Men's Bracketology: 2025 NCAA Tournament

By Joe Lunardi Updated: 03/14/2025 at 10:20 p.m. ET

Here at Bracketology HQ, we track every result, day and night, ranking and reranking what will eventually constitute the NCAA tournament's field of 68. With Champ Week underway, Bracketology will be updated with each change to the projected seed list, from the Ohio Valley title game on March 8 to the Big Ten final on March 16 -- and everything in between!

Men's Tournament Challenge: Sign up now!

Bubble Watch: Who's in, who's got work to do?

Bracket Watch

Friday's action includes a number of games impacting the top seed lines of the bracket. Auburn starts things off with a chance to cement its No. 1 overall seed (if not already secured). Later on, Alabama, St. John's and Wisconsin are among those hoping to gain a full seed line with major-conference tournament victories. On the bubble, the math suggests three spots are available among the fivesome of North Carolina, Xavier, Texas, Boise State and Indiana (with Colorado State and Dayton as additional wild cards). The actual number available depends on the number of bid stealers. That count is currently zero, but we're at the point of Championship Week at which things often go sideways. Specifically that means keep an eye on VCU this afternoon and UC San Diego tonight.

On the Bubble

Last Four Byes

Last Four In

First Four Out

Next Four Out

68-Team Bracket

SOUTH (ATLANTA)

Lexington

1 Auburn - aq
16 SIU Edwardsville - aq/
Jackson State - aq
8 Marquette
9 New Mexico - aq

Seattle

Denver

Cleveland

WEST (SAN FRANCISCO)

Raleigh

Denver

Milwaukee

Wichita

EAST (NEWARK)

Raleigh

Providence

Milwaukee

Cleveland

MIDWEST (INDIANAPOLIS)

Wichita

Seattle

Providence

Lexington

Conference Breakdown

Conference

Team

Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock

RULES

ESPN's Bracketology efforts are focused on projecting the NCAA tournament field just as we expect the NCAA Division I basketball committee to select the field in March. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi uses the same data points favored by the committee, including strength of schedule and other season-long indicators, including the NET and team-sheet data similar to what is available to the NCAA, in his projections of the field. Visit the NCAA's website for a fuller understanding of NCAA selection criteria.

68-Team Bracket

The 68-team bracket is the standard version of the NCAA tournament field that has been in place since 2011. If the 2021 field is comprised of 68 teams, there will be some key differences to past years, however.

The primary adjustment from a normal year is, of course, the playing of the entire NCAA tournament at a single site. This eliminates the need for geographical considerations in seeding. Additionally, there will be at least one fewer automatic qualifier this season, as the Ivy League's decision to forgo the 2020-21 season reduces the number of AQ entries to 31 for this season.

48-Team Bracket

In this projection, a condensed selection process would reduce the field by 10 at-large teams and 10 automatic qualifiers (the latter of which still receive a revenue unit). The top four seeds in each region would receive a bye into the second round, with four first-round games per region - 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10 and 8 vs. 9 - being played without fans on the higher seed's home court.

To minimize travel, first-round pairings will be guided by geography to the greatest extent possible. And the reduced field results in only 32 teams competing at the central site. All participants must post a minimum .500 conference record - the "Lunardi Rule" - for at-large consideration.

16-Team Bracket

In this projection, the committee selects and seeds the 16 best available teams. There are no automatic qualifiers, although all non-competing conference champions receive the designated revenue unit.

To maintain some sense of national balance, conference participation is capped at four teams. And no region shall have more than one team from the same conference.

ESPN

Bracket Watch

Top Overall Seed

First Team Out

Last Team In

On the Bubble

Last Four Byes

Last Four In

First Four Out

Next Four Out

68-Team Bracket

SOUTH (ATLANTA)

Lexington

Seattle

Denver

Cleveland

WEST (SAN FRANCISCO)

Raleigh

Denver

Milwaukee

Wichita

EAST (NEWARK)

Raleigh

Providence

Milwaukee

Cleveland

MIDWEST (INDIANAPOLIS)

Wichita

Seattle

Providence

Lexington

Conference Breakdown

More Stories