As the regular season comes to a close for various college basketball conferences, fans are eagerly watching for the first automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. On Saturday, the matchup between Southeast Missouri State and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville will determine who earns that coveted spot.

There’s also potential for a second automatic bid to arise today. Given that St. Thomas is ineligible due to its transition to Division I, should they win their conference tournament, the top seed Omaha would secure the automatic bid instead.

On Friday, the action led to some surprising developments. Boise State bowed out at home with a 73-83 loss against Colorado State, which bumps them from the projected bracket. Xavier has taken their place. Notably, VCU also suffered a home defeat to Dayton, further complicating their at-large chances.

Illinois halted a six-game losing streak with a significant victory over Purdue, shifting the bracket dynamics. Will the SEC continue to dominate the projected tournament field as the playoffs inch closer? All eyes will be on today’s key matchups.