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Conference breakdown: How each league fared on Selection Sunday

North Carolina v Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 27: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands before North Carolina’s game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 27, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)

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Maybe it’s not quite like its college football cousin when suddenly during bowl season fans adopt the entire conference their preferred team is in to root for, but college basketball supporters like to see their respective leagues fare well, too.

Here’s how each multi-bid conference fared on Selection Sunday:

9 - ACC


  • 1. Virginia
  • 2. Duke
  • 2. North Carolina
  • 5. Clemson
  • 9. Miami (Fla.)
  • 8. Virginia Tech
  • 9. Florida State
  • 9. NC State
  • 11. Syracuse

Note: The biggest surprise here - and probably in the whole field - is Syracuse. They were the last team to make the field and give the ACC the most bids in the country. It’s just a bit surprising that they made it in over conference-mate Notre Dame.

8 - SEC


  • 3. Tennessee
  • 4. Auburn
  • 5. Kentucky
  • 6. Florida
  • 7. Arkansas
  • 7. Texas A&M
  • 8. Missouri
  • 9. Alabama

Note: Lots to like here if you’re the SEC, which takes plenty of punishment each year for being Kentucky, Florida and everyone else. Even with those two programs not quite up to their normal standards for a regular season, Tennessee and Auburn boost the conference in a major way, and Alabama’s two wins in the league tournament kept the whole conference in single-digit seeds.

7 - Big 12


  • 1. Kansas
  • 3. Texas Tech
  • 5. West Virginia
  • 6. TCU
  • 8. Kansas State
  • 10. Oklahoma
  • 10. Texas

Note: The Big 12 got 70 percent of its membership into the tournament, but it’s hard to look at this as anything but a bit disappointing for the league. Mostly because it had lofty aspirations of getting eight and even nine teams into the Big Dance. In the end, Baylor and Oklahoma State didn’t make the cut. The league spent all year lauded as the country’s best conference by plenty of pundits as well as itself - it’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up in the single-elimination tournament.

6 - Big East


  • 1. Villanova
  • 1. Xavier
  • 8. Creighton
  • 8. Seton Hall
  • 10. Butler
  • 10. Providence

Note: Marquette failing to make the field leaves the Big East one mid away from the 70-percent threshold the Big 12 hit, but this is still a really nice showing for the conference, which is the only league to sport two No. 1 seeds.

4 - Big Ten


  • 2. Purdue
  • 3. Michigan State
  • 3. Michigan
  • 5. Ohio State

Note: The Big Ten spent this season tied with the Pac-12 as the most-maligned power conference, and its four bids reflect that. In some ways they’re the inverse of the Big 12 with Final Four favorites at the top and then not a lot anywhere else.

3 - American


  • 2. Cincinnati
  • 4. Wichita State
  • 6. Houston

Note: You can bet Wichita State is feeling pretty good about its move from the Missouri Valley to the AAC right now. The Shockers underwhelmed some during the regular season, but still got the best-seed ever by a Gregg Marshall team, save for the No. 1 seed the undefeated 2014 team received. The AAC might not have a ton of bids, but they’ve got teams capable of winning games.

3 - Atlantic 10


  • 7. Rhode Island
  • 11. St. Bonaventure (play-in game)
  • 12. Davidson

Note: This looked like a one-bid league until Davidson upset Rhode Island in the conference tournament title game. Luckily for Rams coach Dan Hurley’s holiday gatherings, it didn’t cost his brother an NCAA tournament spot.

3 - Pac-12


  • 4. Arizona
  • 11. UCLA (play-in game)
  • 11. Arizona State (play-in game)

Note: Arizona underachieved relative to its preseason expectations, Arizona State cratered after its undefeated start and UCLA did little to distinguish itself. Not exactly a banner year for the Pac-12, though given the Wildcats’ talent, maybe they’ll hoist an actual banner when the whole thing is said and done.

2 - Mountain West


  • 7. Nevada
  • 11. San Diego State

Note: The Aztecs officially were a bid thief with their league tournament victory. The Mountain West won’t be complaining with a twice-as-many-as-expected participant list.