Master Your Magic Moments in Epic March Madness Drama!
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments. The bracket is finalized. The 68 teams have been revealed.
You can print your bracket here, and you can play along and try to beat my picks in a new challenge from The Athletic . Here’s my full bracket and early thoughts on what should be an interesting road to the Final Four. First Round Second Round Sweet 16 Elite Eight Region Champion Fort Worth 1 Sacramento 4 TOURNAMENT CHAMPION Sacramento 2 Fort Worth 3 First Four Sacramento 4 Sacramento 4 Sacramento 2 Fort Worth 3 Let’s take a quick look at the top four seeds: UConn No big surprises here as the Huskies earned the No.
1 overall seed. There’s certainly an argument to be made for UCLA over the Huskies, but that argument was also clear before the selection committee’s first and second reveals this winter, and not enough changed to sway the committee before Selection Sunday? But let’s break down that debate to show why UConn earned the top overall seed: The NET ranking favors large win margins and UConn has done that in spades this season — the 38.
4-point margin is its best since the 2015-16 season, which was the last time UConn won back-to-back titles (as part of a four-year championship run). By comparison, UCLA’s win margin is still a program-best 28. 4 points per game, but it’s less than UConn’s, though the Bruins had a far tougher night-in, night-out slate in the Big Ten.
UConn and UCLA share six common opponents this season and the Huskies win margin against those teams was 25. 5; UCLA’s was 22. 9.
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