Why Bruins Deserve No. 1 Overall Seed After Big Ten Championship

The UCLA Bruins earned redemption on Sunday afternoon as they knocked off bitter rival, USC, in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game. With the win, the Bruins should now earn the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) points up after scoring Saturday, March 8, 2025, in a semifinals game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament between the UCLA Bruins and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 4 UCLA Bruins (30-2, 16-2) deserve to be the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament after taking down their crosstown rival to win the 2025 Big Ten Championship. A 72-67 win over the No. 2 USC Trojans (28-3, 17-1) proves the Bruins are the best in the country.

After falling to the Trojans twice in the regular season, accounting for both of the Bruins' only losses, they exacted their revenge by overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit and knocking off their despised rival for the first time this season.

UCLA earned its 30th win of the season for the first time in program history. It is by far the best season it has had in its 51-year history. What it was able to accomplish amongst many other elite teams proves that this team deserves the top seed for March Madness.

The Bruins were in jeopardy of falling out of a potential No. 1 seed if they were to lose at any point in the Big Ten Tournament. As the No. 4-ranked team in the country, they almost needed to win this tournament to be a top seed and are now likely going to be above all the rest.

According to ESPN's Charlie Creme's bracketology, the Bruins are projected to be one of the four No. 1 seeds for the big dance, starting March 21. They are alongside No. 1 Texas (31-3, 15-1), No. 5 South Carolina (30-3, 15-1), and the Trojans. Sunday's conference tournament championship should put the Bruins ahead of all three.

The significance of the top overall seeding is beneficial for a few reasons. First, they would not have to face any of the other top teams in the country until the Final Four. Second, their chances of winning will rise exponentially as they would receive the least difficult draw out of all four No. 1 seeds.

As the dust settles from arguably the most important win of the Bruins' season, they will await Selection Sunday on March 16 to determine who will be their first opponent in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It is time for The Big Dance, and this UCLA team could not be more prepared.

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