2025 NCAA Tournament Preview: South and Midwest Region Top Seeds and Stats

NCAA Tournament No. 1 and 2 Seeds South and Midwest Region Profiles - Auburn, Houston, Michigan State, Tennessee 

The biggest sporting event of the year has arrived, and March Madness betting at leading online sportsbooks is most popular for the opening weekend of men’s NCAA Tournament games. It’s major college basketball watch and wager action as teams shoot for a spot in the Sweet Sixteen. The No. 1 seeds in the South and Midwest regions are the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 rankings most the season Auburn Tigers along with the regular season and Big 12 tournament champions Houston Cougars. 

The No. 2 seeds in the South and Midwest includes Big Ten regular season champion Michigan State and SEC defensive dominator Tennessee, who led the SEC in scoring defense and the power conferences No. 1 field goal shooting defense (38.2%).

Auburn and Houston are joined by East and West top seeds Duke and Florida. Those four teams also top the NET rankings, which takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses. 

As the tourney tips off and the First Round of wall-to-wall basketball action begins Thursday, be sure to get in the game and enter the free Offshore Gaming Association's 23rd annual March Madness Bracket Challenge with cash prize playouts. For a bigger score, you can enter many leading online sportsbooks NCAA Tournament contests with bonuses and prizes. BetOnline has one of the biggest offers with the $200,000 Bracket Madness Contest with as little as a $25 entry and $50,000 first place that pays prizes to more than 1,200 entries. 

Bet on NCAA Basketball at one of these Elite-rated sportsbooks!

Key stats to picking an NCAA Tournament champion

When evaluating the KenPom advanced stats, know that 21 of the last 22 National Champions have finished in the Top 20 in both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency. This year's teams include: 

- Florida (1 offense, 10 defense)
- Auburn (2,12)
- Tennessee (18,3)
- Duke (3,4) from ACC
- Houston (10,2) from Big 12
- Iowa State (20,9) from Big 12 

Three SEC teams top the charts with more stats and streaks outlined in my March Madness coverage in Forbes as a record 14 SEC teams selected for 2025 NCAA Tournament. 

Other teams and top-5 seeds to watch and their offensive/defensive stats profiles include:

- Alabama (4,32), St. John's (65,1), Michigan State (27,5), Texas Tech (6,37), Wisconsin (13,27), Kentucky (8, 56), Texas A&M (44,7), Maryland (6,56), Arizona (12,33), Purdue (7,63), Clemson (24,16), Oregon (39,31) Michigan (47,14), Memphis (72,40) and somehow low 8-seed Gonzaga (9,29) with 2-time defending national champion Connecticut (14,94) also an 8-seed. 

NCAA Tournament Top 50 Players 

As you review more March Madness matchups, odds and make your bets, check back ahead of and during the NCAA Tournament for more content, stats, odds updates from BetOnline and information you can bet on 

No. 1 and No. 2 Seeds South Region

No. 1 Auburn Tigers 

Record: 28-5
Key Wins: Houston (N), Iowa State (N), North Carolina (N), Memphis (N), Purdue (N), at Kentucky, at Alabama, Ole Miss (3x), Tennessee, Georgia, Missouri 
Key Losses: at Duke, at Texas A&M, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee (N)
National Title Odds: +500
Final Four Odds: +100
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 2
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 2, Defense No. 12
X: @Auburn MBB
Head Coach: Bruce Pearl 

Auburn's 16 Quad 1 wins were most in the country. The Tigers efficient offense ranks No. 2 and 3-point FG defense (29.2%) is top-5 along with shot blocking. Power forward Johni Broome is one of the top-3 players in the tournament and up for Player of the Year honors. Auburn is one of seven teams in the tournament with a scoring margin of +14 points per game or better. The Tigers are also a defensive dominator and one of six teams in the country that rank top-20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency - which has produced 21 of the past 22 national champions. 

No. 2 Michigan State Spartans 

Record: 27-6
Key Wins: North Carolina (N), Illinois (2x), Michigan (2x), Oregon (2x), Purdue, at Maryland 
Key Losses: Kansas (N), Memphis (N), Wisconsin (N), at UCLA
National Title Odds: +1800
Final Four Odds: +450
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 27 
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 27, Defense No. 5
X: @MSU_Basketball
Head Coach: Tom Izzo 

Michigan State won the Big Ten regular season title, and like Auburn, was eliminated in the conference tournament semi's. The Spartans had 13 Quad 1 wins and are once again a top-tier defense ranking top-5 in adjusted efficiency, elite 3-point defense (27.9%) and rebounding. The Spartans take a low-percentage of 3-point shots but are among the worst 3-point shooting teams (30.8%). Guard Jase Richardson has provided late season strength scoring 20+ points in six of the final seven games with Sparty winning 8-straight until losing to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tourney. Michigan State's 21 ATS wins is tops in the tournament.

No. 1 and No. 2 Seeds Midwest Region

No. 1 Houston Cougars 

Record: 30-4
Key Wins: Kansas (2x), at Arizona, at Texas Tech, Baylor (2x), Iowa State 
Key Losses: Auburn (N), Alabama (N), Texas Tech
National Title Odds: +600
Final Four Odds: +130
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 24
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 10, Defense No. 2
X: @UHCougarMBK
Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson 

Houston had 14 Quad 1 wins, but lost to both Alabama and Auburn. The Cougars elite defense is No. 2 in adjusted efficiency, top-5 in adjusted FG% defense (44.9) and 2-point defense (43.9). This year Houston's offense is better, ranking top-10 in adjusted efficiency, top-5 in 3-point shooting (39.8%) and top 10 in blocks with guard L.J. Cryer's strong 3-point (43%) and free throw (91%) shooting. 

No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers 

Record: 30-4
Key Wins: Auburn (N), Baylor (N), Texas (N), at Illinois, at Louisville, at Oklahoma, at Texas A&M, Florida, Alabama, Missouri 
Key Losses: Florida (2x), Kentucky (2x), at Auburn, at Ole Miss, at Vanderbilt
National Title Odds: +2200
Final Four Odds: +325
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 6
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 18, Defense No. 3
X: @Vol_Hoops
Head Coach: Rick Barnes 

Tennessee is another defensive dominator who ranks top-3 in adjusted defensive efficiency, effective FG% defense (44.4), and No. 1 in 3-point defense (27.8%) and top-5 in blocks percentage. Coach Barnes has an experienced team and relies heavily on his starters with diminutive guard Zakai Zeigler the heart-and-soul of the Vols as an elite playmaker and among a number of top defenders. 

More updates and information you can bet on during the 2025 NCAA Tournament. 

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FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper and insightful analyst. He chips college basketball and additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Read more great insights from FairwayJay and follow him on  X: @FairwayJay