Welcome to Bracketology 2021, where our resident bracketologist, Justin Meyer, gives you his prediction of what the selection committee would have the NCAA Tournament look like if the season were to end today. He has done bracketology for more than 10 years, and this is his seventh season as part of the Bracket Matrix.
This is not what he would make the bracket if he were the selection committee, and this is not a guess for what it will look like on Selection Sunday (unless, of course, it is Selection Sunday). It is merely a snapshot of where things stand right now.
Our Bubble Watch series is back! Check out the latest entry here to see where everyone stacks up relative to the bubble and learn what your team needs to do to dance. You can also find the last bracketology update here.
This year, the entire 2021 NCAA Tournament will be held in Indiana because of the pandemic, meaning the regions will be unattached to a location. That will not be a factor in what region teams play in.
Without further ado, here is your update for how the Field of 68 stands right now in our Bracketology 2021 (as of games played through Thursday, March 11, 2021):
Bracketology 2021
Region 1
1 GONZAGA vs 16 APPALACHIAN STATE/NORTH CAROLINA A&T
8 Rutgers vs 9 North Carolina
5 Tennessee vs 12 WINTHROP
4 Villanova vs 13 TOLEDO
6 Missouri vs 11 Michigan State
3 Kansas vs 14 SOUTHERN UTAH
7 BYU vs 10 Georgia Tech
2 Ohio State vs 15 GRAND CANYON
Region 4
1 Illinois vs 16 HARTFORD
8 LSU vs 9 Virginia Tech
5 USC vs 12 Boise State/Utah State*
4 West Virginia vs 13 LIBERTY
6 Colorado vs 11 Louisville
3 Oklahoma State vs 14 COLGATE
7 Wisconsin vs 10 VCU
2 ALABAMA vs 15 DREXEL
Region 2
1 BAYLOR vs 16 NICHOLLS/PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
8 SAN DIEGO STATE vs 9 Clemson
5 FLORIDA STATE vs 12 WESTERN KENTUCKY
4 Purdue vs 13 UC SANTA BARBARA
6 OREGON vs 11 Drake
3 Arkansas vs 14 CLEVELAND STATE
7 Oklahoma vs 10 ST. BONAVENTURE
2 Iowa vs 15 ORAL ROBERTS
1 MICHIGAN vs 16 SAINT PETER’S
8 LOYOLA CHICAGO vs 9 Connecticut
5 Texas Tech vs 12 WICHITA STATE
4 Virginia vs 13 UNC GREENSBORO
6 CREIGHTON vs 11 Colorado State/Ole Miss
3 Texas vs 14 MOREHEAD STATE
7 Florida vs 10 Maryland
2 Houston vs 15 MOUNT ST. MARY’S
*= It goes against bracket rules to pair two teams from the same conference against one another. But with three of my four last teams in coming from the Mountain West, I broke the rule for this bracket, because I felt it was more important to convey that information. If this were the final bracket, the committee would be faced with a big decision on whether to break its rule or force the fifth team in to play an extra game.
The Bubble
Last Four Byes
Georgia Tech
Michigan State
Drake
Louisville
Last Four In
Colorado State
Ole Miss
Boise State
Utah State
First Four Out
Saint Louis
Seton Hall
Syracuse
UCLA
Next Four Out
St. John’s
Xavier
Memphis
SMU
S-Curve
- Gonzaga
- Baylor
- Michigan
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Houston
- Arkansas
- Kansas
- Texas
- Oklahoma State
- West Virginia
- Purdue
- Virginia
- Villanova
- Tennessee
- Florida State
- USC
- Texas Tech
- Colorado
- Creighton
- Missouri
- Oregon
- BYU
- Oklahoma
- Wisconsin
- Florida
- LSU
- Loyola Chicago
- San Diego State
- Rutgers
- North Carolina
- Clemson
- Connecticut
- Virginia Tech
- VCU
- St. Bonaventure
- Maryland
- Georgia Tech
- Michigan State
- Drake
- Louisville
- Colorado State
- Ole Miss
- Boise State
- Utah State
- Wichita State
- Western Kentucky
- Winthrop
- Toledo
- UC Santa Barbara
- UNC Greensboro
- Liberty
- Colgate
- Morehead State
- Cleveland State
- Southern Utah
- Grand Canyon
- Oral Roberts
- Mount St. Mary’s
- Drexel
- Hartford
- Saint Peter’s
- Nicholls
- Prairie View A&M
- Appalachian State
- North Carolina A&T
Per Conference
Big Ten – 9 (Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Maryland, Michigan State)
ACC – 7 (Virginia, Florida State, North Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Louisville)
Big 12 – 7 (Baylor, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma)
SEC – 7 (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss)
MWC – 4 (San Diego State, Colorado State, Boise State, Utah State)
Big East – 3 (Villanova, Creighton, Connecticut)
Pac-12 – 3 (USC, Colorado, Oregon)
AAC – 2 (Houston, Wichita State)
A-10 – 2 (VCU, St. Bonaventure)
MVC – 2 (Loyola Chicago, Drake)
WCC – 2 (Gonzaga, BYU)