The 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four is set. For the first time since 2008, that group includes each region’s No. 1 seed — Duke (East), Houston (Midwest), Florida (West) and Auburn (South).
Those four teams contending for a national title shouldn’t come as a surprise. They are KenPom’s No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4-ranked units, respectively, plus hold the top four spots in ESPN’s BPI, the NCAA NET and every other relevant rating metric. This year’s edition of March Madness forgot to include much of the ‘madness.’ Instead, we get the four clear-cut best teams playing for a national championship.
Regardless of whether one favors upsets and chaos, this result sets the stage for a terrific final weekend of college basketball.
With that final grouping now set, it’s worth returning to the full 68-team bracket to get a final ruling on the nation’s best conference.
The SEC broke a record with 14 tournament bids. A record four of those teams advanced to the Elite Eight, and now two to the Final Four. However, despite that top-end success, the conference does not boast the best overall NCAA Tournament winning percentage.
For more, here is a full look at the record for every conference with at least two teams in the March Madness field:
Mountain West — 2-4 (.333)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- South Region No. 10-seed New Mexico — R64 win over Marquette, R32 loss to Michigan State
- West Region No. 12-seed Colorado State — R64 win over Memphis, R32 loss to Maryland
- Midwest Region No. 10-seed Utah State — R64 loss to UCLA
- South Region No. 11-seed San Diego State — First Four loss to North Carolina
The Mountain West showed well with four tournament bids plus several first-round wins. Colorado State was even a Maryland buzzer-beater away from reaching the Sweet 16. Although New Mexico was its highest-ranked team in KenPom at No. 41, the Mountain West is established as one of the sport’s better second-tier conferences.
Big East — 4-5 (.444)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- West Region No. 2-seed St. John’s — R64 win over Omaha, R32 loss to Arkansas
- South Region No. 9-seed Creighton — R64 win over Louisville, R32 loss to Auburn
- West Region No. 8-seed UConn — R64 win over Oklahoma, R32 loss to Florida
- South Region No. 7-seed Marquette — R64 loss to New Mexico
- Midwest Region No. 11-seed Xavier — First Four win over Texas, R64 loss to Illinois
The Big East had a disappointing tournament. St. John’s falling to No. 10-seed Arkansas in the second round headlines that reality. After consecutive national titles from UConn, the conference was due for a bit of a regression.
West Coast — 2-2 (.500)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- Midwest Region No. 8-seed Gonzaga — R64 win over Georgia, R32 loss to Houston
- East Region No. 7-seed Saint Mary’s — R64 win over Vanderbilt, R32 loss to Alabama
Gonzaga entered as KenPom’s No. 9-ranked team in the country, yet it drew a No. 8 seed and a second-round matchup against Houston. The luck of the draw did not favor the WCC this March.
Big Ten — 13-8 (.619)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- South Region No. 2-seed Michigan State — R64 win over Bryant, R32 win over New Mexico, S16 win over Ole Miss, E8 loss to Auburn
- West Region No. 4-seed Maryland — R64 win over Grand Canyon, R32 win over Colorado State, S16 loss to Florida
- South Region No. 5-seed Michigan — R64 win over UC San Diego, R32 win over Texas A&M, S16 loss to Auburn
- East Region No. 3-seed Wisconsin — R64 win over Montana, R32 loss to BYU
- Midwest Region No. 7-seed UCLA — R64 win over Utah State, R32 loss to Tennessee
- Midwest Region No. 4-seed Purdue — R64 win over High Point, R32 win over McNeese State, S16 loss to Houston
- East Region No. 5-seed Oregon — R64 win over Liberty, R32 loss to Arizona
- Midwest Region No. 6-seed Illinois — R64 win over Xavier, R32 loss to Kentucky
Another year, another NCAA Tournament without the Big Ten finishing on top. Michigan State’s national title in 2000 remains the conference’s last champion. The conference showed well overall, with every entrant winning at least one game and four teams reaching the Sweet 16. However, those S16 teams ran into top seeds, with Michigan and Michigan State falling to Auburn, Maryland to Florida and Purdue to Houston.
ACC — 5-3 (.625)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- East Region No. 1-seed Duke — R64 win over Mount St. Mary’s, R32 win over Baylor, S16 win over Arizona, E8 win over Alabama…F4 vs. Houston
- Midwest Region No. 5-seed Clemson — R64 loss to McNeese State
- South Region No. 8-seed Louisville — R64 loss to Creighton
- South Region No. 11-seed North Carolina — First Four win over San Diego State, R64 loss to Ole Miss
Remaining Teams: Duke
The ACC entered the tournament with a clear ‘Duke, then everybody else’ distinction. The Blue Devils have delivered with a trip to the Final Four. Otherwise, no other ACC team got out of the first round.
SEC — 21-12 (.636)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- South Region No. 1-seed Auburn — R64 win over Alabama State, R32 win over Creighton, S16 win over Michigan, E8 win over Michigan State…F4 vs. Florida
- West Region No. 1-seed Florida — R64 win over Norfolk State, R32 win over UConn, S16 win over Maryland, E8 win over Texas Tech…F4 vs. Auburn
- East Region No. 2-seed Alabama — R64 win over Robert Morris, R32 win over Saint Mary’s, S16 win over BYU, E8 loss to Duke
- Midwest Region No. 2-seed Tennessee — R64 win over Wofford, R32 win over UCLA, S16 win over Kentucky, E8 loss to Houston
- South Region No. 4-seed Texas A&M — R64 win over Yale, R32 loss to Michigan
- Midwest Region No. 3-seed Kentucky — R64 win over Troy, R32 win over Illinois, S16 loss to Tennessee
- South Region No. 6-seed Ole Miss — R64 win over North Carolina, R32 win over Iowa State, S16 loss to Michigan State
- West Region No. 6-seed Missouri — R64 loss to Drake
- East Region No. 8-seed Mississippi State — R64 loss to Baylor
- West Region No. 10-seed Arkansas — R64 win over Kansas, R32 win over St. John’s, S16 loss to Texas Tech
- East Region No. 10-seed Vanderbilt — R64 loss to Saint Mary’s
- Midwest Region No. 9-seed Georgia — R64 loss to Gonzaga
- West Region No. 9-seed Oklahoma — R64 loss to UConn
- Midwest Region No. 11-seed Texas — First Four loss to Xavier
Remaining Teams: Auburn, Florida
The SEC backed up its historically good regular season with a fantastic tournament showing. Auburn and Florida are in the Final Four, Alabama and Tennessee fell in the Elite Eight, plus Ole Miss, Kentucky and Arkansas lost in the Sweet 16. The conference is guaranteed to have a team playing for the national title, as the winner of Auburn and Florida will meet either Houston or Duke.
Big 12 — 13-6 (.684)
Tournament Teams, Results:
- Midwest Region No. 1-seed Houston — R64 win over SIUE, R32 win over Gonzaga, S16 win over Purdue, E8 win over Tennessee…F4 vs. Duke
- West Region No. 3-seed Texas Tech — R64 win over UNC Wilmington, R32 win over Drake, S16 win over Arkansas, E8 loss to Florida
- East Region No. 6-seed BYU — R64 win over VCU, R32 win over Wisconsin, S16 loss to Alabama
- East Region No. 4-seed Arizona — R64 win over Akron, R32 win over Oregon, S16 loss to Duke
- South Region No. 3-seed Iowa State — R64 win over Lipscomb, R32 loss to Ole Miss
- West Region No. 7-seed Kansas — R64 loss to Arkansas
- East Region No. 9-seed Baylor — R64 win over Mississippi State, R32 loss to Duke
Remaining Teams: Houston
Houston backed up its place as one of the top teams in the sport with an impressive run to the Final Four, including wins over terrific Gonzaga, Purdue and Tennessee teams. The Big 12’s impressive performance was bolstered by Texas Tech, BYU and Arizona all reaching the Sweet 16, plus Texas Tech the Elite Eight.
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