Where Alabama is Placed in Bracketology, KenPom Entering Auburn Matchup

Where the Crimson Tide stands less than five weeks from Selection Sunday for the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Alabama Crimson Tide forward Grant Nelson (4) questions a call by the referees in the first half as the Texas Longhorns take on the Crimson Tide at the Moody Center, Feb. 11, 2025. | Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We are officially less than five weeks away from Selection Sunday for the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament!

The Alabama Crimson Tide moved up to No. 2 in the most recent AP Top 25, which helped head coach Nate Oats and company in the latest ESPN Bracketology with Joe Lunardi.

Lunardi ranked Alabama as the second-best team in the nation, placing the Tide as the No. 1 seed and team to beat in the Midwest region in Tuesday's bracket projection. It's the same spot for the Crimson Tide as last week.

pic.twitter.com/9IRZ3TUZyx

— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) February 11, 2025

Alabama is set to face No. 1 Auburn on Saturday and the Tide's bracketology placement can change pending the result. Lunardi updates the bracket every Tuesday and Friday.

Lunardi's Midwest Region:

• 1-seed Alabama vs. 16-seed Southern
• 8-seed Saint Mary's vs. 9-seed New Mexico
• 5-seed Marquette vs. 12-seed George Mason
• 4-seed Kansas vs. 13-seed Arkansas State
• 6-seed Illinois vs. 11-seed Vanderbilt
• 3-seed Iowa State vs. 14-seed Northern Colorado
• 7-seed Mississippi State vs. 10-seed Utah State
• 2-seed Purdue vs. 15-seed Cleveland State

Alabama's road wins over Arkansas and Texas kept the Crimson Tide at No. 6 in the latest KenPom ratings. Like Bracketology, KenPom's rankings are fluid and can change very quickly. Here's a list of the top-25 paired with each team's offensive and defensive ranks among all of college basketball.

KenPom

1. Auburn, 22-2, O-Rating: 1st, D-Rating: 17th
2. Duke, 20-3, O-Rating: 5th, D-Rating: 4th
3. Houston, 20-4, O-Rating: 6th, D-Rating: 3rd
4. Florida, 21-3, O-Rating: 4th, D-Rating: 8th
5. Tennessee, 20-5, O-Rating: 39th, D-Rating: 1st
6. Alabama, 21-3, O-Rating: 2nd, D-Rating: 39th
7. Purdue, 19-6, O-Rating: 8th, D-Rating: 31st
8. Iowa State, 19-5, O-Rating: 18th, D-Rating: 7th
9. Texas Tech, 18-5, O-Rating: 11th, D-Rating: 29th
10. Kansas, 17-7, O-Rating: 40th, D-Rating: 5th
11. Gonzaga, 18-7, O-Rating: 7th, D-Rating: 44th
12. Wisconsin, 19-5, O-Rating: 9th, D-Rating: 37th
13. Texas A&M, 19-5, O-Rating: 36th, D-Rating: 6th
14. Arizona, 17-7, O-Rating: 17th, D-Rating: 14th
15. Illinois, 17-8, O-Rating: 14th, D-Rating: 30th
16. St. John's, 21-3, O-Rating: 84th, D-Rating: 2nd
17. Kentucky, 17-7, O-Rating: 3rd, D-Rating 82nd
18. Maryland, 18-6, O-Rating: 20th, D-Rating: 21st
19. Michigan, 19-5, O-Rating: 24th, D-Rating: 18th
20. Ole Miss, 18-6, O-Rating: 29th, D-Rating: 12th
21. Michigan State, 19-5, O-Rating: 28th, D-Rating: 13th
22. Saint Mary's, 22-4, O-Rating: 38th, D-Rating: 9th
23. Missouri, 17-6, O-Rating: 13th, D-Rating: 46th
24. Marquette, 19-6, O-Rating: 30th, D-Rating: 22nd
25. UCLA, 18-7, O-Rating: 41st, D-Rating: 11th