NCAA Brackets: Shocking Picks & Tough Paths

0:00On March 16th, the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournament brackets are out, revealing some clear winners and tough breaks from Selection Sunday. In the men's field, Miami of Ohio earned a spot as an 11-seed after a perfect 31-0 regular season, despite a shaky conference. Tournament loss. They'll play in the first four near home in Dayton. Missouri also scored big as a 10-seed, opening in St. Louis against Miami of Florida. Meanwhile, Auburn became a big loser, missing the field despite beating top teams like number one seed, Florida, and number four Arkansas. They finished 17-16 overall with a losing SEC record. Other top seed's Jew Harp has too. Duke as the number one overall faces Yukon early, while Florida risks an elite 8 in Houston's home arena. Fans and teams reacted strongly to these draws. St. Louis wins as a host site with Missouri, Iowa State, and Kentucky nearby, promising packed crowds.

1:00The West Coast Conference celebrates three bids, including Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and Santa Clara, though Gonzaga's departure looms next year. Illinois grumbled about a second-round spot in South Carolina near North Carolina fans. On the women's side, South Carolina drew the easiest path among number one seeds in Sacramento, facing weaker competition like Iowa and TCU. Texas loves its regional and for worth, just hours from Austin. But UCLA faces a brutal bracket despite a 31-1 mark, and NC stayed through a tricky first-round foe in Tennessee. With first four games starting Wednesday and main action Friday, these brackets set up intense matchups that could shake up the whole tournament.