The women’s and men’s NCAA basketball tournament brackets by the numbers
The GIST: To help you make your picks, a deep dive into the men’s basketball (MBB) and women’s basketball (WBB) March Madness brackets will hit your inbox tomorrow and Wednesday, respectively, but in the meantime, let’s break down some Selection Sunday stats.
Zero: The number of people more hyped than Texas’ women when they received their No. 1 seed. Pro tip: Turn down your volume before clicking that link.
- On the opposite end of the spectrum, zero people were less impressed than LSU WBB HC Kim Mulkey learning that her Tigers are a No. 3 seed. Hey, it worked out pretty well for them last year.
3: The number of 2023 Final Four teams (No. 1 UConn, No. 5 San Diego State, and No. 8 FAU) in the men’s East region, which is likely the toughest path to the Final Four across both brackets. Even more intimidating? That quadrant also includes four freshly-minted conference tournament champions (UConn, No. 2 Iowa State, No. 3 Illinois, and No. 4 Auburn). Cutthroat doesn’t cover it.
6: The teams dancing for the first time. Conference tournament champions No. 15 Cal Baptist WBB, No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi WBB, and No. 16 Stetson MBB are on to the first round, while No. 16 Presbyterian WBB and No. 16 Grambling State MBB will duke it out in “First Four” games this week.
- The only first-timer invited on an at-large bid? Columbia’s No. 12 women, who have a First Four date with Vanderbilt on Wednesday. When an impassioned HC speaks, the selection committee listens.
8: The most teams any conference is sending to March Madness. On the women’s side, the ACC and SEC have the most contenders, while the Big 12 and SEC each added eight in the men’s bracket.
10: How many mid-major teams scooped up at-large tickets. Eight men’s teams earned this distinction, while just No. 4 Gonzaga and the aforementioned Columbia made the women’s bracket without bringing home conference hardware first.
22: The number of schools sending their women and men to the Big Dance. Get you a team that can do both.
6:40 p.m. ET: The time when this year’s edition of the best tournament in sports officially tips off — Wagner and Howard MBB will fight for a No. 16 seed in a First Four bout tomorrow. LFG.
