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.
Per usual, you can expect our Bubble Watch series to return later in the season, breaking down where all remotely relevant teams stand relative to the cutline, with resume explanations and a set of requirements for what the team needs to secure its spot in the Big Dance. Here is where you can find the Bubble Watch from last season (before it was called off) to see what’s in store, and you can 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, Feb. 11, 2021):
Bracketology 2021
Region 1
1 BAYLOR vs 16 SAM HOUSTON STATE/NORTH CAROLINA A&T
8 BYU vs 9 Indiana
5 Wisconsin vs 12 BELMONT
4 Oklahoma vs 13 UAB
6 Colorado vs 11 ST. BONAVENTURE
3 Iowa vs 14 GRAND CANYON
7 Rutgers vs 10 LOYOLA CHICAGO
2 VILLANOVA vs 15 CLEVELAND STATE
Region 4
1 MICHIGAN vs 16 TEXAS STATE
8 Xavier vs 9 San Diego State
5 Florida State vs 12 UTAH STATE
4 Texas vs 13 UNC GREENSBORO
6 Creighton vs 11 Arkansas
3 West Virginia vs 14 NAVY
7 Clemson vs 10 Boise State
2 ALABAMA vs 15 EASTERN WASHINGTON
Region 2
1 GONZAGA vs 16 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M/SOUTH DAKOTA
8 Minnesota vs 9 Colorado State
5 USC vs 12 TOLEDO
4 Missouri vs 13 WINTHROP
6 Oklahoma State vs 11 LSU
3 VIRGINIA vs 14 SIENA
7 Florida vs 10 Stanford
2 Illinois vs 15 UMBC
Region 3
1 Ohio State vs 16 BRYANT
8 UCLA vs 9 Louisville
5 Virginia Tech vs 12 Oregon/VCU
4 Texas Tech vs 13 LIBERTY
6 Kansas vs 11 Drake/Seton Hall
3 Tennessee vs 14 UC IRVINE
7 Purdue vs 10 North Carolina
2 HOUSTON vs 15 NORTHEASTERN
The Bubble
Last Four Byes
North Carolina
Stanford
LSU
Arkansas
Last Four In
Drake
Seton Hall
Oregon
VCU
First Four Out
Maryland
Richmond
Western Kentucky
Saint Louis
Next Four Out
Ole Miss
St. John’s
Connecticut
Georgia Tech
S-Curve
- Baylor
- Gonzaga
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Illinois
- Alabama
- Houston
- Villanova
- West Virginia
- Virginia
- Iowa
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Texas Tech
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Wisconsin
- USC
- Virginia Tech
- Florida State
- Kansas
- Oklahoma State
- Creighton
- Colorado
- Rutgers
- Purdue
- Florida
- Clemson
- Minnesota
- Xavier
- UCLA
- BYU
- Colorado State
- Louisville
- San Diego State
- Indiana
- Boise State
- North Carolina
- Stanford
- Loyola Chicago
- St. Bonaventure
- LSU
- Arkansas
- Drake
- Seton Hall
- Utah State
- Oregon
- VCU
- Toledo
- Belmont
- UAB
- Winthrop
- Liberty
- UNC Greensboro
- Navy
- UC Irvine
- Siena
- Grand Canyon
- Cleveland State
- UMBC
- Northeastern
- Eastern Washington
- Texas State
- Bryant
- Prairie View A&M
- South Dakota
- Sam Houston State
- North Carolina A&T
Per Conference
Big Ten – 9 (Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana)
Big 12 – 7 (Baylor, West Virginia, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Kansas, Oklahoma State)
ACC – 6 (Virginia, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Clemson, Louisville, North Carolina)
SEC – 6 (Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, LSU, Arkansas)
Pac-12 – 5 (USC, Colorado, UCLA, Stanford, Oregon)
Big East – 4 (Villanova, Creighton, Xavier, Seton Hall)
MWC – 4 (Colorado State, San Diego State, Boise State, Utah State)
A-10 – 2 (St. Bonaventure, VCU)
MWC – 2 (Loyola Chicago, Drake)
WCC – 2 (Gonzaga, BYU)