North Carolina and Texas barely made it into this year's March Madness tournament, with North Carolina's inclusion sparking controversy due to its athletic director's role in setting the bracket. Auburn received the top seed over Duke despite recent losses, while Florida is favored to win it all. Houston and Gonzaga could face off in the second round, and Texas making the field with 15 losses was a surprise. Rick Pitino leads St. John's back to the tournament, facing a potential matchup against John Calipari's Arkansas. Other notable teams include Michigan State, UConn, and the absence of bubble teams like West Virginia and Indiana."
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/march-madness-mens-ncaa-basketball-tournament-bracket-2025/