MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

Bracketology is now in its 30th season on ESPN.com. From now until Selection Sunday on March 17, we'll keep you up to date on the postseason chances and projection of your favorite teams. Our brackets update Tuesday during the nonconference schedule before shifting to twice a week.

Conference Breakdown

SEC | 9
Big 12 | 8
Big 10 | 7
ACC | 5
Big East | 5
Pac-12 | 4
Mountain West | 4
American | 2

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

The new year brings a new team to the top line, but it's hard to call defending champ and five-time NCAA winner UConn a newcomer. The Huskies have made multiple appearances as a 1-seed in our projections and move up in this edition on the heels of Arizona's blowout loss at Stanford.

Conference Breakdown

SEC | 9
Big 10 | 8
Big 12 | 7
Big East | 5
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 4
Pac-12 | 4
American | 2

Click Here For Full Story

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology
Rarely in bracketology is a head-to-head result determinative when it comes to seeding. In this update, however, a single December contest is the dividing line for the final No. 2 seed. Clemson's loss at Miami opened the spot, with both Kentucky and North Carolina next in line to move up.

Conference Breakdown
SEC - 9
Big 10 - 7
Big 12 - 7
Big East | 5
Mountain West - 5
ACC - 5
Pac-12 - 4
American - 2

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology
The ACC has been kicked to the curb in recent Bracketology updates. (Says the guy doing the kicking!). The league's overall strength and especially its seeding have taken a noticeable dive the past few seasons. This week, North Carolina -- one of the league's true tentpoles

conference breakdown
sec - 8
big 12 - 8
big 10 - 6
big east - 6
acc - 5
mountain west - 4
pac-12 - 4
sun belt - 2
american - 2

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

A little over 22 years ago, Bracketology got its own page on ESPN.com. There have been hundreds of bracket updates and thousands of seed lists in that time. Until today, not once has Gonzaga failed to make the projected NCAA tournament field.

Conference Breakdown

SEC | 8
Big 12 | 8
Big Ten | 7
Big East | 6
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 5
Pac-12 | 3
American | 2

Click Here For Full Story

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

It is among the most remarkable feats in college basketball history: In Bill Self's past 17 seasons at Kansas, the Jayhawks have earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament 11 times. (We're giving KU the No. 1 overall spot in the cancelled 2020 tourney, which was a lock.) Think about the sustained excellence required to be one of the top four teams in the country two-thirds of the time for almost two decades.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 10
SEC | 8
Big 10 | 6
Big East | 6
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 3
Pac-12 | 3
American | 3

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology - men's
Somewhere, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmer Fredette are smiling. They were a pair of charismatic stars during the 2010-11 season, propelling San Diego State and BYU to top 10 rankings and creating perhaps the basketball zenith of the Mountain West Conference. The 2011 NCAA tournament also marked the last time the Mountain West gave us multiple Sweet 16 entries

conference breakdown
big 12 - 9
sec - 7
big east - 7
big 10 - 6
mountain west - 5
pac-12 - 4
acc - 3
american - 3

 

[C-40]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology - men's
The intricacies of Bracketology are on full display this week. An under-the-radar, yet pivotal weekend game featuring Dayton and Richmond ended up costing a recent two-time NCAA champion (Villanova) a place in our latest bracket. The Spiders, picked 11th preseason in the Atlantic 10, knocked off No. 21 Dayton in a battle of league unbeatens, giving the A-10 a second team in the field and becoming our first official "bid thief" of the year.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 9
SEC | 8
Big 10 | 6
Big East | 6
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 3
Pac-12 | 3
American | 3
Atlantic 10 | 2

 

[C-40]

2024 NCAA Tournament Bracketology - Men's
Memphis basketball and a roulette wheel have a lot in common -- and here we go again. Three years ago the Tigers won eight of nine to move into the NCAA tournament conversation, only to lose twice to Houston and slip to the NIT (which they won). Two years ago the Tigers won 12 of 13 down the stretch, including a pair of victories over Houston, to reach the NCAAs and the round of 32. Last season the Tigers split the difference and won the American's automatic bid before becoming the first victim of Florida Atlantic's Final Four run.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 9
SEC | 8
Big 10 | 6
Big East | 6
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 3
Pac-12 | 3
American | 3
Atlantic 10 | 2

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

 

[C-40]

2024 NCAA Tournament Bracketology - Men's
The Mountain West is picking a fine time to emerge as the best college basketball conference on the left coast. Its eight NCAA bids the past two years are one more than the Pac-12, and its five projected tourney slots this season are more than the Pac-12 and WCC combined. And let's not forget its top dog, San Diego State, played in the national championship game last April. With UCLA and USC out the door next year (a cynic might say they already left) -- along with assorted other Pac-12 exports to the Big Ten and Big 12 -- a major void will exist. The MWC, plus WCC stalwarts Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, is proving itself more than capable of competing nationally. With Pac-12 holdovers Oregon State and Washington State joining the WCC for the next two seasons, it will be a whole new world on the left side of the Rockies.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 9
SEC | 9
Big 10 | 6
Big East | 5
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 4
Pac-12 | 3
American | 2
Atlantic 10 | 2

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

A common question in our sprint to Selection Sunday is a variation on an annual theme. "Who is this year's Florida Atlantic?" The Owls' overtime loss Thursday at UAB may add to the perception that last year's leading Cinderella is underachieving. Upon closer inspection, however, the opposite is true. FAU's record (18-5) isn't quite where it was a year ago at this time (22-2), but the Owls played a far tougher non-conference schedule (53rd from 298th), are ranked higher (A.P. No. 20 vs. "others receiving votes") and are doing all of it in a better conference. Further, last season's Final Four team had nothing like this year's wins over tourney-bound Arizona, Texas A&M and Butler. All of which leads us to conclude that "this year's Florida Atlantic" may yet be, well, Florida Atlantic.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 10
SEC | 9
Big 10 | 6
Big East | 5
Mountain West | 5
ACC | 4
Pac-12 | 3
American | 2
Atlantic 10 | 2

Click Here For Full Story

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

North Carolina's chase for a No. 1 seed has even more implications than usual this season. For the first two decades of this century, the ACC averaged at least one top seed per year. The conference peaked in 2019, landing three of four No. 1 seeds, including national champion Virginia. Since then, there's not been a single top-line selection from the ACC, its longest drought since seeding began in 1979. In addition, the league has landed only one No. 2 seed since the pandemic. In two of the past three tournaments, its highest-rated entry has been a 4-seed. It's hard to end a decline in the number of overall bids without the usual anchors at the top of the conference. And this update includes only four ACC teams, which would be its lowest total since expanding in 2014. It's fair to say what was once thought to be a blip has instead become a concerning trend.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 9
SEC | 9
Big 10 | 6
Mountain West | 6
Big East | 4
ACC | 4
Pac-12 | 3
American | 2
Atlantic 10 | 2

Click Here For Full Story

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology - men's
]size=4]The 2006-07 Florida Gators, defending national champions, reached Christmas that season with only two losses. They then embarked on a 17-game winning streak, leaving little doubt about the identity of the top team in the land.

conference breakdown
big 12 - 9
sec - 9
big 10 - 6
mountain west - 6
big east - 5
acc - 4
pac-12 - 2
american - 2
wcc - 2[/SIZE]

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

In NET and the most recent polls, Houston is No. 1. According to the selection committee last week, Purdue is No. 1. In the court of public opinion, UConn (still holding the trophy) is No. 1. The problem is only one of the three can be the top overall seed next month in the NCAA tournament. I could make a legitimate case for any of them, while at the same time reminding everyone this might be a distinction without a difference. Yes, being first overall allows that team to choose its geographic path to the Final Four. But the way the regions are laid out, we already know where all three contenders are going: Purdue to the Midwest (Indy/Detroit), UConn to the East (Brooklyn/Boston) and Houston to the South (Memphis/Dallas). The only real question is who will join this trio on the top line. Arizona has left the door open for Tennessee and North Carolina, but the spot is still Arizona's to lose.

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 9
SEC | 7
Big 10 | 6
Mountain West | 6
Big East | 5
ACC | 5
Pac-12 | 2
American | 2
Atlantic 10 | 2
WCC | 2

Click Here For Full Story

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology - men's
St. John's in or out? Depending on your choice of bracketologist, St. John's is either just in or just out of the projected NCAA field. The Red Storm control their own destiny with two very winnable regular-season games plus the Big East tournament remaining. Victories over DePaul and Georgetown this week should be enough.

conference breakdown
big 12 - 9
sec - 7
big 10 - 6
mountain west - 6
big east - 5
acc - 5
pac-12 - 2
american - 2
wcc - 2
atlantic 10 - 2

 

[C-40]

MEN'S BRACKETOLOGY: 2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT​

Arizona and UCLA squared off Thursday night in Pauley Pavilion, bringing to a close the best basketball series in Pac-12 history. In a few months the Pac-12 itself will be history, victim of an evolution in college sports that values excess over common sense. We all get it -- money talks loudest -- but that doesn't mean we have to like it. But here's the thing: No one is talking about Arizona and the Pac-12 getting the last laugh. Even Bracketology is against them -- in this update, we're elevating Tennessee as the fourth No. 1 seed in place of the Wildcats. March seeding, though, at some point gives way to April winning. And it says here that Arizona and defending champion UConn will be the two highest-ceiling teams in the NCAA field. And only one of them would play what amounts to home games at the Final Four. Just sayin'...

Conference Breakdown

Big 12 | 9
SEC | 7
Big 10 | 6
Mountain West | 6
Big East | 6
ACC | 4
Pac-12 | 2
American | 2
Atlantic 10 | 2
WCC | 2

Click Here For Full Story

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology - men's
Time for the annual Bracketology guide to the most impactful games of Championship Week (All times Eastern):

conference breakdown
big 12 - 9
sec - 7
big east - 6
big 10 - 5
mountain west - 5
acc - 4
pac-12 - 3
american - 2
wcc - 2
atlantic 10 - 2
missouri vally - 2

 

[blackfoot NAP]

2024 ncaa tournament bracketology - men's
The No. 1 seeds for the NCAA tournament are set. North Carolina clinched its spot on the top line Friday, outlasting Pitt in the ACC semifinals after Tennessee laid an egg against Mississippi State in its SEC tournament opener and Arizona did the same against Oregon in the Pac-12.

conference breakdown
big 12 - 9
sec - 8
big 10 - 6
mountain west - 6
acc - 4
big east - 4
pac-12 - 3
american - 2
wcc - 2
atlantic 10 - 2