This time last year, the ACC and Big East were entering the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with a combined record of 14-1 and comprising seven teams of the Sweet 16 field. By contrast, the Big Ten and SEC placed just two teams apiece among the final 16 in 2024 after the conferences earned eight bids each to the Big Dance.
It was a moment of pride for the ACC and Big East at a time of increasing power and increasing numbers for the Big Ten and SEC. What a difference one year can make.
The combined total of ACC and Big East teams remaining in the 2025 NCAA Tournament entering the Sweet 16 is just one after a rough showing on the first weekend for the two proud basketball leagues. The Big East’s run of two straight titles — courtesy of UConn — is officially over.
In the ACC, No. 1 seed Duke is the conference’s only hope of producing a national champion for the first time since Virginia in 2019. With the SEC and Big Ten combining to put 11 teams in the Sweet 16, there are decent odds that one of those two leagues will snap long title droughts.
March Madness 2025: Reseeding the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 teams from Duke to Arkansas
Chip Patterson
The Big Ten’s last national champion was Michigan State in 2000, and the SEC’s last national champion was Kentucky in 2012. Of course, Duke and four teams from the Big 12 will have something to say about it. The Big 12 actually posted the best winning percentage of any league through the first two rounds at 76.9%.
NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 by conference
Here are the reams remaining from each conferences and the overall record of each league in NCAA Tournament action entering the Sweet 16:
SEC (7): No. 1 seed Auburn, No. 1 seed Florida, No. 2 seed Tennessee, No. 2 seed Alabama, No. 3 seed Kentucky, No. 6 seed Ole Miss, No. 10 seed Arkansas
Overall record: 15-7
Big Ten (4): No. 2 seed Michigan State, No. 4 seed Maryland, No. 4 seed Purdue, No. 5 seed Michigan
Overall record: 12-4
Big 12 (4): No. 1 seed Houston, No. 3 seed Texas Tech, No. 4 seed Arizona, No. 6 seed BYU
Overall record: 10-3
ACC (1): No. 1 seed Duke
Overall record: 3-3
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