Why are top seeds becoming so dominant in March Madness?
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- The NCAA Tournament is seeing fewer upsets and buzzer beaters, with top seeds dominating early rounds; the first-round average margin of victory hit a record 17.4 points, indicating increased predictability.
- Changes in transfer rules and NIL (name, image, likeness) deals have widened the talent gap, enabling powerhouse programs to attract and retain top players, often at the expense of smaller schools.
- Smaller programs struggle to keep star players who often transfer to bigger schools for better opportunities and financial incentives, undermining the traditional model of mid-major teams building cohesion over time.
- Mid-major schools face challenges scheduling competitive nonconference games against power-conference teams, limiting their preparation and exposure, which may contribute to continued tournament dominance by top programs
