The first two days of the men’s NCAA tournament offered the usual fireworks and surprises — hello, McNeese! — and now the second round could provide even more action.

But first, we have to make some sense of what we just witnessed. The upsets, the Cinderellas, the dominant victories by top seeds? What does the field look like after all of this?

We’re here to help sort it all out. In past years, we’ve reseeded the field after each round, but this year, we’re simply going to rank the remaining teams. Seeding matters here, but it’s not the only factor. There are teams with high seeds that aren’t playing like high seeds right now. And there are teams that finished strong, even if their seeds fail to reflect that.

Here are our rankings of the 32 remaining teams.

See how the round of 32 was set:
Thursday | Friday

1. Duke Blue Devils
Original seed: No. 1 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 93-49 (Friday)

Cooper Flagg returned to the lineup Friday after sitting out Duke’s previous two games and promptly scored 14 points against Mount St. Mary’s. But remember, the Blue Devils essentially won the ACC tournament without him, proving this is not a squad that revolves around the projected No. 1 pick. Tyrese Proctor, who had a team-high 19 points against the Mountaineers, has been the team’s top scorer in back-to-back games, while Kon Knueppel was the No. 1 contributor in the games Flagg missed.

Up next: vs. Baylor (Sunday, 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS)

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2. Houston Cougars
Original seed: No. 1 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 SIU Edwardsville, 78-40 (Thursday)

This is one of the best defensive teams in America, period. But Houston also boasts a collection of scorers who have given Kelvin Sampson an offensive advantage his teams haven’t had in recent years. Entering halftime Thursday, despite Emanuel Sharp and L.J. Cryer struggling to shoot (they went a combined 7-for-20), Houston had a 52-24 edge. That game didn’t showcase Houston at its peak at all, and it was still an easy win.

Up next: vs. Gonzaga (Saturday, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT)

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3. Florida Gators
Original seed: No. 1 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Norfolk State, 95-69 (Friday)

With 3:15 left in the first half against Norfolk State, the Gators had already scored 53 points. To break it down, they’d scored one point every 19 seconds. AP first team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. (23 points) and his teammates continue to create offensive avalanches that don’t give opponents much time to think. They did that to a low-major program on Friday, but they’ve also done the same thing to Alabama and other top contenders this season.

Up next: vs. UConn (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)

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4. Auburn Tigers
Original seed: No. 1 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Alabama State, 83-63 (Thursday)

Considering its whole season, Auburn fully deserved the overall top seed in this year’s tournament. Since March 4, though, the Tigers have dropped to sub-50 marks in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Granted, that’s a stretch that included games against Texas A&M, Alabama and Tennessee. But a slow start against 16-seed Alabama State on Thursday, which allowed the Hornets to take a brief lead, showcased the Tigers’ recent weakness. In the end, though, a “mediocre game” for Auburn was still a 20-point win. Not bad at all.

Up next: vs. Creighton (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)

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5. Tennessee Volunteers
Original seed: No. 2 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Wofford, 77-62 (Thursday)

While Rick Barnes has been known as a defensive guru, he has also implemented elite scorers into his scheme. Against Wofford, the Vols kept a double-digit lead from the beginning, with the help of Chaz Lanier‘s 29 points. They also held the Terriers, who finished second in the Southern Conference in offensive efficiency, to a 41% clip inside the arc. The Vols are one of the field’s most dominant teams.

Up next: vs. UCLA (Saturday, 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)

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6. St. John’s Red Storm
Original seed: No. 2 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Omaha, 83-53 (Thursday)

Yes, St. John’s is the best defensive team in America, but there is more to this team. In the 30-point blowout of the Mavericks — the Red Storm’s largest margin of victory in an NCAA tournament game — RJ Luis Jr. scored 22 points. The group as a whole connected on 38% of their 3-point attempts, the fifth time in 10 games that they’ve shot at least 35% from beyond the arc.

Up next: vs. Arkansas (Saturday, 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS)

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7. Alabama Crimson Tide
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Robert Morris, 90-81 (Friday)

On Friday, Alabama surrendered 80 points for the 11th time since Jan. 18 — even though Robert Morris is ranked 160th in adjusted offensive efficiency. Of course, the Crimson Tide also scored 90 points or more for the 11th time since Jan. 18, a total that included 22 points for Mark Sears. The fastest team in America can look like a mess at times, but it also can score in a barrage (see: 25 assists on 34 field goals against the Colonials) and overwhelm any opponent.

Up next: vs. Saint Mary’s (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)

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8. Michigan State Spartans
Original seed: No. 2 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Bryant, 87-62 (Friday)

With Jase Richardson (12.0 PPG), Jaden Akins (12.7 PPG) and Tre Holloman (9.0 PPG, 3.8 APG) in his backcourt, Tom Izzo has his best offensive team in years. Ironic, when you consider Michigan State has been one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in America yet shot 40% from beyond the arc on Friday night. If those shots continue to fall, the Spartans could make a run to San Antonio.

Up next: vs. New Mexico (Sunday, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT)

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9. Wisconsin Badgers
Original seed: No. 3 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Montana, 85-66 (Thursday)

For the first time since Greg Gard’s first year as head coach (2015-16), Wisconsin is top-50 nationally in scoring, averaging 79.7 points per game. The Badgers are also playing at the fastest pace of the Gard era. It was more of the same on Thursday: Their first-round win saw John Tonje record 15 points and three other players reach double figures. It was also the 18th time this team scored 80 points or more this season.

Up next: vs. BYU (Saturday, 7:45 p.m. ET, CBS)

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10. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Original seed: No. 3 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 UNC Wilmington, 82-72 (Thursday)

The Red Raiders are the only team to have a win over Houston since Nov. 30. They’ve played a top-10 defense all season, and they used that advantage to overcome a rough shooting night (28% from 3) against UNC Wilmington. They held the Seahawks to under 100 points per 100 possessions, the general standard for a good offensive output. Also, Texas Tech didn’t have Chance McMillian (14.2 PPG) and still scored 82 points. That’s impressive.

Up next: vs. Drake (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)

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11. Iowa State Cyclones
Original seed: No. 3 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Lipscomb, 82-55 (Friday)

A season-ending injury for Keshon Gilbert (13.4 PPG) was not actually an abnormal development for the Cyclones, who have grappled with injuries all season. Only four Iowa State players have appeared in all 34 games. That means this team knows how to regroup, and the Cyclones did that again Friday. Milan Momcilovic, who missed seven games due to injury earlier this season, led all scorers with 20 points.

Up next: vs. Ole Miss (Sunday, 7:45 p.m. ET, truTV)

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12. Kentucky Wildcats
Original seed: No. 3 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Troy, 76-57 (Friday)

It was a rocky start and a little déjà vu for Kentucky on Friday. But Mark Pope’s Wildcats are different — for one, they’re averaging 85.3 PPG, fourth in the nation — and they pulled off the program’s second first-round victory in four years. A series of injuries (including star Jaxson Robinson‘s season-ending wrist injury) has affected this group, but the Wildcats have found a way to keep improving defensively while they remain an offensive juggernaut.

Up next: vs. Illinois (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

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13. BYU Cougars
Original seed: No. 6 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 VCU, 80-71 (Thursday)

Since Feb. 8, BYU has lost just one game — and, coincidentally, owned the No. 2 offense in America. The Cougars extended that run of success with a strong effort against VCU in the first round. They connected on 59% of their shots inside the arc and collected 42% of their second-chance opportunities against the Rams’ top-30 defense. The record is there — this win was no fluke for BYU.

Up next: vs. Wisconsin (Saturday, 7:45 p.m. ET, CBS)

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14. Texas A&M Aggies
Original seed: No. 4 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Yale, 80-71 (Thursday)

Buzz Wiliams’ squad might not be flashy, but it does possess a top-10 defense. The Aggies showcased their acumen on that side of the ball when they held Ivy League player of the year Bez Mbeng to just 2 points and 4 turnovers in the 9-point victory Thursday. With that discipline and a factory reset version of Wade Taylor IV (17.4 PPG since Feb. 1), they’ve shown the world they can compete with the best.

Up next: vs. Michigan (Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

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15. Arizona Wildcats
Original seed: No. 4 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Akron, 93-65 (Friday)

Tommy Lloyd’s team finished ninth in the Big 12 in 3-point shooting (32.4%) during the regular season. But the Wildcats, who are ranked in the top 30 in adjusted defensive efficiency in the nation, have caught fire on the offensive end recently: Over their past six games, they’re shooting 42.2% from beyond the arc. And on Friday, five players, including Caleb Love, scored in double figures.

Up next: vs. Oregon (Sunday, 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS)

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16. Michigan Wolverines
Original seed: No. 5 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 UC San Diego, 68-65 (Thursday)

Thursday’s three-point win extended a streak of thrillers for the Wolverines this season. They’ve now won eight one-possession games (decided by three points or less) since Jan. 19. Though the team seems to enjoy these types of scenarios, UC San Diego forced 14 turnovers and held Danny Wolf to single digits for the fourth time in Michigan’s previous eight games. The Big Ten tournament champions remain a tough group with a knack for winning tight games.

Up next: vs. Texas A&M (Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

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17. Maryland Terrapins
Original seed: No. 5 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 Grand Canyon, 81-49 (Friday)

Julian Reese, the brother of WNBA superstar Angel Reese, and Derik Queen, a projected lottery pick in this summer’s NBA draft, have formed one of college basketball’s strongest frontcourts, especially when it comes to defense. Consider the Terps’ performance on that end against GCU: They held the Lopes — the best 2-point shooting team in the WAC at 55% — to 33% on those shots.

Up next: vs. Colorado State (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)

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18. Illinois Fighting Illini
Original seed: No. 6 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 Xavier, 86-73 (Friday)

Brad Underwood lost every key contributor to last year’s Sweet 16 team but managed to rebuild around two projected first-round draft picks: Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley. The duo, along with Tomislav Ivisic, combined to score 58 points on Friday night against Xavier. Illinois has now won five of its past six games, just as its freshman stars have hit their stride. That’s great timing.

Up next: vs. Kentucky (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

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19. Purdue Boilermakers
Original seed: No. 4 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 High Point, 75-63 (Thursday)

Few coaches have found more success running an elite offense through a strong post player than Matt Painter. This Purdue squad was a popular upset pick after entering the NCAA tournament with a 3-6 record in its previous nine games, but on Thursday afternoon it hung on thanks to 6-foot-9 star Trey Kaufman-Renn (21 points, eight rebounds). Even in tough times, Painter can always turn to what he knows best to get a win.

Up next: vs. McNeese (Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)

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20. Saint Mary’s Gaels
Original seed: No. 7 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Vanderbilt, 59-56 (Friday)

Down double digits in the second half against Vanderbilt, the Gaels found a way to dig in and eventually outscore the Commodores 32-17 in the final 16:20. Keys to the comeback included their strength as a defensive team (they’re ranked seventh in adjusted defensive efficiency), their pace (they play at one of the slowest paces in America) and Mitchell Saxen (12 points, 11 rebounds).

Up next: vs. Alabama (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)

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21. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Original seed: No. 8 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 9 Georgia, 89-68 (Thursday)

Despite the selection committee handing Mark Few’s squad an 8-seed, the metrics have loved Gonzaga, who has a top-10 ranking on KenPom — and recently the Zags have found their offensive groove. Gonzaga recorded 1.25 points per possession against the Bulldogs, which finished sixth in defensive efficiency in the SEC this season. For context, the best NBA offense currently belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who average 1.22 points per possession.

Up next: vs. Houston (Saturday, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT)

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22. Oregon Ducks
Original seed: No. 5 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 Liberty, 71-41 (Friday)

Oregon’s first season in the Big Ten was overshadowed by Tom Izzo’s success at Michigan State, Dusty May’s rise in Year 1 at Michigan and other storylines within the conference. But the team’s first-round victory over Liberty on Friday was Oregon’s ninth win over the past 10 games. That 10-game stretch has also highlighted Oregon’s transformation into a top-20 defensive team in recent weeks and Jackson Shelstad‘s rise (seven double-figure efforts since Feb. 11).

Up next: vs. Arizona (Sunday, 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS)

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23. UCLA Bruins
Original seed: No. 7 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Utah State, 72-47 (Thursday)

Since 2010, Mick Cronin has coached only one team that finished a season ranked below 50th in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom. That streak looked in danger earlier this season, when Cronin called his team “soft” in a January postgame rant, but that led to a promising shift. Friday’s performance against the Aggies, a top-25 offensive team nationally, highlighted the improvement: The Bruins posted 122 points per 100 possessions in the first-round game and have owned a top-15 offensive output over the past two months.

Up next: vs. Tennessee (Saturday, 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)

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24. New Mexico Lobos
Original seed: No. 10 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 7 Marquette, 75-66 (Friday)

In the transfer portal last year, New Mexico head coach Richard Pitino lost JT Toppin (an AP All-America second-team selection at Texas Tech this season) and Jamal Mashburn Jr., who averaged 22.0 PPG at Temple this season. The younger Pitino bounced back with returnees Donovan Dent and Nelly Junior Joseph, who combined for 40 points in the win against Marquette, which also happens to be the program’s first NCAA tournament victory in 13 years.

Up next: vs. Michigan State (Sunday, 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT)

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25. Creighton Bluejays
Original seed: No. 9 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Louisville, 89-75 (Thursday)

Ryan Kalkbrenner, 7-foot-1 center and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, is the anchor of a Creighton group that has held its opponents to a 46.1% clip inside the arc, a top-20 mark in the country. But it was the Bluejays’ offense — they are ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency since March 4, per Bart Torvik — that fueled their first-round win over Louisville, which surrendered its second-highest tally of the season in the process.

Up next: vs. Auburn (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)

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26. Colorado State Rams
Original seed: No. 12 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Memphis, 78-70 (Friday)

Penny Hardaway figured he had a tall task against Colorado State, one of the hottest teams entering the NCAA tournament. He was right. A Rams team that’s shot 42% from 3 since mid-January outscored Memphis 47-34 in the second half to pull away for the win. Kyan Evans had 23 points, while Nique Clifford (14 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) outplayed AP second-team All-America guard PJ Haggerty (18 points, 7-for-23 from the field).

Up next: vs. Maryland (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)

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27. Ole Miss Rebels
Original seed: No. 6 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 North Carolina, 71-64 (Friday)

Chris Beard’s group is relatively balanced, featuring six players who average double figures. The Rebels are also one of the most careful teams in the country and rank third nationally in turnover rate. Despite committing a rare 14 turnovers against North Carolina, they did not unravel. It’s a good sign for a team that plays an elite defense — it held the Tar Heels to 91 points per 100 possessions — and doesn’t rely on any single player.

Up next: vs. Iowa State (Sunday, 7:45 p.m. ET, truTV)

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28. UConn Huskies
Original seed: No. 8 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 9 Oklahoma, 67-59 (Friday)

While this team does not look like the UConn Huskies who won back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024 — the Huskies have lost six NBA draft picks over the past two years — this group still has multiple players who participated in at least one of those title runs. That experience mattered in the battle with Oklahoma. Dan Hurley’s group seems equipped to maintain its poise when it matters most and go for a 14th straight NCAA tournament win on Sunday.

Up next: vs. Florida (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)

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29. Arkansas Razorbacks
Original seed: No. 10 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 7 Kansas, 79-72 (Thursday)

The Razorbacks were a bubble team for a chunk of the year, but they’ve now won six of nine, including on Thursday. Jonas Aidoo, D.J. Wagner and Johnell Davis — three veterans with NCAA tournament experience — combined to score 54 points. It hasn’t always been pretty for Arkansas, which went 6-for-24 from 3 against Kansas, but the Razorbacks are improving at the right time.

Up next: vs. St. John’s (Saturday, 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS)

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30. Baylor Bears
Original seed: No. 9 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Mississippi State, 75-72 (Friday)

A matchup against Duke awaits former Blue Devils star Jeremy Roach. But the veteran guard hasn’t been a factor in recent weeks for the Bears, who have instead relied on their freshman standouts. VJ Edgecombe, a projected lottery pick in this summer’s NBA draft, and Robert Wright III combined for 33 points in Friday’s victory. Langston Love’s return from an ankle injury to score 15 points was also a positive development for coach Scott Drew.

Up next: vs. Duke (Sunday, 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS)

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31. McNeese Cowboys
Original seed: No. 12 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Clemson, 69-67 (Thursday)

Don’t be fooled by the score. The Cowboys dominated Clemson for the bulk of Thursday’s biggest upset, forcing turnovers on 20% of the Tigers’ possessions. (And they won despite shooting 4-for-19 from the 3-point line.) Will Wade, who will be coaching in the ACC next season, has now led McNeese — which had the Southland Conference’s best offense and defense this season — to its first Division I NCAA tournament victory, after posting 58 wins in two years.

Up next: vs. Purdue (Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)

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32. Drake Bulldogs
Original seed: No. 11 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 Missouri, 67-57 (Thursday)

Over the final month of the regular season, a Drake team that had lost just once since Jan. 5 had matured into one of America’s top defensive squads. And it showed Thursday, as the Bulldogs held Missouri — ranked fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom entering the first round — to just 57 points, only the second time the Tigers have been held under 60 points this season. Bennett Stirtz (21 points), a Division II transfer, proved he can shine against any Division I team in the country.

Up next: vs. Texas Tech (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)