Auburn Leads the Pack in NCAA Tournament Seedings

Auburn has secured the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with Duke, Houston, and Florida also claiming spots on the No. 1 line in the recently released March Madness brackets. Despite Auburn’s recent losses, they were favored by the NCAA selection committee as the regular-season champions of the SEC.

With 14 SEC teams making it to the tournament, Florida emerged as a favorite to win it all at the Final Four in San Antonio. Surprisingly, North Carolina and Texas made it in off the bubble, while teams like Indiana, West Virginia, and Boise State did not.

A Look at the Selections and Surprises

The 68-team bracket will kick off with preliminary games on Tuesday, followed by the main draw on Thursday and Friday at eight different sites across the country.

The selection show started with a tribute to the late Greg Gumbel, leading into discussions about the bracket selections. North Carolina and Texas made unexpected entries, raising some eyebrows and sparking conspiracy theories.

The SEC dominated with 14 teams in the tournament, followed by the Big Ten and Big 12. Duke, representing the ACC, boasts one of the country’s best players in freshman Cooper Flagg.

Notable Teams and Matchups

Coach Rick Pitino leads St. John’s into the tournament, facing challenging matchups along the way. Tom Izzo guides Michigan State in their 27th straight tournament appearance, while Gonzaga aims to extend their streak of making the second weekend to 10 years.

Looking Ahead to the SEC’s Performance

The SEC’s strong presence in the tournament raises questions about the need for expansion to accommodate more top schools. With the SEC establishing itself as a prominent basketball conference, the focus shifts to whether they can secure their first national title since 2012.

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer