Auburn forward Filip Jovic (38) shoots the goes to the basket past Tennessee center Felix Okpara, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Southeastern Conference tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Kentucky guard Collin Chandler (5) falls onto Florida forward Alex Condon (21) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Duke forward Cameron Boozer catches a pass during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia in the championship of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Auburn forward Filip Jovic (38) shoots the goes to the basket past Tennessee center Felix Okpara, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Southeastern Conference tournament Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Miami (Ohio) forward Antwone Woolfolk (13) was off the court after Miami (Ohio) was defeated by Massachusetts in a basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
St. John's head coach Rick Pitino screams during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn in the championship of the Big East tournament, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Duke's Cameron Boozer (12) handles the ball as Syracuse's William Kyle III, left, defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
Arizona's Jaden Bradley celebrates after making the game-winning shot at the buzzer to defeat Iowa State during an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Big 12 Conference tournament Friday, March 13, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg hangs from the rim after dunking during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wisconsin in the semifinals of the Big 10 Conference tournament, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Kentucky guard Collin Chandler (5) falls onto Florida forward Alex Condon (21) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Duke received the top overall seed for March Madness on Sunday, followed by Arizona, Michigan and Florida, each of whom would love a repeat of last season when all four No. 1s made it all the way to the Final Four.
The top line was the most predictable thing to come out of , with Michigan’s drop of one spot to the overall No. 3 the result of the Wolverines' moments before the brackets were revealed, according to tournament selection chair Keith Gill.
In the day’s biggest nail-biter, Miami (Ohio) made the field as a No. 11 seed, but just barely. The RedHawks, with a 31-1 record but the 339th-ranked strength of schedule, were one of the last teams in the field and they face a First Four game Wednesday against SMU in Dayton, Ohio, not terribly far from home.
The tournament starts Tuesday with other play-in games, including one pitting bubble teams and No. 11 seeds Texas and North Carolina State. The national champion will be crowned at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 6.
Among those left out were San Diego State, Indiana, Oklahoma and Auburn.
The Tigers had 16 losses but the third-best strength of schedule. The snub drew predictable blowback from Bruce Pearl, their former coach and father of their current coach, who was working for CBS and said “they played the toughest schedule in the country and I don’t know if they were rewarded for it.â€
Even with those snubs, the Southeastern Conference led the way by placing 10 teams in the field of 68, four short of its record from last year.
The Big Ten followed with nine, the ACC and Big 12 with eight apiece -- an unsurprising result in an era of massive conference expansion and NIL compensation drawing top players to the biggest spenders.
The Gators (26-7) are the defending champion, trying to repeat their back-to-back titles from 2006-07. Last season, Florida was part of an all-No. 1 Final Four -- the first time that had happened in 17 seasons.
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AP March Madness bracket: and coverage:
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