It’s a somber Selection Sunday as the college basketball world continues to mourn last year’s passing of CBS Sports’ Greg Gumbel.
But even without the voice of annual television event, teams and fans across the country still tuned into CBS on Sunday to learn that Auburn was the top-overall seed and is headed to the South Region.
Naturally, Duke is the second No. 1 seed, and will head to the East Region. The Blue Devils managed to win the ACC Tournament yet again despite an ankle injury to top NBA prospect Cooper Flagg.
Auburn is a slight favorite over Duke to win the national championship, with Florida and Houston not far behind, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
UConn will make the tournament and try for a three-peat as national champ, something that hasn’t been done since the early 1970s, while Big East champion St. John’s is back as one of the top teams in the country under veteran coach Rick Pitino.
Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) celebrates with teammates after winning the most valuable player award for the 2025 ACC Conference Tournament
Auburn cheerleaders perform during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Mississippi in the quarterfinal round of the Southeastern Conference tournament
Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl reacts to a foul against the Tennessee Volunteers
Led by SEC player of the year Johni Broome, the Tigers (28-5) spent eight weeks at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 before a late-season slide that left them entering March Madness having dropped three of their last four games — all to tourney teams. That includes a 70-65 loss to Tennessee in the semifinals of the conference tournament over the weekend.
The Tigers, who have not survived the opening week of the NCAA Tournament since going to the Final Final in 2019, will begin their journey against Alabama State or Saint Francis on Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky. The regional final is in Atlanta.
Auburn was joined in the South by second-seeded Michigan State, third-seeded Iowa State and some familiar faces: No. 4 seed Texas A&M, which beat the Tigers earlier this season, and their first-round opponent … Yale.
