in a conference that sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told the media that his players were “very pleased” with the No. 1 overall seed.
“We sort of feel like that makes us the regular-season national champion,” Pearl said.
SEC sets tournament record with 14 teams in March Madness
Much was made about how impressive the SEC was this year, and the conference backed it up on Selection Sunday.
With Texas’ inclusion in First Four play, the SEC sent 14 teams to March Madness, breaking the previous record of 11 set by the Big East in 2011.
Jay Wright picks his Final Four
Former Villanova coach Jay Wright knows a little something about tournament runs.
The two-time NCAA Tournament champion and four-time Final Four coach picked his Final Four in Sunday’s show, picking three No. 1 seeds (Houston, Duke, and Auburn) and Rick Pitino’s St. John’s to make it to San Antonio.
NCAA Tournament field seeded 1-68
While the No. 1 overall seed tends to get the most recognition, every team 1-68 gets its ranking. Here’s a look at the full seeding.
NCAA selection committee’s vice chair discusses North Carolina’s inclusion
Bubba Cunningham joined CBS’ bracket reveal show to discuss North Carolina’s inclusion. Hover, as North Carolina’s athletic director, Cunningham was not involved in conversations about the Tar Heels’ case.
As such, vice chair Keith Gill fielded the question of how North Carolina was included, dropping the bombshell that North Carolina would have been left out if UAB had defeated Memphis to steal a bid.
No. 1 seed in the West goes to Florida
The Gators might be the best team entering the tournament but still gets kicked out West despite winning the SEC tournament. St. John’s also heads across the country after a Big East regular-season and conference title and misses out on playing near home in Newark, N.J. An amazing first-round matchup of coaches sees Kansas and Bill Self face Arkansas and John Calipari. Four SEC teams are in the region, giving the league a record 14 for the tournament. The previous mark was 11. Texas Tech and Maryland are two teams that could prove dangerous to the top seeds. Two-time defending champion Connecticut will look to keep its tournament magic going, but getting out of Raleigh will be difficult.
In Raleigh, N.C.
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Norfolk State
No. 8 Connecticut vs. No. 9 Oklahoma
In Seattle
No. 5 Memphis vs. No. 12 Colorado State
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon
In Wichita, Kan.
No. 6 Missouri vs. No. 11 Drake
No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington
In Providence, R.I.
No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas
No. 2 St. John’s vs. No. 15 Nebraska-Omaha
Houston leads the Midwest after Big 12 title
The Cougars get a break by staying in region with the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament titles in hand, edging Florida. No. 2 Tennessee is seeking its first Final Four and could see No. 3 Kentucky in the Sweet 16. The Wildcats beat the Volunteers twice in SEC play. Xavier is another surprise entry to the field with only one Quad 1 win. Seems the committee valued success in conference play more than wins, though Texas getting a selection for that play-in game rewards their big wins but poor schedule. The Longhorns had 15 losses, equaling the most for any team getting an at-large berth.
In Wichita, Kan.
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia
In Providence, R.I.
No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese State
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 High Point
In Milwaukee, Wis.
No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Texas.Xavier
No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Troy
In Lexington, Ky.
No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Utah State
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Wofford
Duke takes the No. 1 seed in the East
This a familiar path for the Blue Devils, having come out of the East Region before. The health of Cooper Flagg is key, though it seems he should be good for next week and probably won’t be needed until the regionals in two weeks. Some interesting matchups loom ahead. No. 2 Alabama is a high-scoring team that runs hot and cold. Wisconsin is very solid as a No. 3, and Brigham Young is among the best teams with the most momentum entering the tournament and are only a No. 6 seed. We could see former Pac-12 rivals Oregon and Arizona match up in the second round.
In Raleigh, N.C.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 American/Mount St. Mary’s
No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Baylor
In Seattle
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 Liberty
No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Akron
In Denver
No. 6 Brigham Young vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth
No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana
In Cleveland
No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt
No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Robert Morris
Auburn is the No. 1 overall seed in the South
The Tigers enter after losing three of four games but still land as the top seed in the tournament and stay home in the South. Michigan State and Iowa State will be two defensive-minded teams that could upset the Tigers. Texas A&M – one of the teams that beat Auburn in the home stretch – looms as a possible Sweet 16 opponent. The surprise here is North Carolina making the play-in game as one of the final at-large teams despite a 1-12 record in Quad 1 games. Michigan wins the Big Ten tournament and has to turn around and play Thursday against a dangerous UC San Diego team in Denver.
In Lexington, Kentucky
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State/Saint Francis (Pa.)
No. 8 Louisville vs. No. 9 Creighton
In Denver
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego
No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale
In Milwaukee
No. 6 Mississippi vs. No. 11 San Diego State/North Carolina
No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 Lipscomb
In Cleveland
No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 New Mexico
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Bryant
How to stream Selection Sunday
- Stream: March Madness Live | Paramount+ | Fubo (free trial)
Streaming options for the NCAA Tournament selection show include March Madness Live, which can be accessed through the NCAA’s website, Paramount+ — which requires a subscription to access — and Fubo, the last of which carries CBS and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Michigan claims Big Ten championship
Another automatic bid has been claimed, with Michigan beating Wisconsin in the men’s Big Ten tournament final 59-53. The Wolverines are conference tournament champions after Michigan State won the regular-season title.
Big Ten championship: Michigan, Wisconsin tied at 53
Michigan and Wisconsin are tied at 53 with 1:34 left in the Big Ten Conference tournament championship game.
Most overpaid men’s college basketball coaches
Whether you believe Kentucky coach John Calipari is overpaid could depend on the year, the month, even the week. Calipari earned his mega-millions salary when the Wildcats were among the most dominant teams in Division I, capturing one national championship in 2012 and playing for others in 2011, 2014 and 2015. But Kentucky hasn’t been back to the Final Four since even as Calipari’s annual salary continues to rise ― now at $8.5 million in total compensation for 2023-24, second-most in the country.
USA TODAY Sports compiled pay information from each school in the Power Five conferences and from each school outside those conferences whose team has appeared in at least three of the past five NCAA tournaments.
While Kentucky has had moments this season, including a late run that has lifted the Wildcats toward the top of the SEC, the results and payoff given the school’s mammoth investment into Calipari and the program makes him yet again one of the most overpaid coaches in the country. Read Paul Myerberg’s full story here.
SEC Championship game underway
The SEC tournament championship game is underway, starting a string of major conference championship games on Selection Sunday. Florida has jumped to a 10-6 lead at the first media timeout. The Gators are on a 7-0 run, looking to wrap up a No. 1 seed with another win.
Five most underpaid men’s college basketball coaches: Lamont Paris, Matt Painter make list
Hired as the head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs in 2017, Lamont Paris won only a combined 22 games in his first two seasons before things took off. In his final season, 2021-22, the Mocs went 27-8, won the Southern Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and nearly topped Illinois as a No. 13 seed in the men’s NCAA tournament, losing 54-53.
It took only two seasons for Paris, 49, to do the same at South Carolina. After going 11-21 in his debut year, Paris has the Gamecocks at 25-6 and a No. 5 seed in USA TODAY Sports’ latest bracketology update.
How much would you be willing to spend on a coach capable of such a rapid turnaround? While 19 Division I coaches are earning at least $4 million in salary, Paris will make $2.3 million in total compensation in 2023-24.
USA TODAY Sports compiled pay information from each school in the Power Five conferences and from each school outside those conferences whose team has appeared in at least three of the past five NCAA tournaments. Here are the coaches providing the best return on investment, beginning with Paris at South Carolina.
SEC championship game: Florida leads at halftime
Denzel Aberdeen hit a 3-pointer from 28 feet out at the buzzer to end the first half, giving Florida a 39-30 halftime lead. The Gators have led for much of the first half, including a lead of as much as 12 points.
Will Richard has a game-high 11 points to lead Florida. Jordan Gainey leads the Vols with 10 points. Tennessee shot 38.5% from the field in the first half, while Florida shot 45.2%. The Gators outscored the Vols 16-4 in the paint.
SEC championship: Tennessee hanging around
Despite Florida leading for much of the game and by as many as 13 points, Jordan Gainey has 20 points and helped cut the deficit to just five points. However, Chaz Lanier picks up his fourth foul and Will Richard knocks down free throws to push the Florida lead to 62-55 with 8:47 remaining.
SEC championship: Florida wins first championship since 2014
Florida beats Tennessee 86-77 in the SEC championship game to collect the program’s first SEC tournament championship since 2014. Todd Golden becomes the only other coach outside of Billy Donovan to win a conference championship with the Gators.
Walter Clayton Jr. finished with 22 points in the win for Florida, which clinched a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with the win. Will Richard added 17 points and Alex Condon had 13 points and nine rebounds.
VCU wins Atlantic 10 championship; Bracket update
VCU beat George Mason 68-63 in Sunday’s Atlantic 10 championship game. The Rams were already a team that was going to make the tournament, so their win is good news for bubble teams.
According to Jeff Borzello Joe Lunardi said three teams ― Indiana, Xavier, Boise State ― are competing for two spots in the tournament. Lunardi said North Carolina and Texas are eliminated.
Big Ten championship: Wisconsin holds slim halftime advantage
Following a sluggish offensive first half for both teams, Wisconsin leads Michigan 23-21 in the Big Ten Conference tournament championship game. The Badgers shot 8 of 37 (21.6%) from the field, while the Wolverines shot 9 of 32 (28.1%).
John Blackwell leads all scorers with 11 points for Wisconsin, while Vladsil Goldin leads Michigan with seven points.
When is men’s Selection Sunday 2025?
The 68-team bracket for the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be unveiled on Sunday, March 16.
What channel is Selection Sunday on?
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Paramount+ | Fubo (free trial)
The 2025 NCAA Tournament selection show will air on CBS, its traditional broadcast home. Streaming options include Paramount+, CBS’s streaming site, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Watch bracket reveal live with Fubo (free trial)
What time does Selection Sunday start?
The 2025 NCAA Tournament selection show is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET on CBS, though it could be delayed if the Big Ten Tournament championship game runs long.
March Madness 2025 schedule
The 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will transpire over the next three weeks, which will end with the Final Four and the national championship game in San Antonio.
Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2025 NCAA Tournament:
- 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: April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio
- National championship game: April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio
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How to watch March Madness 2025
The 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will air on CBS and the Turner family of networks, including TBS, TNT and truTV. Streaming options include NCAA March Madness Live, Paramount+, Sling TV – which carries the Turner family of networks – and Fubo, which carries CBS and offers a free trial.
Here’s a breakdown of what games are on what channels, per Turner Sports and the NCAA:
- CBS will broadcast 24 games throughout the tournament including the national championship, Final Four semifinals, Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second rounds.
- TBS will televise 18 games, including the Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second round games.
- TruTV will air or simulcast a total of 21 games, including the First Four games, Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second round games.
- TNT will televise 12 games, including First and Second round matchups.
2025 men’s NCAA Tournament automatic bids: Who has secured spots in March Madness?
Each of the 31 conference tournament champions earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, with the other 37 spots awarded to at-large participants by the tournament’s selection committee.
For the overwhelming majority of mid- and low-major leagues, the automatic berth from winning the conference tournament is the league’s only bid. Here’s a look at the champions of each of the 31 conference tournaments, all of which are on their way to the NCAA Tournament:
- America East: Bryant
- ACC: Duke
- ASUN: Lipscomb
- Atlantic 10: VCU
- Big 12: Houston
- Big East: St. John’s
- Big Sky: Montana
- Big South: High Point
- Big Ten: Michigan
- Big West: UC San Diego
- CAA: UNC Wilmington
- Conference USA: Liberty
- Horizon League: Robert Morris
- Ivy League: Yale
- MAAC: Mount St. Mary’s
- MAC: Akron
- MEAC: Norfolk State
- Missouri Valley: Drake
- Mountain West: Colorado State
- Northeast: St. Francis (Pa.)
- Ohio Valley: SIU Edwardsville
- Patriot League: American
- SEC: Florida
- SoCon: Wofford
- Southland: McNeese
- SWAC: Alabama State
- Summit League: Omaha
- Sun Belt: Troy
- WAC: Grand Canyon
- West Coast: Gonzaga
What day does March Madness start?
The NCAA Tournament First Four on the men’s side begins on Tuesday, March 18 and continues on Wednesday, March 19.
The four men’s games, which are held in Dayton, Ohio, feature the final four at-large selections to the field, as well as the four lowest-rated No. 16 seeds. The winner of each matchup advances to the first round. First-round games will take place on March 20 and March 21.
When is the first March Madness game?
The first men’s game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament will be on March 18 with the start of the First Four.
March Madness 2025 game locations
First- and second-round games will be held at eight different cities spanning across each of the four time zones in the continental United States. Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games will each be held at different regional sites before the final four teams converge on San Antonio in early April.
Here’s a look at where 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament games will take place:
- First Four: Dayton, Ohio | UD Arena | March 18-19
- First/second round: Lexington, Kentucky | Rupp Arena | March 20-22
- First/second round: Providence, R.I. | Amica Mutual Pavilion | March 20-22
- First/second round: Wichita, Kansas | Intrust Bank Arena | March 20-22
- First/second round: Denver | Ball Arena | March 20-22
- First/second round: Seattle | Climate Pledge Arena | March 21-23
- First/second round: Milwaukee | Fiserv Forum | March 21-23
- First/second round: Raleigh, N.C. | Lenovo Center | March 21-23
- Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Newark, N.J. | Prudential Center | March 27-29
- Sweet 16/Elite Eight: San Francisco | Chase Center | March 27-29
- Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Atlanta | State Farm Arena | March 28-30
- Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Indianapolis | Lucas Oil Stadium | March 28-30
- Final Four: San Antonio | Alamodome | April 5
- National championship: San Antonio | Alamodome | April 7
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How does Selection Sunday work?
The 68-team NCAA Tournament field is put together by the tournament selection committee on both the men’s and women’s side. The committee determines not only who gets in the field – with 31 automatic berths for conference tournament champions and 37 at-large bids – but what each squad is seeded and where their games are set to take place.
The final brackets are revealed on nationally televised shows, with the men’s selection show airing on CBS and the women’s selection show taking place on ESPN.
Here’s a closer look at how Selection Sunday works.
How many teams make March Madness?
There are 68 teams that make both the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament. The final four at-large teams, as well as the four lowest-rated No. 16 seeds, will take part in the First Four.
Who plays in March Madness?
The 68-team tournament on both the men’s and women’s side is made up of 31 conference champions, who earn an automatic bid to March Madness by winning their league tournament, as well as 37 at-large teams that are picked by the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
How are March Madness bids determined?
Thirty-one of the 68 spots in the NCAA Tournament field are automatic bids earned by teams that win their conference tournament.
Things get a little thornier when it comes to the final 37 at-large spots, which are determined by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. A team’s worthiness to be one of those 37 selections is determined by a variety of metrics, including a team’s record, its marquee wins and the strength of its schedule.
There’s no set of statistics more important than the NCAA’s NET rankings, which college sports’ governing body devised and deployed ahead of the 2018-19 season, replacing the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). Most notably, a team’s games are divided into four quadrants, which are determined by the quality of an opponent and where the game was played (whether at home, on the road or at a neutral site). Here’s a closer look at how the quadrants work, with the listed numbers reflecting an opponent’s ranking:
- Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
- Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
- Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
- Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353
How are March Madness seeds determined?
The NCAA Tournament selection committee seeds teams one through 68, with squads getting placed into groups of four to determine their seed. Teams ranked from one through four, for example, are No. 1 seeds, teams five through eight are No. 2 seeds and so on.
A team’s ranking is based on a variety of different factors — its overall record, its number of Quad One wins, its strength of schedule and how many, if any, Quad Three or Quad Four losses it has. Since the NET rankings were first employed during the 2018-19 season, the committee has prioritized Quad One wins over perhaps any other measurement when assessing seeds.
How is it determined where teams play in March Madness?
Once the 68 teams are selected and seeded for the NCAA Tournament, the selection committee has to sort out which of the predetermined locations in the country each squad will play.
The event’s highest seeds, particularly the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, will typically get games close to the school’s campus for the first and second rounds. The No. 1 seeds then get placed in a region for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight that makes the most geographic sense, though that doesn’t always apply to the third- and fourth-ranked No. 1 seeds. Last year, for example, North Carolina was the last of the No. 1 seeds and was placed in the West Region, which held Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Los Angeles.
If Duke, as expected, ends up with a No. 1 seed, the Blue Devils would likely get first- and second-round games in nearby Raleigh, North Carolina, a short drive from the school’s Durham campus.
There are competitive considerations that come into play, as well. When the selection committee ranks the tournament’s 68 teams, it attempts to bracket the team in a snake order, meaning that the No. 5 overall team — which is the best of the No. 2 seeds — ends up in the same region as the No. 4 overall team (the lowest-rated No. 1 seed). There are restrictions, though, such as:
- First four teams from the same conference must be in different regions if they are a Nos. 1-4 seed.
- Teams from the same conference cannot meet before a regional final if they played each other three times during the regular season and conference tournament.
- Teams from the same conference cannot meet before a regional semifinal if they played each other two times during the regular season and conference tournament.
- Teams from the same conference cannot meet before the second round if they played each other once during the regular season and conference tournament.
