March Madness 2024: Reseeding the men's round of 32 (2024)

Well, good news. Or bad news. Depending on whom you support.

Time for the annual tradition of reseeding the field of the 32 remaining teams -- one of our more polarizing ventures during the men's NCAA tournament. There have been some highs and some lows in this effort over the years. But the goal is simple: to provide a perspective on where teams stand after each round.

This year, you won't see a lot of movement at the top. The highest seeds have solidified their spots over the course of a full season, and by winning their first-round games. For everyone else? It gets more complicated. Oakland has lost just one game since Feb. 8 -- but after the upset of Kentucky and its NBA prospects on Thursday, where should Greg Kampe's squad be ranked now? NC State was an afterthought two weeks ago. But the Wolfpack's six-game winning streak includes victories over Duke, North Carolina and on Thursday, Texas Tech. That has to count for something.

Either way, we tried our best to offer a fair assessment of the remaining teams. We're certain everybody will be reasonable in their reactions.

1-seeds

UConn Huskies
Original seed: No. 1 overall (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Stetson 91-52 (Friday)

Midway through Friday's first-round game, coach Dan Hurley said he wasn't happy his team had failed to play with the intensity he expected toward the end of the first half. The Huskies had a 52-19 advantage at the time. That's the key to the excellence of the defending national champion, favored to win it all again. If the Huskies (with five players in double figures) think a 39-point win is subpar, good luck to the field.

Up next: vs. Northwestern (Sunday, 7:45 p.m. ET)

Houston Cougars
Original seed: No. 1 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Longwood 86-46 (Friday)

The latest win was Houston's 15th by 15 or more points. Yes, Jamal Shead & Co. have been a good program for multiple years under Kelvin Sampson. But this season's ferocity is on a different level. The Cougars boast a higher offensive capacity with the addition of Baylor transfer L.J. Cryer (17 points). And on Friday, they made 48% of their 3-point attempts after finishing 4-for-22 from beyond the arc in their loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament final.

Up next: vs. Texas A&M (Sunday, 8:40 p.m. ET)

Purdue Boilermakers
Original seed: No. 1 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Grambling 78-50 (Friday)

"We did what we were supposed to do," Zach Edey said after the Boilermakers cleansed themselves of the memory of last year's loss to 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson. The reigning Wooden Award winner finished Friday's first-round game against Grambling with 30 points and 21 rebounds. He's the same dominant force he has always been. But the Boilermakers made 38% of their 3-point attempts, too. Remember, they finished 5-for-26 against Fairleigh Dickinson last year, when they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in America. Now, they're one of the best. That changes everything.

Up next: vs. Utah State (Sunday, 2:40 p.m. ET)

North Carolina Tar Heels
Original seed: No. 1 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Wagner 90-69 (Thursday)

The strategy for UNC was simple: feed fifth-year big man Armando Bacot, who finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds. And the Tar Heels dominated. It's a fresh reminder that Bacot remains one of the premier big men in the game, a veteran who could anchor another Tar Heels run to the Final Four if he keeps playing the way he has over his past four games (17.7 PPG, 12.0 RPG).

Up next: vs. Michigan State (Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET)

2-seeds

Tennessee Volunteers
Original seed: No. 2 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Saint Peter's 83-49 (Thursday)

There will be no repeat of the 2022 Elite Eight run for the Peaco*cks after Tennessee wiped them off the bracket. The Vols led 46-20 at halftime of a lopsided affair. While Rick Barnes' team has been praised for having yet another top-five defense, it scored at a ridiculous rate of 130 points per 100 possessions Thursday. Dalton Knecht finished with 23 points, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. For reference, the Boston Celtics lead the NBA at 122 points per 100 possessions.

Up next: vs. Texas (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET)

Marquette Golden Eagles
Original seed: No. 2 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Western Kentucky 87-69 (Friday)

In his first game back from an oblique injury that forced him to sit out for three weeks -- including all of the Big East tournament -- Tyler Kolek (18 points, 11 assists, 2 steals) did not show any sign of rust in the come-from-behind win over Western Kentucky. Marquette is a different team and a true Final Four contender when he's available. Kolek has registered 45 assists in his past four games -- all wins.

Up next: vs. Colorado (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET)

Arizona Wildcats
Original seed: No. 2 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Long Beach State 86-65 (Thursday)

The Dan Monson story -- he was fired a week ago at LBSU but allowed to keep coaching, then won the Big West tournament and brought his team to the Big Dance -- amplified the buzz before the game, but Caleb Love (18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block) and Kylan Boswell (20 points, 4-for-9 from the 3-point line) were the main characters of a thorough victory for the Wildcats. A week after losing to Oregon in the Pac-12 tournament semifinal, Tommy Lloyd's squad looked like a top-10 defense again.

Up next: vs. Dayton (Saturday, 12:45 p.m. ET)

Iowa State Cyclones
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 South Dakota State 82-65 (Thursday)

Though South Dakota State was a sexy upset pick in some brackets, Iowa State neutralized the Jackrabbits. The Cyclones did it not with the pressure of a defense that has been No. 1 in America since Feb. 1 (per BartTorvik.com), but with an offense that registered 124 points per 100 possessions. Milan Momcilovic (17 points) continues to rise for the Cyclones. He's 10-for-23 from beyond the arc over his past three games.

Up next: vs. Washington State (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET)

3-seeds

Creighton Bluejays
Original seed: No. 3 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Akron 77-60 (Thursday)

Trey Alexander, Baylor Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner once again made an argument for best trio in the country during the double-digit victory over the Zips, scoring 57 points (5-for-9 from beyond the arc) combined. The Bluejays -- who will face Oregon and former Creighton coach Dana Altman in the second round because the NCAA selection committee definitely doesn't care about storylines -- put together one of the first round's most efficient offensive efforts: 55.2% inside the arc, 58.8% from beyond the 3-point line.

Up next: vs. Oregon (Saturday, 9:40 p.m. ET)

Baylor Bears
Original seed: No. 3 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Colgate 92-67 (Friday)

The Bears demonstrated the extremes of their offensive potential when four players scored in double figures, led by Jalen Bridges, and they made 53% of their 3-point attempts. Ja'Kobe Walter has been one of the most consistent NBA prospects in college basketball. But his teammate Yves Missi, also a projected first-round pick, suffered a back injury that could impact this team in its next game. Overall, the Bears have a ceiling on offense few teams can match.

Up next: vs. Clemson (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET)

Illinois Fighting Illini
Original seed: No. 3 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Morehead State 85-69 (Thursday)

There were some rocky moments early for Illinois, and Brad Underwood's squad had just a one-point edge at halftime, but a 20-3 run midway through the second half sent Morehead State back to its campus in Morehead, Kentucky. Terrence Shannon Jr. finished with 26 points (9-for-16) and Dain Dainja added 21 points as the Illini advanced to the second round for the third time in four years.

Up next: vs. Duquesne (Saturday, 8:40 p.m. ET)

Duke Blue Devils
Original seed: No. 4 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Vermont 64-47 (Friday)

For weeks, it has looked like Duke had yet to reach its ceiling. The news of Caleb Foster's season-ending foot injury, along with the loss to NC State in the Blue Devils' first ACC tournament game seemed to confirm as much. Then on Friday, Mark Mitchell led four players in double figures with 15 points against Vermont -- a good start for Jon Scheyer's squad. An NCAA tournament win with Kyle Filipowski taking just one shot is impressive. But it's also the same blueprint their next opponent will use to slow them down.

Up next: vs. James Madison (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET)

4-seeds

Alabama Crimson Tide
Original seed: No. 4 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Charleston Cougars 109-96 (Friday)

You can look at this result two ways. Alabama registered 109 points in regulation, the 12th time it had scored 90 or more since Dec. 23. That's impressive for the Crimson Tide, who can overwhelm opponents with their top-five offense. Or you can look at it this way: Charleston outscored Alabama 62-58 in the second half, proving the Tide's the sub-100 defense could end their second-weekend aspirations.

Up next: vs. Grand Canyon (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET)

Gonzaga Bulldogs
Original seed: No. 5 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 McNeese 86-65 (Thursday)

The 30-win Cowboys seemed like a legit Cinderella before this game. But the Zags proved Will Wade's squad didn't belong on the same floor. Graham Ike (16 points, 6-for-6 overall, 4-for-4 from the free throw line), who has made 64% of his shots inside the arc, has been one of the best big men in America over the past two months. After losing former star Drew Timme, Mark Few was fortunate to find another elite post presence who can lead the Bulldogs to the second weekend.

Up next: vs. Kansas (Saturday, 3:15 p.m. ET)

San Diego State Aztecs
Original seed: No. 5 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 UAB 69-65 (Friday)

Jaedon LeDee has risen from reserve on a Final Four team a year ago to Wooden Award candidate this season. His 32-point effort against UAB was not uncommon for him. He has averaged 24.3 points over the past 11 contests for Brian Dutcher's squad. LeDee has very much proved himself as the anchor for this group now, and could lead SDSU to the second weekend.

Up next: vs. Yale (Sunday, 9:40 p.m. ET)

Kansas Jayhawks
Original seed: No. 4 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Samford 93-89 (Thursday)

Kansas had control of the game early and took a 22-point lead in the second half, but how will the Jayhawks handle fatigue? They eventually slowed down in the second half, and Samford made a serious rally to cut the lead to one before a controversial foul call with 14 seconds to play. Without Kevin McCullar Jr. -- the projected All-American who was ruled out of the NCAA tournament because of a knee injury -- four players logged 35 minutes or more.

Up next: vs. Gonzaga (Saturday, 3:15 p.m. ET)

5-seeds

Clemson Tigers
Original seed: No. 6 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 New Mexico 77-56 (Friday)

Chase Hunter (21 points) led Clemson as the Lobos tried to make someone other than all-ACC first-teamer PJ Hall (14 points) beat them. But this Tigers team defeated Richard Pitino's squad with defensive pressure inside the arc -- the Lobos finished 16-for-41. Clemson was 1-3 in its previous four games in which every opponent made at least 48% of its 2-pointers. That trend changed Friday.

Up next: vs. Baylor (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET)

Washington State Cougars
Original seed: No. 7 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Drake 66-61 (Thursday)

Kyle Smith's squad had to overcome an eight-point Drake lead with seven minutes left in the game. Jaylen Wells (17 points) had his 17th outing with double figures since he became a starter in early January. If the Cougars can play the level of defense they displayed against the Bulldogs (star player Tucker DeVries finished 6-for-18), they could reach the second weekend for the first time since 2008.

Up next: vs. Iowa State (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET)

Utah State Aggies
Original seed: No. 8 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 9 TCU 88-72 (Friday)

In Danny Sprinkle's first year at Utah State, his squad didn't feature a single player who had scored a point for the program the previous season. The situation left Sprinkle to rely on a fleet of transfers -- including Great Osobor and Darius Brown II, who followed him from Montana State -- to hit the accelerator. The Aggies won the regular-season title in a Mountain West league that featured six NCAA tournament teams. They also handed TCU and Jamie Dixon their worst loss of 2023-24 on Friday, with Maryland transfer Ian Martinez scoring 21 points. Utah State is a sleeper that could play its way into national title contention.

Up next: vs. Purdue (Sunday, 2:40 p.m. ET)

Dayton Flyers
Original seed: No. 7 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Nevada 63-60 (Thursday)

Dayton's comeback from a 17-point deficit with 7:14 to play was remarkable. It also showcased the problems teams have had all season against DaRon Holmes II, a 6-foot-10 forward who has matured into one of the most versatile talents in the country. He had eight points, a key steal and critical free throws during that comeback, finishing the game with this stat line: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and a block.

Up next: vs. Arizona (Saturday, 12:45 p.m. ET)

6-seeds

Northwestern Wildcats
Original seed: No. 9 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Florida Atlantic 77-65 (Friday)

A year ago, Ryan Langborg was a star for a Princeton team -- he averaged 18.6 points -- that made a run to the Sweet 16. On Thursday, Langborg had another incredible performance, scoring 27 points for a Wildcats team that had 19 in both the first half and in overtime against Florida Atlantic. A low-turnover squad that hits 3s, has a legit star (Boo Buie is averaging 23.2 PPG over his past five games) and a supporting cast? Northwestern could be a handful in the next round, even against UConn.

Up next: vs. UConn (Sunday, 7:45 p.m. ET)

Michigan State Spartans
Original seed: No. 9 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Mississippi State 69-51 (Thursday)

A Michigan State team that had lost five of its past seven games entering the NCAA tournament has now reached the second round for the 20th time under Tom Izzo. With a strong offensive effort (44% from the 3-point line) and a suffocating defensive performance (Bulldogs star Josh Hubbard finished 6-for-18), the Spartans will enter their matchup against No. 1 North Carolina (-3.5) on Friday as a capable underdog.

Up next: vs. North Carolina (Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET)

Colorado Buffaloes
Original seed: No. 10 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 7 Florida 102-100 (Friday)

The most thrilling game of the first round ended on a KJ Simpson (23 points) jump shot. It was also proof Colorado is comfortable in a high-scoring affair: This was the fifth time in 11 games that the Buffaloes had scored 80 or more. They've also made 41% of their 3-point attempts since Feb. 16, going 10-1 over that stretch. Colorado has endured multiple injuries but seems to have reinvented itself over the past month.

Up next: vs. Marquette (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET)

Texas Longhorns
Original seed: No. 7 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Colorado State 56-44 (Thursday)

On offense, most of what unfolded here wasn't pretty. But the Longhorns also orchestrated one of the first round's top defensive efforts, holding Colorado State to just 66 points per 100 possessions two days after the Rams beat Virginia by 25. Rodney Terry's group stumbled into the field, but Max Abmas & Co. will have to do better than 1-for-14 from the 3-point line to advance again.

Up next: vs. Tennessee (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET)

7-seeds

Original seed: No. 9 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Nebraska 98-83 (Friday)

On Feb. 28, Texas A&M had lost its fifth game in a row, its sixth in nine. Since Feb. 28? The Aggies are fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency, with the help of Wade Taylor IV, who is averaging 25.2 points over five games. The Aggies have also been a top-40ish defensive team during this resurgence. It's just more evidence that teams can make dramatic changes in March.

Up next: vs. Houston (Sunday, 8:40 p.m. ET)

Oregon Ducks
Original seed: No. 11 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 South Carolina 87-73 (Thursday)

Dana Altman stayed perfect in his career in the first round of the NCAA tournament with this win over an SEC contender. Jermaine Couisnard (40 points) got the praise after he torched his former team. But the steady play of N'Faly Dante (20.6 PPG, 83% from the field during Oregon's five-game winning streak), who missed the first two months of the season following knee surgery, is the reason the Ducks have peaked at the right time.

Up next: vs. Creighton (Saturday, 9:40 p.m. ET)

NC State Wolfpack
Original seed: No. 11 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 Texas Tech 80-67 (Thursday)

DJ Burns Jr. has become one of America's favorite players after leading his team to the ACC tournament championship and then scoring 16 points in Thursday's victory over Texas Tech. He's more than his big personality, though. With Burns in the paint, the Wolfpack have been 20th in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency since the start of the ACC tournament. Those wins over Duke, North Carolina and Texas Tech weren't flukes. They were the result of a high-powered offense finally reaching its ceiling.

Up next: vs. Oakland (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET)

Grand Canyon Lopes
Original seed: No. 12 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Saint Mary's 75-66 (Friday)

GCU has made a significant investment to compete with other Division I programs across the country. And its first trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament shows the investment is paying off. Bryce Drew's squad was a trendy upset pick in this matchup after it beat San Diego State in the nonconference portion of the season, and after it won 14 games in a row. The Lopes lived up to the hype, as Tyon Grant-Foster (22 points) continued his scoring barrage (23.5 PPG over his past six games).

Up next: vs. Alabama (7:10 p.m. ET)

8-seeds

James Madison Dukes
Original seed: No. 12 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Wisconsin 68-61 (Friday)

The only reason James Madison opened its season with a road win at Michigan State was because one of its staffers, who scheduled the game, is Tom Izzo's nephew. Turns out it was a fortuitous start for a team that won its first 14 games and is on a 14-win streak after taking down another Big Ten squad Friday. The Dukes were imperfect -- 41% from the field, 12 turnovers -- but Terrence Edwards Jr. scored in double figures (14 points) for the 14th time in 15 games.

Up next: vs. Duke (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET)

Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Original seed: No. 14 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 3 Kentucky 80-76 (Thursday)

Jack Gohlke's 10-for-20 effort from the 3-point line (32 points) off the bench in his team's upset over the Wildcats was nothing new for the graduate senior, who previously played at Division II Hillsdale College. He has attempted 347 3-pointers -- making 38% of them -- and just eight shots inside the arc this season. NC State, Oakland's opponent in the next round, will know he's mostly a long-range threat. That doesn't mean the Wolfpack can stop him.

Up next: vs. NC State (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET)

Duquesne Dukes
Original seed: No. 11 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 BYU 71-67 (Thursday)

Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot was LeBron James' high school coach. The NBA superstar's high school teammate Dru Joyce III is the Dukes' associate head coach. Connections aside, Duquesne's is a great story. This is a talented team that ranks 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency since Jan. 21, according to BartTorvik.com. That's the group that upset BYU. And, since the start of the Atlantic 10 tournament, Jimmy Clark III has recorded 21 assists and 13 steals.

Up next: vs. Illinois (Saturday, 8:40 p.m. ET)

Yale Bulldogs
Original seed: No. 13 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 4 Auburn 78-76 (Friday)

James Jones had secured his fourth trip to the NCAA tournament since arriving in New Haven in 1999. Five Yale players were averaging double figures entering Selection Sunday. But the dance is meant for heroes, and John Poulakidas (28 points) accepted that assignment Friday. Auburn was beloved by the metrics as a team with top-10 rankings in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. This game was proof star power can sometimes surpass statistical trends.

Up next: vs. San Diego State (Sunday, 9:40 p.m. ET)