When are March Madness brackets due? 2023 NCAA Tournament dates, schedule, and more 

The 2023 NCAA Tournament is only 15 days away, starting on March 14.

It could be one of the most competitive that we have seen in a long time. Many mid-majors have shown that they can compete and defeat Power Five teams. The transfer portal brought a new competitive nature to the regular season, and it looks like it will continue into tournament season.

Meanwhile, bluebloods like the North Carolina Tar Heels (18-11) and Duke Blue Devils (21-8) are unranked and Kentucky (20-9) returned to the polls, at No. 23, on Monday.

Some of the transfers who left Power Five schools for mid-majors have found a better fit or have been given the opportunity to lead a team. This has boded well for a lot of teams.

Power Five schools are confident in their abilities. However, there could be a lot of teams that are not looking forward to playing teams like the College of Charleston (28-3), 17th-ranked Saint Mary's (25-6) or Oral Roberts (27-4).

Universities have used the transfer portal and NIL to juice up their rosters with high-level players who may not have given them a second look a few years ago.

Ten of the 31 conferences will crown their champions this week, cashing their automatic bids into the NCAA Tournament. They are the Atlantic Sun, Big South, CAA, Horizon League, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Southern, Sun Belt and the West Coast.

The tournament for the NCAA bracket will be announced on Selection Sunday, March 12.

Mid-Major matchups to watch this week and the overall NCAA Tournament's No.1 seed

Kennesaw State (23-8, 15-3 Atlantic Sun) is the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Sun. Fans are hoping that a team that has surprised a lot of casual basketball fans can defeat Florida Gulf Coast (17-14, 7-11) and make for a competitive semifinal matchup.

There is an amazing story developing in the Sun Belt Tournament as well.

After finishing 1-17 in conference play last season, Southern Miss enters the Sun Belt Tournament as the regular season champions. After clinching the title on Friday, the Golden Eagles (25-6, 14-4 SBC) are attempting to make NCAA Tournament for the second time since 1991.

The overall No. 1 seed is still up for grabs, and landing one of the four No. 1 seeds is a precious gual. A few teams are leading the way.

Kevin Sampson and the Houston Cougars (27-2) dismantled Tulane 89-59 on Wednesday and then blasted the East Carolina Pirates 76-57 in ECU's first sold-out game since 2008.

The team to beat in the NCAA Tournament may be Houston, but time will only tell. One thing is for sure, the tournament could be one of the most entertaining to date.