Building the brackets: A deep dive on the NCAA tournament selection and seeding process
How the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees put together the March Madness fields
March Madness captivates basketball fans every year, but before the excitement of buzzer-beaters and Cinderella stories comes a meticulous process that determines how teams are selected and seeded for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.
Selecting teams for March Madness
- The first step of the process, which takes place the Wednesday afternoon of selection week, is for each committee member to submit an initial ballot. This involves a private vote with members each identifying no more than 28 teams that, in their own opinion, are worthy of an at-large selection based upon play to date (even if the team could represent its conference as an automatic qualifier based on conference tournament results later in the week). During the same process, committee members each identify a list of teams they believe should receive consideration for possible inclusion as an at-large team based on how they have played up until that point. Each committee member is asked to give at least 56 teams one of the two designations (at-large or under consideration) during the casting of the initial ballot.
- Any team receiving all but three eligible votes as an at-large team is moved into the field. Remember, committee members may not vote for teams from schools they represent, so a team not represented on the committee needs at least nine of the 12 votes to make it in, while a team that is represented needs at least eight of the 11 eligible votes.
- If a team received at least four initial ballot votes, but not enough support to make it into the field as an at-large team, it earns a spot on the under-consideration board. It is from that list of schools that the committee votes teams into the field.
- Each committee member chooses the top eight teams, in no particular order, from teams that are under consideration.
- The top eight vote-getters are ranked 1 through 8 by each committee member, with the top four from that vote moving into the field. The other four are placed in a “holding room.”
- The committee members then list eight more teams from the under-consideration list.
- The top four vote-getters join the other four in holding for a rank of those eight teams. The top four from that ranking are moved into the field.
- This process repeats itself until 44 at-large teams have been selected.
This ensures that only the best teams are selected, based on a variety of metrics and comprehensive evaluation.
Learn more about each committee’s selection criteria for the NCAA tournament.
Seeding teams: Creating the overall seed list
The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees rank the 76 teams using a seed list, which orders teams from 1 through 76. Movement on the seed list takes place throughout the week but gets stamped as final Sunday morning, with contingencies based on the conference championship games that take place Sunday. This seed list serves as the basis for placing teams into the tournament bracket.
The process for initially placing teams on to the seed list is similar to the one to vote teams into the field:
- The seeding process begins with each committee member choosing the top eight teams, in no particular order, from teams that have already been voted into the field or have earned the automatic qualifier.
- The top eight vote-getters are ranked 1 through 8 by each committee member, with the top four from that vote moving into the top four spots on the overall seed list. The other four are placed in a “holding room.”
- The committee members then list eight more teams from the teams that have already been voted into the field or have earned the automatic qualifier.
The top four vote-getters join the other four in holding for a rank of those eight teams. The top four from that ranking are moved into the field as the initial 2 seeds (spots 5-8 on the overall seed list). - This process repeats itself until all tournament teams have been seeded.
- Throughout selection week and right up until the morning of Selection Sunday, the committees will revisit the seed list, scrubbing it until they are satisfied with the order of the 76 teams. The scrubbing process involves comparing the first team with the second, the second with the third, the third with the fourth, and so on. When a team moves up a spot on the seed list, it is then compared with the next team up, and when a team moves down a spot on the seed list, it is compared with the next team down.
Key men’s bracketing principles
- Regional assignments: The four No. 1 seeds are placed in separate regions, with the highest-seeded team choosing both its preferred first- and second-round and regional sites. The NCAA collects this information during the season, but only the overall No. 1 seed gets its preferred sites.
- Conference and rematch rules: The first four teams from the same conference are placed in different regions when they are among the top four seed lines. Teams from the same conference that have played three times during the season, including conference tournament games, cannot meet until the Elite Eight. Teams from the same conference that have met twice during the season, including the conference tournament, may not meet before the Sweet 16. If teams from the same league played just once during the season, they may meet as early as the second round. These principles can be relaxed if a league has nine or more teams in the tournament.
- Opening Round games: The last 12 at-large teams on the committee’s overall seed list, plus the last 12 teams on the overall seed list, make up the 24 teams that compete in the Opening Round in Dayton, Ohio, or Wichita, Kansas, in the men’s tournament.
- Geographical placement: Teams are placed as close to home as possible to maximize fan accessibility. Additionally, a team cannot play in a facility where it has played more than three games in a season or is the host school.
- Bracketing adjustments: If necessary, and only in extraordinary circumstances, a team may be moved up or down to meet bracketing principles. The committee balances regions across the top four seed lines (top 16 teams) using true seed numbers to ensure no region is significantly stronger than another. Ideally, there is never a difference of more than six between the region with the lowest total and the one with the highest.
Did you know? In men’s basketball, because there are four conference championship games played on Selection Sunday, there are contingent seed lists based on those outcomes. Because bracketing can’t begin until the overall seed list is finalized, there are several brackets produced Sunday, based on the combinations of Sunday’s outcomes that impact the seed list.
Learn more about the March Madness selections process.
Key women’s bracketing principles
- Regional assignments: The four No. 1 seeds are placed in separate regions, with the highest-seeded team assigned to its closest regional location.
- Opening Round games: The last 12 at-large teams, plus the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers, play in Opening Round games at top 16 host sites.
- Top 16 seeds hosting games: The top 16 seeded teams have the opportunity to host first- and second-round games at their home arenas if they meet hosting requirements.
- adjustments: The women’s committee, starting with the 2027 tournament, will bracket the top 16 teams solely by their true seed ranking. If necessary, a team seeded outside of the top 16 may be moved up or down one bracket line to meet bracketing principles. The committee balances regions using true seed numbers to ensure no region is significantly stronger than another.
Why seeding matters in March Madness
Seeding can have a significant impact on a team’s tournament journey. Historically, No. 1 seeds have had the best chance of winning their respective tournament, but upsets are a big part of the March Madness drama.
Final Thoughts: Understanding the Madness Behind the Bracket
Understanding how teams are selected and seeded is critical for appreciating the complexity of March Madness. It’s a careful balancing act that combines data-driven analysis with subjective judgment. The process may seem like a mystery to many, but by breaking down how seeding and selection works, fans can gain a greater appreciation for the tournament.
Stay updated on March Madness:
