Duke, Virginia, North Carolina and Gonzaga are the No. 1 seeds in the 2019 NCAA Tournament bracket, which was unveiled on the “March Madness Selection Show” on Sunday afternoon. The full 68-team field includes eight teams from the Big Ten and seven teams from non-Power Five conferences.
The Blue Devils, led by the return of star freshman Zion Williamson, ended up earning the No. 1 overall seed for the tournament. They defeated Florida State in the ACC championship game Saturday, a day after taking down North Carolina in Williamson’s first game back in the lineup from an ankle injury.
No conference did better with the selection committee than the Big Ten, which is sending a tournament-high eight teams to the Big Dance. Michigan and Michigan State each earned No. 2 seeds after battling in the conference championship game. Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Maryland and Ohio State also made it.
The 2019 NCAA Tournament begins Tuesday with the First Four games. The first round begins Thursday, and the Final Four is set for April 6 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The final two teams will play in the national championship game on April 8.
2019 NCAA Tournament matchups
East Region
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 North Carolina Central/North Dakota State
No. 8 VCU vs. No. 9 UCF
No. 5 Mississippi State vs. No. 12 Liberty
No. 4 Virginia Tech vs. No. 13 Saint Louis
No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 11 Belmont/Temple
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 Yale
No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Minnesota
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Bradley
South Region
No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 16 Gardner-Webb
No. 8 Ole Miss vs. No. 9 Oklahoma
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 Oregon
No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 13 UC Irvine
No. 6 Villanova vs. No. 11 Saint Mary’s
No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 14 Old Dominion
No. 7 Cincinnati vs. No. 10 Iowa
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Colgate
Midwest Region
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Iona
No. 8 Utah State vs. No. 9 Washington
No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 12 New Mexico State
No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Northeastern
No. 6 Iowa State vs. No. 11 Ohio State
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 14 Georgia State
No. 7 Wofford vs. No. 10 Seton Hall
No. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 15 Abilene Christian
West Region
No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson/Prairie View A&M
No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 9 Baylor
No. 5 Marquette vs. No. 12 Murray State
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 13 Vermont
No. 6 Buffalo vs. No. 11 Arizona/St. John’s
No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 Northern Kentucky
No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 10 Florida
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Montana
