Hello there! It's time we set up the 2023-2024 NCAA Division 1 Men's Baketball Tournament. Let's see who all will have a chance to become the National Champions. For your information, let's look at this season's National Champion contenders in men's hoops:
SETUP:
- East Region vs. South Region
- West Region vs. Midwest Region
The way I have this set up is from left-to-right, top-to-bottom. So the first two regions are the top regions of the full bracket, and then the lower part of the bracket is the other two regions.
The "First Four" games happen on Tuesday and Wednesday from Dayton, Ohio.
--- EAST REGION ---
Brooklyn, NY (Friday and Sunday)
#1 Connecticut! vs. #16 Stetson
#8 Florida Atlantic vs. #9 Northwestern
Spokane, WA (Friday and Sunday)
#5 San Diego State vs. #12 UAB
#4 Auburn vs. #13 Yale
Omaha, NE (Thursday and Saturday)
#6 BYU vs. #11 Duquesne
#3 Illinois vs. #14 Morehead State
Omaha, NE (Thursday and Saturday)
#7 Washington State vs. #10 Drake
#2 Iowa State vs. #15 South Dakota State
EAST NOTES:
- UConn - defending Nat'l Champs
- FAU - at large
- DUQ - first NCAA Tourney appearance since 1977
- (shout out to Omnis' FAU Owls!)
--- SOUTH REGION ---
Memphis, TN (Friday and Sunday)
#1 Houston! vs. #16 Longwood
#8 Nebraska vs. #9 Texas A&M
Brooklyn, NY (Friday and Sunday)
#5 Wisconsin vs. #12 James Madison
#4 Duke vs. #13 Vermont
Pittsburgh, PA (Thursday and Saturday)
#6 Texas Tech vs. #11 North Carolina State
#3 Kentucky vs. #14 Oakland
Indianapolis, IN (Friday and Sunday)
#7 Florida vs. #10 (Boise State/Colorado)
#2 Marquette vs. #15 Western Kentucky
SOUTH NOTES:
- HOU - third-straight 30-win season; longest active streak in NCAA D1 Men's hoops
- JMU - 31-3 on the season
- BOISE ST. - One of the "last four in"
- (Joey D vs. Jordan inner-forum rivalry with OAK vs. UK?)
--- WEST REGION ---
Charlotte, NC (Thursday and Saturday)
#1 North Carolina! vs. #16 (Howard/Wagner)
#8 Mississippi State vs. #9 Michigan State
Spokane, WA (Friday and Sunday)
#5 Saint Mary's vs. #12 Grand Canyon
#4 Alabama vs. #13 Charleston
Memphis, TN (Friday and Sunday)
#6 Clemson vs. #11 New Mexico
#3 Baylor vs. #14 Colgate
Salt Lake City, UT (Thursday and Saturday)
#7 Dayton vs. #10 Nevada
#2 Arizona vs. #15 Long Beach State
WEST NOTES:
* (shout out to
Yard_Sale's Arizona Wildcats!)
--- MIDWEST REGION ---
Indianapolis, IN (Friday and Sunday)
#1 Purdue! vs. #16 (Montana State/Grambling State)
#8 Utah State vs. #9 TCU
Salt Lake City, UT (Thursday and Saturday)
#5 Gonzaga vs. #12 McNeese State
#4 Kansas vs. #13 Samford
Pittsburgh, PA (Thursday and Saturday)
#6 South Carolina vs. #11 Oregon
#3 Creighton vs. #14 Akron
Charlotte, North Carolina (Thursday and Saturday)
#7 Texas vs. #10 (Virginia/Colorado State)
#2 Tennessee vs. #15 Saint Peter's
MIDWEST NOTES:
- GRAM ST. - first SWAC championship in school history
- McN ST. 30-3 record
- (shout out Dolph Drago's Purdue Boilermakers!)
--- OTHER NOTES ---
LAST FOUR IN: Boise State, Colorado, Virginia, Colorado State
LAST FOUR OUT: Oklahoma, Seton Hall, Indiana State, Pittsburgh
So there you have it. Fill out your brackets, have your banter, do as you please. Don't worry if your bracket is perfect. According to the NCAA, the chances of you making a perfect bracket is:
1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (if you just guess or flip a coin)
^ source: NCAA.com
...or...
1 in 120.2 billion (if you know a little something about basketball)
^ source: NCAA.com
WOW! If you somehow nail a perfect bracket, maybe you should have a statue in your honor. Also note that Transfer Protocol can play a part in extending the madness of March Madness. So don't be surprised if some of the lesser schools take it to the higher seeds.
Well, GTPlaneteers, have at it. Congratulations to all of the NCAA Tournament teams!