With faculty basketball’s 2025-26 rosters now largely set, a clearer image of the season forward is starting to emerge. On the heels of a historic NCAA Event tally for the SEC, a few different energy conferences are assembling their horses.
The Huge Ten has 9 of the highest 30 and 14 of the highest 50 in Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings, whereas the Huge 12 has eight of the highest 35. The ACC and Huge East haven’t got fairly such robust collections, however they’ve amassed sufficient expertise to, at minimal, match their mixed tally of 9 NCAA Event bids from 2025.
Returning to the record-setting threshold of 14 entrants to the Huge Dance can be a tricky process for the SEC, but it surely actually will not be inconceivable because the league heads towards a brand new season with 13 of the nation’s prime 40 groups in Torvik’s scores.
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The place it will get a bit murky for the league is within the decrease half, as there are 5 SEC groups ranked between No. 31 and 40, per Torvik. Will the convention produce an ironclad non-league run once more this season that fortifies its down-ballot squads as NCAA Event groups?
The league needs to be nice once more, however the Huge 12 and Huge Ten are stocked with sufficient expertise to chop into the SEC’s haul. If the ACC’s crop of 4 first-year coaches can breathe some life into that convention, it may additionally impede the SEC’s effort at producing one other tally within the teenagers. Then, there’s the Huge East. Will proud packages at Windfall, Georgetown and Villanova proceed languishing on the fallacious facet of the bubble?
Take note of the “first 4 out” groups of Mississippi State, Indiana, Georgia and Kansas State. These groups would make the sphere if NCAA Event growth have been to be accredited to 72 groups forward of the 2026 NCAA Event. Potential growth to 72 or 76 groups stays a risk, and the extra groups can be at-large contributors required to win a preliminary sport — like what’s at the moment known as the “First 4” — earlier than advancing into the principle 64-team bracket.
This is our first effort at answering these questions with a summertime version of Bracketology forward of the 2025-26 season.
Bracketology prime seeds
Since Houston is the host web site of the South Regional, the Cougars can be ineligible to compete in that area. Nevertheless, the Houston Chronicle reported in Might that the varsity is searching for one other native college to be the host establishment, which might free the Cougars to be eligible to play contained in the Toyota Middle on the second weekend of the Huge Dance. For now, they’re slotted because the No. 1 seed in within the Midwest Area.
On the bubble
Final 4 in
Cincinnati
Texas A&M
Georgetown
Boise State
First 4 out
Mississippi State
Indiana
Georgia
Kansas State
2026 Bracketology matchups
First 4 (Dayton)
(11) Georgetown vs. (11) Boise State
(11) Cincinnati vs. (11) Texas A&M
(16) LIU vs. (16) Norfolk State
(16) Montana vs. (16) Quinnipiac
West Area (San Jose)
Philadelphia (Fri/Solar)
(1) St. John’s vs. (16) Bethune-Cookman
(8) Wisconsin vs. (9) Texas
Oklahoma Metropolis (Thu/Sat)
(4) Auburn vs. (13) Abilene Christian
(5) Arizona (12) Liberty
Greenville (Thu/Sat)
(2) Duke vs. (15) Vermont
(7) Missouri vs. (10) South Florida
Greenville (Thu/Sat)
(3) Tennessee vs. (14) Arkansas State
(6) Creighton vs. (11) Maryland
South Area (Houston)
St. Louis (Fri/Solar)
(1) Purdue vs. (16) Navy
(8) Baylor vs. (9) Vanderbilt
Portland (Thu/Sat)
(4) Iowa State vs. (13) UCSB
(5) Arkansas vs. (12) Akron
Philadelphia (Fri/Solar)
(2) Kentucky vs. (15) Florida Gulf Coast
(7) USC vs. (10) VCU
Tampa (Fri/Solar)
(3) Alabama vs. (14) Towson
(6) Michigan State vs. (11) SMU
East Area (Washington D.C.)
Tampa (Fri/Solar)
(1) Florida vs. (16) Montana/Quinnipiac
(8) Marquette vs. (9) Ohio State
San Diego (Fri/Solar)
(4) Texas Tech vs. (13) Excessive Level
(5) Illinois vs. (12) McNeese
Buffalo (Fri/Solar)
(2) UConn vs. (15) Robert Morris
(7) Oregon vs. (10) Ole Miss
St. Louis (Fri/Solar)
(3) Louisville vs. (14) Furman
(6) San Diego State vs. (11) Cincinnati/Texas A&M
Midwest Area (Chicago)
Oklahoma Metropolis (Thu/Sat)
(1) Houston vs. (16) LIU/Norfolk State
(8) Iowa vs. (9) NC State
San Diego (Fri/Solar)
(4) UCLA vs. (13) Northern Iowa
(5) Kansas vs. (12) Yale
Buffalo (Thu/Sat)
(2) Michigan vs. (15) Southeast Missouri State
(7) North Carolina vs (10) Saint Mary’s
Portland (Thu/Sat)
(3) BYU vs. (14) South Dakota State
(6) Gonzaga vs. (11) Georgetown/Boise State
