Bracketology: ESPN releases way-too-early projections for 2025-2026 NCAA Tournament
The 2025 NCAA Tournament ended just three weeks ago while the tip-off to next season is still about six months out. Still, in looking ahead to the next year in college basketball, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has released an update to Bracketology with a projected field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Lunardi shared that they’ll release […]
The 2025 NCAA Tournament ended just three weeks ago while the tip-off to next season is still about six months out. Still, in looking ahead to the next year in college basketball, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has released an update to Bracketology with a projected field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Lunardi shared that they’ll release an updated bracket, based on roster movement and anticipated offensive and defensive efficiency, once a month from now through October. This is the first edition of those for what the Field of 68 could look like in ’26.
Coming off a record-breaking year, in berths and finishes, by the conference this postseason, the SEC is atop the list again with 13 teams in the bracket, which would be one shy of last year’s new record. The Big Ten, who often projected to have double-digits in this last postseason before ending with eight in, is then still second with a dozen. The Big 12, ACC, and Big East are from there with eight, five, and four in respectively from those leagues.
Again, this is way, way early considering the portal and draft decisions still needing to be made going into the summer before the season begins in November. Still, here’s Lunardi’s first look at what March Madness could look like in 2026 with ten and a half months until Selection Sunday:
ESPN Bracketology: On the Bubble
Ken Blaze | Imagn Images
Last Four Byes:Georgia, Maryland, Creighton, Miami Last Four In:Marquette, Indiana, Ole Miss, NC State First Four Out:SMU, Washington, Texas A&M, Nebraska Next Four Out:TCU, Notre Dame, Clemson, Georgetown
The bubble is full of several teams who made the field or just missed out on the tournament last year. It’s also key for several of the leagues with the SEC close to adding a record-tying one with a 14th, the Big Ten nearing 14 in total as well, and the ACC having a chance at as many as eight
New coaches is also a theme among multiple of these programs. Buzz Williams at Maryland, Jai Lucas at Miami, Darian DeVries at Indiana, and Will Wade at NC State have their new teams just in the field in this projection while Bucky McMillan at Texas A&M is right there among the First Four Out.
Midwest Region – Chicago
Alex Martin | Journal and Courier | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Purdue is projected as one of the top teams for next season with the roster they’ll have for next season with Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer leading their returners while they’re also bringing in Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) from the portal and Omer Mayer from overseas. Lunardi also cited their consistency, both in seeding and in postseason finishes, as the reasoning why the Boilermakers were the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament for him.
The Midwest Region also includes five others teams that should rate highly coming into next season in Kentucky, Iowa State, Auburn, and Louisville. Oregon at No. 8 for the Big Ten vs. Oklahoma at No. 9 for the SEC as well as Creighton at No. 10 for the Big East rounds out the seeding before the mid-majors.
1. Purdue vs. 16. South Carolina State/Central Connecticut 8. Oregon vs. 9. Oklahoma 5. Louisville vs. 12. Liberty 4. Auburn vs. 13. High Point
6. Missouri vs. 11. San Diego State 3. Iowa State vs. 14. South Dakota State 7. Illinois vs. 10. Creighton 2. Kentucky vs. 15. North Alabama
West Region – San Jose
Bob Donnan | Imagn Images
Houston still has some heartbreak coming off their loss in the national title game earlier this month in this year’s tournament. That said, the Cougars will be right back in contention next season as a No. 1 seed for a fourth-straight season here, with Emanuel Sharp, Joseph Tugler, and possibly Milos Uzan back and them bringing in Pop Isaacs (Creighton) plus the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, for their dozenth year under Kelvin Sampson.
The West Region then has Michigan, led by a top portal class, at No. 2 and Tennessee, now since adding a trio of transfers and one of the best recruits in the country, at No. 3. Also of note here is UCLA at No. 4, Arkansas at No. 5 under John Calipari, and Kansas with a consecutive seeding as a No. 7 with the Jayhawks having lost much of their corps from the past few seasons.
1. Houston vs. 16. Southeast Missouri State 8. Vanderbilt vs. 9. Iowa 5. Arkansas vs. 12. Yale 4. UCLA vs. 13. Charleston
6. Gonzaga vs. 11. VCU 3. Tennessee vs. 14. McNeese State 7. Kansas vs. 10. Miami 2. Michigan vs. 15. Youngstown State
East Region – Washington D.C.
Mark J. Rebilas | USA TODAY Sports
Duke is then projected to get a second-straight seeding as a No. 1 in the tournament. The Blue Devils are losing several lottery picks and some veteran guards but still have pieces like Isaiah Evans, Caleb Foster, Maliq Brown, and Patick Ngongba to complement the roster, now currently have a top incoming transfer in Cedric Coward (Washington State), and then have a trio of top freshman in their top-three class, the two legacy recruits in Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer plus Nikolas Khamenia, with enough to compete again next season.
The East Region also has Connecticut as a No. 2 seed, with the Huskies getting an additional boost this morning with the return of Alex Karaban, while Arizona is a No. 3 seed with some of their roster still intact to pair with their own top-three incoming class. Blue bloods like Michigan State at No. 4 and North Carolina as a No. 7, with an all-new roster with the Tar Heels, are also here with three teams from the Lonestar State as well, who are all dealing with some roster overhaul, with No. 5 Texas Tech, No. 8 Texas now under Sean Miller, and No. 9 Baylor.
1. Duke vs. 16. Vermont/Jackson State 8. Texas vs. 9. Baylor 5. Texas Tech vs. 12. Illinois State 4. Michigan State vs. 13. Miami (OH)
6. Alabama vs. 11. Memphis 3. Arizona vs. 14. Troy 7. North Carolina vs. 10. Maryland 2. Connecticut vs. 15. Siena
South Region – Houston
Robert Deutsch | Imagn Images
St. John’s, coming off one of their best seasons in school history, could now be even better in year three under Rick Pitino as the last of the projected No. 1 seeds for the tournament. The Red Storm did lose some notable pieces, due to eligibility or the portal, but do return Zuby Ejifor to go with six of the very best transfers in the country.
The South also has BYU, coming off a great season with two returning starters to pair with AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 recruit in the country for 2025, and Rob Wright (Baylor) out of the portal, at No. 2 while Florida, the defending national champions, are at No. 3. This region has several of those new coaches or programs getting back into the bracket too like Eric Musselman with the Trojans at No. 4 plus DeVries and the Hoosiers as well as Wade and the Wolfpack.
1. St. John’s vs. 16. Navy 8. Cincinnati vs. 9. Georgia 5. Ohio State vs. 12. Grand Canyon 4. USC vs. 13. UC Santa Barbara
6. Wisconsin vs. 11. Ole Miss/NC State 3. Florida vs. 14. Furman 7. Mississippi State vs. 10. Marquette/Indiana 2. BYU vs. 15. Idaho
EIU freshman Johnson headed to NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Abraham Johnson stared at the scoreboard in disbelief. The Eastern Illinois freshman had qualified for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a personal-best triple jump of 16.10 meters at regionals in College Station, Texas. When the announcer called his name, the weight of the moment finally hit him. “I ultimately couldn’t […]
When the announcer called his name, the weight of the moment finally hit him.
“I ultimately couldn’t cry because I was still processing,” Johnson said. “But then once I heard my name over the intercom I had to run over to coach [James Gildon and Riley Baker] and let the emotions out. I had been chasing this exact moment and this exact number all season, and to finally achieve it was a blessing.”
Johnson had just accomplished a goal he set long before he ever stepped onto a collegiate track.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I remember before I started competing collegiately, I would always see those boards that said ‘ticket punched’ and I said I was gonna get one of those one day.”
Now he’s one of just 24 triple jumpers in the country heading to the NCAA championships, and one of only four freshmen.
“It’s crazy in my opinion,” Johnson said. “It kinda felt like an underdog story. I was able to pull through, even with the troubles of my spikes almost getting me disqualified.”
That near disqualification came just 20 minutes before regionals.
Johnson said he was on his phone when he came across a post showing banned spike models, and the ones he had worn all season, Nike Triple Jump Elite 2, were on there.
Director of Track & Field James Gildon explained that the responsibility for knowing which spikes are legal lies with the coaches and athletes, not the officials inspecting them. He said there was some confusion because Nike produces several different models.
“The sole was, I think, three millimeters over what it needs to be,” he said, “And the Nike Threes are compliant.”
Luckily, Johnson had other cleats with him. But he had to quickly adjust to competing in Adidas cleats instead of his usual spikes.
For the upcoming competition, Johnson will be competing in the Nike Triple Jump Elite 3, according to Gildon.
Even before that moment, Johnson had been battling what he called the biggest challenge of his season: minor injuries, which included knee pain.
“I have never had knee pain before, but as soon as it came around it messed with me mentally,” he said.
The day before his competition, Johnson said the pain was the worst he had ever really felt before, so he turned to prayer.
“As soon as I got back to the hotel, I pleaded to God to give me a sign that he would be there with me during competition,” he said. “And all of a sudden I wasn’t experiencing any type of knee pain.”
Johnson credits God for his success.
“God has played the biggest part in my journey as a track athlete,” he said. “When I would think all would fail, God came and told and showed me something different.”
Now, with the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon, on the horizon, Johnson is sticking to what’s worked.
“I am just going to do what I always do,” he said. “Keep putting in that work and putting my faith in Jesus Christ.”
And Gildon said their approach to preparation won’t change much heading into the biggest meet of the season.
“We’re going to prepare like we’ve been preparing,” he said. “In terms of the X’s and O’s and the physical training of it.”
Gildon also emphasized the mental training for what he called the biggest meet Johnson’s ever competed in.
“There’s a lot of opportunity to be distracted with kind of the outside noise and venue,” Gildon said. “So just helping him, kind of staying focused on keeping the main thing the main thing.”
Gildon believes Johnson’s experience will help. Saying Johnson has competed well at championships throughout the year, and Gildon is confident he’ll be locked in when it matters most.
“By the time Friday comes, I’d like to think he’ll be dialed in and ready to go, hopefully being All-American,” he said.
Johnson is the second straight Panther to qualify for the NCAA outdoor championships, following Ramsey Hunt’s runner-up long jump finish last year.
Gildon said the accomplishment reflects the program’s competitive ability and commitment to development.
“It kind of highlights our ability to compete at a high level,” he said. “So hopefully this kind of radiates throughout our region into recruiting and such that you can do it here. And that’s one thing that I want all our student athletes to buy into is that you can do it here at Eastern Illinois University with the coaches, the resources that we have, we can compete at a very high level,” he said.
The championships start Wednesday afternoon at the University of Oregon. The men’s triple jump competition will begin at 5:10 p.m. on Friday. Johnson will compete in flight one. The competition will be broadcast on ESPN+.
A federal judge’s final approval of the NCAA’s $2.8 billion settlement with student-athletes won’t quell all the antitrust threats for the sports organization as it seeks to provide stability in college sports. Judge Claudia Wilken of the US District Court for the District of Northern California in a 76-page order June 6 found the settlement […]
A federal judge’s final approval of the NCAA’s $2.8 billion settlement with student-athletes won’t quell all the antitrust threats for the sports organization as it seeks to provide stability in college sports.
Judge Claudia Wilken of the US District Court for the District of Northern California in a 76-page order June 6 found the settlement fair to class members and overruled numerous objections, including over a controversial spending limit cap, viewing the deal as a compromise between the parties.
The deal removes a huge headache for the NCAA, in that the claims of a huge consolidated class action fall by the wayside, and, for the first time, a system will exist in which schools can pay athletes directly. But the settlement won’t insulate the NCAA from antitrust challenges alleging anticompetitive practices, said Cal Stein, litigation partner with Troutman Pepper Locke.
Objectors are also likely to appeal the settlement, while future athletes could bring separate suits challenging pay limits and roster limit provisions. Opt-out plaintiffs who declined to participate in the settlement could pursue individual claims. Other cases with claims against the NCAA outside the settlement remain in play.
Attorney Steven Molo, who represents athletes opposed to the deal, said in a statement to Bloomberg Law that he is reviewing the order and “considering our options.”
“I don’t think it’s a silver bullet,” Stein said of the settlement. “The NCAA saw the writing on the wall. They needed to get out of the way of this freight train, and they managed to do it on terms that they can live with. But it’s very clear to me that there is going to be continued litigation.”
Push for Legislation
Another sign that the NCAA expects legal trouble: NCAA President Charlie Baker made another appeal to Congress for college sports legislation even as he praised the settlement approval.
“You wouldn’t be doing that if you didn’t have fear of this new system being subject to challenges and legal difficulties,” Stein said.
Rep. Lisa McClain (Mich.), the fourth-ranking member of GOP House leadership, and Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) introduced a bill (H.R. 3847) Monday that would standardize athletes’ NIL pay.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has a June 12 legislative hearing on separate draft legislation by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) that is considered largely in line with the NCAA’s wishes. The draft includes a provision that would address antitrust liability in college sports.
Follow-on Litigation
The judge’s approval doesn’t function as an endorsement of the legality of the NCAA’s rules and her order “invites follow-on litigation,” said Christine Bartholomew, a law professor at University at Buffalo focused on antitrust issues.
“The judge just recognizes that this doesn’t provide complete relief,” Bartholomew said. “This opinion, in my mind, is written with the realization that there is a very high likelihood of appeal.”
Expect to see appeals from objectors in the next month, with future lawsuits thereafter, said Michael Carrier, a professor at Rutgers Law School who writes about antitrust and intellectual property.
An appeal could be an “uphill climb” for plaintiffs covered by the deal, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be successful, he said. “There’s a chance that an appellate court could overturn it.”
Smaller colleges that feel disadvantaged by the NCAA’s settlement’s revenue-sharing model also may pursue litigation, said William Lavery, a partner in Clifford Chance’s global antitrust litigation practice.
Institutions can distribute up to 22% of the average revenue generated by schools in conferences including the ACC and Big Ten. The cap is estimated to be roughly $20.5 million per school.
“It allows schools to prioritize the revenue-sharing model to revenue-generating sports disproportionately; that’s obviously going to entrench inequality,” Lavery said. “These elite programs are going to continue to attract more talent. It’s going to make it effectively impossible for smaller schools to compete, at least in the big sports.”
Plaintiffs are also represented by Winston & Strawn LLP and Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. The NCAA is represented by Wilkinson Stekloff LLP.
The case is In re College Athlete NIL Litig., N.D. Cal., No. 4:20-cv-03919, 6/6/25.
Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter on NCAA settlement, paying players
Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter on Boilers’ 2025-26 season Purdue conducted its first practice on Monday ahead of the upcoming season. Hear what coach Matt Painter said afterwards. Purdue coach Matt Painter used a comparison to professional sports when explaining the difference between revenue-sharing and name, image and likeness. WEST LAFAYETTE — The financial allotment […]
Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter on Boilers’ 2025-26 season
Purdue conducted its first practice on Monday ahead of the upcoming season. Hear what coach Matt Painter said afterwards.
Purdue coach Matt Painter used a comparison to professional sports when explaining the difference between revenue-sharing and name, image and likeness.
WEST LAFAYETTE — The financial allotment for college athletes went from one extreme (legally nonexistent) to another when the NCAA instituted name, image, and likeness (NIL), allowing student-athletes to capitalize on their marketability.
The rich, essentially, got richer.
On Friday, a nearly half decade battle through the court system concluded with the House vs. NCAA settlement which will allow schools to pay their athletes directly.
Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski stated previously Purdue would be a full participant up to the cap limit, estimated at $20.5 million.
After Purdue basketball had its first summer practice on Monday, coach Matt Painter, who currently serves as third vice president on the National Association of Basketball Coaches board of directors, was asked if college basketball got better based on the ruling.
“Some competitive balance is all we really want,” Painter said. “It wasn’t name, image and likeness before. This gives you more of a grasp of having a core amount of money to pay these guys, which is a lot less than the money that’s going on right now. And then, anything on top of it is real name, image and likeness.”
The idea behind name, image, and likeness was for college athletes to capitalize on their notoriety via avenues such as autograph signings, hosting sports camps, or appearing in advertisements, for example.
Painter mentioned specifically from his own program since NIL went into effect the names of two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey, selected ninth overall in last year’s NBA draft, and Braden Smith, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award winner for the nation’s top point guard, as marketable athletes who fit the supposed NIL idea.
Insider: Newcomers out, or limited, for first Purdue basketball practice: 3 things we learned
“When everybody gets money, not everybody in Major League Baseball gets money in name, image and likeness and they’re in the big show,” Painter said. “If you watch a baseball game and there’s 52 guys on two rosters, tell me how many guys are on those commercials. Two? Three? Four? Five? Not very many. That’s the market. Not everybody is marketable that plays college basketball and gets paid. …
“There’s a lot of things that haven’t been fair across the board, so hopefully this equals things out a little bit.”
Get IndyStar’s Purdue coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Boiler Update newsletter.
How did Texas softball coach Mike White and his staff celebrate winning the program’s first national championship? By hitting the recruiting trail, both in the portal and at the youth level. White had no choice since the portal window remains open for softball until Monday, just 10 days after Texas clinched its title by beating Texas Tech […]
How did Texas softball coach Mike White and his staff celebrate winning the program’s first national championship?
By hitting the recruiting trail, both in the portal and at the youth level.
White had no choice since the portal window remains open for softball until Monday, just 10 days after Texas clinched its title by beating Texas Tech 10-4 in the third and decisive game in the Women’s College World Series finals in Oklahoma City. Coaches were allowed to reach out to high school or travel ball players just a day later.
The timing of the portal window can prove particularly tricky for coaches like White who are competing in the WCWS, which can last 10 days for the teams that reach a Game 3 of the championship series. This season it opened May 18, when the nation’s best teams are often fighting for a spot in the WCWS.
“Truthfully, we’ve already been contacting some players because you have to,” White said. “It’s open. So, what else are you supposed to do? And then recruiting starts (June 7), you know? So that’s the first opportunity to go out.”
White compared the condensed summer schedule for teams that reach the WCWS to “a treadmill.”
“You keep trying to catch up and keep going, there’s very little time to sit back,” he said. “But I do wish they would do something with the transfer portal as far as allowing it to not open until after (the WCWS) so we can really concentrate on playing our opponents.”
But White also embraces the grind. That’s why he’s looking forward to defending the Longhorns’ title.
“The next step is, can we come back and repeat and get back here again?” he said. “I have no doubts. I believe in myself, and I believe in the coaching staff I have, and I believe in the athletes we recruit. You go for it, and you just keep changing and you remix the formula and you just keep trying. Like I tell the players, champions are not born that way, they’re made.”
With the program’s expectations established, let’s answer five key questions for Texas softball entering next season:
What players are coming back for Texas softball?
A better question to ask is who’s not returning, because the Longhorns will bring back almost every starter pending any surprise portal entrees. The two departing seniors in the lineup will leave a big void, though; third baseman Mia Scott, a four-year starter, put on a show with her glove and bat in Oklahoma City while first baseman Joley Mitchell had a career year and emerged as a valued locker room leader.
That means stalwarts such as catcher Reese Atwood, infielder Leighann Goode and outfielders Katie Stewart, Kayden Henry and Ashton Maloney all return.
In the pitchers room, senior Mac Morgan is the only player who garnered significant innings in 2025 that will depart. Teagan Kavan returns as the staff ace along with reliable incoming senior Citlaly Gutierrez and promising incoming sophomore Cambria Salmon.
Will Viviana Martinez be ready for the 2026 season?
Truth be told, the junior shortstop may have been ready for the WCWS after having surgery for a torn knee ligament suffered in October, but the program didn’t want to burn an injury redshirt just for a postseason series or two. A two-year starter prior to this season, Martinez excels on defense and at the plate. Her return will help ease the loss of Scott and Mitchell’s bats in the lineup, and it will also likely push versatile middle infielder Goode back to a full-time role at second base.
Who will Texas pursue in the transfer portal?
The team will likely need some veteran help at either infield corner. Finding, well, another Mitchell to replace Mitchell at either corner will help. Since she arrived at Texas from Notre Dame prior to the 2024 season, Mitchell solidified both the lineup and the locker room.
Does pitcher Teagan Kavan need help?
Probably not, even though Morgan provided a steady senior presence in the circle during the NCAA Tournament. Gutierrez is reliable as a starter and reliever; Salmon has star potential. In addition, Texas will welcome pitcher Hannah Wells, a three-time Texas high school state champion, as part of its 2025 recruiting class.
Which Texas player could have a breakout season in 2026?
For her sake, infielder Victoria Hunter needs to take advantage of the opportunities in the lineup. A highly touted recruit from the 2023 class, Hunter regressed at the plate this season while starting 20 games primarily at the designated player spot. She hit .385 with an on-base percentage of .529 as a freshman in 2024, but those numbers dropped to .230 and .388, respectively, this season. But she can play either at third or first and she boasts undeniable power; she has nine home runs and 32 RBIs in 100 career at-bats.
Colorado’s Deion Sanders reportedly away from program to deal with illness
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has been sidelined recently as he deals with an unknown illness, USA Today and ESPN reported. Sanders is away from Colorado’s program and has been resting, his son, Deion Jr., shared in a YouTube video. “He’ll tell y’all soon enough what he’s going through, what he went through,” the younger […]
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has been sidelined recently as he deals with an unknown illness, USA Today and ESPN reported. Sanders is away from Colorado’s program and has been resting, his son, Deion Jr., shared in a YouTube video.
“He’ll tell y’all soon enough what he’s going through, what he went through,” the younger Sanders said, according to USA Today. “When we get back to Boulder, I don’t know. I’m waiting until my dad leaves. When he leaves, then I’ll go. Until then, I’m going to sit here with him.”
While Colorado isn’t practicing at the moment due to summer break, it’s been hosting its annual football camps in Boulder over the first two weeks of June. Sanders reportedly hasn’t been present for those camps this summer after appearing at them in his first two years on the job. Operating the summer camps is part of Sanders’ job description at Colorado, according to USA Today.
The 57-year-old Sanders also recently canceled a speaking engagement at the Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium.
“Due to an unavoidable last-minute scheduling change, our originally scheduled Foundation Keynote Speaker, Deion Sanders ‘Coach Prime,’ is unable to attend,” the organization wrote in a social media post. “We are grateful for his support and look forward to future opportunities to welcome him.”
Sanders hinted that he had been dealing with a health issue when he appeared on former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel’s podcast in May. As Samuel wished Sanders well, the Colorado coach said what he was “dealing with right now is at whole nother level” and that he had lost 14 pounds. Still, Sanders said he planned to return to coaching whenever the illness subsided.
Sanders has dealt with multiple serious health issues over the last few years. In 2021, he had two toes on his left foot amputated due to blood clots that stemmed from a previous surgery. He underwent surgery again to help relieve blood clots in both of his legs in 2023.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Get more from College FootballFollow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
NCAA says online abuse related to sports betting declined during this year’s March Madness :: WRALSportsFan.com
By The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS — INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Online abuse related to sports betting decreased during the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournaments compared with the prior year, but people involved in the competition still received more than 3,000 threatening messages, the NCAA said Tuesday. The NCAA hired Signify Group to monitor messages directed at […]
INDIANAPOLIS — INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Online abuse related to sports betting decreased during the NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournaments compared with the prior year, but people involved in the competition still received more than 3,000 threatening messages, the NCAA said Tuesday.
The NCAA hired Signify Group to monitor messages directed at athletes, coaches, game officials, selection committee members and others with official roles in the tournament. Signify used both artificial intelligence and human analysts to confirm the threats and, when necessary, report them to law enforcement.
Overall, abuse related to sports betting was down 23%, the NCAA said in a news release.
The men’s March Madness bracket was notable this year for the scarcity of upsets, with all four No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four and Florida, a popular pick to win it all, claiming the national title. On the women’s side, three top seeds made the national semifinals and No. 2 seed UConn, among the pre-tournament favorites, won the championship.
The NCAA’s analysis found that overall, abusive statements directed at people involved in the men’s tournament increased by 140% — much of it directed at the selection committee and coaches — while abuse related to sports betting was down 36%.
Abuse was down 83% on the women’s side and betting-related abuse declined 66%.
One women’s player who was targeted online was Chandler Prater of Mississippi State, who was guarding Southern California star JuJu Watkins when she suffered a season-ending knee injury.
“I received all kinds of messages, so many of them hateful and abusive,” Prater said in a statement. “It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.”
Signify’s AI flagged more than 54,000 posts, and its human analysts confirmed that 3,161 messages were abusive or threatening, the NCAA said. Those messages were reported to social media platforms and occasionally to law enforcement. The reporting led to the removal of abusive posts and restrictions on social media accounts.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said he has made curbing online harassment a top priority.
“We have been encouraged to record a reduction in sports betting-related abuse and threat at the 2025 event,” Signify CEO Jonathan Hirshler said, “as this is often the trigger for the most egregious and threatening content we detect.”
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Stephen A.’s Game 4 message to the Knicks | NBA Countdown
(via @nbcsportsauthentic/TT)
