2023 March Madness Rankings: Power Ranking All 68 Teams in the NCAA Tournament
2023 March Madness Rankings: Power Ranking All 68 Teams in the NCAA Tournament
It's the best time of the year! The NCAA Tournament bracket was just revealed. High-major conference teams usually get seeds from 1-12, and lower-tier conference teams get seeds from 13-16 in the NCAA Tournament.
But the higher seed next to a school's name doesn't always mean they're the better team. We've put together our power rankings for all teams in the NCAA Tournament.
Some of the rankings might surprise you.
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2023 March Madness Power Rankings
1. Houston Cougars
As long as Marcus Sasser is fine, Houston will be fine.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide dominated the entire SEC. They just dominantly won the SEC Championship over Texas A&M on a neutral court.
At times this year, Alabama struggled on the road. They've still found ways to win in those moments. They're a No. 1 seed for a reason and will be hard to beat.
3. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue had an easy road in the Big Ten. It's going to be much harder against other conferences for the Boilermakers. But for now, Purdue put together a really good resume of wins and will be a No. 1 seed.
They've struggled to beat pressure and don't permanently close out games well. Matchups could dictate how far they go.
4. Texas Longhorns
Texas proved that they belonged in the NCAA Tournament Championship conversation after they beat Kansas in the Big 12 Championship. Texas had to go through a lot throughout the season and still found a way to win a very challenging Big 12.
5. Marquette Golden Eagles
Marquette escaped UConn and then had it easier in the Big East Final. I like UConn to win the NCAA Tournament this year. But knowing Marquette was able to get by the Huskies makes me think Marquette is a top-five team heading into the Tournament.
6. Arizona Wildcats
Arizona has UCLA's number. The Wildcats defeated UCLA one more time in the Pac-12 Championship and are heading into the NCAA Tournament.
It's hard to tell if the Pac-12 is overrated. But with UCLA playing in that conference, we know Arizona was at least tested in conference play. They succeeded.
7. Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas will be looking to repeat this season. The team lost a lot of scoring from last year and let one slip away badly in the Big 12 Championship. But overall, the Jayhawks should have head coach Bill Self back on the bench. That could only help them in the tournament run this year.
8. Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils might be the hottest team in college basketball. Duke dominated ACC play in the ACC Tournament and took home the ACC Championship. This team is very young and talented, but they've finally started to click. I love this Duke team.
9. UCLA Bruins
UCLA won't have Jaylen Clark for postseason play. That hurts. But the Bruins are good enough to get into the Final Four and beyond. They've got a ton of quality veterans who will play extremely well, thanks to a load of experience.
10. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee will be without Zakai Zeigler for the rest of the season. That's a huge blow, losing your point guard. But the Vols are still talented enough to make some noise in the tournament and will have to adapt to playing without Zeigler.
11. Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs won the West Coast Conference with a massive win over Saint Mary's Gaels. They made the Gaels look foolish. The defense stepped up in that game. Honestly, that's the one concern coming into this game. Can Gonzaga defend well enough?
12. Saint Mary's Gaels
Saint Mary's had a bad game against the Bulldogs but is still up there with Gonzaga in the rankings. The Gaels went 26-7 on the season and have one of the better defenses in all college basketball.
13. UConn Huskies
The Huskies fell in the power rankings due to a loss to Marquette. But overall, depending on matchups, the Huskies are good enough on both sides of the ball to win the entire thing this year.
14. Creighton Bluejays
The Creighton Bluejays are another balanced team. The defense has been superb this year, and the offense has done its part. I wouldn't be surprised to see Creighton make an Elite Eight this year. They were projected to be in the National Championship talk before the season began.
15. Utah State Aggies
The Utah State Aggies won't have any problems on offense in the NCAA Tournament. The defense can get a bit spotty and isn't tremendous. But it'll be good enough for most opponents in the tournament.
16. Baylor Bears
Baylor's a tough one. The Bears have been amazing on the offensive end but very subpar on the defensive end. If Baylor has to face high-quality offenses, they might fall short.
Of course, Baylor has plenty of stars on its roster and can carry itself to a National Championship. I don't see it this year.
17. Xavier Musketeers
The Musketeers played in a difficult Big East this year. They handled their business and found themselves in the Big East Championship. The offense is legitimate, and the defense isn't all that bad, either.
18. Texas A&M Aggies
I think the SEC is overrated. But the Aggies were certainly one of the top teams in the SEC this year. They even earned a home win against Alabama, which most schools couldn't do this year.
The Aggies are a balanced team that can do damage this year. I'm just not sure that they're a national championship contender.
19. Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State made a run in the NCAA Tournament last year with T.J. Otzelberger as head coach. They're back in the tournament again and probably will draw an easier route to at least the Elite Eight than last year.
20. Virginia Cavaliers
Speaking of coaches, it's hard to keep Tony Bennett's Cavaliers out of the top 25. The team has been a bit inconsistent offensively, but they'll play good enough defense to win multiple games.
21. Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky's got another coaching legend. John Calipari has some fans worried that the Kentucky Wildcats' era of being elite is over. But I'm sure the talented team will respond in the NCAA Tournament.
22. Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas has a ton of talent. But it's raw talent that will probably hurt them in the long run. We'll see if the raw talent can rally the Razorbacks to a deep run.
23. Kansas State Wildcats
The Wildcats surprised this year with terrific defense. They've also got some quality scorers and veteran leadership. This is undoubtedly a team to watch out for. The Big 12 made everyone in that conference better.
24. Florida Atlantic Owls
Florida Atlantic won 31 games to make the NCAA Tournament. They're good.
25. TCU Horned Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs allowed Eddie Lampkin Jr. to walk away from the program for personal reasons. Without him, TCU will be fine, but it'll still hurt a bit inside.
26. Memphis Tigers
Memphis continues to compete with Houston. If the Tigers can compete with Houston, they can compete with anyone.
27. West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia's offense has been really good this year. The defensive pressure will absolutely hurt some teams in the NCAA Tournament too.
28. Maryland Terrpians
Maryland didn't have the most exciting year. But I still think they're one of the better Big Ten teams in the nation. The offense and defense have been consistently good. The team won 21 wins in Kevin Willard's first year.
29. Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana just had a deflating loss to Penn State in the semifinal of the Big Ten. But this team has many bigs, great shooters, and an overall solid roster. Indiana could be a problem for a lot of teams unfamiliar with them.
30. Michigan State Spartans
You can't count out Tom Izzo's squad.
31. San Diego State Aztecs
The Aztecs have a great defense, but can they compete against top-tier offenses? Probably not.
32. Boise State Broncos
The same thing goes for Boise State.
33. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Nittany Lions are the opposite. The offense is tremendous, especially from three. But the defense might not be good enough for the NCAA Tournament. The Nittany Lions made it into the Big Ten Championship.
That's impressive.
34. Miami Hurricanes
Miami made an incredible run in the NCAA Tournament last year. They can do it again this year, especially with an even better team than last year's.
35. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is a quality team that doesn't play with much consistency. They'll be better defensively but have many guys who can take over a game. That's necessary for the NCAA Tournament.
36. USC Trojans
I have my concerns with the Pac-12. But I'll say this. USC is good enough on offense and good enough on defense.
You won't find the Trojans in the Elite Eight, but a Sweet 16 appearance is possible.
37. Missouri Tigers
Missouri has been fun this year with Dennis Gates. But its defense has been miserable. The defense is so bad that they could see a first-round exit.
But then again, the offense is so good that it could carry them through the Sweet 16.
38. VCU Rams
The A-10 isn't what it used to be. But VCU took control of that conference and dominated all throughout the second half of the season. Everyone's noticed it now.
39. Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Oral Roberts will get a lot of love this year. Max Abamas is still the point guard for this team that already made some noise previously in the Tournament.
This team won 30 games and needed all 30 to make the NCAA Tournament. They're here.
40. Providence Friars
The Friars have not been efficient on defense this year. That's going to burn them eventually.
41. Iowa Hawkeyes
It'll burn Iowa just as much as Providence.
42. Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern has all the defense it needs to get by in the first and second rounds. The offense will need to pick it up a bit, but this season was tremendous for Northwestern after finishing second in the Big Ten this year.
43. Charleston Cougars
Charleston is balanced enough to make an upset in the NCAA Tournament. They won 31 games and needed all to earn a Tournament bid. I'm glad they won the CAA this year.
44. Auburn Tigers
The Tigers lost a lot of talent from last year's team. They're not nearly as talented this year.
45. Iona Gaels
Rick Pitino is likely leaving Iona for a higher-major job. One big run, and he'll go wherever the heck he wants.
46. Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada lost three straight games before the NCAA Tournament.
47. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Louisiana had a terrific run in the Sun Belt. Its offense can do damage, but we'll unlikely see them past the first round.
48. Kent State Golden Flashes
Kent State plays terrific defense for a conference that loves offense. That could be helpful when facing outstanding offenses in the Tournament.
49. Drake Bulldogs
Drake has a ton of experience. That will be huge in the NCAA Tournament.
50. North Carolina State Wolfpack
The North Carolina State Wolfpack just snuck into March Madness. But its offense will be good enough to at least get through the play-in game.
51. Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State prides itself on defense. But not necessarily on the offensive end.
52. Mississippi State Bulldogs
This team has good enough defense to earn multiple wins in the tournament. But the offense needs to be better for this team to go places.
53. Pittsburgh Panthers
Pittsburgh has had an entertaining year. But they just got into the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers can stick around with anyone, but the defense couldn't stop a nosebleed in their last game against Duke. That's concerning.
54. Furman Paladins
Furman will be fun offensively, but like a lot of teams down here, the defense won't be able to get major stops against higher-tier teams.
55. Vermont Catamounts
Vermont always makes the NCAA Tournament. But they never win a game. That's how it's been for a while.
56. Princeton Tigers
Princeton probably isn't going to wow anyone, but that win against Yale in the Ivy League was a special one.
57. Grand Canyon Antelopes
Look out for Grand Canyon, and it's an offense. This team won 24 games heading into the NCAA Tournament, but the defense will likely struggle to get stops.
58. Kennesaw State Owls
Kennesaw State made the NCAA Tournament, which is great. But don't expect much from them in the tournament.
59. Colgate Raiders
Colgate is a fast-paced offense with a ton of potential to outscore opponents. But they'll be so bad offensively that they'll need to shoot a very high percentage to win any game in the NCAA Tournament.
60. Montana State Bobcats
Montana State won the Big Sky Conference. They've done well defensively this year. But it's hard to trust a 15-seed to do much of anything. But it's happening more times now.
61. UNC Asheville Bulldogs
The Big South winner, UNC Asheville, won 27 games this year. They also lead college basketball in luck.
That luck will run out.
62. UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
The Big West winner, Santa Barbara, has an offense that can compete. This team won 27 games this year. But again, it's unlikely they'll do much of anything else.
63. Northern Kentucky Norse
Northern Kentucky won't be beating a one-seed this year. But at least they won the Horizon. The Norse can feel good about that.
64. Texas A&M Corpus-Christi
The Southland Champion won't be a champion in anything else this year.
65. Howard Bison
Please don't rely on Howard, although their lucky comeback wins against Norfolk State were fun.
66. Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
The Ohio Valley Conference winner has won just 19 games this season.
67. Texas Southern Tigers
Texas Southern has played much better as of late. But they've been one of the worst offenses in the nation this year.
68. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
It would be hilarious watching a 1-seed play these Knights. Fairleigh Dickinson can't get stops on the defensive end.
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Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.