SOUTH REGION
1 FLORIDA vs 16 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M / LEHIGH
Committee ranks:
• Florida = #4
• Prairie View A&M = #68
• Lehigh = #67
Structural read:
Florida is a top‑4 team.
Both 16‑seeds are bottom‑2.
Largest mismatch in the South.
8 CLEMSON vs 9 IOWA
Committee ranks:
• Clemson = #29
• Iowa = #36
Structural read:
True mid‑tier coin‑flip.
Very similar to Villanova/Utah State in the West.
5 VANDERBILT vs 12 MCNEESE
Committee ranks:
• Vanderbilt = #17
• McNeese = #47
Structural read:
Vandy is a top‑17 team — elite for a 5‑seed.
McNeese is mid‑40s.
Large structural gap.
4 NEBRASKA vs 13 TROY
Committee ranks:
• Nebraska = #13
• Troy = #53
Structural read:
Nebraska is a top‑13 team — extremely strong for a 4‑seed.
Troy is mid‑50s.
Big gap.
6 NORTH CAROLINA vs 11 VCU
Committee ranks:
• North Carolina = #22
• VCU = #45
Structural read:
UNC is a strong 6‑seed.
VCU is mid‑40s — structurally overmatched.
Clear gap.
3 ILLINOIS vs 14 PENN
Committee ranks:
• Illinois = #10
• Penn = #56
Structural read:
Illinois is a top‑10 team.
Penn is bottom‑15.
Huge gap.
7 SAINT MARY’S vs 10 TEXAS A&M
Committee ranks:
• Saint Mary’s = #26
• Texas A&M = #40
Structural read:
Mid‑tier vs mid‑tier.
Closer than the seed line suggests.
2 HOUSTON vs 15 IDAHO
Committee ranks:
• Houston = #5
• Idaho = #60
Structural read:
Houston is a top‑5 team.
Idaho is bottom‑10.
Massive gap.
S‑Tier (True Contenders)
• Florida (#4)
• Houston (#5)
• Illinois (#10)
• Nebraska (#13)
• Vanderbilt (#17)
A‑Tier (Strong but flawed)
• North Carolina (#22)
• Saint Mary’s (#26)
• Clemson (#29)
• Iowa (#36)
B‑Tier (Mid‑tier)
• Texas A&M (#40)
• VCU (#45)
• McNeese (#47)
C/D‑Tier (Low seeds)
• Troy (#53)
• Penn (#56)
• Idaho (#60)
• Prairie View A&M (#68)
• Lehigh (#67)
ROUND 2
1 FLORIDA vs 8 CLEMSON / 9 IOWA
Committee ranks:
• Florida = #4
• Clemson = #29
• Iowa = #36
Structural read:
Florida is top‑4.
Clemson/Iowa are mid‑tier.
Large gap.
5 VANDERBILT vs 4 NEBRASKA
Committee ranks:
• Nebraska = #13
• Vanderbilt = #17
Structural read:
This is the closest Round 2 matchup in the South.
True 13 vs 17 matchup disguised as 4 vs 5.
6 NORTH CAROLINA vs 3 ILLINOIS
Committee ranks:
• Illinois = #10
• UNC = #22
Structural read:
Illinois is a top‑10 team.
UNC is strong but not in Illinois’ tier.
Clear gap.
7 SAINT MARY’S vs 2 HOUSTON
Committee ranks:
• Houston = #5
• Saint Mary’s = #26
Structural read:
Houston is a top‑5 team.
Saint Mary’s is mid‑20s.
Large gap.
SWEET 16
1 FLORIDA vs 4 NEBRASKA / 5 VANDERBILT
Committee ranks:
• Florida = #4
• Nebraska = #13
• Vanderbilt = #17
Structural read:
Florida will face a top‑20 team no matter what.
Nebraska/Vandy are both under‑seeded and dangerous.
3 ILLINOIS vs 2 HOUSTON
Committee ranks:
• Houston = #5
• Illinois = #10
Structural read:
This is the closest 2 vs 3 matchup in the South.
A true 5 vs 10 matchup disguised as 2 vs 3.
ELITE 8
Winner of (1 FLORIDA / 4 NEBRASKA / 5 VANDERBILT)
vs
Winner of (2 HOUSTON / 3 ILLINOIS)
Committee ranks:
• Florida = #4
• Houston = #5
• Illinois = #10
• Nebraska = #13
• Vanderbilt = #17
Florida is the structural anchor.
• Houston is nearly equal — top‑5 team.
• Illinois is the most dangerous 3‑seed in the South.
• Nebraska and Vanderbilt are both under‑seeded and elite.
• UNC vs VCU is now correctly placed and structurally clean.
• The South has five top‑17 teams in its Elite 8 cluster — extremely strong | 
