March Madness is here, and Selection Sunday has set the stage for the men's and women's NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments.
The Duke Blue Devils earned the top overall seed for the men's tournament. They secured this spot after beating Virginia 74-70 in the ACC Tournament championship. The UConn Huskies are the top overall seed for the women's tournament, entering undefeated for the first time since 2018. They aim to win back-to-back national championships.
You can find the men's tournament bracket here and the women's bracket here.
The men's tournament starts with the "First Four" games on Tuesday and Wednesday. The full Round of 64 begins on Thursday. The women's tournament follows a day later, with "First Four" games on Wednesday and Thursday, and the Round of 64 starting Friday.
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Start Your News DetoxThe Men's Bracket
Duke, with a 32-2 record and an ACC title, is the top overall seed. They are looking for their 19th Final Four appearance, even with injuries to key players Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba.
The other No. 1 seeds in the men's tournament are Arizona (32-2, conference champions), Michigan (31-3), and Florida, the defending national champions.
A big question for the selection committee was what to do with Miami (OH). The RedHawks had a 31-1 record, with their only loss in their conference tournament quarterfinals. A one-loss team had never missed the tournament before. However, Miami (OH) played a very easy schedule, with no ranked or major conference opponents. Statistician Ken Pomeroy ranked them No. 93, which is very low for an at-large bid.
The committee ultimately made Miami (OH) a No. 11 seed. They will play in a "First Four" game against Southern Methodist University (SMU) to advance to the Round of 64.
Keith Gill, the selection committee chair, noted that Miami (OH) was not the last team chosen for the tournament. He explained that teams like N.C. State, Texas, and SMU were moved ahead of them due to better metrics and quality wins.
This season's talented freshman class will be a highlight of the tournament. AJ Dybantsa of BYU, Cameron Boozer of Duke, and Darryn Peterson of Kansas are expected to be top NBA draft picks. Kansas received a No. 4 seed, and BYU a No. 6 seed.
Two schools are making their first NCAA tournament appearances. Queens University of Charlotte, in their first year of Division I eligibility, is a No. 15 seed and will play No. 2 seed Purdue. California Baptist University, after winning their conference championship, is a No. 13 seed and will face Kansas.
The Women's Bracket
The UConn Huskies are a strong favorite to win the women's national championship again. They won last year's title with Paige Bueckers. This year, with Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd leading, they are 34-0. This is their 11th undefeated regular season, and they are the top overall seed.
However, their path won't be easy. They could face No. 8 seed Iowa State in the second round, featuring the nation's second-leading scorer, Audi Crooks. A potential Elite Eight matchup against No. 2 seed Vanderbilt, led by National Player of the Year contender Mikayla Blakes, also looms.
The UCLA Bruins, with a 31-1 record, are the second No. 1 seed. Their only loss was to No. 3 ranked Texas in November. UCLA's senior trio of Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, and Gabriela Jaquez seeks redemption after last year's tournament loss to UConn.
The other top seeds are South Carolina, who were undefeated two years ago, and the Texas Longhorns. Texas has been a top team but hasn't won a title since 1986.
The women's tournament typically sees fewer upsets than the men's. The lowest seed to win a title was a No. 3 seed, most recently LSU in 2023.
The No. 3 Duke Blue Devils could be a team to watch. Despite their men's team success, Duke's women's team has never won a title and hasn't reached the championship game in 20 years. However, with a talented roster and ACC Coach of the Year Kara Lawson, they are a strong contender.
