No one in men’s college basketball has won back-to-back national titles since the Joakim Noah-led Florida Gators did so in 2006 and 2007. But here comes the Kansas Jayhawks to try to do just that — Bill Self’s group looks a lot different than the one that cut down the nets in New Orleans last April, but it’s earned a No. 1 seed and ready to go this March.
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It will have challengers though. UCLA is a tough No. 2 seed, even without injured wing Jaylen Clark. Gonzaga is a No. 3 seed still looking for its first national title, led by program legend Drew Timme. Then you have a resurgent UConn, thriving Saint Mary’s and dangerous teams down the bracket like Northwestern, Arkansas and Illinois.
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1. Kansas Jayhawks
Record: 27-7 (13-5 Big 12)
How they got here: The defending champs have hardly missed a beat this season, winning the Big 12 regular-season title in the sport’s toughest conference before getting bounced in the tournament title game by Texas. The Jayhawks lost only one game in non-conference play (Tennessee) and went a remarkable 15-6 in Quad 1 games in the regular season, playing twice as many as all other Quad matchups combined (10-0). The team recovered from three straight conference losses in January to win eight of its last 10, led by Big 12 Player of the Year Jalen Wilson, one of the few returning contributors from last year’s championship run.
What you need to know: New faces but familiar results for Kansas. Wilson and Dajuan Harris are the only returning starters, joined by freshman and NBA Draft lottery prospect Gradey Dick, Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar Jr. and Big 12 Most Improved Player KJ Adams. There’s a considerable drop-off on the bench, but this is a top-10 defense and uptempo, top-25 offense by KenPom standards. The Jayhawks share the ball and play a swarming style on the other end that tends to wear down opponents.
Spotlight on: Wilson is to this team what Ochai Agbaji was to last year’s, and maybe more, leading the team in points (20) and rebounds (8.5). On a team that can lock down on defense but doesn’t shoot it well from deep, Kansas will need Wilson to continue his sterling season if the Jayhawks want a chance to repeat.
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2. UCLA Bruins
Record: 29-5 (18-2 Pac-12)
How they got here: After back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, Mick Cronin has the Bruins on the shortlist of championship contenders. The 2020-21 team was a Jalen Suggs banked-in 3-pointer away from reaching the title game as an 11-seed, and then ran into Caleb Love and the North Carolina buzzsaw a season ago. But this year’s squad is the best of the bunch, in the AP top 10 since the calendar flipped to 2023 with a pair of veteran leaders in Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell and two dynamic freshmen in Amari Bailey and Adem Bona. The Bruins won the Pac-12 regular season title outright and put together winning streaks of 14 and 12 games this season, finishing 7-5 in Quad 1 matchups and without another blemish on the resume. The biggest concern right now is the loss of defensive stopper and second-leading scorer Jaylen Clark, who missed the Pac-12 tournament with a leg injury and is out for the rest of the season.
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What you need to know: This is a patented stingy, grimy, Cronin defense, second in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency behind only Tennessee and top-10 in opponent turnover percentage. The offense has dipped a tad from the past couple years with the losses of Johnny Juzang and Jules Bernard, and shoot fewer 3-pointers than almost any team in the country. But the Bruins also take care of the rock and clean the offensive glass, and Jacquez and Campbell are both comfortable with the ball in their hands in tense moments. A healthy Clark would give UCLA a better shot at winning the whole thing, but the Bruins might be good enough to pull it off without him.
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Spotlight on: Guards tend to come up big in March, and few teams have a steadier and more experienced ballhandler than UCLA does in Campbell. The fourth-year senior has started all 130 games he’s played in his career, averaging 13.5 points and 4.8 assists this season. His shooting percentage is down, but he’s the engine that makes this Bruins team go.
3. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Record: 28-5 (14-2 West Coast Conference)
How they got here: This is what amounts to a disappointing season in Spokane, having to share a conference title with rival Saint Mary’s and losing all of five games. A couple of those, to Texas and Purdue by a combined 37 points in November, were humbling. But Mark Few’s club also scored wins over Alabama, Michigan State and Kentucky, and since an overtime loss at Saint Mary’s on Feb. 4, things have been looking more Gonzaga-like. A 77-51 thrashing of those pesky Gaels in the WCC title game was the ninth straight win.
What you need to know: Legendary big man Drew Timme became Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer in that championship game, which makes sense since he caught lobs from John Stockton as a freshman. That’s a joke but Timme (20.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists per game) continues to not be one. He’s a big part of why this is the most efficient offensive team in college basketball, though his attempt to extend his range (2 of 22 from deep) hasn’t gone well. Four of his teammates have hit 40 or more triples, though, and all of them are around 40 percent. Seven Bulldogs have at least 43 assists, led by Timme, Nolan Hickman (106) and Rasir Bolton (86). That ball movement and shooting counter a so-so defense which is at its best when pressuring.
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Spotlight on: Transfers represent a big chunk of the talent on this team, including sixth man Malachi Smith (Chattanooga) and Bolton (Iowa State), but 6-7 junior guard Julian Strawther has been here from the start and has emerged as a strong second fiddle to Timme. He’s second to Timme in scoring (15.1) and rebounding (5.9) and leads the team with 72 triples (42.6 percent). Strawther is averaging 18.3 points in his past eight games.
4. UConn Huskies
Record: 25-8 (13-7 Big East)
How they got here: UConn opened the season 14-0, which included an impressive showing in the Phil Knight Invitational with victories against Oregon, Alabama and Iowa State. The Huskies lost six of eight games at midseason and were 5-6 in the Big East on Jan. 25 but won their last five games of the regular season. UConn lost by two points to Marquette in a conference tournament semifinal.
What you need to know: The Huskies have a deep and talented team that could make them a tough out in the NCAA Tournament. Adama Sango is a two-time first-team All-Big East selection who leads the team in scoring (16.8 points per game) and rebounding (7.3). His backup, 7-2 center Donovan Clingan, was named the MVP of the Phil Knight Invitational in November. Jordan Hawkins and Tristen Newton average double figures in scoring, and guard Andre Jackson Jr. has played some of his best basketball late in the season.
Spotlight on: UConn has had some memorable March performances by its best players over the years, and Hawkins has the potential to be the next man up in that regard. He was the leading scorer during Big East play at 17.3 points per game, becoming the first Huskies scoring champion in league games since Richard Hamilton in 1998-99. He also shoots 87.9 percent from the free throw line and led the league with 2.8 made 3-pointers per game.
5. Saint Mary’s Gaels
Record: 26-7 (14-2 West Coast Conference)
How they got here: The Gaels have been one of the best defensive teams in the country all season, top 10 in defensive efficiency while hovering around the top 40 in offensive efficiency. St. Mary’s got the win that matters most to this program, 78-70 over rival Gonzaga in an overtime home game on Feb. 4, and the Gaels also beat San Diego State and Vanderbilt, took Houston all the way in a 53-48 loss in Fort Worth, Texas – and held North Texas to 33 points. But this did not look like a team ready to make a run in a 77-51 drubbing at the hands of Gonzaga in the WCC title game.
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What you need to know: Is St. Mary’s a case of metrics inflating a team’s ingredients and achievement? Certainly, Randy Bennett has a gritty bunch, starting with fifth-year senior point guard Logan Johnson. The 6-2 Johnson, who started his career at Cincinnati, is the WCC Defensive Player of the Year and this team’s leading scorer – 14.7 points to go with 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game. He gets into the lane and causes problems, and he hounds opponents on the other end. Johnson is one of four Gaels in double figures in scoring, including freshman guard Aidan Mahaney (14.5 points, 73 3-pointers at 41.2 percent) and 6-7 forward Alex Ducas (12.5, 84 at 41.8 percent). Those are three of five Gaels averaging more than 30 minutes a game. Just one other is in double figures in minutes. This team relies on cohesion and a methodical pace, and it can struggle against defensive pressure.
Spotlight on: Junior center Mitchell Saxen has to come up big if the Gaels are going to advance in this tournament. The 6-10, 242-pound All-WCC big man had a nice season, 11.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. But in some of his biggest challenges this season – the past two games against Gonzaga, Houston, San Diego State – he has averaged 4.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. The 15-point, 11-rebound performance he had in the Gaels’ home win against Drew Timme and the Zags? That’s what he needs to pack in his suitcase for this trip.
6. TCU Horned Frogs
Record: 21-12 (9-9 Big 12)
How they got here: The Horned Frogs returned just about everyone from last season’s second-round NCAA Tournament run, which was good enough for sixth in a stacked Big 12. TCU lost just twice in non-conference play — a head-scratcher to Northwestern State early in the schedule and then OT defeat to Mississippi State — and went 8-11 in Quad 1 games, including a loss to Texas in the Big 12 quarterfinals. Junior guard Mike Miles, a second-team all-conference selection, led the team in scoring for a second straight season.
What you need to know: The Horned Frogs are a well-rounded squad that want to play fast on offense. It’s a bad 3-point shooting team that does most of its damage inside the arc, with no single player averaging four 3-point attempts per game. TCU is stout defensively as well, forcing nearly 16 turnovers a game and holding opponents under 31 percent from beyond the arc. Most TCU games will feature a lot of points in the paint and second-chance buckets. Center Eddie Lampkin did not travel with the team for the Big 12 tournament due to personal reasons and is not expected to return for the NCAA Tournament.
Spotlight on: Miles is the straw that stirs the drink for TCU, leading the team with 17.3 points per game. He does a good job of breaking down defenses and getting to the foul line (6 attempts per game), and shoots 57 percent from inside the arc. The Frogs will likely go as far as Miles can carry them in March.
7. Northwestern Wildcats
Record: 21-11 (12-8 Big Ten)
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How they got here: Northwestern, which was picked to finish 13th in the Big Ten by the league’s media members, far exceeded expectations by finishing in a tie for second place. The Wildcats’ best stretch came during a five-game winning streak in February when they beat Wisconsin and Ohio State on the road and then knocked off No. 1 Purdue and No. 14 Indiana before thrashing Iowa by 20 points.
What you need to know: Northwestern ended a 78-year NCAA Tournament drought in 2017, when the Wildcats qualified for the first time in program history under coach Chris Collins. Then came a five-year dry spell in which Northwestern never finished above .500 or better than 10th in the Big Ten. But the Wildcats are back with Collins, the Big Ten coach of the year, behind the strength of seven Quad 1 wins during the regular season and one of the best turnover margins in the country.
Spotlight on: Guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige have led the charge this season. They are the only Northwestern players averaging double figures in scoring, with Buie first at 17.1 points per games and Audige at 13.8 points. Audige was the Big Ten’s co-defensive player of the year, leading the league with 76 steals.
8. Arkansas Razorbacks
Record: 20-13 (8-10 SEC)
How they got here: On the backs of Wichita State transfer Ricky Council IV and five-star freshman Anthony Black, who carried the Hogs after Missouri transfer Trevon Brazile was lost for the season in early December and while fellow McDonald’s All-American Nick Smith Jr. missed almost two full months with his own injury. The Razorbacks looked like a Final Four team early, including a strong showing at the Maui Invitational, and started 11-1. Then came the injuries and SEC play and Arkansas lost five of six league games to start. They righted the ship with double-digit wins over Texas A&M and at Kentucky, but now they’re limping into the NCAA Tournament, having lost their last three regular-season games and six of nine overall. Eric Musselman’s teams have overcome early struggles to catch fire and make back-to-back Elite Eights, so don’t count this group out just yet. But you can’t really count on them either.
What you need to know: Council (15.9 ppg), Black (12.8 points, 5.1 boards, 4.2 assists) and the Hogs’ third McDonald’s All-American freshman, forward Jordan Walsh (7.2 points, 4.1 boards) have all been very good and fairly reliable. The trouble for Arkansas, which has been a top-20 defensive team, has been cold-shooting spells. The Razorbacks rank 304th nationally in 3-point percentage (31.7) and 287th in free-throw percentage (69.0), neither of which is particularly comforting this time of year.
Spotlight on: Smith, who was billed as the best of the bunch, has been hit or miss since his return — but he’s scored 20-plus in five of his 14 college games and he’s the kind of microwave scorer who could take over in March.
9. Illinois Fighting Illini
Record: 20-12 (11-9 Big Ten)
How they got here: Like many Big Ten teams, Illinois has mixed second-weekend potential with early-exit possibilities. The Illini lost five of their last eight games and three of their last four but own enough wins against high-level competition (Texas, UCLA) to consider them a threat to any bracket.
What you need to know: Illinois has scoring potential — ranking third among Big Ten teams — with toughness on the defensive end (holding opponents to 41.7 percent shooting). It also is considered one of the nation’s unluckiest teams, ranking No. 287 per KenPom. But one of Illinois’ biggest hiccups is its assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranked last in the Big Ten.
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Spotlight on: Combo guard Terrance Shannon (6-6) shook off a midseason and kept the Illini off the bubble with 24 second-half points in a four-point win against Michigan. Shannon averaged 17.1 points a game (sixth in the Big Ten) and does it all at both ends of the floor (4.7 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.3 spg). Forward Coleman Hawkins (9.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 apg) is the glue piece on this roster.
10. Boise State Broncos
Record: 24-9 (13-5 Mountain West)
How they got here: Last year’s Mountain West tournament champs finished second in a competitive regular season race behind San Diego State this season, and are headed to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Broncos are limping a bit to the finish line, losing three of their last five, but one of those wins was a Quad 1 game against San Diego State on Senior Day. Boise State finished 3-5 in Quad 1 matchups and 9-2 in Quad 2, led by sophomore center and leading scorer Tyson Degenhart.
What you need to know: The Broncos are stout defensively, holding opponents to 64 points a game and 31 percent from 3-point range, with an effective field-goal percentage of 47.3 percent. Boise State plays a short rotation with just seven players averaging double-digit minutes and all five starters playing at least 28 minutes a game. But all five starters also score in double figures, including a quartet of homegrown players in Degenhart, Max Rice, Marcus Shaver Jr. and Naje Smith, as well as Texas Tech transfer Chibuzo Agbo.
Spotlight on: Degenhart leads the way at 14.3 points per game and earned first-team all-conference, but Shaver, a senior point guard, runs the show and stuffs the stat sheet. The 6-foot-2 guard is third in scoring at 13.5 points but leads the Broncos in rebounds (6.1), assists (3.8) and steals (1.6) and has the highest usage rate on the team.
11. Arizona State Sun Devils
Record: 22-12 (11-9 Pac-12)
How they got here: Following two straight disappointing seasons and Tournament misses, the Sun Devils bubbled their way into Selection Sunday despite a fifth-place finish in a sub-par Pac-12 and sub-.500 record in Quad 1 and 2 matchups. Wins over Oregon State and USC in the Pac-12 tournament helped keep their hopes alive, along with a big Quad 1 win at Arizona late in the regular season.
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What you need to know: The Sun Devils can put the clamps on defensively, holding opponents under 68 points per game finishing top-30 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency. Offensively, it’s a lot of uptempo ball movement and hoping the 3-pointers fall. The roster is largely turned over from last season, especially once third-year forward Marcus Bagley was suspended from the team in November. Bobby Hurley added brothers Desmond and Devan Cambridge via the portal, along with Frankie Collins and Warren Washington.
Spotlight on: Bringing in the Cambridge brothers was a significant offseason move for ASU. Desmond leads the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game and in steals at 1.8, but he’s shooting just 39.3/32.6/81.4. The Sun Devils will need him to get hot to spark a tournament upset.
11. Nevada Wolf Pack
Record: 22-10 (12-6 Mountain West)
How they got here: In his fourth season as head coach, Steve Alford’s Wolf Pack snuck into the NCAA Tournament after a fourth-place regular season finish in a strong Mountain West. Nevada hasn’t gone dancing since Eric Musselman’s departure, but this year’s Wolf Pack are a balanced squad with a solid NET ranking and other advanced metrics. Nevada finished 4-5 in Quad 1 games and 4-3 in Quad 2, losing to San Jose State in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament.
What you need to know: The Wolf Pack does its damage at the free throw line, attempting nearly 22 a game and converting almost 80 percent as a team. Nevada moves the ball well and takes care of it, and does a solid job on the defensive boards.
Spotlight on: Oregon State transfer Jarod Lucas leads the Wolf Pack at 17.3 points, hitting 38 percent from deep on 6.4 attempts per game. It earned Lucas the Mountain West Newcomer of the Year award as well as a spot on the all-conference second team.
12. VCU Rams
Record: 27-7 (15-3 Atlantic 10)
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How they got here: VCU, which has its most victories in a season under sixth-year coach Mike Rhoades, has won nine consecutive games, including three to capture the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship. The Rams clinched the NCAA Tournament berth with a 68-56 victory against Dayton that required an 11-point second-half comeback.
What you need to know: VCU’s defensive pressure has been a staple of its success over the years, and the Rams once again possess toughness on that end of the floor. Per KenPom.com, VCU has the sixth-best turnover rate in the country. The Rams rank among the top 15 nationally in steals per game and turnovers forced per game.
Spotlight on: Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr. became just the fourth player in Atlantic 10 Conference history to win player of the year and the defensive player of the year award in the same season. He joined UMass’ Stephane Lasme (2006-07), Xavier’s David West (2001-02) and Temple’s Pepe Sanchez (1999-2000). Baldwin leads VCU in scoring (12.7 points), assists (5.8) and steals (2.2) per game.
13. Iona Gaels
Record: 27-7 (17-3 MAAC)
How they got here: Iona has found its groove with 14 consecutive wins and only one coming within six points. The Gaels claimed their second straight MAAC regular-season championship and second NCAA tournament bid in three seasons under Rick Pitino. This is the first time Iona won both in the same season under the hall-of-fame coach. This is also probably the school’s last tournament with Pitino — he’s been strongly connected to open jobs not just at St. John’s but also Texas Tech and Georgetown.
What you need to know: The Gaels sliced through the MAAC on both ends of the floor. Iona topped the MAAC in scoring offense, assists-to-turnover ratio and field goal percentage. Defensively, Iona was No. 1 in field-goal percentage defense and turnover margin. The Gaels rank second nationally in blocks and 17th in assists to turnover ratio.
Spotlight on: Sophomore guard Walter Clayton was Iona’s leading scorer, averaging 16.5 points (third in the MAAC) plus 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Clayton, who eschewed high-major football offers to play college basketball, led the country in free-throw percentage, hitting 94.4 percent of his attempts.
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14. Grand Canyon Lopes
Record: 24-11 (11-7 WAC)
How they got here: By going on an absolute tear to ultimately live up to preseason expectations, even after a season-ending injury to their expected best player made it highly unlikely Bryce Drew’s team would have the chance. Jovan Blacksher Jr., the WAC preseason player of the year, was lost in January. On Feb. 24, the Lopes lost 65-54 at home on senior night to Seattle U. Things looked grim. But it’s six wins in a row and counting entering the NCAA Tournament, the last four of them in the WAC Tournament for the No. 5 seed. And it’s two championships and NCAA bids in three years for Drew in Phoenix.
What you need to know: Grand Canyon’s actual best player this season has been sophomore guard Ray Harrison, averaging 17.7 points and 3.6 assists per game to lead the team. The Lopes fit the bill of an upset contender because of his ability to take over games, and because – as typical with Drew teams – these guys can shoot it from deep. The Lopes are at 38.3 percent as a team, with seven players making 25 or more. The main threats are 6-3 guard Chance McMillian (58 makes, 44.6 percent) and 6-6 forward Noah Baumann (59 makes, 42.8 percent). Gabe McGlothan is the primary inside threat at 6-7, 235, and he came up big with 21 points in the championship game win over No. 3 seed Southern Utah.
Spotlight on: Harrison just put on one of the great individual performances of the conference tournament season – per GCU, he’s the first player to have 80 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in one conference tournament since Kemba Walker did it for UConn in 2011. Those totals were 80, 21 and 23, and 31 of the 80 points came in the championship game. The Presbyterian College transfer will need something like that again to give this team a chance in the first round.
15. UNC-Asheville Bulldogs
Record: 27-7 (16-2 Big South)
How they got here: A protégé of Shaka Smart and Oliver Purnell, Mike Morrell endured a 4-27 debut season in Asheville, spent three seasons around the middle of the Big South and broke through this season with the program’s first championship and NCAA bid since 2016. USC Upstate and Winthrop got the visiting Bulldogs in close games during the regular season, and UNC-Asheville paid USC Upstate back with a 66-62 win in the Big South semis. Then No. 7 seed Campbell was poised to pull off the stunner in the title game. The Bulldogs were down 66-52 to the Camels with less than eight minutes to play and finished the game on a 25-7 run. Big South Player of the Year Drew Pember (29 points) led the way as usual, but it was Tajion Jones with 16 of his 24 in that stretch – including the game-winning triple with less than a minute to play. An epic individual takeover.
What you need to know: The Bulldogs like to pressure and play aggressive man defense, relying on Pember — Big South Defensive Player of the Year for the past two seasons — to clean things up around the rim when necessary. Despite that aggression and high pace offensively, this is not a terribly deep team. Eight players average double figures but just six played more than four minutes in the Big South title game, with Jones playing 40 minutes and Pember 39. Those two score 36.2 of this team’s 75 points per game, with no one else in double figures. Nick McMullen is a rugged interior complement to Pember. Jones is the program’s all-time leading scorer and one of the best 3-point shooters in the nation (98 of 215, 45.6 percent). Caleb Burgess runs the point and averages 4.3 points per game, but defenses can sag off him. Despite that, this team shoots 39 percent overall from long range.
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Spotlight on: Pember started with his hometown Tennessee Volunteers and showed flashes of skill and competitive fire in two seasons but couldn’t lock down a significant role. Part of that was his slight frame, and it’s still slight – 6-11, 215 – but he has been a terror in the Big South. He’s a top-20 shot blocker nationally (2.3 blocks per game) and he can score all over the floor. Pember has 56 3-pointers at 37.3 percent accuracy. His 314 free-throw attempts leads the nation by a large margin, as do his 262 makes — that’s 83.4 percent for a 6-11 big. Pember is more comfortable facing and driving than in the low post, and in ball screens he must be honored popping and rolling hard to the basket. On top of all that, he is second on the team with 79 assists, though he does have the most turnovers with 113.
16. Howard Bison
Record: 22-12 (11-3 MEAC)
How they got here: Howard won the MEAC regular-season title then claimed the tournament title with a 65-64 victory against Norfolk State. It was one of the most competitive conference tournament title games with 15 lead changes and 11 ties and wasn’t decided until a Norfolk State shot went awry at the buzzer. It’s the Bison’s first MEAC tournament title since 1992 and this is only their third trip to the NCAA tournament.
What you need to know: The Bison won five straight games and 14 of their last 16. Howard averaged 75.5 points per game and allowed 71.6 points to rank third and fourth, respectively, in the MEAC and led the league in 3-point percentage (37.7). Howard is ranked No. 215 by KenPom.
Spotlight on: Elijah Hawkins led the Bison in scoring (13.1), assists (5.9) and steals (1.8) and knocked down 48.1 percent of his 3-point shots. Mostly, the 5-11 sophomore engineers victory with three different games of 10-plus assists. Freshman forward Shy Odom (6-6) was named the MEAC tournament MVP after scoring nine points and grabbing seven rebounds against Norfolk State.
(The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman, Joe Rexrode, Jesse Temple and Justin Williams contributed to this story.)
(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; Photo of Kansas’ Dajuan Harris: Matthew Visinsky / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)