The Florida Gators beat Tennessee Volunteers for the SEC Championship
USAT’s Jordan Mendoza talks about Florida taking the SEC over the Vols and how the SEC could dominate the March Madness down to the Final Four.
Sports Seriously
With conference tournaments in the books, the voters in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll have weighed in one more time heading into March Madness.
Duke will enter the NCAA men’s tournament as the No. 1 team after claiming the ACC title without star Cooper Flagg. The Blue Devils received 25 of 31 first-place votes and will almost certainly have a top regional seed as they seek the program’s seventh national championship.
Big 12 champ Houston heads into the Big Dance with the No. 2 ranking overall, picking up a pair of first-place nods. SEC champ Florida was voted first on three ballots and will enter the tournament at No. 3, but the Gators will likely be a popular choice to cut down the nets thanks to their strong finish to the regular season and conference tournament title in the nation’s deepest league. Auburn is No. 4 with the final first-place vote, and Big East champ St. John’s rounds out the top five.
TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll
BRACKETOLOGY: Final projection for NCAA men’s tournament field
No. 6 Tennessee and No. 8 Alabama give the SEC a total of four top-10 teams. Michigan State falls only one spot to No. 7 after an early exit from the Big Ten tournament. Texas Tech and Wisconsin round out the top 10.
No. 23 Gonzaga rejoins the top 25 after taking down No. 19 Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference finale. The Zags replace Illinois.
