Auburn earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament on Selection Sunday as it aims for its first national title.
The Tigers (28-5) are a No. 1 seed for just the second time in program history. Coach Bruce Pearl’s Tigers, led by national player of the year contender Johni Broome, will have the benefit of playing in the South Region, where the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight are in nearby Atlanta. Auburn will open its tournament Thursday against the winner of Alabama State and Saint Francis (Pa.) in Lexington, Ky.
While Auburn won the SEC regular-season title, it enters March Madness having lost three of four, all to ranked opponents from a conference that was among the strongest and deepest in college basketball history.
The other story of the South Region: North Carolina made the field as one of the last four teams in the tournament. The Tar Heels, a No. 11 seed, will play fellow No. 11 San Diego State in the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday.
This story will be updated as the full bracket is revealed.
South Region matchups
1. Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State/Saint Francis (Pa.)
8. Louisville vs. 9. Creighton
5. Michigan vs. 12. UC San Diego
4. Texas A&M vs. 13. Yale
6. Ole Miss vs. 11. San Diego State/North Carolina
3. Iowa State vs. 14. Lipscomb
7. Marquette vs. 10. New Mexico
2. Michigan State vs. 15. Bryant
(Photo: Stew Milne / Getty Images)
