Last year, UCONN became its first repeating national champion in 17 years, the first number one seed in 10 years, and the largest average winning margin (23.3 points) in NCAA Tournament history, earning all games in double digits.
this year?
There's no one to fear.
Even in areas where top-ranked teams in the country have top players in the country, Duke enters the NCAA tournament with uncertainty following an ankle injury that knocked out the freshman Superstar Cooper Flag from the ACC Tournament.
Duke told NCAA officials that FLAGG is suitable for the NCAA tournament, but even if the predicted No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft returns with full strength, the favorite of the year is No. Playing for 1 seed and not in a strong position to win the last four Blue Devils first drafted (Eliton Brand, Zion Irvinve, Zion Brand, Zion Irvinve, Zion brand, title.
Duke coach John Shayer, 37, wants to become the youngest head coach to win the national championship (Jim Barbano) in 42 years by leading the first freshman-led title team since the Blue Devils' latest victory 10 years ago.
“I think it's trending in a great way that Cooper is ready to go straight to the NCAA tournament,” Shayer said after winning the ACC tournament.
Senior-led Auburn was widely thought to be defeating the team after entering March, which looked like a Juggernaut, winning 10 wins against ranked teams.
The Tigers, led by National Player of the Year nominee Johnny Bloom, claimed the number one seed, but suffered more losses in the last two weeks (3) than their first four months (2) and were removed for a year from their first upset to Yale.
The SEC, which won a record 14 bids that beat the mark set by Big East (11) in 2011, won another No. 1 seed through Florida.
The Gators have arguably the most balanced team in the nation, but there is also a head coach (39-year-old Todd Golden) who has never won an NCAA tournament game.
In this post, it is covered with a printable NCAA bracket with a 68-team March Madness 2025 field.
Big 12 champion Houston is the No. 1 seed for the third year in a row, and is older than any title-winning coach in tournament history, following consecutive Suite 16 exits under 69-year-old manager Kelvin Sampson.
The second seed, Tennessee, has championship defenses, but head coach Rick Burns, 70, has a good reputation as the best tournament under tournament of all time.
70-year-old Tom Izzo led second-seeded Michigan to an unexpected Big Ten title, but he removed 25 years from the only national title.
St. John's also grabbed the second seed after securing the school's first Big East title in nearly 40 years, becoming the first coach for Rick Pitino, 72, to lead six different schools into the NCAA Tournament.
But the relentless red storm has not been tested against the best of the country.
Also, no national champion ranked 338th in shooting 3 points more than St. John's (30.4 percent).
St. John's is one of the seven top three seeds that have no national championships.
The past eight national champions (UCONN, Kansas, Baylor, North Carolina, Virginia, Villanova) are not the top six seeds.
Kansas, the No. 1 preseason, endured the most losses under Bill Self (12), and was given the lowest number seven seed in 25 years.
UCONN's quest for the first three peats since the execution of UCLA's seven straight titles (1967-73) faced long odds after Dan Hurley lost four starters in the NBA draft.
Currently, one of the most unlikely runs in tournament history is needed, with the Husky coming in as the number eight seed after 10 losses.
“Our quality is far from where it was for a variety of reasons,” Harley said after losing to St. John's last month. “We have too many flaws.”
There's not just one champion.
