The Big Lead

SEC dominates Selection Sunday with an astounding 14 NCAA Tournament bids

There will be a lot of pressure on the Southeastern Conference after accounting for 20 percent of the tournament field.

By Matt Reed

Feb 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A rack of basketballs with the March Madness logo before that start of the UCLA Bruins - Ohio State Buckeyes game at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Feb 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A rack of basketballs with the March Madness logo before that start of the UCLA Bruins - Ohio State Buckeyes game at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
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We're getting close to the most exciting weeks in college sports with the return of March Madness, and Sunday's NCAA Tournament bracket reveal provided several interesting plot twists.

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While the number one seeds of Auburn, Duke, Houston and Florida weren't exactly shocks following impressive seasons, there were certainly a few intriguing matchups that jumped off the bracket upon the release.

Big Ten champions Michigan only earned a five seed, which put them on collision course with UC San Diego in the round of 64, while North Carolina somehow reached the Big Dance despite only winning one of its 13 Quad 1 games this season.

The Tar Heels drew a lot of criticism after many fans learned that the school's Athletic Director also happens to be the head of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.

14 SEC teams lead the way with the most bids from any conference in the tournament, including Florida, Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky. Meanwhile, the Big ten received eight bids, which goes to show the dominance of the SEC throughout the season.

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