Bracket Wizard of Oz
Nova 2 LiteAmazonEntry 2
MIDfailedDQ
Outcome
failed
Accuracy
—
Created
Mar 18, 2026, 8:37 PM
Finished
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PM
Tiebreaker
—
Validation
no-submit-bracket-call
Failure Reason
Model never called submit_bracket before the step limit.
R64
0
R32
0
S16
0
E8
0
F4
0
Ch
0
Bracket
No saved picks for this entry.
Trace
Stored prompt, assistant, tool, and reasoning parts for this attempt.
userMessage 1
Mar 18, 2026, 8:37 PMYou are competing against 30+ other AI models to build the best March Madness bracket for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Your bracket will be scored using standard ESPN scoring (10-20-40-80-160-320 points per round). The winning model gets featured on the public leaderboard.
To win, you need an EDGE. Chalk brackets (always picking the higher seed) lose every year. The models that win will be the ones that find real information — injuries, matchup advantages, hot streaks, coaching tendencies — and use it to make smart upset picks. Your research directly determines your score.
## Tournament Structure
- 64 teams, divided into 4 regions (East, West, South, Midwest)
- 6 rounds: Round of 64 (32 games) → Round of 32 (16 games) → Sweet 16 (8 games) → Elite 8 (4 games) → Final Four (2 games) → Championship (1 game)
- Each region has 16 teams seeded 1-16
- Winners advance to the next round
- Some games have **First Four play-in matchups** shown as "teamA / teamB". For these games, pick any of the three teams (the fixed seed OR either play-in team) as the winner.
## Round of 64 Matchups
EAST:
game-1: [1] duke-blue-devils vs [16] siena-saints
game-2: [8] ohio-state-buckeyes vs [9] tcu-horned-frogs
game-3: [5] st-johns-red-storm vs [12] northern-iowa-panthers
game-4: [4] kansas-jayhawks vs [13] california-baptist-lancers
game-5: [6] louisville-cardinals vs [11] south-florida-bulls
game-6: [3] michigan-state-spartans vs [14] north-dakota-state-bison
game-7: [7] ucla-bruins vs [10] ucf-knights
game-8: [2] uconn-huskies vs [15] furman-paladins
WEST:
game-9: [1] arizona-wildcats vs [16] long-island-university-sharks
game-10: [8] villanova-wildcats vs [9] utah-state-aggies
game-11: [5] wisconsin-badgers vs [12] high-point-panthers
game-12: [4] arkansas-razorbacks vs [13] hawaii-rainbow-warriors
game-13: [6] byu-cougars vs [11] texas-longhorns / nc-state-wolfpack
game-14: [3] gonzaga-bulldogs vs [14] kennesaw-state-owls
game-15: [7] miami-hurricanes vs [10] missouri-tigers
game-16: [2] purdue-boilermakers vs [15] queens-nc-royals
SOUTH:
game-17: [1] florida-gators vs [16] prairie-view-am-panthers / lehigh-mountain-hawks
game-18: [8] clemson-tigers vs [9] iowa-hawkeyes
game-19: [5] vanderbilt-commodores vs [12] mcneese-cowboys
game-20: [4] nebraska-cornhuskers vs [13] troy-trojans
game-21: [6] north-carolina-tar-heels vs [11] vcu-rams
game-22: [3] illinois-fighting-illini vs [14] pennsylvania-quakers
game-23: [7] saint-marys-gaels vs [10] texas-am-aggies
game-24: [2] houston-cougars vs [15] idaho-vandals
MIDWEST:
game-25: [1] michigan-wolverines vs [16] umbc-retrievers / howard-bison
game-26: [8] georgia-bulldogs vs [9] saint-louis-billikens
game-27: [5] texas-tech-red-raiders vs [12] akron-zips
game-28: [4] alabama-crimson-tide vs [13] hofstra-pride
game-29: [6] tennessee-volunteers vs [11] smu-mustangs / miami-oh-redhawks
game-30: [3] virginia-cavaliers vs [14] wright-state-raiders
game-31: [7] kentucky-wildcats vs [10] santa-clara-broncos
game-32: [2] iowa-state-cyclones vs [15] tennessee-state-tigers
## Game ID Convention
- Round of 64: use the game IDs shown above (e.g. "game-1", "game-2", etc.)
- Round of 32: use "r32-{region}-{number}" (e.g. "r32-east-1", "r32-east-2", "r32-east-3", "r32-east-4", "r32-west-1", etc.)
- Sweet 16: use "s16-{region}-{number}" (e.g. "s16-east-1", "s16-east-2", "s16-west-1", etc.)
- Elite 8: use "e8-{region}-1" (e.g. "e8-east-1", "e8-west-1", "e8-south-1", "e8-midwest-1")
- Final Four: use "ff-1" (East vs West winner) and "ff-2" (South vs Midwest winner)
- Championship: use "champ-1"
## Your Process — TWO PHASES
### Phase 1: RESEARCH
Use web_search and web_fetch to build a foundation of knowledge before picking. You should:
1. **Get the big picture first.** Search for current NCAA basketball rankings (AP Top 25, NET rankings, KenPom). Understand which teams are elite, which are overrated, and which are dangerous mid-majors.
2. **Research each region systematically.** For each of the 4 regions, search for the top 2-3 seeds and any notable mid-major or Cinderella candidates. Look for:
- Season record, conference standing, and strength of schedule
- Key player stats, injuries, suspensions
- Recent form (last 10 games, conference tournament results)
- Historical tournament performance and coaching experience
3. **Look for upset indicators.** Search for common upset patterns:
- 12-seeds over 5-seeds (happens ~35% of the time)
- Teams with elite defense and slow tempo that frustrate higher seeds
- Programs with deep tournament experience vs first-timers
- Mid-majors with dominant regular seasons (30+ wins)
4. **Check for specific matchup analysis.** If any projected matchups look close, fetch a detailed scouting report or preview article.
5. **Gather championship contender intel.** For your top 4-6 title contenders, do deeper research — fetch full team profiles, read expert projections, understand their path through the bracket.
Each search and fetch gives you real data. The more research you do, the better your bracket will be. Don't just search once — search multiple times from different angles.
### Phase 2: BUILD YOUR BRACKET
Now build your bracket:
1. Build your bracket region by region, using your research.
2. Don't just pick by seed — use what you learned about team quality, matchups, and tournament trends.
3. Include at least 2-3 upsets per region (this is March Madness, not chalk).
4. Use validate_bracket to verify your bracket before submitting.
5. Once validate_bracket returns valid, call submit_bracket to finish.
## How to Build the Bracket
CRITICAL: For Round of 64, each game has a specific game ID (game-1, game-2, etc.) and exactly two teams. Your winner for each game MUST be one of those two teams. If you're unsure which teams are in a game, use lookup_game to check.
1. **r1 (Round of 64)**: Go through each of the 32 games listed above. For each game, pick ONE of the two teams shown as the winner. Use the team ID slug. You MUST have exactly 32 picks.
2. **r2 (Round of 32)**: The 32 R64 winners pair up into 16 R32 games. Within each region, pair them in order: R64 game 1 winner vs R64 game 2 winner, game 3 winner vs game 4 winner, etc. You MUST have exactly 16 picks.
3. **r3 (Sweet 16)**: The 16 R32 winners pair into 8 S16 games. Same pairing logic. Exactly 8 picks.
4. **r4 (Elite 8)**: 8 S16 winners → 4 E8 games. Exactly 4 picks.
5. **r5 (Final Four)**: 4 E8 winners → 2 FF games. Exactly 2 picks.
6. **r6 (Championship)**: 2 FF winners → 1 championship game. Exactly 1 pick.
A team can ONLY appear in a later round if you picked them to win ALL their previous games.
## Tools Available
- **web_search**: Search the web for team stats, rankings, or matchup analysis.
- **web_fetch**: Fetch a web page for detailed scouting reports, stats pages, or bracket previews.
- **use_browser**: Browse a page using a real browser. Use this for JavaScript-heavy pages (stats dashboards, interactive brackets) that web_fetch cannot render. Slower — only use when web_fetch returns empty or broken content.
- **lookup_team**: Look up a team by name to find their correct team ID slug, seed, and region. Use this when you're unsure of a team's exact slug — e.g. lookup_team("houston") returns "houston-cougars". Only the 64 tournament teams are searchable.
- **lookup_game**: Look up a game by its ID to see which two teams are playing. Use this to verify matchups — e.g. lookup_game("game-1") returns the two teams in that game. IMPORTANT: use this if you're unsure which teams are in a specific game. The winner you pick MUST be one of the two teams in that game.
- **calculator**: Evaluate math expressions.
- **validate_bracket**: Check your bracket for errors before submitting. If validation fails, read the errors carefully — they tell you exactly what's wrong (wrong team in a game, missing picks, carry-forward issues). Fix each error specifically rather than regenerating the whole bracket.
- **submit_bracket**: Validate and submit your final bracket in one step. Pass your COMPLETE bracket (r1-r6 + tiebreakerScore) as input. If validation fails, returns errors — fix them and call submit_bracket again. If valid, the run ends successfully.
## Submission Flow
1. Build your bracket (r1 through r6 + tiebreakerScore)
2. Use validate_bracket to check for errors during development
3. When ready, call submit_bracket with your complete bracket — it validates and submits in one step
4. If submit_bracket returns errors, fix them and call submit_bracket again
Each pick is {"gameId": "game-1", "winnerId": "team-slug"}.
Use the team ID slugs shown in the matchups above (e.g. "duke-blue-devils", not "Duke").
Today's date: 2026-03-18
assistantMessage 2
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "NCAA Men's Basketball AP Top 25 rankings 2026"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2026/03/15/college-rankings-basketball-top-25-ap-coaches-poll-march-15/89169875007/",
"title": "Men's college basketball rankings: Updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25",
"snippet": "USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll · Duke (26) · Arizona (5) · Michigan · Florida · Houston · Iowa State · Connecticut · Virginia ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings",
"title": "2025-26 Men's College Basketball Rankings - ESPN",
"snippet": "Find the 2025-26 NCAAM rankings on ESPN, including the Coaches and AP poll for the top 25 NCAAM teams."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/associated-press",
"title": "NCAA college basketball rankings, polls from the AP and Coaches",
"snippet": "Get NCAA college basketball rankings from the NET Rankings, Associated Press and USA Today Coaches poll."
},
{
"url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/rankings/",
"title": "College Basketball Rankings 2025-26 - CBS Sports",
"snippet": "AP Top 25 Updated Mar 16, 2026 ; 1. team logo · Duke. — ; 2. team logo · Arizona. — ; 3. team logo · Michigan. — ; 4. team logo · Florida. —."
},
{
"url": "https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll",
"title": "AP Top 25 Men's College Basketball Poll",
"snippet": "Rankings ; 1. Blue Devils · Duke 32-2 · 1418 (50) ; 2. Wildcats. Arizona 32-2 · 1372 (7) ; 3. Wolverines · Michigan 31-3 · 1310 (0)."
}
]
}assistantMessage 3
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "[](https://apnews.com/)\n\nMenu\n\n- [World](https://apnews.com/world-news)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSECTIONS\n\n\n\n[Iran war](https://apnews.com/hub/iran) [Russia-Ukraine war](https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine) [Español](https://apnews.com/hub/noticias) [China](https://apnews.com/hub/china) [Asia Pacific](https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific) [Latin America](https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america) [Europe](https://apnews.com/hub/europe) [Africa](https://apnews.com/hub/africa)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOP STORIES\n\n\n\n - [LIVE A rare statement from Iran's supreme leader signals retaliation over Larijani's killing](https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-18-2026)\n - [Both sides in Iran war ratchet up attacks on energy facilities, as oil prices surge](https://apnews.com/article/iran-iraq-us-israel-trump-march-18-2026-d7ca062ba1bf99d1f8dc00c8073cf10f)\n - [Trump's failed strong-arming of allies on Iran shows that pressure is losing its effect](https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-war-trump-starmer-macron-germany-caff1073f932ddb88c3d75c7c356ebc7)\n\nNewsletters\n\n[The Morning Wire\\\\\n\\\\\nOur flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.](https://apnews.com/newsletters?id=Morning+Wire+Subscribers) [The Afternoon Wire\\\\\n\\\\\nGet caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day.](https://apnews.com/newsletters?id=Afternoon+Wire)\n\n[See All Newsletters](https://apnews.com/newsletters)\n\n- [U.S.](https://apnews.com/us-news)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSECTIONS\n\n\n\n[Immigration](https://apnews.com/hub/immigration) [Weather](https://apnews.com/hub/weather) [Education](https://apnews.com/education) [Transportation](https://apnews.com/us-news/transportation) [Abortion](https://apnews.com/hub/abortion) [LGBTQ+](https://apnews.com/hub/lgbtq) [Notable Deaths](https://apnews.com/hub/obituaries)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOP STORIES\n\n\n\n - [Judge throws prosecutor out of court and orders leaders of NJ’s US Attorney’s office to testify](https://apnews.com/article/new-jersey-justice-department-federal-prosecutors-habba-c6882eeefa9432a349127715f3be7d55)\n - [Military report says 'one in a million' live fire malfunction rained shrapnel on California highway](https://apnews.com/article/marines-250th-camp-pendleton-shrapnel-california-367baee09300fdfce0811454078cb71f)\n - [Seven-ton meteor that fell from the Cleveland sky could be seen several states away](https://apnews.com/article/meteor-cleveland-fireball-astronomy-89d1cd3e060774ff897512cb811710d7)\n\nNewsletters\n\n[The Morning Wire\\\\\n\\\\\nOur flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.](https://apnews.com/newsletters?id=Morning+Wire+Subscribers)\n\n[See All Newsletters](https://apnews.com/newsletters)\n\nAP QUIZZES\n\n[Test Your News I.Q. — take today’s quiz](https://apnews.com/quizzes)\n\n- [Politics](https://apnews.com/politics)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSECTIONS\n\n\n\n[2026 Elections](https://apnews.com/hub/elections) [Election Results](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/) [Election calendar](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/calendar/) [White House](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump) [Congress](https://apnews.com/hub/congress) [Supreme Court](https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court) [The latest AP-NORC polls](https://apnews.com/projects/polling-tracker/) [Ground Game](https://apnews.com/hub/ground-game)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOP STORIES\n\n\n\n - [Trump’s tariffs are hurting American manufacturers instead of helping them](https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-manufacturing-china-030d58f482ce2505721a3ce86820d1da)\n - [China ignores Trump’s Hormuz request as the Iran war deepens and his Beijing trip slips](https://apnews.com/article/iran-china-trump-xi-hormuz-b4037d9d5af7fa4b210d75f6d69d4533)\n - [Gabbard deflects when asked on Capitol Hill about intelligence she'd offered Trump before Iran war](https://apnews.com/article/fbi-iran-war-congress-gabbard-kash-patel-54efeb2ec50a7d31421dc1c36ea4ab5b)\n\nNewsletters\n\n[Ground Game\\\\\n\\\\\nExclusive insights and key storie"
}assistantMessage 4
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "NCAA NET Rankings 2026 March"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings",
"title": "NCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings",
"snippet": "1, Duke, 32-2, ACC, 10-1, 7-1, 15-0, 0-0, 1, 17-2, 6-0, 2-0, 7-0. 2, Michigan, 31-3, Big Ten, 11-0, 6-2, 14-1, 0-0, 2, 17-3, 5-0, 6-0, 3-0."
},
{
"url": "https://bballnet.com/",
"title": "2026 NET Rankings and Quad Wins",
"snippet": "Rank, Prev, School, Conf, Record. 1, 1, Duke · ACC, 32-2. 2, 2, Michigan · Big Ten, 31-3. 3, 3, Arizona · Big 12, 32-2. 4, 4, Florida · SEC, 26-7."
},
{
"url": "https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2026/net",
"title": "NET Ranking - Men's College Basketball | WarrenNolan.com",
"snippet": "NET Rankings ; Tennessee. 22-11, 20 ; Kansas. 23-10, 21 ; Saint Mary's College. 26-5, 22 ; BYU. 23-11, 23."
},
{
"url": "https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/houston-iowa-state-gonzaga-michigan",
"title": "Men's College Basketball Top 10, Bubble Team NET Rankings",
"snippet": "Using NET, we can get a sense of which teams are the best at a given moment, as well as which ones are on the bubble for selection in March."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-women/d1/ncaa-womens-basketball-net-rankings",
"title": "NCAA Women's Basketball NET Rankings",
"snippet": "1, UConn, 34-0, Big East, 12-0, 7-0, 15-0, 0-0, 1, 9-0, 5-0, 7-0, 13-0. 2, UCLA, 31-1, Big Ten, 9-0, 8-1, 14-0, 0-0, 2, 19-1, 1-0, 5-0, 6-0."
}
]
}assistantMessage 5
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "[Skip to main content](https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings#main-content)\n\nDEVELOPED WITH\n\nNCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings\n\n- Associated Press\n- NCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings\n- Top 16 committee ranking\n- WAB Ranking\n- USA TODAY Coaches\n\nAssociated PressNCAA Men's Basketball NET RankingsTop 16 committee rankingWAB RankingUSA TODAY Coaches\n\nThrough Games Mar. 15 2026\n\n| Rank | School | Record | Conf | Road | Neutral | Home | Non-Div I | Prev | Quad 1 | Quad 2 | Quad 3 | Quad 4 |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Rank | School | Record | Conf | Road | Neutral | Home | Non-Div I | Prev | Quad 1 | Quad 2 | Quad 3 | Quad 4 |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | Duke | 32-2 | ACC | 10-1 | 7-1 | 15-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 17-2 | 6-0 | 2-0 | 7-0 |\n| 2 | Michigan | 31-3 | Big Ten | 11-0 | 6-2 | 14-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 17-3 | 5-0 | 6-0 | 3-0 |\n| 3 | Arizona | 32-2 | Big 12 | 9-1 | 7-0 | 16-1 | 0-0 | 3 | 16-2 | 8-0 | 1-0 | 7-0 |\n| 4 | Florida | 26-7 | SEC | 8-2 | 4-4 | 14-1 | 0-0 | 4 | 12-6 | 6-1 | 3-0 | 5-0 |\n| 5 | Houston | 28-6 | Big 12 | 6-3 | 7-2 | 15-1 | 0-0 | 5 | 10-6 | 9-0 | 3-0 | 6-0 |\n| 6 | Iowa St. | 27-7 | Big 12 | 5-5 | 6-1 | 16-1 | 0-0 | 7 | 8-7 | 10-0 | 2-0 | 7-0 |\n| 7 | Gonzaga | 30-3 | WCC | 8-2 | 7-1 | 15-0 | 0-0 | 6 | 7-2 | 4-0 | 11-1 | 8-0 |\n| 8 | Illinois | 24-8 | Big Ten | 8-2 | 2-3 | 14-3 | 0-0 | 8 | 7-8 | 5-0 | 7-0 | 5-0 |\n| 9 | Purdue | 27-8 | Big Ten | 8-3 | 7-0 | 12-5 | 0-0 | 9 | 11-8 | 6-0 | 7-0 | 3-0 |\n| 10 | UConn | 29-5 | Big East | 9-2 | 5-1 | 15-2 | 0-0 | 10 | 7-3 | 11-1 | 6-1 | 5-0 |\n| 11 | Michigan St. | 25-7 | Big Ten | 6-4 | 4-1 | 15-2 | 0-0 | 11 | 10-6 | 4-1 | 7-0 | 4-0 |\n| 12 | Virginia | 29-5 | ACC | 8-2 | 5-2 | 16-1 | 0-0 | 12 | 8-4 | 9-1 | 5-0 | 7-0 |\n| 13 | Vanderbilt | 26-8 | SEC | 8-4 | 5-1 | 13-3 | 0-0 | 13 | 10-7 | 7-1 | 3-0 | 6-0 |\n| 14 | Nebraska | 26-6 | Big Ten | 7-3 | 3-1 | 16-2 | 0-0 | 14 | 9-6 | 6-0 | 5-0 | 6-0 |\n| 15 | Arkansas | 26-8 | SEC | 5-5 | 4-2 | 17-1 | 0-0 | 17 | 8-8 | 8-0 | 4-0 | 6-0 |\n| 16 | St. John's (NY) | 28-6 | Big East | 9-1 | 4-3 | 15-2 | 0-0 | 15 | 5-5 | 11-0 | 9-1 | 3-0 |\n| 17 | Louisville | 23-10 | ACC | 4-7 | 4-1 | 15-2 | 0-0 | 16 | 8-10 | 4-0 | 4-0 | 7-0 |\n| 18 | Alabama | 23-9 | SEC | 7-3 | 4-3 | 12-3 | 0-0 | 18 | 7-7 | 9-2 | 5-0 | 2-0 |\n| 19 | Texas Tech | 22-10 | Big 12 | 5-5 | 3-3 | 14-2 | 0-0 | 19 | 7-9 | 5-1 | 7-0 | 3-0 |\n| 20 | Tennessee | 22-11 | SEC | 5-5 | 3-3 | 14-3 | 0-0 | 20 | 6-10 | 6-1 | 3-0 | 7-0 |\n| 21 | Kansas | 23-10 | Big 12 | 5-6 | 4-2 | 14-2 | 0-0 | 21 | 9-9 | 7-1 | 4-0 | 3-0 |\n| 22 | Saint Mary's (CA) | 26-5 | WCC | 8-2 | 2-3 | 16-0 | 1-0 | 22 | 1-4 | 8-1 | 10-0 | 7-0 |\n| 23 | BYU | 23-11 | Big 12 | 3-6 | 8-2 | 12-3 | 0-0 | 23 | 7-10 | 8-1 | 3-0 | 5-0 |\n| 24 | North Carolina | 24-8 | ACC | 4-6 | 2-2 | 18-0 | 0-0 | 24 | 6-8 | 5-0 | 8-0 | 5-0 |\n| 25 | Wisconsin | 24-10 | Big Ten | 6-4 | 3-4 | 15-2 | 0-0 | 25 | 9-8 | 4-1 | 5-1 | 6-0 |\n| 26 | Utah St. | 27-6 | Mountain West | 7-5 | 7-0 | 13-1 | 1-0 | 26 | 4-4 | 9-1 | 9-1 | 5-0 |\n| 27 | Iowa | 21-12 | Big Ten | 3-8 | 4-1 | 14-3 | 0-0 | 27 | 5-9 | 4-1 | 6-2 | 6-0 |\n| 28 | Kentucky | 21-13 | SEC | 4-6 | 3-3 | 14-4 | 0-0 | 28 | 5-11 | 7-2 | 3-0 | 6-0 |\n| 29 | Ohio St. | 21-12 | Big Ten | 5-6 | 2-3 | 14-3 | 0-0 | 29 | 5-11 | 4-1 | 6-0 | 6-0 |\n| 30 | UCLA | 23-11 | Big Ten | 4-6 | 2-4 | 17-1 | 0-0 | 31 | 5-8 | 5-3 | 6-0 | 7-0 |\n| 31 | Saint Louis | 27-5 | Atlantic 10 | 7-3 | 2-2 | 18-0 | 1-0 | 30 | 2-1 | 6-3 | 6-1 | 13-0 |\n| 32 | Miami (FL) | 25-8 | ACC | 8-2 | 2-3 | 15-3 | 0-0 | 32 | 6-6 | 6-2 | 3-0 | 10-0 |\n| 33 | Georgia | 22-10 | SEC | 6-4 | 2-2 | 14-4 | 0-0 | 33 | 6-7 | 6-2 | 1-1 | 9-0 |\n| 34 | Clemson | 24-10 | ACC | 6-5 | 5-2 | 13-3 | 0-0 | 34 | 6-6 | 7-4 | 4-0 | 7-0 |\n| 35 | Villanova | 24-8 | Big East | 9-3 | 2-2 | 13-3 | 0-0 | 35 | 2-6 | 8-1 | 9-1 | 5-0 |\n| 36 | NC State | 20-13 | ACC | 6-4 | 3-3 | 11-6 | 0-0 | 36 | 5-8 | 6-4 | 5-0 | 4-1 |\n| 37 | SMU | 20-13 "
}assistantMessage 6
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "March Madness 2026 bracket predictions"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAZJ_li2jzg",
"title": "Andy Katz breaks down his 2026 March Madness bracket - YouTube",
"snippet": "Andy Katz runs through each region in his official men's 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, joined by Wayne Staats."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-2026-march-madness-men-field-predictions",
"title": "NCAA Bracketology: 2026 March Madness men's field predictions",
"snippet": "The selection show is almost here! Here's the latest look at what we're expecting when it starts."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/video/basketball-men/2026-03-17/andy-katz-breaks-down-his-2026-march-madness-bracket",
"title": "Andy Katz breaks down his 2026 March Madness bracket - NCAA.com",
"snippet": "Andy Katz runs through each region in his official men's 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, joined by Wayne Staats."
},
{
"url": "https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/march-madness-2026-bracket-ncaa-tournament-picks-predictions-by-unbiased-college-basketball-model/",
"title": "March Madness 2026 bracket: NCAA Tournament picks, predictions ...",
"snippet": "March Madness 2026 bracket: NCAA Tournament picks, predictions by unbiased college basketball model · Top 2026 March Madness bracket picks ( ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7123628/2026/03/17/march-madness-expert-bracket-picks-duke-champion/",
"title": "Expert picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket: Why Brendan ...",
"snippet": "Expert picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket: Why Brendan Marks has Duke winning it all ; 1 Duke. 8 Ohio State ; 5 St. John's. 4 Kansas ; 11 ..."
}
]
}assistantMessage 7
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-2026-march-madness-men-field-predictions"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "# 2026 NCAA TournamentMen’s Bracketology\n\nby Joe Lunardi\n\nupdated 3/15/26, 8:15pm ET\n\nThe field of 68 for the 2026 NCAA men's tournament is set. There are no more teams to quibble about, or projections to make. So as we turn to the games, starting with the First Four on Tuesday, we say goodbye to the 2025-26 edition of Bracketology. We'll return once it's time to look to next year. Meanwhile, fill out your own brackets with the <a href=\"https://fantasy.espn.com/games/tournament-challenge-bracket-2026/?addata=tcmens2026\\_ncaam\\_web\\_relatedlinks\">ESPN Tournament Challenge</a>.\n\n\n\n## Bracket Watch\n\n- \n\n[Texas](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/251) Last Team In\n- \n\n[Duke](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/150) Top Overall Seed\n- \n\n[Oklahoma](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/201) First Team Out\n\nFor seed aspirants and bubble teams across the land, it's all over but the pouting. With only a few conference finals remaining, it's nearly time for your bracketologist to give way to the NCAA men's basketball committee. The final verdict on the 2026-26 men's college basketball season will be upon us, followed soon by the main event: the 2026 NCAA tournament. Thanks for following all year long and enjoy the madness! Dr. Brackets reminds you to play the [ESPN Tournament Challenge](https://fantasy.espn.com/games/tournament-challenge-bracket-2026/?addata=tcmens2026_ncaam_web_relatedlinks). Happy Hoops!\n\n\n\n### the bracket\n\nNew team =Re-entered bracket =\n\nAutomatic Qualifier:Projected = Confirmed =\n\nEast-Washington DC\n\nGreenville\n\n1Duke\n\n16UMBC\n\n1\n\n8Ohio State\n\n9Villanova\n\nSan Diego\n\n5Texas Tech\n\n12Northern Iowa\n\n1\n\n4Alabama\n\n13CA Baptist\n\nBuffalo\n\n6North Carolina\n\n11South Florida\n\n3Michigan St\n\n1\n\n14Wright St\n\nPhiladelphia\n\n7Miami\n\n10UCF\n\n2UConn\n\n15Queens\n\nSouth-Houston\n\nTampa\n\n1Florida\n\n16Lehigh\n\n16Prairie View\n\n8Clemson\n\n9Saint Louis\n\nOklahoma City\n\n5Kansas\n\n1\n\n12Akron\n\n4Nebraska\n\n1\n\n13N Dakota St\n\nGreenville\n\n6Louisville\n\n11VCU\n\n3Illinois\n\n14Penn\n\nOklahoma City\n\n7Utah State\n\n1\n\n10Texas A&M\n\n2Houston\n\n15Siena\n\nMidwest-Chicago\n\nBuffalo\n\n1Michigan\n\n16Howard\n\n16Idaho\n\n8Georgia\n\n9TCU\n\nPortland\n\n5St John's\n\n12High Point\n\n4Arkansas\n\n1\n\n13Troy\n\n1\n\nPhiladelphia\n\n6Tennessee\n\n11Santa Clara\n\n1\n\n11Miami OH\n\n3Virginia\n\n14Tennessee St\n\nSt. Louis\n\n7UCLA\n\n10Missouri\n\n1\n\n2Iowa State\n\n15Kennesaw St\n\n1\n\nWest-San Jose\n\nSan Diego\n\n1Arizona\n\n16Long Island\n\n8Saint Mary's\n\n1\n\n9Iowa\n\nTampa\n\n5Wisconsin\n\n12McNeese\n\n4Vanderbilt\n\n13Hofstra\n\nPortland\n\n6BYU\n\n11SMU\n\n11Texas\n\n3Gonzaga\n\n1\n\n14Hawai'i\n\nSt. Louis\n\n7Kentucky\n\n10NC State\n\n2Purdue\n\n1\n\n15Furman\n\n#### on the bubble\n\n- [Texas A&M](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/245)\n- [NC State](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/152)\n- [UCF](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2116)\n- [Missouri](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/142)\n\n- [Santa Clara](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2541)\n- [Miami OH](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/193)\n- [SMU](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2567)\n- [Texas](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/251)\n\n- [Oklahoma](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/201)\n- [Auburn](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2)\n- [San Diego St](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/21)\n- [New Mexico](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/167)\n\n- [Indiana](https://espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/84)\n- [Stanford](https://espn."
}assistantMessage 8
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness bracket predictions Andy Katz"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAZJ_li2jzg",
"title": "Andy Katz breaks down his 2026 March Madness bracket - YouTube",
"snippet": "Andy Katz runs through each region in his official men's 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, joined by Wayne Staats."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/duke-takes-no-1-seed-andy-katzs-final-march-madness-bracket-predictions",
"title": "Duke takes the No. 1 seed in Andy Katz's final March Madness ...",
"snippet": "Check out Andy Katz's final bracket predictions before the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament selection show."
},
{
"url": "https://www.hoopshq.com/bracketology/andy-katzs-march-madness-bracket-2026",
"title": "Andy Katz's NCAA Men's 2026 Tournament Bracket - Hoops HQ",
"snippet": "Hoops HQ's senior correspondent Andy Katz selects his picks for the 2026 March Madness NCAA tournament. See who he picks to win it all."
},
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/college-basketball-expert-andy-katz-000431059.html",
"title": "College basketball expert Andy Katz reveals his dark horse final four",
"snippet": "Katz believes these four programs have the tools to reach the Final Four. Strong defense. Solid coaching. Big-game experience. All of that ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DV6TiKXjXkC/",
"title": "NCAA March Madness | FINAL BRACKET PREDICTION Just hours ...",
"snippet": "FINAL BRACKET PREDICTION Just hours away from the Selection Show, @therealandykatz drops one last look at how he predicts the bracket will ..."
}
]
}assistantMessage 9
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/duke-takes-no-1-seed-andy-katzs-final-march-madness-bracket-predictions"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "[Skip to main content](https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/duke-takes-no-1-seed-andy-katzs-final-march-madness-bracket-predictions#main-content)\n\nPRESENTED BY\n\n[](https://www.ncaa.com/video/basketball-men/2026-03-15/predicting-march-madness-mens-bracket-selection-sunday)\n\nPredicting the March Madness men's bracket on Selection Sunday\n\nShare\n\n- [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/duke-takes-no-1-seed-andy-katzs-final-march-madness-bracket-predictions \"Share on Facebook\")\n- [](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/duke-takes-no-1-seed-andy-katzs-final-march-madness-bracket-predictions \"Share on X\")\n\nThe 68 teams selected for the 2026 NCAA tournament will be revealed tonight. Ahead of Selection Sunday, Andy Katz has shared his final bracket predictions. Duke remains as the No. 1 overall seed while Iowa State jumps into a No. 2 seed.\n\n**👉 SELECTION SUNDAY: [Date, schedule, TV times for March Madness](https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/2026-selection-sunday-date-schedule-tv-times-march-madness \"\")**\n\nTake a look at Andy Katz's final predicted 68-team field below.\n\n**RANKINGS: [AP Top 25 Poll](https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/associated-press \"\") \\| [NET rankings](https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings \"\")**\n\n| Seed | East | South | Midwest | West |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | Duke | Florida | Michigan | Arizona |\n| 16 | Queens | Lehigh/Prairie View | LIU/Howard | UMBC |\n| | | | | |\n| 8 | Georgia | Utah State | Clemson | UCLA |\n| 9 | Ohio State | Iowa | TCU | Texas A&M |\n| | | | | |\n| 5 | Arkansas | Texas Tech | St. John's | Wisconsin |\n| 12 | Yale | High Point | Akron | McNeese |\n| | | | | |\n| 4 | Kansas | Nebraska | Alabama | Vanderbilt |\n| 13 | Hawaii | Cal Baptist | Hofstra | Northern Iowa |\n| | | | | |\n| 6 | North Carolina | Louisville | Tennessee | BYU |\n| 11 | Missouri/Miami (OH) | South Florida | VCU | Texas/SMU |\n| | | | | |\n| 3 | Purdue | Illinois | Virginia | Gonzaga |\n| 14 | North Dakota State | Wright State | Troy | Kennesaw State |\n| | | | | |\n| 7 | Miami (FL) | UCLA | Kentucky | Clemson |\n| 10 | UCF | Saint Louis | Santa Clara | Texas A&M |\n| | | | | |\n| 2 | UConn | Houston | Iowa State | Michigan State |\n| 15 | Siena | Idaho | Tennessee State | Furman |\n\n### Conferences with multiple teams in Katz's bracket predictions\n\n| Conference | Total | Teams |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| SEC | 10 | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt |\n| Big Ten | 9 | Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, UCLA, Michigan State, Nebraska, |\n| ACC | 8 | Clemson, Duke, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina, NC State, SMU, Virginia |\n| Big 12 | 8 | Arizona, BYU, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF |\n| Big East | 3 | St. John's, UConn, Villanova |\n| West Coast | 3 | Gonzaga, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's |\n| MAC | 2 | Akron, Miami (OH), |\n| A10 | 2 | VCU, Saint Louis |\n\n### Andy Katz's field of 68\n\nHere is Katz's full seed list in order, from one through 68:\n\n| | Team (SEED) | AQ Conference |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | Duke (1) | AQ ACC |\n| 2 | Michigan (1) | AQ Big Ten |\n| 3 | Arizona (1) | AQ Big 12 |\n| 4 | Florida (1) | |\n| 5 | Houston (2) | |\n| 6 | UConn (2) | |\n| 7 | Iowa State (2) | |\n| 8 | Michigan State (2) | |\n| 9 | Purdue (3) | |\n| 10 | Illinois (3) | |\n| 11 | Virginia (3) | |\n| 12 | Gonzaga (3) | AQ WCC "
}assistantMessage 10
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness dark horse teams"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-4-dark-horse-candidates-capable-of-making-a-deep-ncaa-tournament-run-205100862.html",
"title": "4 dark-horse candidates capable of making a deep NCAA ...",
"snippet": "March Madness bracket: 4 dark-horse candidates capable of making a deep NCAA tournament ... Selection Sunday: Breaking down the bubble teams ahead ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/tourney/2026/03/16/march-madness-predictions-arkansas-vanderbilt-purdue-iowa-state-miami/89176071007/",
"title": "5 dark horse teams who can win 2026 NCAA Tournament",
"snippet": "March Madness expert picks: Predictions for 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket March Madness Cinderella predictions: VCU, Akron top NCAA Tournament ..."
},
{
"url": "https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/andy-katz-reveals-4-dark-horse-teams-that-could-shake-up-march-madness",
"title": "Andy Katz Reveals 4 Dark Horse Teams That Could Shake ...",
"snippet": "— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 16, 2026. Tennessee is the sixth seed in the Midwest region and will play either SMU or Miami ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/_/id/48188206/men-ncaa-tournament-challenge-guide-team-mascots-school-colors-famous-alumni-2026",
"title": "2026 Tournament Challenge guide to team mascots, ...",
"snippet": "Women's March Madness 2026 bracket: First look at all 68 teams · UConn Huskies. 3dCharlie Creme, +2 More. As Premier League sides crumble around ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2026-ncaa-tournament-best-worst-draws-march-madness/",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament best and worst draws: Easiest ...",
"snippet": "2026 NCAA Tournament best and worst draws: Easiest path to Final Four, toughest matchups, strongest region. Isaac Trotter. By Isaac Trotter. Mar ..."
}
]
}assistantMessage 11
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/andy-katz-reveals-4-dark-horse-teams-that-could-shake-up-march-madness"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "[Skip to main content](https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/andy-katz-reveals-4-dark-horse-teams-that-could-shake-up-march-madness#main-content)\n\n# Andy Katz Reveals 4 Dark Horse Teams That Could Shake Up March Madness\n\nMar 16, 2026 10:15 PM EDT\n\n\n\nBy [Hunter Hodies](https://athlonsports.com/author/hunter-hodies)\n\nTrending News Writer, Athlon Sports\n\n0\n\n[Add us on](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=athlonsports.com)\n\n\nThe March Madness Sweet 16 and Elite Eight logo.\n© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images\n\nThe 2026 NCAA Tournament is set to start this week after the full bracket was revealed on Sunday.\n\nThere will be two First Four matchups on Tuesday and two on Wednesday before the first round gets underway on Thursday.\n\nCollege basketball fans have already started filling out their brackets, and college basketball analyst Andy Katz wants everyone to know about four dark-horse teams that can make runs to the Final Four.\n\n[Katz thinks](https://x.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/2033634412680909296?s=20) Wisconsin, Tennessee, UCLA, and [Vanderbilt](https://athlonsports.com/college/vanderbilt-commodores) are teams that fans shouldn’t sleep on during this tournament.\n\nWisconsin is the fifth seed in the West region and will play High Point in the first round. The program is fresh off a tough 68-65 loss to Michigan in the [Big Ten](https://athlonsports.com/tag/big-ten) Tournament semifinals and is 24-10 overall.\n\n> . [@TheAndyKatz](https://twitter.com/TheAndyKatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) drops his dark horse Final Four 👀\n>\n> Let us know who’s making that dark horse run in YOUR bracket: [https://t.co/Jt9eXr7MVr](https://t.co/Jt9eXr7MVr) [pic.twitter.com/DWX7g7nGXp](https://t.co/DWX7g7nGXp)\n>\n> — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) [March 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/2033634412680909296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)\n\nTennessee is the sixth seed in the Midwest region and will play either SMU or Miami (OH) in the first round. The Vols got to the quarterfinals of the [SEC](https://athlonsports.com/tag/sec) Tournament before losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores.\n\nThe Vols also got to the Elite Eight last year before losing to the Houston Cougars.\n\nThe UCLA Bruins fell to the Purdue Boilermakers in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, but still had a great regular season, finishing with a 23-11 overall record. The Bruins are the seventh seed in the East region and will play the UCF Knights in the first round.\n\nFinally, the Commodores played in the SEC Championship Game against the [Arkansas Razorbacks](https://athlonsports.com/college/arkansas-razorbacks), losing 86-75. They’ll be the fifth seed in the South region and will play the McNeese State Cowboys in the first round.\n\n_This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting or fantasy sports partners. If you sign up, Athlon Sports and The Arena Group may be compensated at no cost to you. Read more about [Sports Betting on Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/betting/athlon-sports-betting-disclosure)._\n\n## About the author\n\n\n\n## [Hunter Hodies](https://athlonsports.com/author/hunter-hodies)\n\nTrending News Writer, Athlon Sports\n\nHunter Hodies is a contributor to Athlon Sports’ trending & breaking news team, with a focus on college football, NFL and NHL.\n\nStart the Conversation\n\n## Article Discussion\n\nHave fun. Don't be mean. Feel free to criticize ideas, not people. Report bad behavior.\n\n## Sign in to continue\n\nContinue with Google\n\nSign in another way\n\nNo one has shared their thoughts yet.\n\nLeave a comment so your voice"
}assistantMessage 12
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "duke-blue-devils"
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "duke-blue-devils",
"name": "Blue Devils",
"seed": 1,
"region": "east"
}
]
}assistantMessage 13
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "michigan-wolverines"
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "michigan-wolverines",
"name": "Wolverines",
"seed": 1,
"region": "midwest"
}
]
}assistantMessage 14
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "arizona-wildcats"
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "arizona-wildcats",
"name": "Wildcats",
"seed": 1,
"region": "west"
},
{
"id": "villanova-wildcats",
"name": "Wildcats",
"seed": 8,
"region": "west"
},
{
"id": "kentucky-wildcats",
"name": "Wildcats",
"seed": 7,
"region": "midwest"
}
]
}assistantMessage 15
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "florida-gators"
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "florida-gators",
"name": "Gators",
"seed": 1,
"region": "south"
}
]
}assistantMessage 16
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-1"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "duke-blue-devils",
"name": "Blue Devils",
"seed": 1,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "siena-saints",
"name": "Saints",
"seed": 16,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-1"
}
}assistantMessage 17
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-2"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "ohio-state-buckeyes",
"name": "Buckeyes",
"seed": 8,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "tcu-horned-frogs",
"name": "Horned Frogs",
"seed": 9,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-2"
}
}assistantMessage 18
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-3"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "st-johns-red-storm",
"name": "Red Storm",
"seed": 5,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "northern-iowa-panthers",
"name": "Panthers",
"seed": 12,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-3"
}
}assistantMessage 19
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-4"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "kansas-jayhawks",
"name": "Jayhawks",
"seed": 4,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "california-baptist-lancers",
"name": "Lancers",
"seed": 13,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-4"
}
}assistantMessage 20
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-5"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "louisville-cardinals",
"name": "Cardinals",
"seed": 6,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "south-florida-bulls",
"name": "Bulls",
"seed": 11,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-5"
}
}assistantMessage 21
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-6"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "michigan-state-spartans",
"name": "Spartans",
"seed": 3,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "north-dakota-state-bison",
"name": "Bison",
"seed": 14,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-6"
}
}assistantMessage 22
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-7"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "ucla-bruins",
"name": "Bruins",
"seed": 7,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "ucf-knights",
"name": "Knights",
"seed": 10,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-7"
}
}assistantMessage 23
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-8"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "uconn-huskies",
"name": "Huskies",
"seed": 2,
"region": "east"
},
"team2": {
"id": "furman-paladins",
"name": "Paladins",
"seed": 15,
"region": "east"
},
"gameId": "game-8"
}
}assistantMessage 24
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-9"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "arizona-wildcats",
"name": "Wildcats",
"seed": 1,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "long-island-university-sharks",
"name": "Sharks",
"seed": 16,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-9"
}
}assistantMessage 25
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-10"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "villanova-wildcats",
"name": "Wildcats",
"seed": 8,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "utah-state-aggies",
"name": "Aggies",
"seed": 9,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-10"
}
}assistantMessage 26
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-11"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "wisconsin-badgers",
"name": "Badgers",
"seed": 5,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "high-point-panthers",
"name": "Panthers",
"seed": 12,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-11"
}
}assistantMessage 27
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-12"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "arkansas-razorbacks",
"name": "Razorbacks",
"seed": 4,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "hawaii-rainbow-warriors",
"name": "Rainbow Warriors",
"seed": 13,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-12"
}
}assistantMessage 28
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-13"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "byu-cougars",
"name": "Cougars",
"seed": 6,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "texas-longhorns",
"name": "Longhorns",
"seed": 11,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-13",
"team2Alt": {
"id": "nc-state-wolfpack",
"name": "Wolfpack",
"seed": 11,
"region": "west"
}
}
}assistantMessage 29
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-14"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "gonzaga-bulldogs",
"name": "Bulldogs",
"seed": 3,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "kennesaw-state-owls",
"name": "Owls",
"seed": 14,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-14"
}
}assistantMessage 30
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-15"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "miami-hurricanes",
"name": "Hurricanes",
"seed": 7,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "missouri-tigers",
"name": "Tigers",
"seed": 10,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-15"
}
}assistantMessage 31
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-16"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "purdue-boilermakers",
"name": "Boilermakers",
"seed": 2,
"region": "west"
},
"team2": {
"id": "queens-nc-royals",
"name": "Queens Royals",
"seed": 15,
"region": "west"
},
"gameId": "game-16"
}
}assistantMessage 32
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-17"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "florida-gators",
"name": "Gators",
"seed": 1,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "prairie-view-am-panthers",
"name": "Panthers",
"seed": 16,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-17",
"team2Alt": {
"id": "lehigh-mountain-hawks",
"name": "Mountain Hawks",
"seed": 16,
"region": "south"
}
}
}assistantMessage 33
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-18"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "clemson-tigers",
"name": "Tigers",
"seed": 8,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "iowa-hawkeyes",
"name": "Hawkeyes",
"seed": 9,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-18"
}
}assistantMessage 34
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-19"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "vanderbilt-commodores",
"name": "Commodores",
"seed": 5,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "mcneese-cowboys",
"name": "Cowboys",
"seed": 12,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-19"
}
}assistantMessage 35
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-20"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "nebraska-cornhuskers",
"name": "Cornhuskers",
"seed": 4,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "troy-trojans",
"name": "Trojans",
"seed": 13,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-20"
}
}assistantMessage 36
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-21"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "north-carolina-tar-heels",
"name": "Tar Heels",
"seed": 6,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "vcu-rams",
"name": "Rams",
"seed": 11,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-21"
}
}assistantMessage 37
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-22"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "illinois-fighting-illini",
"name": "Fighting Illini",
"seed": 3,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "pennsylvania-quakers",
"name": "Quakers",
"seed": 14,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-22"
}
}assistantMessage 38
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-23"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "saint-marys-gaels",
"name": "Gaels",
"seed": 7,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "texas-am-aggies",
"name": "Aggies",
"seed": 10,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-23"
}
}assistantMessage 39
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-24"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "houston-cougars",
"name": "Cougars",
"seed": 2,
"region": "south"
},
"team2": {
"id": "idaho-vandals",
"name": "Vandals",
"seed": 15,
"region": "south"
},
"gameId": "game-24"
}
}assistantMessage 40
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-25"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "michigan-wolverines",
"name": "Wolverines",
"seed": 1,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "umbc-retrievers",
"name": "Retrievers",
"seed": 16,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-25",
"team2Alt": {
"id": "howard-bison",
"name": "Bison",
"seed": 16,
"region": "midwest"
}
}
}assistantMessage 41
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-26"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "georgia-bulldogs",
"name": "Bulldogs",
"seed": 8,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "saint-louis-billikens",
"name": "Billikens",
"seed": 9,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-26"
}
}assistantMessage 42
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-27"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "texas-tech-red-raiders",
"name": "Red Raiders",
"seed": 5,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "akron-zips",
"name": "Zips",
"seed": 12,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-27"
}
}assistantMessage 43
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-28"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "alabama-crimson-tide",
"name": "Crimson Tide",
"seed": 4,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "hofstra-pride",
"name": "Pride",
"seed": 13,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-28"
}
}assistantMessage 44
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-29"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "tennessee-volunteers",
"name": "Volunteers",
"seed": 6,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "smu-mustangs",
"name": "Mustangs",
"seed": 11,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-29",
"team2Alt": {
"id": "miami-oh-redhawks",
"name": "RedHawks",
"seed": 11,
"region": "midwest"
}
}
}assistantMessage 45
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-30"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "virginia-cavaliers",
"name": "Cavaliers",
"seed": 3,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "wright-state-raiders",
"name": "Raiders",
"seed": 14,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-30"
}
}assistantMessage 46
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-31"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "kentucky-wildcats",
"name": "Wildcats",
"seed": 7,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "santa-clara-broncos",
"name": "Broncos",
"seed": 10,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-31"
}
}assistantMessage 47
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PMTool Call: lookup_game
{
"gameId": "game-32"
}Tool Result: lookup_game
{
"game": {
"team1": {
"id": "iowa-state-cyclones",
"name": "Cyclones",
"seed": 2,
"region": "midwest"
},
"team2": {
"id": "tennessee-state-tigers",
"name": "Tigers",
"seed": 15,
"region": "midwest"
},
"gameId": "game-32"
}
}assistantMessage 48
Mar 18, 2026, 8:39 PM### Research Summary
Based on the research, here's what I've gathered:
## Rankings & Seeds
**Top Teams (AP/NET):**
1. Duke Blue Devils (1 seed, East)
2. Michigan Wolverines (1 seed, Midwest)
3. Arizona Wildcats (1 seed, West)
4. Florida Gators (1 seed, South)
**Other Notable Teams:**
- Houston Cougars (2 seed, South)
- UConn Huskies (2 seed, East)
- Iowa State Cyclones (2 seed, Midwest)
- Michigan State Spartans (2 seed, West)
## Dark Horse Teams (per Andy Katz)
- Wisconsin Badgers (5 seed, West)
- Tennessee Volunteers (6 seed, Midwest)
- UCLA Bruins (7 seed, East)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (5 seed, South)
## Key Insights
1. **Duke** is the overwhelming favorite as the #1 overall seed
2. **Iowa State** made a significant jump to a #2 seed
3. The **SEC** conference has the most representation with 10 teams
4. **Big Ten** and **Big 12** also have strong representation
5. Several mid-majors like **High Point**, **McNeese**, and **Akron** could cause upsets
Now I'll build my bracket using this information, incorporating strategic upsets based on the dark horse teams identified and historical tournament trends
Tokens
- Input
- 990316
- Output
- 1475
- Reasoning
- —