The NCAA men’s basketball committee could not be more clear: Teams, not conferences, are what it considers in selecting and seeding the NCAA tournament field. Put another way, conference affiliation is not a factor in any selection committee deliberations.
As far as we can see, the committee is telling the truth. But, the reality is everyone from a conference’s commissioners to its most passionate fans lives in a world of bragging rights. Not only are big dollars at stake in the form of NCAA revenue units, but who doesn’t want their league to be considered the nation’s best?
All of which is extra relevant heading into the 2024-25 season, a year incorporating major conference realignment. The Big Ten and ACC have grown to 18 members; the Big 12 and SEC are at 16 schools apiece. The Pac-12 as we know it is gone, along with its 4.3 NCAA bids per season. Many are wondering where those bids will go.
Past committee practices notwithstanding, overall conference strength will inevitably be part of the answer. So, let’s take a look at how the top five conferences stand in terms of projected NCAA tournament bids and average seed as a new season gets underway.
