NCAA Tournament No. 1 and 2 Seeds South and Midwest 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 South and Midwest Regions Florida and Michigan have dominated all season and are also two of the top favorites to cut down the nets and win the national championship, along with East and West Region No. 1 seeds Duke and Arizona.

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 now expected to be the other No. 1 seed as they play in the SEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday ahead of Selection Sunday. Connecticut in playing St. John's in the Big East Tournament championship games Saturday. The Huskies will be a No. 2 seed with projections of Houston, Michigan State and Iowa State also 2-seeds. Illinois falls to a 3-seed after losing in overtime to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals. Michigan State also lost to UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. 

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.  

March Madness 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. 

South and Midwest top seeds Florida and Michigan are joined by Duke, Arizona 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 (4 offense, 1 defense)
- Michigan (5,3)
- Arizona (7,3)
- Florida (10,4) 
- Houston (16,5)
- Illinois (1,27)
- Connecticut (25,11)
- Iowa State (22,6)
- Michigan State (24,12)
- Purdue (2,37)
- Gonzaga (30,9)
- Kansas (57,10)
- Nebraska (55,7)
- Alabama (3,68)
- Vanderbilt (8,28)
- Virginia (28,16)
- St. John's (45,14)
- Texas Tech (12,32)
- Arkansas (6, 48)
- Tennessee (35,15) 

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.

No. 1 and No. 2 Seeds South Region

No. 1 Florida Gators 

Record: 26-6
Key Wins: Miami, Tennessee, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky (2x), Ole Miss, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas 
Key Losses: Arizona, Duke, UCONN, Missouri, TCU
National Title Odds: +600 (BetUS)
Final Four Odds: -110
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 7
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 10, Defense No. 4
X: @GatorsMBK
Head Coach: Todd Golden 

Florida is the defending national champions, and this year's Gators team was an SEC stats leader on defense as a top 3 scoring, FG%, 3-point percentage and rebounding margin team. The Gators led the SEC in scoring margin (+16.0) in conference play, and have averaged 82.2 points per game overall on offense through the SEC Tournament to rank top 10 in the country. The Gators offensive rebounding percentage ranks No. 2 in the country with center Rueben Chinyelu the SEC's top rebounder and forward Alex Condon No. 3 in rebounding and a third-team All-SEC selection. 

Junior forward Thomas Haugh was voted by SEC coaches as first-team All-Conference while scoring 17.2 ppg and 6.1 rebounds per game. Junior center Rueben Chinyelu was SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and second-team All-Conference for SEC Coach of the Year Todd Golden in his fourth season leading the Gators. Slovenian guard Urban Klavzar (10 ppg) was voted SEC Sixth Man of the Year.

No. 1 and No. 2 Seeds Midwest Region

No. 1 Michigan Wolverines 

Record: 30-2
Key Wins: TCU, Auburn, Gonzaga, Villanova, Purdue, Ohio State (3x), Nebraska, Michigan State (2x), Illinois, UCLA, Iowa
Key Losses: Duke, Wisconsin
National Title Odds: +325 (BetUS)
Final Four Odds: -210
KenPom Strength of Schedule: 5
KenPom Stats: Adjusted Offense No. 6, Defense No. 3
X: @umichbball
Head Coach: Dusty May 

More Big Ten team stats leaders to review in the Big Ten conference tournament preview. Michigan won the Big Ten and had 13 Quad 1 wins this season. The Wolverines led the Big Ten in scoring (85.9 ppg), FG% (50.9), FG% defense (40.4) and scoring margin (+15.5) in conference games. Michigan also led the league in blocked shots and was top 3 in assists and rebounding margin. Senior transfer Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg averaged 14.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Wolverines and Big Ten Coach of the Year Dusty May. Wolverines 7-foot 3 Spanish center Aday Mara (11.3 ppg, 67% FG, 6.9 rpg) also led the league in blocked shots and was Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and third team all-conference after transferring from UCLA, along with sophomore power forward Morez Johnson Jr (13.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), who transferred from Illinois. 

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.