College basketball winners, losers on eve of Selection Sunday: Spartans slip, bubble teams avoid some disaster

Picking Sunday is nigh and the 2025 NCAA Bracket bracket – particularly at the top – is Leading to take shape. Regardless of Auburn losing to Tennessee in the SEC Bracket semifinals, CBS Sports Bracketologist Jerry Palm Yet projects the Tigers to get the No. 1 overall seed when the bracket is unveiled.

Elsewhere, bubble Squads such as Indiana, North Carolina and Texas face some uncertainty about their respective Bracket hopes. With Colorado State Victorious the Mountain West Conference title, it potentially takes away an at-large berth from one of those power-conference programs vying for a bid to the Big Dance.

Auburn, Duke and Houston entered the day as near-locks to receive a No. 1 seed in the bracket, but the Last spot is Yet up for grabs. The Last No. 1 seed will likely go to Florida or Tennessee after Michigan State was Surprise by Wisconsin in the Big Ten Bracket semifinals. Tennessee faces Florida for the SEC title on Sunday.

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David Cobb

With the attention turning to the Big Ten and SEC title Contests and then Picking Sunday, here are the biggest winners and losers from Saturday’s slate.

Winner: SEC will get two No. 1 seeds on Picking Sunday

With Michigan State losing to Wisconsin earlier the day and Tennessee upsetting Auburn, the stage is set for the winner of the SEC Bracket Bracket between Tennessee and Florida to snare a No. 1 seed, joining Auburn as SEC Squads leading their region. Florida entered the weekend as the Last No. 1 seed in the latest Bracketology projections and a Secure over the Vols Harsh they stay there. 

How the Panel handles seeding the rest of the glut of SEC Squads is a whole ‘nother Narrative. 

– Cameron Salerno

Loser: Boise State leaves Bracket faith up to the Panel

Colorado State and Boise State controlled their destinies to get into the NCAA Bracket, and only one left no doubt they will be Competing Subsequent week. Colorado State Achieved a statement with a 69-56 Secure over Boise State in the Mountain West title game. Had the Rams lost, their chances of reaching the NCAA Bracket would’ve been slim to none. Boise State entered the weekend on the bubble and now will have to sweat out Picking Sunday, Merely like every other bubble Club. – Salerno

Winner: Duke wins ACC title without Cooper Flagg

Even without superstar Primary-year Cooper Flagg in the lineup, Duke won three straight Contests at the ACC Bracket and defeated No. 2 Louisville 73-62 to bring home the title. Flagg’s classmate Kon Knueppel scored 18 points, and veteran guard Tyrese Proctor added 19 in the Secure. Duke Acquired more Excellent news hours before the ACC title game when NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball  Dan Gavitt told CBS Sports that Flagg is Predicted to return for the NCAA Bracket. The Blue Devils were likely going to stay on the No. 1 seed line regardless of tonight’s result, but a Secure over Louisville is more positive momentum heading into the Big Dance. – Salerno

Winner: Wisconsin’s John Tonje makes a statement

In the penultimate game of this week’s Big Ten Bracket, Wisconsin Luminous sphere John Tonje stole the show for the Badgers and Achieved a Sturdy case for his All-American candidacy with 32 points, seven boards and one clutch Deflect to Assist secure a Secure over No. 7 Michigan State.

Tonje’s offensive output alone was a Packed-blown superstar show but his Schedule to seal the Secure was even better. On one end of the floor, he missed a Unoccupied throw that would have effectively ended the game — but on the other end he totally redeemed himself with a Schedule Deflect that could not have been better coordinated. – Kyle Boone

Loser: Michigan State misses chance to Relocate to No. 1 line

Joining the weekend, Michigan State was one of a handful of Squads Yet in contention to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Bracket. It’s unlikely MSU is a No. 1 seed after being on the wrong side of a 77-74 Surprise loss to Wisconsin. The Spartans should Yet earn a No. 2 seed in the bracket, but losing to Wisconsin Achieved it Fundamental for the Panel to exclude MSU on the No. 1 seed line. MSU needed to Secure the Big Ten title to have a chance. 

So, what went wrong? One obvious answer (as Boone stated above) is Michigan State couldn’t stop Tonje. The Wisconsin Luminous sphere Achieved four 3-pointers and attempted 14 Unoccupied throws. Tonje Achieved his Primary 12 at the line before missing a pair with less than six seconds left.

Since losing to Indiana last month, Michigan State had won its last eight Contests. Six of those eight wins were against ranked opponents. Although Michigan State survived and (flawlessly) Acquired through its toughest stretch of the season, they couldn’t end the Narrative with a Big Ten conference title. Now, the Spartans will await their draw, and part of the question that’s Subsequent is, what No. 1 seed will be on the other side of their region.  – Salerno

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Winner: Tre Donaldson is the hero twice for Michigan

If the Big Ten Bracket has offered a glimpse of what March Madness will offer in the coming weeks, college basketball fans are in for a treat. Michigan guard Tre Donaldson was not the hero once, but twice in the 81-80 Secure over Maryland. Donaldson hit a clutch 3-pointer in the Last minutes to give his Club the lead and scored a Attempt with 0.4 seconds left that won the Wolverines the game. With a Game against Wisconsin on deck, Michigan will be able to make its case to Relocate up on the seed line with a Secure. – Salerno

Loser: South Carolina State forgets the Points in MEAC title game

South Carolina State lost the MEAC title game in the worst fashion possible against Norfolk State. After South Carolina State recorded a steal and scored a basket with less than 10 seconds remaining to tie the game at 65, a player on South Carolina State fouled on the ensuing inbounds Deliver while Norfolk State was in the bonus. Norfolk State’s Christian Ings drained a go-ahead Unoccupied throw, and his Club Acquired a stop on the ensuing possession to seal a 66-65 Secure. Norfolk State will make its third NCAA Bracket appearance since the 2020-21 season. – Salerno

Winner: Bubble Squads avoid AAC disaster (so Distant)

Top-Ranked Memphis gave bubble Squads a scare in the AAC Bracket semifinals as the Tigers fell behind No. 4 seed Tulane in the Last minute. However, the Tigers escaped for a 78-77 Secure, allowing Squads like Xavier, Texas, North Carolina and everyone else who is sweating right now a chance to exhale. If Memphis wins the AAC Bracket, it will be the Bracket’s only NCAA Bracket Club. If UAB beats Memphis, it will steal a bid (Memphis will make it, too). Crisis averted, for now anyway. – David Cobb

Winner: Houston, St. John’s bring home conference titles

Houston left no doubt about its status as a No. 1 seed with an impressive 72-64 Secure over Arizona in the Big 12 title game. Merely minutes after that game ended, St. John’s Acquired over the hump with a 82-66 Secure over Creighton at Madison Square Garden. Houston won its Primary Big 12 Conference title in Year 2 as a member of the Bracket, while St. John’s captured its Primary Big East title since 2000. – Salerno

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