The SEC set data with 14 bids to March Insanity and 7 groups within the Candy 16. It additionally obliterated the mark that issues greater than another: {dollars} earned.
The convention collected 35 NCAA Match models which are value hundreds of thousands of {dollars} every, simply eclipsing the earlier mark (25) set by the ACC in 2016.
Below the NCAA’s income distribution mannequin, every recreation performed equates to at least one unit earned (aside from the nationwide championship). This 12 months, the models are value roughly $350,000 yearly and paid out yearly over six years — or $2 million over the complete payout interval.
Which implies the SEC has earned $70 million, to be cut up equally among the many membership. With 16 faculties, the unprecedented success this month will lead to $4.4 million per campus from 2026-31.
The Massive Ten completed second within the unit-acquisition recreation with 21, adopted by the Massive 12 with 20. The ACC and Massive East earned 9, the Mountain West six and the West Coast Convention 4.
On a units-per-bid foundation, the Massive 12 led the way in which with 2.9 models per taking part crew. The Massive Ten collected 2.6 per participant whereas the SEC earned 2.5. (To a sure extent, the SEC confronted a diminishing-returns scenario as a result of Tennessee and Kentucky confronted one another within the Candy 16.)
All in all, the SEC, Massive Ten and Massive 12 collected 76 models, or 57.6 % of the overall accessible models.
Partly due to realignment, this was essentially the most top-heavy match in historical past.
Different winners and losers from the regional rounds as Duke, Florida, Houston and Auburn superior to the Remaining 4 …
Winner: No. 1 seeds. For the second time ever — and first since 2008 — all 4 prime seeds superior to the Remaining 4. (Then as now, the journey led to San Antonio.) In case you’re enthusiastic about such issues, Duke is favored by 4.5 factors over Houston on Saturday whereas Florida is favored by 2.5 factors over Auburn.
Loser: Cinderellas. The closest we got here to an upstart within the Candy 16 was Texas Tech, a No. 3 seed, which pushed Florida to the brink within the West regional. The Hotline is hesitant to attract conclusions on the way forward for the little guys within the Massive Dance — the pattern dimension is small — however NIL and the switch portal are worrisome for that subset of Division I.
Winner: Houston. The Cougars skilled a tricky break final 12 months with the damage to star guard Jamal Shead and a foul draw this 12 months, having to face Purdue in Indianapolis. However the Cougars are again within the Remaining 4 in authoritative trend, taking the hardest seed path of any crew since North Carolina in 2017. To outlive the Midwest, they beat the Nos. 16, 8, 4 and a couple of seeds. (Stat courtesy of the NCAA.)
Loser: ACC. The convention was maligned all 12 months and performed right down to its fame with solely 4 whole bids and only one crew advancing to the Candy 16. In fact, that one crew, Duke, is the crew to beat.
Winner: CBS and Turner. Anytime the Blue Devils attain the Remaining 4, eyeballs are positive to observe. The Cooper Flagg issue means followers of the NBA groups tanking for the No. 1 decide — there are a number of — can be tuned in, as properly. Not surprisingly, CBS has picked Duke for the second semifinal slot Saturday night.
Loser: Tennessee. One other regional look and not using a Remaining 4 berth for the Volunteers, who’re tied with Xavier for essentially the most NCAA Match wins (31) by a college that has by no means reached the game’s grandest stage, in accordance with CBS.
Winner: The South. A single quadrant of the nation claims all 4 semifinalists — sure, we’re together with Houston within the area — and the skewed geography reminds us of the Faculty Soccer Playoff’s southerly bent previous to the North’s emergence in 2023.
Loser: The West. The final groups standing from the western half of the nation, Brigham Younger and Arizona, had been eradicated within the Candy 16. It has been 28 years for the reason that area gained the nationwide title (Arizona), and previously decade, it has stuffed simply 5 of the 40 spots within the Remaining 4: Gonzaga twice, plus UCLA, Oregon and San Diego State.
Winner: Foul capturing. Typically missed within the metric-based sport, the freebies from 15 ft could make all of the distinction. And the Remaining 4 groups mixed to shoot 79.3 % from the road of their eight video games this weekend. Duke was 42-of-49 (85.7 %), Florida made 41-of-48 (85.4), Houston hit 11-of-15 (73.3) and Auburn transformed 25-of-38 (65.7).
Loser: Officiating critiques. We perceive the need to get the clock appropriate within the ultimate minutes, even right down to the tenth of a second. However reliance on replay is uncontrolled and should finish earlier than it does additional harm to the taking part in and viewing expertise.
Winner: Duke. The pre-tournament betting favourite is the crew to beat in San Antonio after a dominant efficiency within the East regional, the place the Blue Devils led Arizona and Alabama by at the least two possessions for each minute of the second half. At present, they’re even cash to win the title.
Loser: Brigham Younger. All in all, the Cougars had a terrific season and needs to be a match common beneath coach Kevin Younger. However their protection towards Alabama within the Candy 16 was so dangerous as to offend primary basketball sensibilities. Put one other means: The Crimson Tide scored 48 extra factors towards BYU (113) than they did two days later towards Duke (65).
Winner: KenPom.com. The revered analytics web site that tracks points-per-possession (adjusted for opponents) seems to be prescient on a number of fronts: Duke’s total effectivity was No. 1 by a substantial margin getting into the match; eight of the highest 9 groups superior to the Elite Eight; and Gonzaga performed to the extent of its Pomeroy rating (No. 8) within the second-round loss to Houston.
Loser: John Calipari. Arkansas’ first-year coach did properly to beat St. John’s and get the Razorbacks into the Candy 16. However the meltdown towards Texas Tech, during which the Hogs wasted a 13-point lead with 5 minutes remaining, gained’t fade from reminiscence anytime quickly.
Winner: Time beyond regulation. There was one extra time recreation to date (Texas Tech-Arkansas), which compares poorly to final 12 months (5) however extends a 55-year streak. The final March Insanity with out at the least one extra time recreation was 1970, when solely 25 groups participated.
Loser: Texas Tech. Certain, Florida hit a number of massive photographs from 3-point vary. However the Crimson Raiders blew their nine-point lead, and misplaced the sport, as a result of two empty journeys to the foul line within the ultimate minutes price them 4 important factors. If Darrion Williams and JT Toppin convert their possibilities, the following possessions unfold in another way.
Winner: Walter Clayton Jr. Florida’s veteran guard has emerged as one of the best clutch shooter within the match, with massive baskets towards each Connecticut and Texas Tech. In all, he’s averaging 22.3 factors, capturing 45 % from 3-point vary and making himself some cash within the upcoming NBA Draft.
Loser: My bracket. The Hotline accurately picked six groups that reached the Elite Eight and three that made the Remaining 4. (We had Michigan State successful the South as an alternative of Auburn.) However our sorry displaying within the early rounds undercuts any declare to prognosticating success.
Winner: Cooper Flagg. It didn’t appear attainable, however Duke’s prodigy is even higher than the immense hype that accompanied his freshman season. His dimension, talent set, versatility, imaginative and prescient and really feel for the sport kind essentially the most full bundle the game has seen in eons.
