The Big Dance.

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The five bids the Pac-12 earned this year are its most since 2016. Results have been a bit uneven, though. The Pac-12 hasn't had a champion since Arizona in 1997 and just one Final Four team in the past 11 tournaments. Much of the lack of success has to do with volume: fewer bids than any other power conference and considerably fewer high seeds. Using the 11-year span just mentioned, the Pac-12 has averaged just one top-four seed per year ... yes, just 11 of its 46 total bids have been top-four seeds (23.9%), easily the lowest rate among the Power Six conferences. That's how this year's bids played out as well, with no Pac-12 team receiving a top-four seed -- Colorado is the highest as a No. 5.
The league's lower-seeded teams have been strong in the early rounds. Once again since 2009, Pac-12 teams seeded 11th or worse are 8-1 in the first round (that one loss came in 2019 when Arizona State lost to Buffalo). Five of those eight teams won the next game, too, to reach the Sweet 16 (like No. 12 Oregon did in 2019). Oregon State is a 12-seed and UCLA is a No. 11, but has to win its First Four matchup with Michigan State in order to reach the first round. It's the fourth tournament in a row that the Pac-12 has had at least one team play in the First Four.


Don't be fooled by the fact Patriot League teams haven't won a first-round game in nine years and have just three such wins ever. The past three tourneys paint a different picture. In 2019, No. 15 seed Colgate hung tough with Tennessee before losing by 7. The two years before that, Bucknell lost to Michigan State and West Virginia by four and six points, respectively. Colgate is back again this year and equally capable of posing problems for higher seeds.


The past few NCAA tournaments have been interesting for the SEC. In 2017, despite just five bids, a conference-record-tying three reached the Elite Eight. In 2018, it received a conference-record eight bids, but only two made the Sweet 16 and none made the Elite Eight. Then in 2019, the SEC turned seven bids into four Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights and a No. 5 seed (Auburn) reached the Final Four. While the conference has had at least one team in 22 of the past 28 Elite Eights, it hasn't had a team reach the title game in seven years and it's been nine years since the league's most recent championship. Will that change this year? Alabama, a No. 2 seed, will bear most of the weight of expectation along those lines, although Arkansas' late-season surge could make it a popular pick from outside of the top two seed lines.

 

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In 2019, Wofford broke an 11-year winless streak for the Southern Conference as a No. 7 seed, the highest for the conference in the modern era. This year's SoCon rep, 13th-seeded UNC Greensboro, doesn't enter with the same expectations the Terriers did, but make no mistake, the Spartans will be a tough out.
Being competitive in the Dance is nothing new for the SoCon, but its tournament history can be summed up by saying "close, but no cigar." Six of the past nine conference teams to lose in the first round did so by eight or fewer points (all of those teams were seeded 12th or worse). Since 1985, Southern Conference teams are just 4-31 in the first round, but only two of those four wins came from teams seeded worse than 10th (Chattanooga in 1997, East Tennessee State in 1992 were both No. 14 seeds). SoCon teams seeded 13th, like UNCG is, are 0-10 in the first round.


In the past 35 years, Southland Conference teams not named Stephen F. Austin haven't been very competitive in the NCAA tournament. They are 1-26 in first-round games, losing by an average of 22.6 points. Seeding is certainly a factor here, as the last time a team other than SFA got a seed better than 14th was 1995 when Nicholls was a No. 13 and lost to Virginia by 24. Abilene Christian, in its final season in the Southland before heading to the WAC (along with fellow Southland members SFA, Sam Houston State and Lamar), has the potential to be a bracket-busting No. 14 seed.


It hasn't been pretty for the SWAC in the NCAA tournament. The conference has just one first-round win in its history, and that was 28 years ago, when Southern upset Georgia Tech as a No. 13 seed. Unfortunately, that's the last time a SWAC team wasn't a 15- or 16-seed in the Big Dance. Just getting to the first round has been an issue, as the conference is 2-9 in the First Four and opening-round games. And when SWAC teams have gotten there, they've dropped 17 straight first-round games, by an average of 29.0 points per game. This year, the conference has yet another date in the First Four (the ninth time in the past 12 tourneys), as Texas Southern will face Mount St. Mary's on Thursday. If the Tigers win, they will meet Michigan in the first round.

 

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This is the first time since 2011 that neither North Dakota State nor South Dakota State is the Summit League's automatic qualifier. That honor goes to Oral Roberts, which is a No. 15 seed making its first appearance since making three straight trips between 2006 and '08. The league has just one first-round win in the past 22 years -- No. 12 North Dakota State beat Oklahoma in 2014 -- and Summit teams seeded 15th or 16th have lost their 11 first-round games by an average of 26.0 points.


A handful of years ago, the Sun Belt claimed exciting first-round wins in back-to-back years. In 2015, 14-seed Georgia State shocked Baylor on R.J. Hunter's deep 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left. Then in 2016, No. 12 seed Little Rock upset Purdue in double overtime. The past three tournaments haven't been so magical, as the conference's three representatives have lost their first-round games by at least 15 points, all as No. 14 or 15 seeds. App State surprised by winning four games in as many days to win the conference tourney and, as a result, are the fourth Sun Belt team to get a No. 16 seed. The Mountaineers will face Norfolk State in the First Four on Thursday.


Where would the West Coast Conference be without Gonzaga? Since this is the "conference" section, we can state how the WCC has won at least one first-round game in 12 straight tourneys and had a team reach the Sweet 16 a conference-record five straight times. But in reality, we know this is all about Gonzaga carrying the conference.
Not counting the First Four, WCC teams not named Gonzaga have just five wins in the past 24 years. There is hope that will change this year, as BYU earned a No. 6 seed, the highest by a WCC team not named Gonzaga in the modern tournament era. Only four times has the conference had two teams win first-round games in the same year (2000, 2010, 2017).

 

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New Mexico State almost brought an end to the Western Athletic Conference's losing ways in 2019, but the Aggies fell to eventual Final Four team Auburn by one point in the first round. A WAC team hasn't won an NCAA tournament game since 2007. Seeding is a factor, as the league hasn't received anything better than an 11-seed since that win by Nevada over Creighton 14 years ago. For just the second time in the past 10 tournaments, the WAC is not represented by New Mexico State. Instead, it's tourney first-timer Grand Canyon, coached by Bryce Drew, who hopes to make more March memories. The six previous WAC teams to be seeded 14th or worse all lost by at least 12 points in the first round. The Lopes are a 15-seed in the West region.

 

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Alabama
The Crimson Tide are a No. 2 seed, which ties for their highest seed ever, done two previous times. In 1987, they were knocked off in the Sweet 16 by Rick Pitino's sixth-seeded Providence Friars, who were led by standout guard Billy Donovan and wound up reaching the Final Four. In 2002, Bama was upset in the second round by Antonio Gates, Trevor Huffman and No. 10 seed Kent State, whose Cinderella run took them to the Elite Eight.
Will this Alabama team make school history? It has never reached the Final Four and its only Elite Eight appearance came 17 years ago as a No. 8 seed under Mark Gottfried.
Nate Oats' teams at Buffalo won first-round games in each of the past two tournaments as a No. 6 and 13 seed. Needless to say, expectations are higher this time around.

Arkansas
The Razorbacks are a top-three seed for the first time since 1995, when they lost in the national title game to UCLA as a No. 2. They are 10-0 in the first round when seeded sixth or better.
The last time the Hogs reached the Sweet 16 was in 1996 as a No. 12 seed. They have lost five straight second-round games. Eric Musselman, who took Nevada to the Sweet 16 in 2018 as a No. 7 seed, hopes to do some damage in his first tourney trip at Arkansas.

Baylor
The Bears enter as one of the title favorites, and this is the first time the Bears have ever earned a No. 1 seed. Their previous best seed was a No. 3 on four occasions under Scott Drew, reaching the Elite Eight twice (2010, 2012), Sweet 16 once (2017) and losing to 14th-seeded Georgia State in the 2015 first round.
Will Baylor cut down the nets for the first time? The last time they won a regular-season conference title -- as the Bears did this season in the Big 12 -- is also the last time they reached the Final Four. That was 71 years ago, and two years before that, in 1948, was the school's only national championship game appearance, a loss to Kentucky.

BYU
It's been a struggle for BYU in the tournament, as the Cougars are 2-9 in the first round since 1995. Their only Sweet 16 appearance in the modern era came in 2011 when Jimmer Fredette was all the rage. This is the first time they've been a single-digit seed since then. And if you're into history, the only other time they were a No. 6 seed (as they are this year) was 1981, when they reached the Elite Eight on Danny Ainge's coast-to-coast layup to upset Notre Dame.

Clemson
The last time the Tigers made the Big Dance in 2018, they put their first-round demons to rest and played very well, reaching the Sweet 16 as a No. 5 seed before falling to top-seeded Kansas. It was the first time they won a first-round game since 1997.
The only time Clemson advanced further -- they also reached the Sweet 16 in 1990 and 1997 -- was in their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1980, when they reached the Elite Eight as a No. 6 seed.

 

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Cleveland State
This is only the Vikings' third NCAA tournament appearance, but they have made the most of their two previous opportunities. Cleveland State is one of six schools to win a game as a No. 13 and No. 14 seed. Back in 1986, the Vikings became the first 14-seed to reach the Sweet 16, where they fell one point short against David Robinson and Navy. And in 2009, the backcourt of Cedric Jackson and Norris Cole proved to be too much for fourth-seeded Wake Forest. It's a tall order, but if CSU can upset Houston, they would become the second school to win as a 13, 14 and 15 seed, joining Richmond.

Colgate
The Raiders are still seeking their first NCAA tourney victory (0-3). They were an extremely tough 15-seed in 2019, losing by just seven points against Tennessee. This year, they are a No. 14 seed, the highest in school history.

Colorado
In the past five decades, the Buffaloes have just two NCAA tournament wins (1997 and 2012). Colorado is a No. 5 seed, its highest in school history (previous best was eighth). The only time the Buffs won more than one game in a single NCAA tournament was 1955, when they lost in the national semis but won the third-place game.

Creighton
In the modern tournament era, the Bluejays have never advanced past the second round. They are a No. 5 seed this year, only the second time they've been seeded better than sixth. The other time was in 2014 when they were a No. 3 seed but lost by 30 to Baylor in the second round, the third-worst loss by a No. 3 seed in the round of 32.

Drake
This is just the second appearance for the Bulldogs since they last won an NCAA tournament game in 1971. In 2008, Drake earned a No. 5 seed, only to see its magical season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion when No. 12 seed Western Kentucky pulled the first-round upset on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Ty Rogers in overtime. This year, they were one of the final four at-large teams selected, as an 11-seed playing in the First Four on Thursday.

Drexel
It's the 25th anniversary of Drexel's only NCAA tournament victory, when Malik Rose led the 12th-seeded Dragons to a 12-point decision over Memphis. This is Drexel's first tourney appearance since then. The seed isn't as favorable, as head coach Zach Spiker and the Dragons are a No. 16 and face Illinois on Friday.

Eastern Washington
Shantay Legans is making his NCAA tournament debut as a head coach 20 years after he did the same as a player at California. In that 2001 first-round loss to Fresno State, Legans, a sophomore point guard, led the Golden Bears with 15 points. He will attempt to lead the Eagles to their first tournament victory as a No. 14 seed against Kansas.

 

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Florida
The last time the Gators were a No. 7 seed, the made a run to the Elite Eight in 2012.
Florida is 3-0 in first-round games under Mike White. Overall, the Gators have won seven straight first-round games and 10 of their past 11, dating back to 2005. The only loss in this span came against Jimmer Fredette and BYU in double overtime in 2010.

Florida State
The Noles have advanced to at least the Sweet 16 in back-to-back tournaments for the second time in school history (also 1992-93). They will be expected to make it three years in a row as a No. 4 seed this year.

Georgia Tech
This is the Yellow Jackets' first tourney trip since 2010 and head coach Josh Pastner's first since 2014 with Memphis.
The last time the Jackets won more than one game in a single tournament, they went all the way to the title game in 2004, losing to UConn. Pastner, on the other hand, will be looking to advance past the second round for the first time as a coach.

Georgetown
The Hoyas are making their first tourney appearance in six years, but in an unfamiliar situation. This is their lowest seed in school history. The last time they were a double-digit seed was 20 years ago, when they advanced to the Sweet 16 as a No. 10 seed by beating Arkansas and Hampton. Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing reached the championship game three times in four years as a player with the Hoyas, winning it all in 1984.

Gonzaga
Gonzaga has won 11 straight first-round games and has reached the Sweet 16 in each of the past five tournaments, the longest active streak. As a No. 1 seed for the third time in the past four tourneys, the Zags' aspirations are much larger, as Mark Few tries to win his first national championship. The past two times Gonzaga was a No. 1 seed, it lost in the title game in 2017 and in the Elite Eight in 2019.

Grand Canyon
The Antelopes are making their NCAA tournament debut, but their coach is not new to this. Bryce Drew gave us a moment we'll never forget with his buzzer-beater to fell Ole Miss in 1998, the first step in propelling Valparaiso to the Sweet 16. But as a head coach, he's still looking for his first tourney win (0-3 at Valparaiso and Vanderbilt).

Houston
In 2019, Kelvin Sampson took the Cougars to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Phi Slama Jama went to three straight Final Fours (including two runner-up finishes) from 1982-84. It was Sampson's first Sweet 16 since 2003, as a No. 1 seed at Oklahoma. Expectations are high again this year, with the Cougars earning their highest seed since those glory days. The only two previous times Houston has been a top-two seed resulted in those aforementioned runner-up finishes in 1983 and 1984. Will Sampson be able to do what Guy Lewis couldn't and raise a championship banner in Houston?

 

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Illinois
This is the first tournament appearance for the Fighting Illini since 2013. That year, as a No. 7 seed, they beat Colorado before falling to Miami. Things are different this time around, though, as Illinois is a No. 1 seed for the first time since 2005 when they lost to North Carolina in the title game. In its other two appearances as a top seed, Illinois lost in the Final Four in 1989 and the Elite Eight in 2001.
This is the first time Brad Underwood will coach a single-digit seed in the tournament. He is 2-2 in the first round as a double-digit seed, winning as a No. 12 and 14 seed at Stephen F. Austin in 2014 and 2016, respectively.

Iona
This is the fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance for the Gaels, but the first with Rick Pitino as the head coach. Pitino is the third coach to take five different schools -- also Boston University, Providence, Kentucky and Louisville -- to the NCAA tournament, joining Lon Kruger and Tubby Smith. While Pitino has won 54 NCAA tournament games as a coach, Iona has just one win. That came in 1980, under Jim Valvano, against Holy Cross.

Iowa
The Hawkeyes haven't been to the Sweet 16 since 1999, which is the only time they've gotten that far in the past three decades. Iowa has just four NCAA tournament wins since 2000, but has the talent to match or exceed that total in this year's tourney. They are a No. 2 seed, which ties for the best in school history with the 1987 team that reached the Elite Eight, led by Roy Marble and B.J. Armstrong.

Kansas
Make it 31 straight NCAA tournament appearances for the Jayhawks, which extends their record. However, after nine straight trips as a top-two seed from 2010-18, this is the second consecutive appearance outside of that elite seed range for KU.
It says a ton about what Bill Self has done at Kansas that his teams have earned a top-four seed in all 17 of his seasons there. Self has experienced a mix of great success (one championship, three total Final Fours, four Elite Eights) and notable disappointment (three second-round losses) as a top-two seed during his tenure.
But this year, the Jayhawks are a No. 3 seed, and while the sample size is much smaller -- and most instances occurred more than a decade ago -- when his teams aren't on the top two lines, they have mostly underwhelmed.

 

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Bill Self as No. 3 or 4 seed at Kansas

Year Seed When Eliminated Lost To

2019 4 Second Round (5) Auburn
2009 3 Sweet 16 (2) Michigan State
2006 4 First Round (13) Bradley
2005 3 First Round (14) Bucknell
2004 4 Elite Eight (3) Georgia Tech

 

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Liberty
The Flames pulled an upset as a No. 12 seed the last time we had a tournament in 2019, beating Mississippi State in the first round. It was their first NCAA tournament victory. This time they are a 13-seed, as they look to pull another early surprise.

Loyola Chicago
Who can forget the late-game heroics from Donte Ingram and Clayton Custer during the Ramblers' amazing run to the Final Four as an 11-seed three years ago? And, of course, Sister Jean! Well, this Loyola team can also be a handful like that 2018 squad, which won its first three matchups by a total of four points and busted brackets everywhere. It's safe to say that Loyola has made the most if its six previous NCAA tournament appearances, with a national championship (1963), a Sweet 16 (1985) and that Final Four trip to show for it.

LSU
In 2019, the Tigers made the Sweet 16 for the first time since their Final Four run in 2006. LSU will look to make it back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1986-87, when it did so despite being a double-digit seed both years.

Maryland
The Terrapins have won 13 of their past 14 first-round games, but have lost six of their past seven in the second round. Their head coach has had a similar tournament experience in his career. In Mark Turgeon's previous nine tournament appearances at Wichita State, Texas A&M and Maryland, his teams are 7-2 in the first round, but just 2-5 in the second round.
Only once has Turgeon beaten a team seeded better than eighth (2006 with Wichita State, defeated No. 2 Tennessee in the second round). As a No. 10 seed, the Terps will have to do that right out of the gate against UConn. And if they are going reach the second week of play, something they have done just once since 2004, they'll likely have to do it again in the second round.

Michigan
In his three years as a player at Michigan, Juwan Howard played in the title game as a freshman and sophomore and reached the Elite Eight in his junior season. All three years, Michigan lost to a No. 1 seed.
Now he's the head coach of the No. 1-seeded Wolverines. John Beilein certainly left some big shoes to fill, as Michigan has made three straight Sweet 16s for the first time since Howard and the Fab Five were doing their thing from 1992-94. They'll be looking to make it four in a row for the first time in school history ... and a whole lot more, as they are among the favorites to cut down the nets. Michigan has reached the title game seven times, but 1989 remains as its only championship. The last time the Wolverines were a No. 1 seed was in 1993, when they lost in the title game to North Carolina. And for those of you who remember that game, I refuse to disparage Chris Webber in this space. He played so well that night.

Michigan State
After missing the Sweet 16 three straight years for the first time under Tom Izzo, the Spartans went to the Final Four in 2019. This year, Michigan State needed a strong finish just to make the Big Dance and the Spartans' No. 11 seed is their lowest in school history. They have never won a game as a double-digit seed (0-3), nor advanced past the second round when worse than a No. 7 seed. They'll start in the First Four against UCLA.

 

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Missouri
The Tigers haven't won a first-round game since 2010 (four straight losses). This is Cuonzo Martin's fourth trip as a head coach (second with Mizzou). All three of his career wins came in his first appearance, when he led 11th-seeded Tennessee from the First Four to the Sweet 16 in 2014.

Morehead State
It's the 10th anniversary of the Eagles' first-round upset of Louisville, when Demonte Harper drilled a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left for a 62-61 victory, their only round-of-64 win in school history. They were a 13-seed that day and this time they are a No. 14.

Norfolk State
The Spartans' only previous NCAA tournament appearance was rather memorable, as they upset No. 2 seed Missouri in 2012, led by Kyle O'Quinn's 26 points and 14 rebounds. They are one of eight No. 15 seeds to win in a first-round game. Norfolk State opens with App State in the First Four on Thursday for the right to face Gonzaga.

 

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Most round-of-64 wins without a loss

Roy Williams 29
Dean Smith 13
Tom Davis 9
Jerry Tarkanian 8
Bill Frieder 6

 

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North Carolina
The Tar Heels are a No. 8 seed in the tournament, tying for their lowest in school history. Each of the previous three times as a No. 8 (1990, 2000, 2013), they won their first-round game. They reached the Sweet 16 in 1990 and went to the Final Four in 2000. In his Hall of Fame career, Roy Williams is 29-0 in the round of 64, with 24 of those coming as a top-four seed, three as a No. 6 and two as a No. 8. North Carolina's only first-round loss in the modern era came against Weber State in 1999, thanks to 36 points from Harold "The Show" Arceneaux. The Heels face Wisconsin on Friday.

North Texas
The Mean Green are 0-3 in NCAA tournament play and have lost as a No. 15 seed each time. This year, they have a more favorable No. 13 seed and will face Purdue on Friday.

Ohio
The last time the Bobcats made the NCAA tournament, they made a run to the Sweet 16 as a No. 13 seed in 2012, knocking off Michigan and South Florida to get there. Their only other win in the modern tournament era came as a No. 14 seed in 2010 when they beat Georgetown. Those two Ohio teams had a dynamic point guard named D.J. Cooper. This year, the Bobcats have another special one running the show in Jason Preston.

Ohio State
It's been eight years since the Buckeyes' last trip to the Sweet 16. That's also the last time they were seeded better than fifth (they were a No. 2 in 2013, as is the case this year). In their previous eight appearances as a top-two seed, they have advanced to the Elite Eight or further four times but have reached the championship game just once (2007 vs. Florida).
This is the highest-seeded team Chris Holtmann has coached. He is 5-0 in the first round but just 1-4 in the second round in his career. His lone Sweet 16 appearance came during his time at Butler as a No. 4 seed.

Oklahoma
Lon Kruger has the Sooners back in the tournament, but Oklahoma's sputtering finish to the regular season and the resulting drop in seed is cause for concern. History would agree. The Sooners haven't had a ton of success when seeded outside of the top three. Of the 15 times they have been seeded fourth or worse, they are 5-10 in the first round and reached the Sweet 16 just twice (1987 as a 6-seed, 1999 as a 13-seed). The lowest seed Kruger has taken to the Sweet 16 was No. 7 UNLV in 2007. The Sooners are an 8-seed this year.

Oklahoma State
The Cowboys haven't won an NCAA tournament game since 2009 and last advanced to the second week of play in 2005. They have lost five straight first-round games, having been seeded between fifth and 10th for all of them. Getting a top-four seed -- their highest since 2005 -- helps. Six of the seven times Oklahoma State earned a 4-seed or better it reached the Sweet 16. The last time the Cowboys were a No. 4 seed (as they are this year), "Big Country" Bryant Reeves and Randy Rutherford led them all the way to the Final Four in 1995.

 

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Oral Roberts
The Golden Eagles' only two NCAA tournament wins came in 1974 when they reached the Elite Eight, but this entry is all about making sure you can properly pronounce the name of the nation's leading scorer, Max Abmas: It's ACE-muss. The 6-1 sophomore guard forms a legit one-two punch with versatile 6-8, 225-pound forward Kevin Obanor for ORU, making its first tourney appearance since 2008.

Oregon
The Ducks are 6-0 in first-round games under Dana Altman despite an average seed of 7.2. They have advanced to at least the second week of play in each of their past three trips to the tournament. Oregon reached the Elite Eight as a No. 1 seed in 2016, the Final Four as a No. 3 in 2017, and the Sweet 16 as a 12-seed in 2019. This year, the Ducks are a 7-seed.

Oregon State
The Beavers surprised many by winning the Pac-12 tournament, and they'd like to keep the surprises coming by winning their first NCAA tournament game since 1982, when they reached the Elite Eight as a No. 2 seed. Since then, they are 0-6 in tourney play with each loss coming by single digits.

Purdue
Matt Painter has Purdue aiming for a school-record fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance. The Boilermakers have won 17 of their past 19 first-round games, dating back to 1994. Both losses came in games that went to overtime, in consecutive years (2015 vs. No. 8 Cincinnati and 2016 vs. No. 12 Little Rock in double OT).

Rutgers
It's been a minute, Rutgers. Like, 30 years. The Scarlet Knights are making their first NCAA appearance since 1991 and looking for their first win since 1983. In that 1991 tournament, Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell was a senior at UConn, scoring 9 points in three games in the Huskies' run to the Sweet 16 as a No. 11 seed.

St. Bonaventure
The Bonnies' only tournament victory in the past 50 years came in the 2018 First Four over UCLA. This is Mark Schmidt's third trip to the Dance with St. Bonaventure, most by any coach in school history. It's also the first time the Bonnies are a single-digit seed.

 

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San Diego State
San Diego State is 6-12 all time in the NCAA tournament and has never won more than two games in a single tourney. Unfortunately, we'll never know how much damage last year's special Aztecs squad would've done. That's in the rearview now, and Brian Dutcher hopes to become the second coach in SDSU history to win a tournament game, joining his mentor, Steve Fisher.

Syracuse
The Orange have become the poster team for the bubble during the past handful of years and they didn't disappoint in that regard this season, either. But to Jim Boeheim's credit, his team has taken advantage of the clean slate provided by inclusion in the field of 68. In 2016, they made a Final Four run as a No. 10 seed. And in 2018, Cuse went from the First Four to the Sweet 16 as an 11-seed. Wash, rinse, repeat, as the Orange are an 11-seed once again.

Tennessee
It's a little twisted, but on one hand, you could say maybe it's better if the Vols aren't a high seed. In four previous appearances as a top-three seed, they have lost in the second round twice and haven't advanced past the Sweet 16. In 2019 as a 2-seed, Tennessee lost in overtime to Purdue in the Sweet 16 in one of the most entertaining games in recent years. And the year before as a No. 3, the Vols fell to Loyola Chicago in the second round on Clayton Custer's game winner with 3.6 seconds left.
Tennessee's two most successful tournament appearances came when the expectations weren't so high. The Vols went from the First Four to the Sweet 16 in 2014 before falling short against Michigan by 2. And in 2010, they made their deepest run in school history as a No. 6 seed, reaching the Elite Eight and losing to Michigan State on a free throw with 1.8 seconds left.
Worst win pct. vs. higher-seeded teams
On the other hand, Rick Barnes' teams aren't known for overachieving in the Big Dance. He has just one career win against a team seeded higher than his (2002 when No. 6 Texas defeated No. 3 Mississippi State in the second round). Of the 57 coaches who have at least 10 NCAA tournament games against higher-seeded teams, Barnes has the worst winning percentage (see list to the right). With regard to Tennessee being a No. 5 seed this year, Barnes is 4-11 in the first round as a No. 5 seed or worse, with 10 of the 11 losses coming by single digits.
Since 2007, Tennessee's losses have almost all been nerve-wracking. In that span, six of their eight defeats in the tournament have come by one or two points, or in overtime.

 

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Texas
Shaka Smart took VCU from the First Four to the Final Four back in 2011, winning five games to get there. Since then, Smart has just two tournament victories in six appearances (and none in his two prior trips as the Longhorns' head coach). Between VCU and Texas, his teams have lost four straight first-round games, as Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 10 seeds. Texas hasn't won a first-round game since 2014, so it's safe to say both the coach and school are desperate to dent the win column. This is the Longhorns' highest seed since 2008, which is also the last time they advanced to the second week of tourney play.

Texas Tech
Chris Beard has led the Red Raiders to eight NCAA tournament wins in the past two tournaments, which equals the number of tourney wins Texas Tech had in its history before Beard arrived. After being a 3-seed each of the past two trips, it is a No. 6 seed this year.

UCLA
Most of UCLA's tournament damage in its storied history has come as a highly regarded team, but there is recent precedent for a Sweet 16 run as a lower seed, as the Bruins are this year. In 2015, they escaped the first weekend as a No. 11 seed by edging SMU, thanks to a controversial goaltending call on a Bryce Alford 3-pointer, and then beating No. 14 UAB in the second round. This is Mick Cronin's first tournament trip with the Bruins. In his previous six appearances as a No. 7 seed or worse, he is 1-5 in first-round games, and four of the six games were decided by four points or fewer.

UConn
The Huskies are dancing for the first time in five years, which ends their longest tournament drought since not making an appearance for the entire decade of the 1980s. They could be a trendy sleeper pick because of how well they played when James Bouknight was healthy. We may be about to find out if seven is indeed UConn's lucky number. Its only other time as a 7-seed culminated in the Huskies' fourth national championship back in 2014, led by Shabazz Napier.

UC Santa Barbara
This is the first appearance for the Gauchos in 10 years. They are a No. 12 seed, which is their highest since 1990, when they recorded their only NCAA tournament victory as a No. 9 seed over Houston. In the second round that year, they pushed top-seeded Michigan State before falling by 4 points.

UNC Greensboro
Wes Miller has his Spartans in the NCAAs for the second time in the past three tournaments. In 2018 as a 13-seed, they proved to be a handful for Gonzaga before falling 68-64. Six-foot senior guard Isaiah Miller is tough to slow down and impacts the game at both ends, which could make UNCG one of the more popular upset picks, once again as a No. 13.

USC
Andy Enfield knows all about excitement in the tournament. He first became a known quantity nationally in 2013 when his "Dunk City" squad from FGCU became the first No. 15 seed to make the Sweet 16, beating both Georgetown and San Diego State by 10 points. He then came to USC, where both of his first-round games have been decided by one point. The Trojans last advanced to the second week of the tournament in 2007 as a No. 5 seed. The path will be similar to that this year, as they earned a 6-seed.

Utah State
In 2019, Craig Smith led the Aggies to their highest seed (No. 8), but it didn't change their NCAA tournament fortunes, as Utah State fell to 1-16 over the past 50 years by losing to Washington. This is the 20th anniversary of that one victory, in overtime against Ohio State as a No. 12 seed. Star center Neemias Queta is back to try again to make some noise as an 11-seed.

VCU
The Rams haven't survived the first weekend since their incredible First Four-to-the-Final Four journey in 2011. In their past five appearances, they are 1-4 in the first round, with the only win coming in 2016 against Oregon State as a No. 10 seed. The Rams are a 10-seed this year as well.

Villanova
There has been no in-between for Jay Wright's Wildcats during the past decade. In nine tournament appearances since 2010, Villanova has won the championship twice (both in the past four tournaments) and failed to escape the first weekend each of the other seven times. What's alarming is the fact that four of the early exits came as a No. 1 or 2 seed. The other three came as a No. 9 seed twice and a No. 6 seed in 2019. Their seeding is decent again this year, but how it plays out is anyone's guess, especially after the injury bug struck late in the season.

 

[NBA_Kid]

Virginia
In 2019, you could say Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers bounced back rather nicely from their shocking first-round defeat to 16th-seeded UMBC in 2018. The Hoos won their first national championship, as a No. 1 seed. This is just the second time in the past seven tourneys they aren't a top-two seed. This might surprise you, but the last time the Cavaliers made it past the first weekend when they weren't a No. 1 seed was 1995, when they were a No. 4 and advanced to the Elite Eight.

Virginia Tech
In 2019, the Hokies won two games in a tournament for the second time in school history (the first was in 1967) and came up just short of beating Duke in a great Sweet 16 game. This year, Virginia Tech is a No. 10 seed. In the modern tournament era, the Hokies have just one win when seeded worse than fifth (1996 vs. Green Bay, as a No. 9 seed). Head coach Mike Young has plenty of experience as a lesser seed in the tourney from his five trips at Wofford. His teams put a scare into a few teams during the 2010s before finally notching a win in 2019 against Seton Hall and hanging tough with Kentucky in the second round.

West Virginia
Bob Huggins has had an interesting NCAA tournament history. In a five-year ,span from 1992 to '96, Huggins' Cincinnati Bearcats were a top-four seed three times, and they went to two Elite Eights and one Final Four. In the next eight seasons (1997 to 2004), the Bearcats were a top-four seed six times and lost in the second round each time -- and at least once as each seed. Since coming to Morgantown, Huggins has led the Mountaineers to a top-four seed three times. Those trips ended in a Final Four (2010 as a No. 2), a first-round loss (2016 as a No. 3) and a Sweet 16 (as a No. 1). All of this is to say it's been quite a roller coaster for him, which makes it difficult to know what to expect from this No. 3 seed that is certainly talented enough to do damage.

Wichita State
It's been eight years since the Shockers' dash to the Final Four as a No. 9 seed. Since then, Wichita State has had trouble getting past the first weekend, despite being a top-four seed twice in its past five appearances. Historically, it has simply been better as a lesser seed, so we'll see if that continues this year as a No. 11 seed. They'll have to win their First Four matchup with former Missouri Valley Conference rival Drake just to get to the first round.

Winthrop
The Eagles are the first one-loss team to receive a double-digit seed in NCAA tournament history. It's not surprising, since they played just four nonconference games, none of which came against high majors. Pat Kelsey's team is deep and talented and will not be taken lightly. Winthrop's only tourney victory came in 2007 as a No. 11 seed, when the Eagles beat Notre Dame in the first round.

Wisconsin
In 2019, the Badgers lost in the first round for just the second time in their past 12 tries. Both first-round defeats in this span came as a No. 5 seed. Generally speaking, it's been tough to keep Wisconsin out of the Sweet 16 in recent years. Dating back to 2011, the Badgers have advanced to the second week of play in six of their past eight appearances, including as a No. 7 and 8 seed in 2016 and 2017, respectively. They are a No. 9 seed and face North Carolina in the first round.

 

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Bracket tips: Andy Katz fills in his entire 2021 NCAA bracket

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[PJ12]

Bracket tips: Andy Katz fills in his entire 2021 NCAA bracket

Just chgd my brackets for the 15th time already :mj07:
Good stuff and :toast: a profitable turney

 

[NBA_Kid]

Betting Preview for the Georgetown Hoyas vs Colorado Bufalloes NCAA College Basketball Game on March 20 2021

Record: 13-12 Overall / 7-9 Conference

Georgetown is peaking. Not expected to make the NCAA National Tournament, Patrick Ewing?s Hoyas booked a spot in the Big Dance by completing a surprising title run in the Big East tourney in which they defeated the Villanova Wildcats and the Creighton Bluejays. Georgetown has been hot from deep of late, making at least 38.5 percent of their 3-point shots in each of its last three games. In the Big East title game versus Creighton, Georgetown went 10 of 26 from behind the arc. Georgetown is led by Jahvon Blair with 15.8 points per game this season, but Dante Harris has assumed a bigger role lately, having averaged 11.1 points in the Big East tournament.

Georgetown, which is averaging 71.4 points per game, is 6-1 against the spread in its last seven games overall.


Record: 22-8 Overall / 14-6 Conference

Colorado failed to win the Pac-12 tourney after losing to the Oregon State Beavers in the finals, but they made the Big Dance nonetheless. The Buffaloes have a balanced game on both sides of the floor. They are 17th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency with 115.1 points per 100 possessions and 29th in adjusted defensive efficiency with 92.0 points allowed per 100 possessions. McKinley Wright IV has the tools to take over a game by himself. He is averaging 15.5 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting from the field while distributing 5.6 assists per contest. Georgetown will be forced to defend honestly against Colorado, which is a great free-throw shooting team. The Buffaloes enter the 2021 March Madness second nationally with an 82.2 percent shooting from the foul line.

Colorado is 4-2 against the spread in its last six games overall.