🚨 A Tough Year for Travel in the 2025 NCAA Tournament 🚨
SEC teams and their fans face a unique challenge in this year’s NCAA Tournament— longer travel distances than usual.
Unlike past tournaments, where multiple first and second-round sites were within the SEC footprint, Lexington, KY is the only location in SEC territory.
That means some top teams (and their fans) will need to travel farther than expected.
🎵 Musical Chairs for First-Round Sites
Even a No. 1 seed might not get a favorable travel spot this year.
Tennessee is in the best position, with two relatively close sites—Lexington (KY) and Raleigh (NC).
However, those same sites are the nearest options for Alabama, Auburn, and Florida, creating a game of musical chairs in which at least one team will likely be pushed to Cleveland or Providence
📊 How This Year Compares to Past Tournaments
- In the last five NCAA Tournaments, there were 10 first and second-round sites in SEC states
- North Carolina and Indianapolis provided additional nearby SEC locations in the past.
- 2025's setup? Only one SEC-based site, making travel more challenging for fans and teams alike.
✈️ Where Are Teams Projected to Go?
Here’s a look at current projections for key teams and their likely destinations:
- Lexington & Raleigh (Preferred by SEC teams): Auburn, Duke, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee (one may be pushed out!).
- Wichita: Houston (locked in), Iowa State, Missouri, Texas A&M, or Texas Tech (depending on seeding).
- Cleveland: Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Kentucky, Marquette (battle for priority seeding).
- Milwaukee: Wisconsin (needs to stay ahead of Big Ten rivals).
- Providence: St. John’s (ideal fit), Maryland (possible No. 5 seed here).
- Denver: Arizona, Texas Tech (but others could jump in).
🏠 Which Top Teams Stay Close to Home?
Right now, only a handful of top teams project to play within 300 miles of home:
- Duke: - Raleigh, NC
- Wisconsin: - Milwaukee, WI
- St. John's: - Providence, RI
- Tennessee: - Lexington, KY (If they hold thier seed)
Other high-ranked teams may lose their regional advantage and be pushed further away due to site assignments.
📢 The Takeaway: Get Ready to Travel!
If your team is projected as a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, you may want to start making travel plans now.
With limited regional spots, some SEC and Big Ten teams will travel cross-country to play their first and second-round games.
|
