The Southeastern Conference (SEC) dominates the top seeds for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, with Duke serving as the only non-SEC team in the top tier. The Blue Devils (21-3) secured the No. 3 seed in the NCAA men’s basketball selection committee’s preliminary ranking of the top 16 teams, released one month ahead of the full bracket reveal on March 16.
Auburn (22-2) and Alabama (21-3) earned the top two national seeds, while Florida (21-3) claimed the No. 4 spot, giving the SEC three of the top four seeds. Tennessee (20-5) and Texas A&M (20-5) landed as the top two No. 2 regional seeds, and Kentucky (17-7) was positioned as a No. 3 seed, resulting in six SEC teams in the top 16. Committee chair Bubba Cunningham highlighted the SEC’s strength this season, noting the remarkable and rare dominance of one conference at the top.
Duke, the sole ACC representative in the top 16, was placed as the No. 1 seed in the East Region, with Newark, New Jersey, hosting the regional semifinals and finals. The East Region also includes Tennessee (No. 2 seed), Arizona (No. 12), and St. John’s (No. 16). If Auburn retains its top overall seed in the final bracket, the Tigers will choose their region, currently set as the South Region in Atlanta. Alabama was placed in the Midwest Region (Indianapolis), and Florida in the West Region (San Francisco).
The Big 12 contributed four top-16 teams, including Houston, Iowa State, Arizona, and Texas Tech, while the Big Ten added Purdue, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This early reveal also served as a valuable exercise for the committee’s five new members in preparation for the final selection process next month.
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