NCAA Tournament No. 1 and 2 Seeds East and West Region Profiles 

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 pair of wins and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen. The No. 1 seeds in the East and West Regions Duke and Arizona have dominated all season and are also two of the top favorites to cut down the nets and win the national championship. They are joined by South and Midwest Region No. 1 seeds Florida and Michigan. 

Odds to Win National Championship

Odds from top online sportsbook BetOnline, unless noted, and are subject to change (As of March 14). 

+300: Michigan
+350: Duke
+525: Arizona
+550: Florida
+1100: Houston
+1800: Connecticut
+2000: Illinois
+2500: Iowa State
+4000: Purdue
+5000: Kansas, Wisconsin
+5500: Gonzaga, Michigan State
+6000: Arkansas
+6600: St. John's, Virginia
+10000: Louisville, Kentucky, Texas Tech,
Alabama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Vanderbilt 

Three of the NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeds were essentially in place before the ACC, Big 12 or Big Ten conference tournaments were decided. Duke, Arizona and Michigan were all regular season conference champions. So was Florida in the SEC, and the Gators are the other likely No. 1 seed as the defending national champions. Connecticut in the Big East will be a No. 2 seed with projections of Houson, Illinois and Michigan State also 2-seeds. 

I'll update these NCAA Tournament top seeds articles, including No. 2 seed profiles with odds, stats and information you can bet on as Selection Sunday is completed on March 15. Follow along as the projected NCAA Tournament bracket is provided by Joe Lunardi of ESPN throughout the season.  

NCAA Tournament Contests

As the tourney tips off and the First Round of wall-to-wall basketball action begins Thursday, March 19, be sure to get in the game and enter the free Offshore Gaming Association's 24th 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. 

Key stats to picking an NCAA Tournament champion

When evaluating the KenPom advanced stats, know that 22 of the last 23 National Champions have finished in the Top 20 in both Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency. 

East and West top seeds Duke and Arizona are joined by Michigan, Florida and Houston as the five teams that rank Top 20 in both Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency (KenPom). The four No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds all rank top 10 in both. These stats ratings adjust as games are played. 

- Duke (5 offense, 1 defense)
- Michigan (4,3)
- Arizona (7,2)
- Florida (8,5) 
- Houston (17,6)
- Illinois (1,27)
- Connecticut (22,13)
- Iowa State (23,4)
- Michigan State (27,8)
- Purdue (2,39)
- Gonzaga (30,11)
- Kansas (54,11)
- Nebraska (54,7)
- Alabama (3,68)
- Vanderbilt (10,28)
- Virginia (34,16)
- St. John's (52,15)
- Texas Tech (12,33)
- Arkansas (6, 46)
- Tennessee (36,14)

Be sure to review my keys to NCAA Tournament success article from last year outlining key stats and handicapping information you can bet on, including top defensive teams and how they make a difference at tournament time. 

Also, as you review more NCAA Tournament matchups, brackets and tips I provided previously in Forbes and make your bets, check back ahead of and during the NCAA Tournament for more content, stats, odds updates from leading online sportsbooks with information you can bet on.

Top Coaches

Beyond the top teams in the strongest East Region, four national champion and Hall of Fame coaches are leading their teams in Dan Hurley (No. 2 UCONN), Tom Izzo (No. 3 Michigan State), Bill Self (No. 4 Kansas), Rick Pitino (No. 5 St. John’s) and the top-overall seed in the tournament Duke with coach Jon Scheyer.

Top teams in scoring margin

Through conference tournaments.

- Duke (+19.1)
- Gonzaga (+19.1)
- Michigan (+17.6)
- Arizona (+17.4)
- Iowa State (+16.6)
- St. Louis (+15.8)
- Florida (+14.8)
- High Point (+14.6)
- Illinois (+14.6)
- Houston (+14.3)

No. 1 and No. 2 Seeds East Region Preview

No. 1 Duke Blue Devils 

Record: 32-2
Key Wins: Michigan, Kansas, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan State, Louisville (2x), North Carolina, Clemson, Virginia, NC State
Key Losses: North Carolina, Texas Tech
National Title Odds: +360 
Final Four Odds: -130
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 15
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 4, Defense No. 2
X: @DukeMBB
Head Coach: Jon Scheyer 

Duke won the ACC regular season and conference tournament titles last year, and is a No. 1 seed again after winning the ACC regular season and conference title again this year. The Blue Devils non-conference schedule was tougher, and Duke won a nation-best 15 games against Quad 1 teams. That included Duke's win over No. 1 Michigan a month ago that moved the Blue Devils up to No. 1 in the country. 

Duke was an ACC stats leader as the best shooting team, top defense in scoring and FG shooting, top rebounding margin team and outscored ACC opponents by an average of more than 18 points per game. Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Cameron Boozer is already an All-American scoring 22+ points per game, 10+ rebounds and 4+ assists. Senior Maliq Brown was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and led the league in steals for ACC Coach of the Year Jon Scheyer. Sophomore guard Isaiah Evans (14.5 ppg) was third-team All-ACC. Sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II (10.7 ppg, 6 rpg) is the teams top shot blocker, and he'll return for NCAA Tournament after missing the ACC Tournament with a non-contact knee injury.  

Duke (-29.5) opens the NCAA Tournament against No. 16 Siena in Greenville, SC. The winner plays the 8/9 winner between Ohio State (-2.5) and TCU. 

No. 2 Connecticut Huskies 

Record: 29-5
Key Wins: BYU, Illinois, Kansas, Villanova (2x), St. John’s, Seton Hall (2x)
Key Losses: Arizona, St. John’s (2x)
National Title Odds: +2500
Final Four Odds: +600
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 36
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 30, Defense No. 11
X: @UConnMBB
Head Coach: Dan Hurley 

Connecticut finished runner-up to St. John’s in both the Big East regular season and Big East conference tournament after the Red Storm blew out the Huskies 72-52 with UCONN having their worst shooting night of the season including just 3/19 from 3-point range. Yet St. John’s is a 5-seed while UCONN is a 2-seed with the Huskies still sporting the Big East’s top field goal shooting team at 47.7% in Big East play this season and the second-best 3-point shooting offense, defense and scoring defense. Connecticut also led the Big East in assists, rebounding margin and scoring margin (+10.6).

Three UCONN veterans and All-Big East first-team players will determine the Huskies tourney run. Senior forward Alex Karaban (12.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg), senior center Tarris Reed, Jr.(13.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and junior guard Silas DeMary, Jr. (11.0 ppg, 6.5 apr, 4.5 rpg). Karaban is already a 2-time national champion with the Huskies (2023, 2024), and the all-time winningest player in program history.  

Connecticut (-21) opens the NCAA Tournament against No. 15 Furman in Philadelphia. The winner plays the 7/10 winner between UCLA (-6) and Central Florida (UCF). 

No. 1 and No. 2 Seeds West Region Preview

No. 1 Arizona Wildcats 

Record: 32-2
Key Wins: Florida, UCLA, UCONN, Alabama, San Diego State, UCF, Houston, BYU (2x), Kansas, Iowa State, TCU
Key Losses: Kansas, Texas Tech
National Title Odds: +360 
Final Four Odds: -135
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 9
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 5, Defense No. 3
X: @ArizonaMBB
Head Coach: Tommy Lloyd 

More Big 12 team stats leaders to review in the Big 12 conference tournament preview. Arizona won the Big 12 and had 14 Quad 1 wins this season. The Wildcats 29 wins during the regular season are a program record. Senior guard Jaden Bradley was voted Big 12 Player of the Year by conference coaches. He averaged 13.4 ppg, led the Wildcats in assists and made 80% free throws with clutch plays late in games. Freshman guard Brayden Burries led Arizona in scoring at 16 ppg, averaged 5 rebounds per game and made a team-high 50 three-pointers delivering as part of a star-studded freshman class. And 7-foot 2 inch center Motiejus Krivas joined those two on the All-Big 12 first team with team-high blocks and more than 8 rebounds per game. Along with 12 points per game, Sixth Man of the Year Tobe Awaka led the Wildcats in rebounding (9.6) and added to a strong front line of Koa Pete and Ivan Kharchenkov. 

Arizona was ranked No. 1 for nine-consecutive weeks and has played perhaps the toughest schedule in Wildcats history. A top title contender for 5th-year Big 12 Coach of the Year Tommy Lloyd to challenge the top teams and make their first Final Four under Lloyd. 

Arizona (-30.5) opens the NCAA Tournament as the biggest favorite of the event against No. 16 Long Island in San Diego. The winner plays the 8/9 winner between Villanova and Utah State (-2).

No. 2 Purdue 

Record: 26-8
Key Wins: Alabama, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska (2x), UCLA, Michigan
Key Losses: Iowa State, UCLA, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin
National Title Odds: +2200
Final Four Odds: +425
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 6
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 2, Defense No. 36
X: @BoilerBall
Head Coach: Matt Painter 

Purdue tied for 6th in the Big Ten, and then went on to win the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 7 seed, beating top-seed Michigan 80-72 with just two turnovers. Coach Matt Painter's Boiler Ball features 4-year starting senior point guard Braden Smith, a first-team All-Big Ten performer who had a record-setting season in assists averaging 8.7 per game, and 14.9 points per game. That improved to 11.5 assists per game during the 4-game Big Ten Tournament championship run. The Boilermakers were the 2nd best shooting team in the Big Ten behind Michigan, and top 3-point shooting team (37.7%) led by guards Fletcher Loyer (42%) and Smith (39%). 

Purdue (-24) opens the NCAA Tournament against No. 15 Queens (N.C.) in St. Louis. The winners plays the 7/10 winner of Miami, FL (-2) and Missouri. 

The Big Ten hasn't won a national championship since coach Tom Izzo led Michigan State to the title in 2000. This year the Big Ten has No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Purdue, No. 3 Michigan State and Illinois, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 7 UCLA as top challengers to lead a Big Ten Final Four and Championship run. 

More updates and information you can bet on during the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

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FairwayJay is a leading sports betting industry analyst, handicapper, content creator, writer, reporter and poker player. He's been covering major sports from a betting perspective for more than two decades from Las Vegas. FairwayJay is also on the scene for major sports and poker events plus industry conferences as a credentialed media member. Follow @FairwayJay on X and OSGA for more betting insight and information you can bet on.