Clemson wins academics-based NCAA Tournament bracket

Clemson would win a men's NCAA Tournament bracket based on academics. (Photo: Rich Osentoski / Imagn Images)

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Wednesday, March 19 2025

Who would win the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament—based on academics? The answer to the question posed by at least one source out there is...Clemson.

Inside Higher Ed did an exercise with the actual 68-team bracket and advanced teams based on their most recent Academic Progress Rate (or APR; from the 2022-23 academic year) and used Graduation Success Rate (or GSR) as a tiebreaker.

Clemson University athletics produced its second-highest APR mark for the cycle (995) and recorded a 96% GSR, which only trailed private schools such as Notre Dame (99), Northwestern (98), Boston College (98), Duke (97) and Stanford (97), each according to university news releases.

The Tigers' academics topped McNeese, Purdue, Houston, Tennessee, Liberty and Louisville on its path to the top.