Question 1
In the men’s tournament, how many double-digit seeds (teams seeded No. 10 to No. 16) will win their first-round game?
Question 2
How many lower-seeded teams (from seed No. 9 to seed No. 16) will pull an upset win in Round 1 of the women’s tournament?
Victorious underdogs are rare in the women’s tournament. Last year’s bracket saw just four lower seeds reach Round 2, and two of those were No. 9s prevailing over No. 8s. In 2024, No. 11 Middle Tennessee State was the lone lower seed to advance, eking out a 71-69 victory over No. 6 Louisville
Question 3
How many times will there be an ad for “Impractical Jokers” before halftime on the first game broadcast on TBS?
With ample airtime comes plenty of room for repeat commercials and Turner has never been bashful about promoting this prank-filled program again (and again … and again … ) throughout the tournament.
Question 4
Will the UConn women’s team trail at any point in its first-round game?
UConn is attempting to record a seventh (!) perfect season with a run to the national title, and there is little to suggest its 16th-seeded foe, the UTSA Roadrunners, will trip them up. But could they hop out to an early lead with the game’s first basket?
Question 5
Will Kim Mulkey, the LSU women’s head coach, wear sequins in the Tigers’ first game of the tournament?
LSU’s coach is known for her flashy wardrobe almost as much as for her on-court success. But could she pivot to, say… feathers?
Question 6
Will Rick Pitino, the St. John’s men’s head coach, wear a white suit during the first weekend?
On a few previous occasions Pitino has sported such a suit, most recently during St. John’s White Out night at Madison Square Garden at the end of February. The first time he did so in 2009, it didn’t go quite according to plan, requiring him to make a halftime wardrobe change after he began to sweat through the fabric.
Question 7
Will the television broadcast show any fans wearing a Speedo in a first-round game of the men’s tournament?
Savvy college hoops fans will know this question is really aimed at whether Miami (Ohio) will advance beyond their First Four matchup with SMU. The RedHawks, who began this season 31-0, made waves by winning the MAC regular-season title. Their fans made headlines too, sporting skimpy swimsuits while cheering on the team.
Question 8
Will a No. 1 seed in either tournament lose before the Sweet 16?
Since 2021, No. 1s have stumbled six times between the two tournaments, with four of those coming in the men’s tournament. On the men’s side, Kansas and Purdue were the most recent No. 1s to make an early exit, losing in the second and first rounds in 2023. On the women’s side, both Stanford and Indiana tumbled before the Sweet 16 in 2023 as well.
Question 9
The lowest-seeded team to reach the Sweet 16 in the men’s tournament will be seeded:
Last year’s tournament was rather tame, with No. 10 Arkansas serving as the lowest seed to advance past the second round. But in 2021, 2022 and 2023 a No. 15 seed reached the second weekend: Oral Roberts in ’21, Saint Peter’s in ’22 and Princeton in ’23.
Question 10
How many buzzer beaters will there be in the first weekend?
Nothing screams “March Madness” like the swish of a made basket followed by a blaring horn and the cheers of thousands of fans. For clarity, we’re defining “buzzer beater” as the game-winning shot going through the hoop with no time remaining for another play. Last season, Maryland’s Derik Queen provided one such moment in the second round, pushing the Terps past Colorado State in the men’s tournament.
Question 11
Will an individual player in either tournament score 36 or more points in a Round 1 or 2 game?
For reference, as of March 10, Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes averaged 27.0 points per game to lead all women this season, while on the men’s side BYU’s AJ Dybantsa averaged 24.7. Dybantsa just dropped 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament, while Blakes scored 37 in February against Kentucky.
Question 12
Who will score the most points during the first weekend?
How much will an easy early-round opponent help or hinder some of these stars when it comes to scoring totals? On one hand, lesser competition might make it easier to rack up baskets, but a big lead for their team might inspire their coach to rest them for later rounds.
Question 13
Will the television broadcast show LeBron James attending a first- or second-round Arizona game?
The Lakers will be playing in Miami and Orlando this weekend, but when private jets are only a phone call away, could James still try to see his son, Bryce, and the Wildcats for their games in San Diego? The younger James has been redshirting this season for Arizona, which will be one of the favorites to claim the men’s tournament title.
Question 14
Will the television broadcast show Caitlin Clark attending an Iowa game?
Question 15
What’s the latest time (ET) at which a Round 1 or Round 2 game will finish?
Late nights are nothing new for the student-athletes competing in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, a 10:35 p.m. Eastern tipoff between the Maryland and Alabama women’s teams ended at 12:35 a.m. ET after a pair of overtime periods.
Question 16
Which conference will have the most teams in the Sweet 16 between the men’s and women’s tournaments combined?
Last year the SEC set a men’s tournament record by accounting for seven of the final 16 teams, while sending another six from the women’s side. The SEC again sends the most teams to the men’s bracket, with 10, and flaunts another 10 in the women’s bracket. The Big Ten has the most women’s teams in the bracket with 12.