Men’s college basketball launches fully into March Madness 2024 as the 68-team field for the NCAA Tournament was announced on the Selection Sunday.
UConn, which won the national championship last year, will enter the tournament with an even bigger target as the No. 1 overall seed. The Huskies will play in the East Regional, and they are joined as a top seed by Houston in the South, Purdue in the Midwest and North Carolina in the West.
MORE: Everything you need to know about the women's March Madness bracket
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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo leads the Spartans to a 25th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament; Arizona's Caleb Love potentially is on a collision course with his former team, North Carolina.
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But the real miracle in the West Region involves Grand Canyon’s Tyon Grant-Foster, who almost two years ago collapsed at halftime of a DePaul game after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Read Josh Peter's storylines for the West Region.
5 simple tips and predictions:38 years of history can help you set up your NCAA tournament bracket
If the seeds were to hold form, the Midwest Region final would match Purdue, which hasn’t been to the Final Four since 1980, against Tennessee, which hasn’t been to the Final Four ever.
Now, the question is whether either of those teams will actually get to the region final.
Read Steve Berkowitz's predictions for the Midwest Region.
UConn will try to defend its national championship coming out of the East Region, where the stiffest competition should come from No. 2 Iowa State, the Big 12 tournament champion; No. 3 Illinois, the second-place team from the Big Ten; and No. 4 Auburn, winners of the SEC tournament.
Read Paul Myerberg's predictions for the East Region.
There’s a whole lot of history in the South Region of the NCAA men's tournament, which features six teams with NCAA championship banners hanging in their home arenas and a couple more with recent Final Four visits.
Read Eddie Timanus' predictions for the South Region.
There are only 68 sports for the NCAA tournament, so that means some programs will inevitably be snubbed.
For those that miss the Big Dance, there is always the National Invitation Tournament, better known as the NIT.
The tournament will begin Tuesday with the first round and conclude with the championship game on April 4.
See who made it, who declined invites and when the games will be played.
Now that the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament has been announced, some teams on the outside looking in have already decided not to play in the NIT:
For the Connecticut Huskies, this has already been a history-making season in a number of respects. But while some history is with them, some is going against them as they embark on their bid for a rare repeat as men’s college basketball champions.
For what it’s worth, they’ll enter the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. UConn was the unanimous first choice by the 32 voters after being the lone projected top regional seed to claim its conference tournament title.
Click to see the entire poll.
As the 2024 men's NCAA Tournament kicks off, a familiar face in March Madness coverage will be missing.
CBS studio host Greg Gumbel will not be part of this year's coverage because of "family health issues," the network announced Sunday, just before the bracket reveal. Taking over his duties will be Adam Zucker. The rest of the crew – Clark Kellogg, Jay Wright and Seth Davis – all wished Gumbel and his family well before the bracket was announced. — Jordan Mendoza
WINNERS
LOSERS
Read Paul Myerberg's winners and losers and his reasons why.
Here’s a fun fact about the NCAA men’s basketball tournament: South Carolina has been to the Final Four more recently than Kentucky.
There are more. There’s never been a time in the history of college basketball where being a blue blood has meant less in terms of March Madness success.
This year, it seems likely that at least one or more of those historically prominent programs will quench their thirst and find a way to Phoenix. Here are the eight schools most likely to break their Final Four-less streaks, ranked by the amount of heartbreak they’ve endured in pursuit of it.
Dan Wolken's list of teams most likely to end their droughts is ranked by heartbreak.
All games are on truTV.
All three contenders for the final No. 1 seed all lost in their conference tournament but the Tar Heels benefit from reaching the ACC tournament title game while Tennessee and Arizona flamed out before the final. Arizona still stays in the west and has a nice path to the Final Four. Baylor also could be primed for a run along with Alabama. Both score but lack defense. This is a very balanced group of top seeds but not the toughest grouping. Potential for some upsets along the way.
Thursday in Charlotte
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Howard/Wagner, 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Michigan State, 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS
Friday in Spokane
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 College of Charleston, 7:35 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 5 Saint Mary's vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon, 10:05 p.m. ET on truTV
Friday in Memphis
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Colgate, 12:40 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 6 Clemson vs. No. 11 New Mexico, 3:10 p.m. ET on truTV
Thursday in Salt Lake City
No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 15 Long Beach State, 2 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 7 Dayton vs. No. 10 Nevada, 4:30 p.m. ET on TBS
It's now or never for Purdue after so many tournament disappointments and the Boilermakers could face Tennessee – another team that has flamed out early – in the regional final. Before that game, Vols coach Rick Barnes could be matched with former school Texas in the second round. Gonzaga surprisingly gets a No. 5 seed. Big boost for the Bulldogs, which could be matched with a struggling Kansas team in the second round. Virginia is a big surprise addition in the play-in game. Cavaliers seemingly were outside the bubble. Colorado State joins Boise State as Mountain West teams in the play-in games. Committee clearly didn't value a league that had six teams in top 40 of NET.
Friday in Indianapolis
No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Montana State/Grambling, 7:25 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 8 Utah State vs. No. 9 TCU, 9:55 p.m. ET on TBS
Thursday in Salt Lake City
No. 5 Gonzaga vs. No. 12 McNeese State, 7:25 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Samford, 9:55 p.m. ET on TBS
Thursday in Pittsburgh
No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 14 Akron, 1:30 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 6 South Carolina vs. No. 11 Oregon, 4 p.m. ET on TNT
Thursday in Charlotte
No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Virginia/Colorado State, 6:50 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Saint Peter's, 9:20 p.m. ET on TNT
Houston was the No. 1 team in the country before its blowout loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game, but the Cougars still look to be the favorites. However, there will be some challengers with Marquette, Duke and Kentucky in this regional. The Golden Eagles need standout guard Tyler Kolek to be healthy. It'll be worth watching if North Carolina State keeps its unlikely run going after five wins in the ACC tournament and a tough opener against Texas Tech. Boise State and Colorado at No. 10 seed play-in game shows the strength of the bubble and how some teams expected in might be left out.
Friday in Memphis
No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A&M, 6:50 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Longwood, 9:20 p.m. ET on TNT
Friday in Brooklyn
No. 4 Duke vs. No. 13 Vermont, 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison, 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS
Thursday in Pittsburgh
No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Oakland, 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 6 Texas Tech vs. No. 11 North Carolina State, 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS
Friday in Indianapolis
No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky, 2 p.m. ET on TBS
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Boise State/Colorado, 4:30 p.m. ET on TBS
Connecticut gets the No. 1 overall seed as expected and gets to stay near home in Brooklyn. The Huskies could face Florida Atlantic – a Final Four team last year that won its way to Houston with two victories in New York last year. Illinois and Iowa State are the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds and both could be major threats. Two contrasting teams there with the Illini one of the top scoring offenses and the Cyclones having an outstanding defense. Auburn is another threat after rolling through the SEC tournament and San Diego State reached the title game last year. Whichever team makes it out the regional will have earned it.
Friday in Brooklyn
No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern, 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS
No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 16 Stetson, 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS
Friday in Spokane
No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 Alabama-Birmingham, 1:45 p.m. ET on TNT
No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale, 4:15 p.m. ET on TNT
Thursday in Omaha
No. 6 Brigham Young vs. No. 11 Duquesne, 12:40 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Morehead State, 3:10 p.m. ET on truTV
Thursday in Omaha
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 South Dakota State, 7:35 p.m. ET on truTV
No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Drake, 10:05 p.m. ET on truTV
When No. 2 Tennessee takes on No. 15 St. Peter’s on Thursday, the Zeigler family will have a decision to make. Root for Zakai Zeigler and the Volunteers, or root for his half-brother Armoni, who plays for the Peacocks.
Zakai wasted no time in reaching out to Armoni when the bracket lit up.
Zakai lived with Armoni, Armoni’s mother and stepfather for a time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"He was ecstatic," Volunteers forward Tobe Awaka said of Zakai’s reaction. "Those two have an incredible bond."
Zakai, 5-9 and the SEC defensive player of the year this season, will not have to worry about guarding Armoni, who stands 6-4.
"I told him I was like ‘You are going to have to guard your brother," Santiago Vescovi said. "He was like, 'No, you’ve got him.'"
Here is a printable PDF of the men's bracket. May your bracket remain free from being busted!
While there are 68 teams celebrating their appearance in the NCAA men's tournament, there are several others sulking, thinking about what could have been.
Here are the biggest snubs from the 2024 NCAA men's tournament:
Read all about the teams that thought they were going to be in but ultimately missed the cut. — Jordan Mendoza
While there is no hard time for this announcement, the expectation is that the announcement will come sometime around 8:30 p.m. ET.
Two of CBS' March Madness experts have the same picks for the Final Four. UConn is the unanimous choice for national champion among Clark Kellogg, Seth Davis and Jay Wright.
Here's a look at their Final Four picks from the Selection Show:
Clark Kellogg
Final Four picks: UConn, North Carolina, Purdue, Kentucky
Title game: Purdue vs. UConn
Pick to win title: UConn
"I like UConn and Purdue in the final and the Huskies to repeat."
Seth Davis
Final Four picks: UConn, Arizona, Houston, Purdue
Title game: UConn vs. Houston
Pick to win title: UConn
"These have been the best two teams all season long, UConn and Houston."
Jay Wright
Final Four: UConn, Arizona, Houston, Purdue
Title game: UConn vs. Houston
Pick to win title: UConn
"I just can’t see anybody beating UConn in this tournament."
The NIT selection show is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET, and will announce a field of 32 teams that missed out on the Big Dance.
The men’s bracket reveal is Sunday, March 17, 2024.
CBS will broadcast the men’s Selection Sunday show.
The men's Selection Sunday show starts at 6 p.m. ET.
There will be 68 teams that make the tournament, including the eight teams that will have to play in the First Four games. Here’s everything you need to know about how Selection Sunday works.
The winners of the 32 conference tournaments are automatically given a spot in the tournament, regardless of record. The remaining 36 spots are at-large bids determined by the committee. Here’s everything you need to know about how Selection Sunday works.
There are several different resources for the committee to choose the best 36 at-large teams, such as record and strength of schedule. But perhaps the most important one is the NET ranking. The NET ranking looks at a team's record and résumé, which then ranks all teams in Division I. Games are divided into four quadrants, and a team's quadrant record depends on who they are playing and where. This is how quadrant games are broken down:
The more Quad 1 wins, the better chance for a team to be selected in the tournament. Considering the NET ranking and other factors, the committee will then come up with the 36 best at-large teams to be selected. There are no limits to how many teams from a certain conference gets selected. Here’s everything you need to know about how Selection Sunday works.
There are 32 conference tournaments that produce 32 automatic bids. The other 36 at-large teams selected to the field will be announced on Selection Sunday. Here is who has secured automatic bids so far (entering Sunday):
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After the committee selects the 68 teams to be in the tournament, it ranks all of them 1 through 68. Once all the teams are ranked, every four teams are evaluated in the same seed line. Example: Nos. 1-4 will be the No. 1 seeds, Nos. 5-8 will be the No. 2 seeds and so on. The four lowest-ranked automatic qualifying teams will play in the First Four games as 16 seeds, while the four lowest at-large teams will compete in the other First Four games, typically as a No. 11 or No. 12 seed. Here’s everything you need to know about how Selection Sunday works.
On Selection Sunday, the full brackets will be revealed on CBS for the men and ESPN for the women, with matchups for every first-round game, as well as location, unveiled. A 12-person selection committee decides who will be in the tournament, as well as where each team is seeded and will play. Here’s everything you need to know about how Selection Sunday works.
Games for the men's First Four are March 19-20. First-round games for the men are March 21-22.
Here are all the venues hosting tournament games over the next several weeks.
| Round | City | Venue | Dates |
| First Four | Dayton, Ohio | UD Arena | March 19-20 |
| First/Second | Brooklyn. N.Y. | Barclays Center | March 22-24 |
| First/Second | Charlotte, N.C. | Spectrum Center | March 21-23 |
| First/Second | Indianapolis | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | March 22-24 |
| First/Second | Omaha, Neb. | CHI Health Center | March 21-23 |
| First/Second | Pittsburgh | PPG Paints Arena | March 21-23 |
| First/Second | Salt Lake City | Delta Center | March 21-23 |
| First/Second | Spokane, Wash. | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena | March 22-24 |
| First/Second | Memphis, Tenn. | FedExForum | March 22-24 |
| Sweet 16 + Elite Eight | Boston | TD Garden | March 28-30 |
| Sweet 16 + Elite Eight | Dallas | American Airlines Center | March 29-31 |
| Sweet 16 + Elite Eight | Detroit | Little Caesars Arena | March 29-31 |
| Sweet 16 + Elite Eight | Los Angeles | Crypto.com Arena | March 28-30 |
| Final Four | Glendale, Ariz. | State Farm Stadium | April 6 |
| National championship | Glendale, Ariz. | State Farm Stadium | April 8 |
Once the seeds for each team are determined, the committee must then place them in the regional location that makes sense and preferred, as well as the first- and second-round sites. All tournament locations are predetermined, so the higher the seed, the better the site location for the team.
Example, if the No. 1 seed is Houston, it will get to play in the South region, which takes place in Dallas. It likely would get to pick the location for the first two games, which would be in Memphis since it's the closest spot to the school. The No. 1 seeds typically get the best possible location for them, and it could be a prime location for seeds Nos. 2-4 as well. The committee attempts to put the bracket in snake order, like the No. 5 overall seed will be in the same region as the No. 4 overall seed, but there are restrictions such as:
Here’s everything you need to know about how Selection Sunday works.
Here is the men's schedule:
CBS will air the Selection Sunday show, as well as the Final Four and the national championship game. TruTV will carry the First Four. CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV will air first- and second-round games.
CBS and TBS will air Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. CBS will air the men's Final Four and championship game.
The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back. There’s a $1 million grand prize for a perfect bracke. The Challenge is free to enter for those age 21 and over. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See official rules and get in the game.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
North Carolina State capped a miraculous conference tournament run with an 84-76 win over North Carolina on Saturday night, stealing a spot in the NCAA Tournament on the eve of Selection Sunday.
The Wolfpack, which lost seven of its last nine regular-season games, arrived in Washington as the No. 10 seed in the ACC tournament, needing to win five games in five days to prolong its season. And with an upset of Duke, an overtime victory over Virginia and its smothering of the Tar Heels on Saturday night, it managed to pull it off.
"Why not us? We carried that mantra into the tournament," fifth-year guard Casey Morsell said. "We knew we were the underdog, but we love that feeling. We love being the underdogs. We were like 10-point underdogs today. We love that. We love it all.” – Tom Schad
Whether you believe Kentucky coach John Calipari is overpaid could depend on the year, the month, even the week. Calipari earned his mega-millions salary when the Wildcats were among the most dominant teams in Division I, capturing one national championship in 2012 and playing for others in 2011, 2014 and 2015. But Kentucky hasn't been back to the Final Four since even as Calipari's annual salary continues to rise ― now at $8.5 million in total compensation for 2023-24, second-most in the country.
USA TODAY Sports compiled pay information from each school in the Power Five conferences and from each school outside those conferences whose team has appeared in at least three of the past five NCAA tournaments.
While Kentucky has had moments this season, including a late run that has lifted the Wildcats toward the top of the SEC, the results and payoff given the school's mammoth investment into Calipari and the program makes him yet again one of the most overpaid coaches in the country. Read Paul Myerberg’s full story here.
Kentucky’s John Calipari is now at $8.5 million in total compensation for 2023-24, second-most in the country.
Nearly three decades ago, Michigan State University offered Tom Izzo a five-year, $540,000 contract to be its next men's basketball coach. He didn't bother countering or negotiating. In fact, he didn't even have an agent. In the years since, Izzo has led the Spartans to eight Final Four appearances and a national championship in 2000 – emerging as one of the sport’s iconic coaches and, in many ways, the face of the university. His contracts have gotten more lucrative and complex as a result, but he said his approach at Michigan State hasn't changed.
"I've never negotiated a contract," Izzo told USA TODAY Sports. "Ever."
Nor does he have an agent.
"I heard I'm one of the only dumb ones," he added, with a laugh.
It’s no surprise that Izzo, who spent 12 seasons as a Michigan State assistant before being promoted to head coach in 1995, is once again among the highest-paid men’s basketball coaches in the country in 2024. According to USA TODAY Sports’ annual review of coaching compensation, the 69-year-old is making roughly $6.2 million this season, which puts him third behind only Bill Self of Kansas and John Calipari of Kentucky.
What’s unusual, however, is the way that Izzo and Michigan State have gotten to this point – piecing together big-money contracts for almost 30 years with little public acrimony, even as Izzo’s stature has grown, administrators have come and gone, and the landscape of college sports has shifted. Read Tom Schad and Steve Berkowitz’s full story here.
Auburn Tigers Auburn beat Florida 86-67 in the SEC championship game Sunday, the Tigers’ first SEC tournament title since 2019. Florida sophomore center Micah Handlogten was taken off the court on a stretcher Sunday during the game after he suffered a broken bone on his lower left leg.
Duquesne Dukes
Duquesne ended up beating Virginia Commonwealth 57-51 to punch its first ticket to the NCAA tournament since 1977. There was plenty of red and blue confetti left for the official celebration.
The Dukes played a team game and their leading scorer was senior guard Dae Dae Grant, who had 10 points and four steals. Their lead was as large as 18 points, and they withstood their own scoring drought and a strong second half from the Rams, who came within one point with 1:36 left in the game. — Victoria Hernandez
A little more than two minutes into the second half of the Atlantic-10 championship game between Duquesne and Virginia Commonwealth, streams of red and blue confetti began raining down from the Barclays Center rafters.
Commentator Kevin Harlan summarized the shock of the moment on the CBS broadcast.
"Confetti falling right now! Confetti is falling on the floor," he said. "They're gonna have to stop playing. We can't see our notes. The players can't work on this court. Confetti is everywhere. Somebody hit the wrong button!"
The red and blue paper – Duquesne's team colors – mostly fell in the stands and Harlan's co-commentator Don Bonner started picking it up.
"You're collecting it like you're going to bring it home to your grandkids or something," Harlan said. " … It's confetti."
"My grandkids would probably like this," Bonner responded, "but you're the one who's complaining you can't see anything, so we gotta clean the table off for ya." — Victoria Hernandez
Oregon Ducks
In what is likely the final year of the Pac-12, Oregon claimed the conference championship by beating Colorado, 75-68. It was the Ducks' sixth Pac-12 tournament title and their first since 2019.
Senior center N'Faly Dante went 12 for 12 from the field for 25 points and was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Dante injured his tailbone during Oregon's semifinal win against Arizona.
UConn Huskies
The defending national champions won the Big East tournament for the first time since rejoining the conference four years ago.
The Huskies, who won their fifth national championship last year, are the likely No. 1 overall seed when the tournament bracket is unveiled.
Tristen Newton was named tournament MVP, scoring 13 points to go with 10 assists against Marquette, whom UConn defeated 73-57.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season after it won the Big Ten tournament title against Wisconsin. It is the first conference tournament title for Illinois since 2021 and it will be its 33rd appearance in the big dance.
The Fighting Illini outscored the Badgers 12-5 over the final 3:55 to preserve the victory. — Jordan Mendoza
Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones won their sixth Big 12 title by routing the nation's No. 1 team, Houston, 69-41.
The margin of victory was the largest over a No. 1 team since 1968 when UCLA beat Houston in the 1968 Final Four.
Keshon Gilbert was named the tournament's most outstanding player after scoring 16 points to lead Iowa State.
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