The final Big Ten team was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, as Michigan State fell to Auburn, 70-64. The Spartans put together a spirited rally in the second half after falling behind early to the Tigers.

While 50% of the second-round participants will hail from the Big Ten and SEC, their hefty representation is partially the byproduct of conference realignment. The Big Ten expanded from 14 teams to 18 for the 2024-25 season and added teams like UCLA and Oregon, both of which advanced to the second round.