The ACC and Big East were the big winners during the opening weekend of the 2024 Men’s NCAA Tournament. ACC and Big East schools were a combined 7-0 in the Round of 32, so nearly half of the remaining Sweet 16s are from those two conferences.
Things weren’t much better for the Big 12 and SEC. The Big 12 and SEC each have two teams left, even though both leagues each have eight bids and four top-four seeds.
We analyzed the conference’s performance after the Round of 64. Here’s an update on the 10 multi-bid conferences and how they fared from the first weekend of the tournament. The conference breakdown for the Sweet 16 is as follows:
ACC:Four
big east:3
big ten:2
big 12:2
SEC:2
Pac-12:1
WCC:1
American
bid:2
2024 record:0-2
2023 record:2-2
The Americans went winless in 2024 with both teams eliminated in the first round. After reaching the Final Four last season, No. 8 seed Florida Atlantic lost in overtime to Northwestern. Even mean No. 12 seed UAB lost to San Diego State.
ACC
bid:Five
2nd round record:4-0
2024 record:8-1
2023 record:7-5
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, North Carolina.
One of the main winners of the first weekend of the tournament was the ACC. After Virginia embarrassed the league with a putrid performance in the First Four, the ACC went on an eight-game winning streak in the tournament. NC State looked strong as a No. 1 seed, but Duke played with confidence and won big, while Clemson and NC State advanced by defeating No. 3 seeds.
Many would not have expected the ACC to have a quarter of the field remaining heading into the second weekend of this season. However, the ACC has been successful so far in March.
atlantic 10
bid:2
2nd round record:0-2
2024 record:2-2
2023 record:0-1
The A-10 is officially back from March Madness after suffering two double-digit losses in the second round. Dayton was unable to continue playing against No. 2 seed Arizona, and Duquesne struggled to keep pace with No. 3 seed Illinois. Dayton at least remembers the late come-from-behind victory over Nevada.Duquesne defeated the No. 6 seed in one of the biggest upsets of the tournament’s first round. BYU.
big 12
bid:8
2nd round record:2-3
2024 record:7-6
2023 record: 9-7
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: houston iowa
The Big 12, which received eight bids after a strong regular season, was overwhelmed by a poor performance in the second round. No. 1 seed Houston and No. 2 seed Iowa State continued to win, while Baylor and Kansas lost as top seeds and Texas lost. He lost to fired coach Rick Barnes.
Many of the early exits could be remedied if either Houston State or Iowa State were more favored, but the Big 12 has two or more teams with eight bids and four top-four seeds. I had to hope for a Sweet 16 team.
big east
bid:3
2nd round record:3-0
2024 record:6-0
2023 record:12-4
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: university universityMarket, Clayton
The Big East continues to do well in March, with all three top seeds advancing to the Sweet 16. UConn looks like the favorite from every point of view after two blowout wins. Marquette and Creighton also showed more resiliency in close second-round games with impressive wins.
big ten
bid:6
2nd round record:2-2
2024 record:6-4
2023 record: 6-8
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: Purdue, Illinois
Strong representation from No. 1 seed Purdue and No. 3 seed Illinois continued as both teams ran through the first weekend. After a stunning overtime victory over Florida Atlantic, No. 9 seed Northwestern was eliminated by No. 1 seed Yukon. michigan Also, the No. 1 seed lost to North Carolina, ending the season.
In the Big Ten, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Nebraska were eliminated, and the two top seeded schools were also eliminated in the first round. But overcoming the two strongest teams is the most important storyline. The Big Ten’s priority right now is to break a nearly 25-year national title drought with two very good teams remaining.
mountain west
bid:6
2nd round record:1-1
2024 record: 4-5
2023 record:5-4
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: San Diego State
The Mountain West has had another weak showing in the NCAA Tournament, with five of the six teams already eliminated. San Diego State finished as runner-up last season and will return to the Sweet 16. And just like last season, they will play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs have made the most of upsets by playing the No. 13 seed in the second round each of the past two years.Utah State deserves credit for a solid win in the first game. TCU before being run over by No. 1 seed Purdue in the second round.
The remaining Mountain West entries, New Mexico State, Colorado State, Boise State and Nevada, all lost in the first two days.
Pac-12
bid:Four
2nd round record:1-3
2024 record:6-3
2023 record:3-4
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: Arizona State of WashingtonColorado, Oregon
After getting off to a very strong start at 5-0, the Pac-12 finally lost momentum. Three of the four teams were eliminated in the round of 32.
Arizona remains a solid No. 2 seed after its win over Dayton. Washington State, Colorado State and Oregon State were all eliminated by higher seeds. It’s strange that the Pac-12 is slowly eliminating all of its teams, knowing that we won’t be seeing many of these teams in the league by next season.
SEC
bid:8
2nd round record:2-1
2024 record: 5-6
2023 record: 9-8
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: Tennessee, Alabama, Texas A&M
The SEC won’t be satisfied with just two teams reaching the Sweet 16 after eight bids.
Top-four seeds Kentucky and Auburn suffered shocking first-round losses. South Carolina, Florida and Mississippi State were also top seeds that lost in their openers.
Tennessee and Alabama served as the top four seeds. Texas A&M played well against No. 1 seed Houston, but ultimately lost in overtime.
But the SEC’s opening weekend was a disaster. A conference that is doing everything it can to increase its basketball notoriety doesn’t want as many upsets early on.
WCC
bid:2
2nd round record:1-0
2024 record:2-1
2023 record:4-2
Still dancing in the Sweet 16: Gonzaga
Gonzaga University advanced to the Sweet 16 for the ninth consecutive year. After an impressive victory over No. 4 seed Kansas, the Bulldogs head into the second weekend heading into a rematch with No. 1 seed Purdue at the Maui Invitational. After a string of early tournament losses in the late 2000s, Gonzaga has advanced to at least the Round of 32 every year since his 2008.
