By Joe Lunardi Updated: 12/09/2025 at 7:10 a.m. ETThe nonconference portion of the 2025-26 season is slowly beginning to wind down, and the sport will be fully enmeshed in conference play in less than a month. We’ll accordingly have updated Bracketology projections every Tuesday through the end of the calendar year, with twice-weekly updates (Tuesday and Friday) beginning in early January.
SOUTH (HOUSTON)St. Louis1 Iowa State16 Southern – aq/ Long Island – aq8 UCLA – aq9 KentuckyPhiladelphia5 St. John’s12 Tulsa – aq4 Louisville13 Liberty – aqBuffalo6 Auburn11 Seton Hall/ VCU3 Michigan State14 Siena – aqPortland7 Saint Mary’s10 Ohio State2 BYU15 North Dakota State – aq
EAST (WASHINGTON D.C.)Greenville1aq – Duke16aq – Youngstown State8 Georgia9 WisconsinTampa5 Texas Tech12aq – Belmont4 Illinois13aq – UNC WilmingtonOklahoma City6 USC11aq – Saint Louis3 Vanderbilt14aq – Arkansas StatePhiladelphia7 Iowa10 Baylor2aq – UConn15aq – Stephen F. Austin
WEST (SAN JOSE)San Diego1aq – Arizona16aq – Vermont8 Indiana9 MiamiTampa5 Florida12 Villanova UCF/4 North Carolina13aq – High PointOklahoma City6 Arkansas11aq – Akron3 Houston14aq – Hawai’iSt. Louis7 SMU10 Oklahoma State2 Purdue15aq – Lipscomb
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedMichiganFirst Team OutButlerLast Team InUCFThere are wins that get a team into the NCAA tournament, and there are wins that change a season. Iowa State managed both in one afternoon. Not that this year’s Cyclones were ever going to be a bubble team, but what they did to Purdue on the road in Mackey Arena will certainly change the trajectory of their season. The Cyclones have never been a 1-seed — twice a No. 2, in 2000 and 2001 — but they’re now firmly in the top line conversation after a 23-point blowout of the previously unbeaten and presumptive 1-seed Boilermakers. Iowa State also is one of only eight unbeaten teams remaining, alongside fellow top seeds Michigan, Duke and Arizona. Of course, there’s no way of knowing how the Big 12 winds will blow and where the Cyclones will land on Selection Sunday. What we do know is that this team, especially with Tamin Lipsey back, could hang a Final Four banner for the first time since 1944.
On the BubbleLast Four Byes Ohio State Oklahoma State Baylor NC StateLast Four In Seton Hall Villanova VCU UCFFirst Four Out Butler LSU Missouri TCUNext Four Out Oklahoma Colorado Santa Clara Wake Forest
Last Four Byes Ohio State Oklahoma State Baylor NC State
Next Four Out Oklahoma Colorado Santa Clara Wake Forest
16Lindenwood16Norfolk State16Southern16Long Island11Seton Hall11VCU12Villanova12UCF
MIDWEST (CHICAGO)Buffalo1 Michigan16 Lindenwood – aq/ Norfolk State – aq8 Clemson9 Utah State – aqSan Diego5 Tennessee12 Utah Valley – aq4 Kansas13 East Tennessee State – aqGreenville6 Virginia11 Yale – aq3 Alabama – aq14 Northern Colorado – aqPortland7 Nebraska10 NC State2 Gonzaga – aq15 Colgate – aq
The nonconference portion of the 2025-26 season is slowly beginning to wind down, and the sport will be fully enmeshed in conference play in less than a month. We’ll accordingly have updated Bracketology projections every Tuesday through the end of the calendar year, with twice-weekly updates (Tuesday and Friday) beginning in early January.
68-Team Bracket16Lindenwood16Norfolk State16Southern16Long Island11Seton Hall11VCU12Villanova12UCFMIDWEST (CHICAGO)Buffalo1 Michigan16 Lindenwood – aq/ Norfolk State – aq8 Clemson9 Utah State – aqSan Diego5 Tennessee12 Utah Valley – aq4 Kansas13 East Tennessee State – aqGreenville6 Virginia11 Yale – aq3 Alabama – aq14 Northern Colorado – aqPortland7 Nebraska10 NC State2 Gonzaga – aq15 Colgate – aqSOUTH (HOUSTON)St. Louis1 Iowa State16 Southern – aq/ Long Island – aq8 UCLA – aq9 KentuckyPhiladelphia5 St. John’s12 Tulsa – aq4 Louisville13 Liberty – aqBuffalo6 Auburn11 Seton Hall/ VCU3 Michigan State14 Siena – aqPortland7 Saint Mary’s10 Ohio State2 BYU15 North Dakota State – aqEAST (WASHINGTON D.C.)Greenville1aq – Duke16aq – Youngstown State8 Georgia9 WisconsinTampa5 Texas Tech12aq – Belmont4 Illinois13aq – UNC WilmingtonOklahoma City6 USC11aq – Saint Louis3 Vanderbilt14aq – Arkansas StatePhiladelphia7 Iowa10 Baylor2aq – UConn15aq – Stephen F. AustinWEST (SAN JOSE)San Diego1aq – Arizona16aq – Vermont8 Indiana9 MiamiTampa5 Florida12 Villanova UCF/4 North Carolina13aq – High PointOklahoma City6 Arkansas11aq – Akron3 Houston14aq – Hawai’iSt. Louis7 SMU10 Oklahoma State2 Purdue15aq – Lipscomb
There are wins that get a team into the NCAA tournament, and there are wins that change a season. Iowa State managed both in one afternoon. Not that this year’s Cyclones were ever going to be a bubble team, but what they did to Purdue on the road in Mackey Arena will certainly change the trajectory of their season. The Cyclones have never been a 1-seed — twice a No. 2, in 2000 and 2001 — but they’re now firmly in the top line conversation after a 23-point blowout of the previously unbeaten and presumptive 1-seed Boilermakers. Iowa State also is one of only eight unbeaten teams remaining, alongside fellow top seeds Michigan, Duke and Arizona. Of course, there’s no way of knowing how the Big 12 winds will blow and where the Cyclones will land on Selection Sunday. What we do know is that this team, especially with Tamin Lipsey back, could hang a Final Four banner for the first time since 1944.
By Joe Lunardi Updated: 12/09/2025 at 7:10 a.m. ETThe nonconference portion of the 2025-26 season is slowly beginning to wind down, and the sport will be fully enmeshed in conference play in less than a month. We’ll accordingly have updated Bracketology projections every Tuesday through the end of the calendar year, with twice-weekly updates (Tuesday and Friday) beginning in early January.
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedMichiganFirst Team OutButlerLast Team InUCFThere are wins that get a team into the NCAA tournament, and there are wins that change a season. Iowa State managed both in one afternoon. Not that this year’s Cyclones were ever going to be a bubble team, but what they did to Purdue on the road in Mackey Arena will certainly change the trajectory of their season. The Cyclones have never been a 1-seed — twice a No. 2, in 2000 and 2001 — but they’re now firmly in the top line conversation after a 23-point blowout of the previously unbeaten and presumptive 1-seed Boilermakers. Iowa State also is one of only eight unbeaten teams remaining, alongside fellow top seeds Michigan, Duke and Arizona. Of course, there’s no way of knowing how the Big 12 winds will blow and where the Cyclones will land on Selection Sunday. What we do know is that this team, especially with Tamin Lipsey back, could hang a Final Four banner for the first time since 1944.On the BubbleLast Four Byes Ohio State Oklahoma State Baylor NC StateLast Four In Seton Hall Villanova VCU UCFFirst Four Out Butler LSU Missouri TCUNext Four Out Oklahoma Colorado Santa Clara Wake Forest
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
Top Overall SeedMichiganFirst Team OutButlerLast Team InUCF
Last Four Byes Ohio State Oklahoma State Baylor NC StateLast Four In Seton Hall Villanova VCU UCFFirst Four Out Butler LSU Missouri TCUNext Four Out Oklahoma Colorado Santa Clara Wake Forest
16Lindenwood16Norfolk State16Southern16Long Island11Seton Hall11VCU12Villanova12UCF
16Lindenwood16Norfolk State16Southern16Long Island11Seton Hall11VCU12Villanova12UCF
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
MIDWEST (CHICAGO)Buffalo1 Michigan16 Lindenwood – aq/ Norfolk State – aq8 Clemson9 Utah State – aqSan Diego5 Tennessee12 Utah Valley – aq4 Kansas13 East Tennessee State – aqGreenville6 Virginia11 Yale – aq3 Alabama – aq14 Northern Colorado – aqPortland7 Nebraska10 NC State2 Gonzaga – aq15 Colgate – aqSOUTH (HOUSTON)St. Louis1 Iowa State16 Southern – aq/ Long Island – aq8 UCLA – aq9 KentuckyPhiladelphia5 St. John’s12 Tulsa – aq4 Louisville13 Liberty – aqBuffalo6 Auburn11 Seton Hall/ VCU3 Michigan State14 Siena – aqPortland7 Saint Mary’s10 Ohio State2 BYU15 North Dakota State – aqEAST (WASHINGTON D.C.)Greenville1aq – Duke16aq – Youngstown State8 Georgia9 WisconsinTampa5 Texas Tech12aq – Belmont4 Illinois13aq – UNC WilmingtonOklahoma City6 USC11aq – Saint Louis3 Vanderbilt14aq – Arkansas StatePhiladelphia7 Iowa10 Baylor2aq – UConn15aq – Stephen F. AustinWEST (SAN JOSE)San Diego1aq – Arizona16aq – Vermont8 Indiana9 MiamiTampa5 Florida12 Villanova UCF/4 North Carolina13aq – High PointOklahoma City6 Arkansas11aq – Akron3 Houston14aq – Hawai’iSt. Louis7 SMU10 Oklahoma State2 Purdue15aq – Lipscomb
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