March Madness Preview

Selection Sunday (3/16) is less than 3 weeks away!

Over the next few weeks we will be sending content your way to prime you for the tournament.  

Our bracket building tool will also be returning and features: 

• 📊 Advanced data insights for every team in the tournament

• 🤖 Cutting edge AI autofill - create unlimited bracket builds optimized for your pool settings and risk preferences

Who Could Win It All?

This season has featured unprecedented dominance by the SEC, which is poised to shatter records. The conference is projected to send 13 teams to the tournament, breaking the previous record of 11 set by the Big East in 2011. With 8 teams in the AP Top 25 and 4 in the top 7, the SEC's depth and quality is unmatched in college basketball history.

The Contenders

✅ Over 80% of champions since 2000 were top 21 in Adj. Offensive EfficiencyAND top 37 in Adj. Defensive efficiency PRIOR to the tournament. 

12 Teams fit this criteria: Duke, Florida, Houston, Auburn, Alabama, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Iowa State, Clemson, Illinois, Arizona, Gonzaga

✅ Every champion since 2000 has been top 57 in Adj. Offensive Efficiency AND top 44 in Adj. Defensive Efficiency PRIOR to the tournament. 

23 Teams fit this criteria: Auburn, Duke, Alabama, Florida, Gonzaga, Houston, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Clemson, Illinois, Arizona, Iowa St., Louisville, Tennessee, Maryland, Marquette, Michigan St., Mississippi, Oregon, Michigan, Saint Mary's, VCU, UCLA, UC San Diego, Creighton, Texas A&M, Georgia

✅ Every national Champion since 2004 has been ranked top 12 of the week 6 AP poll.

These teams this year: Tennessee, Auburn, Iowa State, Duke, Kentucky, Marquette, Alabama, Gonzaga, Florida, Kansas, Purdue, Oregon

 Teams that fit every criteria: 

• Auburn (1): +340

• Duke (3): +370

• Houston (8): +750

• Florida (4): +950

• Alabama (2): +1200

• Iowa State (9): +2000

• Gonzaga (NR): +5000

*number in () indicates committee ranking

*Odds to win tournament from DraftKings

*reflects results through Sunday 3/2

Historic Season for Stars

Finalists last season were bursting with star power. Purdue had player of the year Zach Edey while UConn was buoyed by two future top-7 NBA picks Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan. This season features an epic two-player race for National Player of the Year:

• Cooper Flag (Duke, Freshman): -140 odds

  • 19.3 PPG, 7.6 REB, 4.1 AST

  • Leading a Duke team challenging efficiency records

• Johni Broome (Auburn, Senior): +110 odds

  • 18.4 PPG, 10.8 REB, 3.3 AST

  • Maintaining elite production despite ankle injury since January 12th

Other guys to be paying attention to: 

• Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga, Senior)

  • 10.9 PPG, 3.1 REB, 10 AST

• Mark Sears (Alabama, Senior)

  • 19.1 PPG, 3 REB, 5 AST

• Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State, Senior)

  • 13.8 PPG, 3.6 REB, 4.4 AST

• Kam Jones (Marquette, Senior) 

  • 18.4 PPG, 4.3 REB, 6.2 AST

• Chaz Lanier (Tennessee, Senior) 

  • 17.8 PPG, 3.9 REB, 1.0 AST

Teams to Start Watching Now

The committee's top 16 rankings are historically reliable - over 80% of teams listed typically maintain a top-4 seed. Current projections:

1. Auburn (No. 1 Seed -- South Region)

2. Alabama (No. 1 Seed -- Midwest Region)

3. Duke (No. 1 Seed -- East Region)

4. Florida (No. 1 Seed -- West Region)

5. Tennessee

6. Texas A&M

7. Purdue

8. Houston

9. Iowa State

10. Kentucky

11. Wisconsin

12. Arizona

13. Texas Tech

14. Michigan

15. Kansas

16. St. John's