2025 NCAA Tournament Rant

To begin, this has nothing to do with my Bracketology.   I do it for fun and because I absolutely love this tournament.  I have for over 40 years.  And the tournament will deliver despite what I am about to say.  It always does.

Here goes.  The inclusion of North Carolina was completely done because the AD was the chair and the good ol' boys hung out with him all week AND because of TV.

Now nobody cares about my opinion.  I get that.  But the decision was made to include two teams who proved time and again this season they could not win Quad 1 games.  Let me break this down real simple with mathematics...

The NCAA Tournament is played on neutral sites.  A Quad 1 game on a neutral site is represented by teams in the top 50 in the NET.  Other than most of the AQ teams on seed lines 12 to 16, every other team is in the top 50 except for conveniently North Carolina's First Four opponent San Diego State.  So when picking an 11 seed, every team they are likely to face is a Quad 1 game in the tournament.   Yet a team who was 1-12 in those such games is given another chance because of Brand Name.  Xavier was 1-9 in those games.  The committee sighted the records when including Quad 2.  You know where Quad 2 games are played?  The NIT!

West Virginia defeated 3 top teams in the top 12 in NET.  Plus one other victory better than UNC'S lone triumph over UCLA.  But West Virginia does not draw eyeballs.  The Mountaineers played a #62 non-conference schedule which is very good, played in a tougher Big 12 and still only ended up with one more losses than UNC.  West Virginia also did not have a Quad 3 loss but guess who did?  Yep, the Tar Heels.  

This is such a bad inclusion and such a bad look.  And don't get me started on predictive metrics.  How many games did North Carolina lose when the metrics said they should win?  On court results matter.  UNC failed this year and that should have been ok. 

If you read this, thanks for listening. 

Bracketology Final Seed List 2025

1's - Auburn, Duke, Houston, Florida

2's - Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan State, St. John's 

3's - Texas Tech, Kentucky,  Texas A&M, Wisconsin 

4's - Iowa State, Maryland, Purdue, Arizona

5's - Clemson, Ole Miss, Oregon, Michigan 

6's - BYU, Missouri, Illinois, Louisville

7's - Kansas, UCLA, St. Mary's, Marquette

8's - Memphis, Gonzaga, Mississippi State, Connecticut

9's - Creighton, New Mexico, Georgia, West Virginia 

10's - VCU, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah State 

11's - Colorado State, Baylor (Vanderbilt, San Diego State, Texas, Indiana)

12's - Drake, UC-San Diego, McNeese State, Liberty

13's - Yale, High Point, Akron, Grand Canyon

14's - Lipscomb, UNC-Wilmington, Troy, Montana

15's - Wofford, Robert Morris, Bryant, Omaha

16's - Norfolk State, Mount St. Mary's (SIUE, American, Alabama State, St. Francis (PA))

Bracketology - March 16, 2025 7 AM CST - potential bracket

South (Atlanta)

1 Auburn

16 American/St. Francis (PA)

(Lexington)

8 Connecticut 

9 New Mexico

5 Oregon 

12 McNeese State

(Seattle)

4 Arizona

13 High Point

6 Louisville 

11 Vanderbilt/Indiana 

(Milwaukee)

3 Kentucky 

14 Troy

7 Kansas

10 Arkansas

(Cleveland)

2 Michigan State 

15 Robert Morris 

East (Newark)

1 Duke

16 SIUE/Alabama State

(Raleigh)

8 Mississippi State 

9 West Virginia 

5 Mississippi 

12 UC San Diego

(Seattle)

4 Purdue 

13 Akron

6 Illinois

11 San Diego State/Texas

(Wichita)

3 Texas Tech

14 Montana

7 St. Mary's 

10 VCU

(Lexington)

2 Tennessee 

15 Wofford 

Midwest (Indianapolis)

1 Houston

16 Mount St. Mary's 

(Wichita)

8 Gonzaga 

9 Georgia 

5 Clemson 

12 Liberty 

(Providence)

4 Maryland 

13 Yale

6 Missouri

11 Baylor

(Milwaukee)

3 Wisconsin 

14 UNC-Wilmington 

7 Marquette 

10 Utah State

(Cleveland)

2 Alabama

15 Omaha

West (San Francisco)

1 Florida 

16 Norfolk State 

(Raleigh)

8 Memphis 

9 Creighton 

5 Michigan 

12 Drake 

(Denver)

4 Iowa State

13 Grand Canyon

6 BYU 

11 Colorado State

(Denver)

3 Texas A&M

14 Lipscomb

7 UCLA 

10 Oklahoma 

(Providence)

2 St. John's 

15 Bryant

Bracketology - March 16, 2025 7 AM CST

Here is where I am at right now.  A few more AQ's left, but otherwise it is coming nicely together.  I think the SEC Tournament Champ will get the last #1.  Memphis and VCU can hold the bubble where it's at, with Indiana being my last team in.

1's - Auburn, Duke, Houston, Florida

2's - Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan State, St. John's 

3's - Texas Tech, Kentucky,  Texas A&M, Wisconsin 

4's - Iowa State, Maryland, Purdue, Arizona

5's - Clemson, Ole Miss, Oregon, Michigan 

6's - BYU, Missouri, Illinois, Louisville

7's - Kansas, UCLA, St. Mary's, Marquette

8's - Memphis, Gonzaga, Mississippi State, Connecticut

9's - Creighton, New Mexico, Georgia, West Virginia 

10's - VCU, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah State 

11's - Colorado State, Baylor (Vanderbilt, San Diego State, Texas, Indiana)

12's - Drake, UC-San Diego, McNeese State, Liberty

13's - Yale, High Point, Akron, Grand Canyon

14's - Lipscomb, UNC-Wilmington, Troy, Montana

15's - Wofford, Robert Morris, Bryant, Omaha

16's - Norfolk State, Mount St. Mary's (SIUE, American, Alabama State, St. Francis (PA))

Bracketology - March 14, 2025 - Seed Lines

1's - Auburn, Duke, Houston, Florida

2's - Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan State, Texas Tech

3's - Kentucky, St. John's, Iowa State, Texas A&M

4's - Maryland, Wisconsin, Purdue, Clemson

5's - Arizona, Ole Miss, Oregon, BYU

6's - Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Kansas

7's - UCLA, Louisville, St. Mary's, Marquette

8's - Gonzaga, Mississippi State, Memphis, Connecticut

9's - Creighton, New Mexico, Georgia, VCU

10's - Utah State, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Arkansas

11's - Oklahoma, Baylor (San Diego State, Texas, Indiana, North Carolina)

12's - Drake, UC-San Diego, McNeese State, Yale

13's - Liberty, High Point, Akron, Troy

14's - Lipscomb, UNC-Wilmington, Utah Valley, Wofford

15's - Robert Morris, Bryant, Montana, Omaha

16's - Norfolk State, Quinnipiac (SIUE, American, Alabama State, St. Francis (PA)

Bracketology - Comparison Chart Update Through March 13, 2025

Thursday is moving day.  The committee is knee-deep in it now and the movement will be minimal from here on out.  Here is the updated comparison chart for the at-large pool.  I will follow with my current seed lines in the next post.

Bracketology - March 12, 2025 (Midday)

Moving a few pieces around as the conference tournaments continue.  Vanderbilt and West Virginia with poor performances, but both teams are safe.  Currently monitoring Ohio State.  Bracket not perfect but seeds where I want them.