Best March Madness Calcutta Auction Targets & Teams to Avoid in the NCAA Tournament

Rob Paul

Last Updated: March 19, 2025 6:00 AM EDT • 7 min 46 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

Best March Madness Calcutta Auction Targets & Teams to Avoid — Pictured: Houston's basketball team celebrates on the court. Photo by Thomas Shea via Imagn Images.

While filling out a March Madness bracket is the most well-known way to get involved in the NCAA Tournament, it's not the only pool you should be focused on this college basketball season.

Calcutta auctions are an increasingly popular NCAA Tournament pool, and you might be asking what is a March Madness Calcutta auction?

Once you have an understanding of how they work, we have you covered with the March Madness Calcutta auction targets and the teams to avoid for the NCAA Tournament.

👉 Want AI-driven bracket insights? Check out our full March Madness AI bracket predictions with score predictions for every game.

Best March Madness Calcutta auction targets by seed

Best No. 1 seed: Houston

Record: 30-4
KenPom rating: 3rd
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 10th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 2nd

Despite being in arguably the best region to make a run to the Final Four, Houston's March Madness odds are longer than those for Duke, Florida, and Auburn. The Cougars will likely be the least popular No. 1 seed in a Calcutta auction, which is why they're the best value.

Best No. 2 seed: St. John's

Record: 30-4
KenPom rating: 11th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 65th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 1st

One of the hottest teams in the country after taking the Big East regular season and tournament titles, St. John's has the least weight to its name of the No. 2 seeds - which is why the Red Storm will likely be undervalued. However, this is the best defense in the country and Rick Pitino is arguably the best coach in the game - my March Madness bracket reaction has St. John's in the Final Four.

Best No. 3 seed: Texas Tech

Record: 25-8
KenPom rating: 7th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 5th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 37th

With an All-American forward in JT Toppin who's capable of putting Texas Tech on his back, the Red Raiders have the highest ceiling of any No. 3 seed. While they're in the loaded West Region, the Red Raiders are the only No. 3 seed worth bidding on. We asked AI to fill out a March Madness bracket and it picked Texas Tech to reach the Final Four.

Best No. 4 seed: Maryland

Record: 25-8
KenPom rating: 12th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 28th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 6th

The No. 4 seeds are slim pickings when it comes to trusting one to make a push to the Elite Eight. Maryland has one of the best March Madness NBA draft prospects in Derik Queen and the Terrapins have the easiest path to the Sweet 16 among No. 4 seeds while having less brand recognition than Purdue, Arizona, and Texas A&M.

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Best No. 5 seed: Oregon

Record: 24-9
KenPom rating: 31st
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 39th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 31st

The No. 5 seeds might be the worst crop of any of the top eight seeds simply because so many No. 12 seeds look dangerous this year. Heck, No. 12 Colorado State is even favored over Memphis, which is why our March Madness West Region bracket preview highlighted that as a must-watch game. The Ducks have a towering big man in Nathan Bittle, who should help them take down Liberty and potentially Arizona.

Best No. 6 seed: Illinois

Record: 21-12
KenPom rating: 20th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 15th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 41st

This isn't an Illinois team that I'm a big fan of, but they do have a potential top-five pick in Kasparas Jakucionis and a favorable spot in the March Madness Midwest Region bracket. The Fighting Illini get to take on a First Four team, and if they win, they then get a banged-up Kentucky squad for a shot to reach the Sweet 16.

Best No. 7 seed: Saint Mary's

Record: 28-5
KenPom rating: 22nd
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 56th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 8th

Probably under seeded because they lost to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference tournament championship, Saint Mary's has one of the best defenses in the nation. A first-round win in the March Madness East Region bracket over a feisty Vanderbilt team would give them an interesting matchup with an Alabama team that refuses to play defense.

Best No. 8 seed: Louisville

Record: 27-7
KenPom rating: 23rd
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 29th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 21st

There's just no way Louisville should have been seeded worse than a No. 6 with a 15-7 record against Quad 1 and 2 teams. If the Cardinals beat Creighton, they have to play Auburn in the March Madness South Region bracket ... but I don't think Chucky Hepburn and Louisville will go down easy.

Best No. 9 seed: Baylor

Record: 19-14
KenPom rating: 29th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 16th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 58th

This is the most talented No. 9 seed thanks to having a likely top-five NBA draft odds pick in VJ Edgecombe. He has the talent to take down Mississippi State in the first round, and I just can't see any other No. 9 seed winning in the opening round.

Best No. 10 seed: New Mexico

Record: 26-7
KenPom rating: 41st
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 79th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 19th

Had New Mexico won the Mountain West Tournament there would be a lot more hype around Richard Pitino's team. The Lobos have a ferocious defense and one of the best scoring guards outside of the high-majors in Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent. Don't count this team out against Michigan State if they upset Marquette - there's a reason they were one of my March Madness long shots prior to the field being announced.

Best No. 11 seed: VCU

Record: 28-6
KenPom rating: 30th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 41st
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 23rd

No team is in a better spot to be this year's No. 11 seed that pushes to the Sweet 16, or even further. VCU profiles as a team that should have earned a top-nine seed, especially with the combo of Max Shulga and Joseph Bamisile - EvanMiya has the Rams ranked 17th. Drake's another No. 11 that I love, but if it takes down Missouri it'll run right into Texas Tech.

Best No. 12 seed: UC San Diego

Record: 30-4
KenPom rating: 36th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 57th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 30th

Set up to be this year's Cinderella story, UC San Diego is the second-highest-rated team from a one-bid league on KenPom and it's the first year the program is eligible for March Madness. While fellow No. 12 seed McNeese is also positioned well, the Cowboys will likely cost more because Will Wade put them on the map last year.

Best No. 13 seed: Yale

Record: 22-7
KenPom rating: 73rd
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 59th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 117th

Given how iffy the No. 4 seeds look this year, I could see any of the No. 13's pulling off an upset win. However, Yale has a game-changing scorer in guard John Poulakidas that should be capable of going head-to-head with Texas A&M's Wade Taylor. Plus, Grand Canyon and High Point will probably cost more than the Bulldogs.

Best No. 14 seed: Troy

Record: 23-10
KenPom rating: 98th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 153rd
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 71st

None of the No. 14 seeds jump out to me this year with Montana and UNC Wilmington being particularly underwhelming. Lipscomb is definitely the best of the four, but has to play Iowa State in the first round and Troy gets a polarizing Kentucky team. The Trojans also have a superb two-way guard in Tayton Conerway.

Best No. 15 seed: Wofford

Record: 19-15
KenPom rating: 120th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 67th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 231st

The best No. 15 seed for viral sensation Kyler Filewich alone, Wofford has an offense that can make some noise in the first round and maybe give Tennessee a scare. The Terriers are the only No. 15 seed that I think can keep its first-round game close.

Best No. 16 seed: Norfolk State

Record: 24-10
KenPom rating: 180th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 168th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 217th

Will we get a No. 16 seed beating a No. 1 seed for the third time in NCAA Tournament history? There's just no way with how strong the top four look this season. But Norfolk State is the highest-rated No. 16 seed by KenPom and doesn't have to take on a Wooden Award odds contender in the first round. Plus, Spartans guard Brian Moore Jr. can really play.

March Madness Calcutta auction teams to avoid

No. 1 seed: Auburn

Record: 28-5
KenPom rating: 4th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 2nd
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 12th

The top overall seed, Auburn will likely be the second-most expensive team in an auction behind Duke. The Tigers look like they may have peaked too soon with Bruce Pearl's team losing its final two regular season games and getting bumped from the SEC tournament by Tennessee.

No. 3 seed: Kentucky

Record: 22-11
KenPom rating: 16th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 8th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 57th

Kentucky's "blue blood" name alone will probably lead the Wildcats to cost more than they should in an up and down season for the program. While Mark Pope has had bright moments in his first year as bench boss in Lexington, injuries to Jaxson Robinson and Lamont Butler have hurt this team's ceiling.

No. 4 seed: Arizona

Record: 22-12
KenPom rating: 14th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 12th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 33rd

Not sure anyone should ever trust Arizona in March, especially with Tommy Lloyd in charge. In his three previous seasons as the Wildcats' head coach, Arizona never made it further than the Sweet 16 ... and this is the worst team he's had, on paper. And again, Zona is a well-known program that could drive the price up.

No. 5 seed: Michigan

Record: 25-9
KenPom rating: 25th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 46th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 14th

There's too much working against justifying going in on Michigan. The Wolverines are a huge brand that everyone knows and they just won the Big Ten tournament, so that likely will make them cost more than they're worth. And they also play potential Cinderella UC San Diego in the first round, and have lackluster guard play with the team running through two bigs in Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin.

No. 8 seed: UConn

Record: 23-10
KenPom rating: 35th
Adjusted offensive efficiency rating: 14th
Adjusted defensive efficiency rating: 94th

Given UConn's history of overachieving and winning the national championship when seeded outside of the top two, I'm trying to tread lightly here. But this Huskies team has been a massive letdown with Dan Hurley's squad looking like it has next to no chance to repeat with how bad it is defensively. Yet, this is the back-to-back champ and you just know they're going to cost far more than they should in an auction.

✨ Other ways to get involved with March Madness

March Madness bracket: How to fill out March Madness bracket
Survivor pool: What is a March Madness survivor pool? | March Madness survivor guide
Best free March Madness bracket challenges

📅 March Madness key dates

Selection Sunday: ~~March 16~~
First Four: March 18-19
First round: March 20-21
Second round: March 22-23
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: Saturday, April 5
National championship game: Monday, April 7

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Written By:
Rob Paul

Rob is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. He’s been with the team since early 2024, with this being his first full-time role in the sports betting industry. Before joining SportsbookReview.com, he contributed to various sports outlets, including FanSided and Pro Football Network. During that period, he spent five years working full-time as a local community journalist, after attending Durham College for journalism and Wilfrid Laurier University for history. He previously hosted an NFL draft and college football-focused podcast where he had the opportunity to interact with future NFL players such as Maxx Crosby and Quinn Meinerz. Rob has spent multiple years working as a freelance podcast producer for numerous sports-related podcasts while making guest appearances on several college football shows. He’s also made guest appearances on SportsTalk Mississippi on several occasions to talk all things NFL draft. Rob values the way sports betting acts as a catalyst for telling stories and growing interest in certain sports, particularly FCS football, WNBA, and mid-major college basketball. He’s always been drawn to the more obscure teams and conferences in major college sports, but most of all, Rob loves using stats to find the best player props to back.