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 Monday, Feb. 15, 2021):
Bracketology 2021
Region 1
1 GONZAGA vs 16 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M/NORTH CAROLINA A&T
8 LSU vs 9 Minnesota
5 Texas vs 12 BELMONT
4 Florida State vs 13 WINTHROP
6 Oklahoma State vs 11 Boise State
3 Iowa vs 14 LIBERTY
7 Purdue vs 10 Stanford
2 Oklahoma vs 15 SIENA
Region 4
1 Ohio State vs 16 EASTERN WASHINGTON
8 UCLA vs 9 Louisville
5 Wisconsin vs 12 St. Bonaventure/Connecticut
4 USC vs 13 UC SANTA BARBARA
6 Virginia Tech vs 11 Oregon/Seton Hall
3 West Virginia vs 14 UNC GREENSBORO
7 Colorado vs 10 San Diego State
2 ALABAMA vs 15 JAMES MADISON
Region 2
1 BAYLOR vs 16 TEXAS STATE/MOUNT ST. MARY’S
8 Xavier vs 9 Arkansas
5 Creighton vs 12 WESTERN KENTUCKY
4 Tennessee vs 13 COLGATE
6 Rutgers vs 11 Drake
3 VILLANOVA vs 14 WRIGHT STATE
7 Florida vs 10 Colorado State
2 Illinois vs 15 GRAND CANYON
Region 3
1 MICHIGAN vs 16 UMBC
8 LOYOLA CHICAGO vs 9 BYU
5 Missouri vs 12 UTAH STATE
4 Texas Tech vs 13 TOLEDO
6 Kansas vs 11 VCU
3 VIRGINIA vs 14 ABILENE CHRISTIAN
7 Clemson vs 10 Indiana
2 HOUSTON vs 15 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
The Bubble
Last Four Byes
Stanford
Indiana
Boise State
Drake
Last Four In
Oregon
St. Bonaventure
Seton Hall
Connecticut
First Four Out
Maryland
Saint Louis
Ole Miss
Richmond
Next Four Out
North Carolina
St. John’s
Georgia Tech
SMU
S-Curve
- Gonzaga
- Baylor
- Michigan
- Ohio State
- Illinois
- Alabama
- Houston
- Oklahoma
- Villanova
- Iowa
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Tennessee
- Texas Tech
- USC
- Florida State
- Texas
- Missouri
- Creighton
- Wisconsin
- Virginia Tech
- Kansas
- Oklahoma State
- Rutgers
- Purdue
- Florida
- Clemson
- Colorado
- UCLA
- Loyola Chicago
- Xavier
- LSU
- Arkansas
- Minnesota
- BYU
- Louisville
- Colorado State
- San Diego State
- Stanford
- Indiana
- Boise State
- Drake
- VCU
- Oregon
- St. Bonaventure
- Seton Hall
- Connecticut
- Utah State
- Western Kentucky
- Belmont
- Winthrop
- Colgate
- Toledo
- UC Santa Barbara
- UNC Greensboro
- Abilene Christian
- Wright State
- Liberty
- Siena
- Grand Canyon
- South Dakota State
- James Madison
- Eastern Washington
- UMBC
- Texas State
- Mount St. Mary’s
- Prairie View A&M
- North Carolina A&T
Per Conference
Big Ten – 9 (Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana)
Big 12 – 7 (Baylor, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma State)
SEC – 6 (Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, LSU, Arkansas)
ACC – 5 (Virginia, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Louisville)
Big East – 5 (Villanova, Creighton, Xavier, Seton Hall, Connecticut)
Pac-12 – 5 (USC, Colorado, UCLA, Stanford, Oregon)
MWC – 4 (Colorado State, San Diego State, Boise State, Utah State)
A-10 – 2 (VCU, St. Bonaventure)
MVC – 2 (Loyola Chicago, Drake)
WCC – 2 (Gonzaga, BYU)
