NCAA Tournament Preview: Teams Aiming to Nix No. 1 Seed Sweep

All four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four last year, and it looks highly possible again this year. But here are teams that could keep that from happening.

Head Coach John Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on March 21, 2025. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Last season’s sweep of No. 1 seeds reaching the Final Four has many wondering if Cinderella will even get an invite to the Big Dance that is the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Duke, Florida, Michigan, and Arizona look poised to make it back-to-back years of all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four. That said, there are plenty of teams that could disrupt that feat along the way.

Here’s a look at teams that could keep that from happening.

Purdue

​The Boilermakers began the season as the No. 1 team in the country, and they made a statement with a Big Ten Conference tournament championship victory over Michigan.

Boilermaker stars Braden Smith and Oscar Cluff make the Big Ten champions a tough out. Purdue opens as the No. 2 seed with Queens (North Carolina) in the West Region and may need to oust No. 1 Arizona to advance to the Final Four.

Other teams that could compete with the top-seeded Wildcats in that region include No. 3 Gonzaga, which has a history of deep runs in recent years. No. 4 seed Arkansas won the SEC, which bodes well for the Razorbacks to carry that momentum into March Madness.

Miami, the No. 7 seed, also can’t be overlooked, as the Hurricanes are back for the first time since making a Final Four. Similarly, No. 8 seed Villanova has won national championships and is back for the first time since its 2022 Final Four appearance.

Houston

​The Cougars didn’t land a No. 1 seed because of a Big 12 championship game loss to Arizona, but Houston could get back to the Final Four as a No. 2 seed.

Houston’s strong defense could make No. 1 seed Florida a tough out in the South Region if the two meet in the Elite Eight. The Cougars’ offensive issues are the biggest reason why it may not happen for Kelvin Sampson’s squad.

No. 3 Illinois and No. 5 seed Vanderbilt are also legitimate threats to oust the Gators. Vanderbilt made the SEC championship game and boasts a strong lineup, and Illinois has one of the biggest and most talented teams in the field.

VCU, the No. 11 seed, is also a dangerous sleeper in that bracket. The Rams have made a Final Four before, and this year’s squad looks poised to make waves after winning the Atlantic 10 tournament.

Michigan State

Spartans head coach Tom Izzo has his team making deep tournament runs often; he might be the most capable of out-coaching No. 1 seed Duke. The Spartans have a dangerous point guard in Jeremy Fears Jr., and post players such as Jaxon Kohler could give Duke a tough out if the two meet.

No. 2 seed UConn also can’t be counted out, as the Huskies have won two national championships since 2023. No. 7 seed UCLA has droves of talent, No. 6 Louisville has a loaded lineup, and No. 4 Kansas has the best player in college basketball with Darryn Peterson. No. 5 seed St. John’s, coached by Rick Pitino, could also be tough for Duke since the Red Storm play a physical game.

​Iowa State

​The Midwest Region’s No. 2 seed Cyclones have a dangerous squad led by Milan Momcilovic that’s strong on both sides of the court. Iowa State has what it takes to oust No. 1 seed Michigan if the two make it that far, and it could be the most likely matchup between top-two seeds to occur.

Michigan has the clearest path out of the No. 1 seeds. No. 4 seed Alabama won’t have Aden Holloway after his arrest. No. 5 seed Texas Tech and No. 8 seed Georgia have quality teams; the Red Raiders, missing J.T. Toppin, and the Bulldogs’ inexperience against non-conference powers are big question marks.

On the other side, Iowa State has beaten almost everyone this season and will likely need to get past No. 7 seed Kentucky, No. 6 seed Tennessee, or No. 3 seed Virginia. All three are solid teams, but are squads that the Cyclones can beat to advance to the Elite Eight.