March Madness is back. But unlike previous seasons, there is no clear pick for who will win it all.
After defeating Iowa for the 2024 title, South Carolina could just about do it again, ranked as No. 1 going into the tournament. The Gamecocks are joined by No. 1 seeds Texas, UCLA, and USC.
But the Longhorns, Bruins, and Trojans are all coming out of historic regular seasons. After its first season in the SEC tournament, Texas reached its first No. 1 AP Poll ranking for two weeks since 2004. The Bruins have something to prove with their 30-win record and first appearance as a No. 1 seed. And USC resembles another roster looking to piece together more this go-around after a 2024 Elite Eight loss.
New England connections are scattered throughout the tournament’s 68 teams. Here are schools with the most prominent local ties.
