DeepSeek

Algorithmic Alley-Oop

DeepSeek V3.2DeepSeekEntry 1
HARDcompletedPublished
Outcome
0 pts
Accuracy
Created
Mar 18, 2026, 11:50 PM
Finished
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tiebreaker
142
Validation
R64
0
R32
0
S16
0
E8
0
F4
0
Ch
0
Blue Devils
Predicted Champion
Blue Devils

Bracket

Final Four

F4
1DukeDuke
1ArizonaArizona
2HoustonHouston
2Iowa StateIowa State
Ch
1DukeDuke
2HoustonHouston
Predicted Total
142

east

R64
1DukeDuke
16SienaSiena
8Ohio StateOhio State
9TCUTCU
5St. John'sSt. John's
12Northern IowaNorthern Iowa
4KansasKansas
13California BaptistCalifornia Baptist
6LouisvilleLouisville
11South FloridaSouth Florida
3Michigan StateMichigan State
14North Dakota StateNorth Dakota State
7UCLAUCLA
10UCFUCF
2UConnUConn
15FurmanFurman
R32
1DukeDuke
9TCUTCU
5St. John'sSt. John's
4KansasKansas
11South FloridaSouth Florida
3Michigan StateMichigan State
7UCLAUCLA
2UConnUConn
S16
1DukeDuke
4KansasKansas
3Michigan StateMichigan State
2UConnUConn
E8
1DukeDuke
2UConnUConn

west

R64
1ArizonaArizona
16Long Island UniversityLong Island University
8VillanovaVillanova
9Utah StateUtah State
5WisconsinWisconsin
12High PointHigh Point
4ArkansasArkansas
13Hawai'iHawai'i
6BYUBYU
11Texas / NC State
3GonzagaGonzaga
14Kennesaw StateKennesaw State
7MiamiMiami
10MissouriMissouri
2PurduePurdue
15QueensQueens
R32
1ArizonaArizona
9Utah StateUtah State
12High PointHigh Point
4ArkansasArkansas
6BYUBYU
3GonzagaGonzaga
10MissouriMissouri
2PurduePurdue
S16
1ArizonaArizona
4ArkansasArkansas
3GonzagaGonzaga
2PurduePurdue
E8
1ArizonaArizona
2PurduePurdue

south

R64
1FloridaFlorida
16Prairie View A&M / Lehigh
8ClemsonClemson
9IowaIowa
5VanderbiltVanderbilt
12McNeeseMcNeese
4NebraskaNebraska
13TroyTroy
6North CarolinaNorth Carolina
11VCUVCU
3IllinoisIllinois
14PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
7Saint Mary'sSaint Mary's
10Texas A&MTexas A&M
2HoustonHouston
15IdahoIdaho
R32
1FloridaFlorida
9IowaIowa
12McNeeseMcNeese
4NebraskaNebraska
11VCUVCU
3IllinoisIllinois
7Saint Mary'sSaint Mary's
2HoustonHouston
S16
1FloridaFlorida
4NebraskaNebraska
3IllinoisIllinois
2HoustonHouston
E8
1FloridaFlorida
2HoustonHouston

midwest

R64
1MichiganMichigan
16UMBC / Howard
8GeorgiaGeorgia
9Saint LouisSaint Louis
5Texas TechTexas Tech
12AkronAkron
4AlabamaAlabama
13HofstraHofstra
6TennesseeTennessee
11SMU / Miami (OH)
3VirginiaVirginia
14Wright StateWright State
7KentuckyKentucky
10Santa ClaraSanta Clara
2Iowa StateIowa State
15Tennessee StateTennessee State
R32
1MichiganMichigan
8GeorgiaGeorgia
12AkronAkron
4AlabamaAlabama
6TennesseeTennessee
3VirginiaVirginia
10Santa ClaraSanta Clara
2Iowa StateIowa State
S16
1MichiganMichigan
4AlabamaAlabama
6TennesseeTennessee
2Iowa StateIowa State
E8
1MichiganMichigan
2Iowa StateIowa State

Trace

Stored prompt, assistant, tool, and reasoning parts for this attempt.

userMessage 1
Mar 18, 2026, 11:50 PM
You 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. You have NO validator tool — your bracket must be correct on submission. Take your time, double-check your picks against the matchup list, and make sure every team slug and game ID is exact. 5. When done, call submit_bracket with your complete bracket. ## 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. Refer to the matchup list above carefully. 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. - **calculator**: Evaluate math expressions. - **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. Call submit_bracket with your complete bracket — it validates and submits in one step 3. 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, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 NCAA basketball AP Top 25 rankings March 2026"
}
I'll start by conducting thorough research to build an informed bracket. Let me begin with Phase 1: RESEARCH. ## Phase 1: RESEARCH ### Step 1: Get the big picture - Current NCAA basketball rankings and trends
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": "With that, the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament is mere hours away from ... Here's a look at the latest Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 for March 15: ..."
    },
    {
      "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.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.cbssports.com/college-basketball/rankings/ap/",
      "title": "College Basketball Rankings 2025-26 - AP Top 25 - CBS Sports",
      "snippet": "AP Top 25 Updated Mar 16, 2026 ; 1. team logo · Duke. (50) 32-2, — ; 2. team logo · Arizona. (7) 32-2, — ; 3. team logo · Michigan. 31-3, — ; 4. team logo · Florida."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25406953-ap-college-basketball-poll-2026-final-rankings-after-march-madness-bracket-reveal",
      "title": "AP College Basketball Poll 2026 Final Rankings After March ...",
      "snippet": "1. Duke (32-2) · 2. Arizona (32-2) · 3. Michigan (31-3) · 4. Florida (26-7) · 5. Houston (28-6) · 6. Iowa State (27-7) · 7. UConn (29-5) · 8. Purdue ( ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 3
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/rankings/ap/"
}
Let me fetch the detailed rankings:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "site: media \\| arena: collegebasketball \\| pageType: standings \\|\nsection: \\| slug: \\| sport: collegebasketball \\| route: league\\_polls\\_by\\_type \\|\n6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/polls\\_ap\n\n[Skip to Main Content](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/rankings/ap/#page-content)\n\nClose\n\nSign in with your TV provider\n\nIf not listed, please contact your TV provider.\n\n![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)\n\nAll ProvidersXfinity\n\n#### AP Top 25   Updated   Mar 16, 2026\n\n| Rank | Team | Trend | Points |  | Next Game |  |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | [![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21130.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/DUKE/duke-blue-devils/)<br>[Duke](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/DUKE/duke-blue-devils/)<br> (50)<br> <br> 32-2 | — | 1418 |  | [Thu, Mar 19 @ \\<br>2:50 pm](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/preview/NCAAB_20260319_SIENA@DUKE/) | vs <br> <br>[![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21262.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/SIENA/siena-saints/)<br>[Siena](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/SIENA/siena-saints/) |\n| 2 | [![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21335.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ARIZ/arizona-wildcats/)<br>[Arizona](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ARIZ/arizona-wildcats/)<br> (7)<br> <br> 32-2 | — | 1372 |  | [Fri, Mar 20 @ \\<br>1:35 pm](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/scoreboard/) | vs <br> <br>[![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21316.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/LIU/liu-sharks/)<br>[LIU](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/LIU/liu-sharks/) |\n| 3 | [![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21193.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MICH/michigan-wolverines/)<br>[Michigan](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MICH/michigan-wolverines/)<br> 31-3 | — | 1310 |  | [Thu, Mar 19 @ \\<br>7:10 pm](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/preview/NCAAB_20260319_HOW@MICH/) | vs <br> <br>[![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21289.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/HOW/howard-bison/)<br>[Howard](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/HOW/howard-bison/) |\n| 4 | [![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21355.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/FLA/florida-gators/)<br>[Florida](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/FLA/florida-gators/)<br> 26-7 | — | 1221 |  | — |  |\n| 5 | [![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21237.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/HOU/houston-cougars/)<br>[Houston](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/HOU/houston-cougars/)<br> 28-6 | — | 1214 |  | [Thu, Mar 19 @ \\<br>10:10 pm](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/preview/NCAAB_20260319_IDAHO@HOU/) | vs <br> <br>[![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21217.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/IDAHO/idaho-vandals/)<br>[Idaho](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/IDAHO/idaho-vandals/) |\n| 6 | [![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21203.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/IOWAST/iowa-state-cyclones/)<br>[Iowa St.](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/IOWAST/iowa-state-cyclones/)<br> 27-7 | 1 | 1096 |  | [Fri, Mar 20 @ \\<br>2:50 pm](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/scoreboard/) | vs <br> <br>[![team logo](https://sports.cbsimg.net/fly/images/team-logos/21333.svg)](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/TNST/tenn"
}
assistantMessage 4
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 NCAA basketball NET rankings KenPom March 2026 tournament"
}
Let me search for NET rankings and KenPom data:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-ranking-every-mens-ncaa-tournament-first-four-and-first-round-game-from-most-competitive-to-least-060130968.html",
      "title": "March Madness 2026: Ranking every men's NCAA tournament First ...",
      "snippet": "13 Troy: Troy has won conference tournament but faces a 70-spot KenPom gap. South No. 3 Illinois vs. 14 Penn: Illinois is KenPom 5 overall with ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankAdjOE",
      "title": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings",
      "snippet": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings. Check out our instructional course, Basketball Analytics for Coaches. Use code MARCH for $50 off! help."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/ncaab/ncaa-tournament-bracket-based-using-kenpom-ratings-sgc/",
      "title": "Updated KenPom Rankings for the 2026 NCAA Tournament - BetMGM",
      "snippet": "Updated KenPom Rankings for the 2026 NCAA Tournament ; 32, Georgia, 16 ; 33, Villanova, 41 ; 34, N.C. State, 19 ; 35, Santa Clara, 23 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.aol.com/articles/march-madness-2026-ranking-every-060130475.html",
      "title": "March Madness 2026: Ranking every men's NCAA tournament First ...",
      "snippet": "Using KenPom ratings as a barometer, here's how the 36 games rank in terms of competitiveness — from most to least: West No. 8 Villanova vs. 9 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/march-madness-predictions-2026-kenpom-bracket/945668cd2309e4f4a2cdecdb",
      "title": "Using KenPom to pick NCAA bracket upsets, Final Four",
      "snippet": "KenPom ratings for 2026 March Madness. Top dozen teams in NCAA Tournament by overall KenPom ranking. 1. Duke (No. 1 seed in East). 2. Arizona ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 5
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/ncaab/ncaa-tournament-bracket-based-using-kenpom-ratings-sgc/"
}
Let me fetch the KenPom rankings:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "BetMGM\n\n![NCAAB](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/basketball.svg)NCAAB\n\n- ![NBA](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/basketball.svg)NBA\n- ![MLB](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/baseball.svg)MLB\n- ![NHL](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/hockey.svg)NHL\n- ![NCAAB](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/basketball.svg)NCAAB\n- ![UFC](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/mma.svg)UFC\n- ![PGA Tour](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/golf.svg)PGA Tour\n- ![World Cup](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/sports/betmgm/soccer.svg)World Cup\n\nMar 18\n\n- Mar 17\n- Mar 18\n- Mar 19\n\nWed \\| 6:40 PM ET\n\n![Prairie View A&M Panthers](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/prairie_view_a_and_m_panthers.svg)\n\nPrairie View A&M\n\nPrairie View A&M\n\n![Lehigh Mountain Hawks](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/lehigh_mountain_hawks.svg)\n\nLehigh\n\nLehigh\n\nWed \\| 7:00 PM ET\n\n![Navy](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/navy_midshipmen.svg)\n\nNavy\n\nNavy\n\nSpread [+10.5 **-118**](https://playmgmsports.onelink.me/TkMx?utm_term=onelink&pid=playmgmsportswrp&utm_source=BetMGM_US_sports_blog&utm_medium=Scoreboard&utm_campaign=GTG&wm=7119147&af_sub1=7119147&af_android_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005870&af_ios_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005870&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005870&af_dp=playmgmsportswrp%3A%2F%2Fnavigation%3Fscheme%3Dhttps%26url%3Dwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005870)\n\n![Wake Forest](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/wake_forest_demon_deacons.svg)\n\nWake Forest\n\nWake Forest\n\nSpread [-10.5 **-102**](https://playmgmsports.onelink.me/TkMx?utm_term=onelink&pid=playmgmsportswrp&utm_source=BetMGM_US_sports_blog&utm_medium=Scoreboard&utm_campaign=GTG&wm=7119147&af_sub1=7119147&af_android_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005869&af_ios_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005869&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005869&af_dp=playmgmsportswrp%3A%2F%2Fnavigation%3Fscheme%3Dhttps%26url%3Dwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218255%3Foptions%3D19218255-1481452741--137005869)\n\nWed \\| 8:00 PM ET\n\n![Kent State](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/kent_state_golden_flashes.svg)\n\nKent State\n\nKent State\n\n![Illinois State Redbirds](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/illinois_state_redbirds.svg)\n\nIllinois State\n\nIllinois State\n\nWed \\| 8:00 PM ET\n\n![George Washington](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/the_roar/ncaab/george_washington_revolutionaries.svg)\n\nGeorge Washington\n\nGeorge Washington\n\nSpread [+1.5 **-110**](https://playmgmsports.onelink.me/TkMx?utm_term=onelink&pid=playmgmsportswrp&utm_source=BetMGM_US_sports_blog&utm_medium=Scoreboard&utm_campaign=GTG&wm=7119147&af_sub1=7119147&af_android_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218259%3Foptions%3D19218259-1480259205--140090172&af_ios_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218259%3Foptions%3D19218259-1480259205--140090172&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218259%3Foptions%3D19218259-1480259205--140090172&af_dp=playmgmsportswrp%3A%2F%2Fnavigation%3Fscheme%3Dhttps%26url%3Dwww.betmgm.com%2Fen%2Fsports%2Fevents%2F19218259%3Foptions%3D19218259-1480259205--140090172)\n\n![Utah Valley Wolverines](https://cdn.gtgnetwork.com/icons/teams/basketball/betmgm/th"
}
assistantMessage 6
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "\"KenPom 2026\" Duke Arizona Michigan Florida Houston Iowa State rankings"
}
Let me search for more specific KenPom data:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/1rizzie/each_teams_journey_to_the_current_kenpom_top_25/",
      "title": "Each team's journey to the current KenPom top 25 AdjEM",
      "snippet": "KenPom 2026 Ratings Are Out · r/CollegeBasketball. • 5mo ago. KenPom 2026 Ratings Are Out · r/CollegeBasketball - KenPom 2026 Ratings Are Out."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://x.com/madeformarch/status/1977363796428574756",
      "title": "KenPom 2026 preseason rankings",
      "snippet": "KenPom 2026 preseason rankings: 1) Houston 2) Florida 3) Purdue 4) Kentucky 5) UConn 6) Illinois 7) Duke 8) Gonzaga 9) Tennessee 10) UCLA"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.tiktok.com/discover/what-teams-have-punched-their-ticket-in-march-madness-so-far",
      "title": "What Teams Have Punched Their Ticket in March Madness ...",
      "snippet": "Teams Who Can Win March Madness Kenpom 2026. Related to What Teams Have Punched Their Ticket in March Madness So Far. March Madness Bracket ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 7
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 March Madness bracket predictions analysis expert picks upsets"
}
Let me search for more detailed tournament analysis:
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": "Expert Garry Parrish fills out his bracket | 2026 NCAA TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS & ADVICE · 1.7K views ; Coach K's FIRST-EVER public March Madness ..."
    },
    {
      "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 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/ncaa-tournament-2026-bracket-simulation-predicts-surprising-upsets-best-sleepers-march-madness-picks/",
      "title": "NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket: Simulation predicts surprising ...",
      "snippet": "Before you make your 2026 NCAA Tournament predictions, see the 2026 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/espn-march-madness-analyst-predicts-180040217.html",
      "title": "ESPN March Madness analyst predicts huge upset in NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "The 2026 NCAA Tournament field is locked in and one ESPN March Madness analyst believes a major upset could be brewing in the first round."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college-basketball/march-madness-brackets-expert-predictions-first-round-upsets-2026-mens-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "March Madness Brackets: Expert Predictions for First-Round Upsets ...",
      "snippet": "Here's all the upsets our experts have in the first round of March Madness ... March Madness: Five Bold Predictions for Men's NCAA Tournament ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 8
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/ncaa-tournament-2026-bracket-simulation-predicts-surprising-upsets-best-sleepers-march-madness-picks/"
}
Let me fetch the CBS Sports analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "site: media \\| arena: general \\| pageType: stories \\|\nsection: \\| slug: ncaa-tournament-2026-bracket-simulation-predicts-surprising-upsets-optimal-sleepers-march-madness-picks \\| sport: other \\| route: article\\_single.us \\|\n6-keys: media/spln/other/reg/free/stories\n\n[Skip to Main Content](https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/ncaa-tournament-2026-bracket-simulation-predicts-surprising-upsets-optimal-sleepers-march-madness-picks/#page-content)\n\nClose\n\nSign in with your TV provider\n\nIf not listed, please contact your TV provider.\n\n![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)\n\nAll ProvidersXfinity\n\n# NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket: Simulation predicts surprising upsets, optimal sleepers, March Madness picks\n\n## When does the March Madness 2026 schedule start, and when are 2026 NCAA Tournament brackets due? The 2026 March Madness bracket begins on Thursday, March 19\n\n[![            Owen OBrien     ](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2025/03/11/9a7f99c2-75ab-49f4-86c3-2001ec566a2b/thumbnail/80x80/bdc68afed3aca70c15cd858408c55f65/owen-obrien-500.png)](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/owen-obrien/)\n\nBy\n[Owen OBrien](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/owen-obrien/)\n\n1 hr ago\n•\n3 min read\n\n\n![byu.jpg](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2026/03/12/cf07fb46-76cf-4e01-a2e4-2b31b224152f/thumbnail/770x433/c3134288da12a4692f973459f8e9624a/byu.jpg)Imagn Images\n\nThe 87th NCAA Tournament has arrived, with the first national champion crowned back in 1939. There have been 37 schools that have won a national title, including 15 capturing multiple championships entering the 2026 March Madness bracket. Six programs have claimed 17 of the last 21 titles, and they are blue bloods of the sport. UConn (5 titles), UNC (3), Florida (3), Duke (2), Kansas (2) and Villanova (2) have had dynastic runs over this span and will be favored by many in 2026 NCAA Tournament picks.\n\nVillanova is the lowest seed among those teams at No. 8 in the West Region, and the Wildcats are 0-5 versus ranked teams this season. This is Nova's first NCAA bracket appearance since Jay Wright's retirement, so it will be intriguing to see if the program prestige he established can carry over. Before you make your 2026 NCAA Tournament predictions, [see the 2026 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/2026-sportsline-upset-bracket-full-of-surprises/#ttag=03162026_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_ncaa_model_MMupsetbracket1).\n\nTwo years ago, SportsLine's computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including huge wins by No. 11 Oregon over No. 6 South Carolina, No. 11 NC State over No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 10 Colorado over No. 7 Florida. Last year, SportsLine's computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including calling both 9-seeds that advanced in the first round, No. 12 Colorado State over No. 5 Memphis, and No. 6 BYU advancing to the Sweet 16. The model has beaten over 91 percent of all CBS Sports bracket players in four of the past seven tournaments.\n\nThis model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016 and nailed UConn's championship run in 2024. It nailed 12 teams in the Sweet 16 and correctly predicted all four Final Four teams a year ago.\n\nThe SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered conference tournament week on a sizzling 14-2 run on its top-rated over/under [college basketball](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/expert-picks/) [picks](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/expert-picks/) dating back to last season, and is on a 28-21 run on top-rated CBB side picks. You shouldn't even think about making a pick [without seeing what their model has to say](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/2026-sportsline-upset-bracket-full-of-surprises/#ttag=03162026_agg_cbssp"
}
assistantMessage 9
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "East region 2026 NCAA tournament Duke UConn Michigan State Kansas analysis"
}
Now let me research each region systematically. Starting with the EAST region:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-east-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144508304.html",
      "title": "March Madness bracket: East region predictions, Cinderella, expert ...",
      "snippet": "Duke is the No. 1 overall seed after a 32-2 campaign that featured a 17-1 record in ACC play and a win over fellow No. 1 seed Michigan on ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/betting/betting-the-east-region-in-2026-ncaa-tournament-predictions-odds-upsets-for-march-madness",
      "title": "Betting the East Region in 2026 NCAA Tournament - Sports Illustrated",
      "snippet": "Duke is favored to win this region, but there are cases to be made for UConn, Michigan State, St. John's and Kansas. Here's a look at all of the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.outkick.com/sports/2026-ncaa-tournament-breakdown-east-region-best-bets-sleepers-busts",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Breakdown: East Region Best Bets ...",
      "snippet": "East Region picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, with Duke's path, Louisville sleeper logic, upset alerts, and the players who can swing your ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/2026-ncaa-tournament-east-region-breakdown-duke-uconn-kansas",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament East Region Breakdown - Athlon Sports",
      "snippet": "The East Region may be the toughest bracket in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Duke, UConn, Kansas and St. John's headline a loaded field with ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/duke-mens-basketball-tournament-preview-east-mighican-state-uconn-st-johns-kansas-south-florida-20260317",
      "title": "2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament region preview: East",
      "snippet": "There is no shortage of championship experience in the East: all four coaches from the second to fifth seed have won a National Championship."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 10
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-east-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144508304.html"
}
Let me fetch the Yahoo Sports analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "Advertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[16\\\\\n\\\\\nHOURS LEFT\\\\\n\\\\\n![](https://s.yimg.com/ba/images/9c465512eeec582cf7a7fcd1ea7142f6df38b20ec9cfbcf46b7f7a11811cc12e.png)\\\\\n\\\\\nThink you've got the perfect bracket? Prove it.\\\\\n\\\\\n$50k is on the line. Enter by 3/19\\\\\n\\\\\nFill Out Bracket](https://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/mens-basketball-bracket/register/createteam?ncid=100003769)\n\nTRENDING\n\n- [Play Bracket Mayhem](http://yahoofantasy.com/bracketmayhem)\n\n- [March Madness bracket picks](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-picks-cinderellas-upsets-final-four-predictions-and-more-for-the-ncaa-mens-and-womens-tournaments-134128076.html)\n\n- [Printable brackets](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-printable-brackets-for-mens-and-womens-2026-ncaa-basketball-tournaments-141418306.html)\n\n- [About WNBA's new CBA and season](https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-wnbas-new-cba-and-upcoming-season-173735615.html)\n\n- [No silver lining for USA](https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/world-baseball-classic-for-team-usa-juggernaut-offense-never-materializes-in-another-wbc-disappointment-075418149.html)\n\n\nStory by [![Yahoo Sports](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OY7XpdnJ.mnppEyjHIbScA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI2MjtoPTU2O2NmPXdlYnA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-02/d6cfeca0-6bdc-11eb-9fff-072dbeffa160)\\\\\n\\\\\n![Yahoo Sports](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0a6D8e9zyXYgoJ0vQZUUQw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI4ODtoPTU2O2NmPXdlYnA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-02/ca3e26a0-6bdc-11eb-b7ee-d9fd18161c81)](https://sports.yahoo.com/)\n\n[![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Anzhz41_kx7xEoP1NwkZPQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTIxMDtoPTIxMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2023-04%2Fd2f4cb00-e600-11ed-b55f-6817177f4c26&compress=1&progressive=1&quality=75&client=hawkeye&signature=4a8e13273ba9573d3b8e3d14d8225255e1618304)](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jason-owens-20131010/)\n\n[Jason Owens](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jason-owens-20131010/) Staff writer\n\nWed, March 18, 2026 at 3:01 PM UTC·\n\n11 min read\n\nWith the [2026 NCAA men's tournament](https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/topic/march-madness/) upon us, here's everything you need to know about the East region.\n\n**\\[More regional breakdowns:** [**West**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-2026-west-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144511669.html) **\\|** [**Midwest**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-midwest-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144504989.html) **\\|** [**South**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-south-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144500978.html) **\\]**\n\n## Who are the favorites?\n\n- No. 1 Duke ( [+300 to win the national title at BetMGM](https://mediaserver.partyaffiliates.com/renderBanner.do?zoneId=1612499&btag=dcm_23703419_277815123_461007406_127700618_94dd17ab-b4d1-4591-889e-20544fbf4b64))\n\n- No. 2 UConn (+2200)\n\n- No. 4 Kansas (+4000)\n\n\nDuke is the No. 1 overall seed after a 32-2 campaign that featured a 17-1 record in ACC play and a win over fellow No. 1 seed Michigan on a neutral court. UConn had a shot at securing a No. 1 seed, but settled for a 2 seed after losing to St. John's in the Big East tournament championship. No. 4 seed Kansas is actually a betting favorite over No. 3 seed Michigan State (+5000), thanks largely to the presence of potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson in its backcourt.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\n**\\[** [**Yahoo Fantasy Brac"
}
assistantMessage 11
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "West region 2026 NCAA tournament Arizona Purdue Gonzaga Arkansas analysis"
}
Now let me research the WEST region:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-tournament-predictions-west-region-cinderella-bracket-buster-winner-from-college-basketball-expert/",
      "title": "NCAA Tournament predictions: West Region Cinderella ...",
      "snippet": "The Wildcats excel at playing at a faster tempo and have a much better defense than Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Arkansas and Purdue. Arizona is my pick ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.hoopshq.com/bracketology/ncaa-west-regional-analysis-2026",
      "title": "West Preview: Arizona Is Primed to Get Back to the Final Four",
      "snippet": "The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket has arrived, and here's a breakdown of some of the key players, teams and storylines in the West Region."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.outkick.com/sports/outkick-2026-ncaa-tournament-breakdown-east-west-regions",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Quick Analysis: East And West ...",
      "snippet": "West Region · No. 1 Seed – Arizona (32-2) · No. 2 Seed – Purdue (27-8) · No. 3 Seed – Gonzaga (30-3) · No. 4 Seed – Arkansas (26-8) · No. 5 Seed – ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf5KZ97otvs",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket breakdown",
      "snippet": "West Regional PREVIEW: Arizona is No. 1 - can Arkansas, Purdue, BYU OR ANYONE ELSE KNOCK THEM OFF? Aaron Torres. New. 2.3K views · 11 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/2026-ncaa-tournament-west-region-breakdown",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament West Region Breakdown: Arizona ...",
      "snippet": "Arizona enters with championship expectations, Purdue carries momentum, Gonzaga brings experience and Arkansas arrives playing its best ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 12
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-tournament-predictions-west-region-cinderella-bracket-buster-winner-from-college-basketball-expert/"
}
Let me fetch the CBS Sports West region analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "site: media \\| arena: collegebasketball \\| pageType: stories \\|\nsection: \\| slug: ncaa-tournament-predictions-west-region-cinderella-bracket-buster-winner-from-college-basketball-expert \\| sport: collegebasketball \\| route: article\\_single.us \\|\n6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories\n\n[Skip to Main Content](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-tournament-predictions-west-region-cinderella-bracket-buster-winner-from-college-basketball-expert/#page-content)\n\nClose\n\nSign in with your TV provider\n\nIf not listed, please contact your TV provider.\n\n![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)\n\nAll ProvidersXfinity\n\n# NCAA Tournament predictions: West Region Cinderella, bracket buster, winner from college basketball expert\n\n## College basketball expert Thomas Casale looks at the West Region in the 2026 tournament and picks a Cinderella, team to avoid and regional champion\n\nBy\n[Thomas Casale](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/thomas-casale/)\n\n\nMar 17, 2026\n\nat\n\n12:05 pm ET\n•\n3 min read\n\n\n![darius-acuff-arkansas-razorbacks](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2026/03/15/b303e8e5-6e5b-44cf-a4dd-715149128a3d/thumbnail/770x433/21c201b50a292e0aef89b7aca348f4e9/darius-acuff-arkansas-razorbacks.jpg)Imagn Images\n\nThe West can be defined as the \"Region of Champions.\" The region is home to [Arizona](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ARIZ/arizona-wildcats/), [Purdue](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/PURDUE/purdue-boilermakers/), [Arkansas](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ARK/arkansas-razorbacks/) and [Gonzaga](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/GONZAG/gonzaga-bulldogs/), all teams that won their conference tournaments. And for good measure, the committee threw in [Wisconsin](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/WISC/wisconsin-badgers/), which owns road wins over [Michigan](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MICH/michigan-wolverines/), [Illinois](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/ILL/illinois-fighting-illini/) and Purdue this season.\n\nHere is a breakdown of the West Region with a potential Cinderella, bracket buster and Final Four pick.\n\n## West Region bracket strategy\n\n### Cinderella to watch: No. 7 Miami\n\n[Miami](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MIAMI/miami-fla-hurricanes/) is a team that plays better than the metrics suggest. The Canes rank top 40 in offensive and defensive efficiency, although their talent doesn't jump off the page. Head coach Jai Lucas did a great job of using the transfer portal to assemble a group that meshes well together.\n\nThe one thing Miami does exceptionally well is rebound. The Hurricanes ranked second in the ACC in offensive rebounding, behind [Duke](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/DUKE/duke-blue-devils/), and first in defensive rebounding. That's one of the key metrics I look at in the NCAA Tournament, because teams traveling and playing on neutral courts don't always shoot well early in games. Second-chance opportunities can keep a team in games, while poor rebounding teams can fall behind early and never recover.\n\nThe Canes got a tough draw facing [Missouri](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MIZZOU/missouri-tigers/) in St. Louis. While the Tigers will certainly have the home crowd behind them, one of the things I like about the Hurricanes is they won 10 games away from home this season.\n\nIf Miami beats Missouri, it's likely Purdue and Gonzaga in the next two games. While the Canes will be underdogs against both teams, those aren't awful matchups because Miami can compete in the paint with two bigger front lines.\n\nI identified Miami a couple of months ago as a team I thought could surprise in March. The Canes have a really tough opener, but things will get interesting if Miami beats Missouri on Friday. The Cane"
}
assistantMessage 13
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "South region 2026 NCAA tournament Florida Houston Illinois Nebraska analysis"
}
Now let me research the SOUTH region:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-south-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144500297.html",
      "title": "March Madness: South region predictions, Cinderella, expert picks ...",
      "snippet": "Florida enters the the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed with its frontcourt intact from his 2025 NCAA championship roster. Houston has added ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT6nt0YD25Y",
      "title": "March Madness South Region Bracket Preview, Picks - YouTube",
      "snippet": "March Madness South Region Bracket Preview, Picks: Florida, Houston, Illinois | 2026 NCAA Tournament. 2.2K views · 1 day ago."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.outkick.com/sports/2026-ncaa-tournament-breakdown-south-region-best-bets-sleepers-busts",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Breakdown: South Region Best Bets ...",
      "snippet": "In fact, here's a crazy KenPom stat: Houston is the top-rated #2 seed in the entire tournament, Illinois is the top-rated #3 seed, Nebraska is ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.covers.com/ncaab/march-madness/south-region-odds-picks-predictions",
      "title": "2026 South Region Odds & Picks: NCAA Tournament Bracket Analysis",
      "snippet": "Analyze 2026 South Region odds. From Florida's title defense to Houston's stifling defense, get expert picks and sleepers for this ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket",
      "title": "Jay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournament - ESPN",
      "snippet": "Illinois has the better offense, and Houston has the better defense. I am taking offense in this one, but it's an agonizing choice."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 14
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-south-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144500297.html"
}
Let me fetch the Yahoo Sports South region analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "Advertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[16\\\\\n\\\\\nHOURS LEFT\\\\\n\\\\\n![](https://s.yimg.com/ba/images/9c465512eeec582cf7a7fcd1ea7142f6df38b20ec9cfbcf46b7f7a11811cc12e.png)\\\\\n\\\\\nThink you've got the perfect bracket? Prove it.\\\\\n\\\\\n$50k is on the line. Enter by 3/19\\\\\n\\\\\nFill Out Bracket](https://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/mens-basketball-bracket/register/createteam?ncid=100003769)\n\nTRENDING\n\n- [Play Bracket Mayhem](http://yahoofantasy.com/bracketmayhem)\n\n- [March Madness bracket picks](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-picks-cinderellas-upsets-final-four-predictions-and-more-for-the-ncaa-mens-and-womens-tournaments-134128076.html)\n\n- [Printable brackets](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-printable-brackets-for-mens-and-womens-2026-ncaa-basketball-tournaments-141418306.html)\n\n- [About WNBA's new CBA and season](https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-wnbas-new-cba-and-upcoming-season-173735615.html)\n\n- [No silver lining for USA](https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/world-baseball-classic-for-team-usa-juggernaut-offense-never-materializes-in-another-wbc-disappointment-075418149.html)\n\n\nStory by [![Yahoo Sports](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OY7XpdnJ.mnppEyjHIbScA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI2MjtoPTU2O2NmPXdlYnA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-02/d6cfeca0-6bdc-11eb-9fff-072dbeffa160)\\\\\n\\\\\n![Yahoo Sports](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0a6D8e9zyXYgoJ0vQZUUQw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI4ODtoPTU2O2NmPXdlYnA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-02/ca3e26a0-6bdc-11eb-b7ee-d9fd18161c81)](https://sports.yahoo.com/)\n\n[![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Anzhz41_kx7xEoP1NwkZPQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTIxMDtoPTIxMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2023-04%2Fd2f4cb00-e600-11ed-b55f-6817177f4c26&compress=1&progressive=1&quality=75&client=hawkeye&signature=4a8e13273ba9573d3b8e3d14d8225255e1618304)](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jason-owens-20131010/)\n\n[Jason Owens](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jason-owens-20131010/) Staff writer\n\nWed, March 18, 2026 at 3:01 PM UTC·\n\n9 min read\n\nWith the [2026 NCAA men's tournament](https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/topic/march-madness/) upon us, here's everything you need to know about the South region.\n\n**\\[More regional breakdowns:** [**East**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-east-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144508183.html) **\\|** [**West**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-2026-west-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144511669.html) **\\|** [**Midwest**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-midwest-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144504989.html) **\\]**\n\n## Who are the favorites?\n\n- No. 1 Florida ( [+650 to win the national title at BetMGM](https://mediaserver.betmgmpartners.com/renderBanner.do?zoneId=1734022))\n\n- No. 2 Houston (+900)\n\n- No. 3 Illinois (+2000)\n\n\nFlorida enters the the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed with its frontcourt intact from his 2025 NCAA championship roster. Houston has added one of the nation's best guards to a tournament-tested roster that lost to Florida in last year's championship game. Illinois is a young but explosive team that finished in a second-place tie in the loaded Big Ten and can score with any team in the country.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\n**\\[** [**Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem is back: Enter for a shot to win up to $50K**](https://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/signup?ncid=100002309) **\\]**\n\n## When will the No. 1 seed go "
}
assistantMessage 15
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "Midwest region 2026 NCAA tournament Michigan Iowa State Alabama Virginia analysis"
}
Now let me research the MIDWEST region:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-midwest-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144504385.html",
      "title": "Midwest region predictions, Cinderella, expert picks, schedule, odds ...",
      "snippet": "Michigan opened as the early favorite after the selection show, but is now firmly the No. 2 favorite behind Duke. Iowa State's odds have ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/betting/betting-the-midwest-region-in-2026-ncaa-tournament-predictions-odds-upsets-for-march-madness",
      "title": "Betting the Midwest Region in 2026 NCAA Tournament",
      "snippet": "Odds to Win Midwest Region · Michigan -130 · Iowa State +245 · Virginia +1100 · Tennessee +1300 · Texas Tech +1700 · Alabama +2200 · Kentucky +4500 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.hoopshq.com/bracketology/midwest-regional-analysis-2026",
      "title": "NCAA Tournament Midwest Preview: Can Anyone Beat Michigan?",
      "snippet": "Iowa State over Michigan in the Elite Eight. This is a bet on continuity, culture and experience. Two of Iowa State's key players (Lipsey and ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://nypost.com/2026/03/16/sports/2026-march-madness-bracket-midwest-region-breakdown-prediction/",
      "title": "2026 March Madness bracket Midwest Region breakdown, prediction",
      "snippet": "The weakest No. 1 seed in vulnerable Michigan. A soft and overseeded No. 3 in Virginia, which lacks any high-end victories."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-midwest-region-9e17c4561008c290974b1cda85819803",
      "title": "Michigan gets No. 1 seed in Midwest, where Iowa State, Virginia and ...",
      "snippet": "The Wolverines are the betting favorite to win the national championship, at plus-325, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Two wins would send them ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 16
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-midwest-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144504385.html"
}
Let me fetch the Yahoo Sports Midwest region analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "Advertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[18\\\\\n\\\\\nHOURS LEFT\\\\\n\\\\\n![](https://s.yimg.com/ba/images/9c465512eeec582cf7a7fcd1ea7142f6df38b20ec9cfbcf46b7f7a11811cc12e.png)\\\\\n\\\\\nThink you've got the perfect bracket? Prove it.\\\\\n\\\\\n$50k is on the line. Enter by 3/19\\\\\n\\\\\nFill Out Bracket](https://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/mens-basketball-bracket/register/createteam?ncid=100003769)\n\nTRENDING\n\n- [Play Bracket Mayhem](http://yahoofantasy.com/bracketmayhem)\n\n- [March Madness bracket picks](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-picks-cinderellas-upsets-final-four-predictions-and-more-for-the-ncaa-mens-and-womens-tournaments-134128076.html)\n\n- [Printable brackets](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-printable-brackets-for-mens-and-womens-2026-ncaa-basketball-tournaments-141418306.html)\n\n- [About WNBA's new CBA and season](https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-wnbas-new-cba-and-upcoming-season-173735615.html)\n\n- [No silver lining for USA](https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/world-baseball-classic-for-team-usa-juggernaut-offense-never-materializes-in-another-wbc-disappointment-075418149.html)\n\n\nStory by [![Yahoo Sports](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OY7XpdnJ.mnppEyjHIbScA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI2MjtoPTU2O2NmPXdlYnA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-02/d6cfeca0-6bdc-11eb-9fff-072dbeffa160)\\\\\n\\\\\n![Yahoo Sports](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0a6D8e9zyXYgoJ0vQZUUQw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI4ODtoPTU2O2NmPXdlYnA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-02/ca3e26a0-6bdc-11eb-b7ee-d9fd18161c81)](https://sports.yahoo.com/)\n\n[![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/egYEcw4IsDThOZjDL.I1wQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTIxMDtoPTIxMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fimage_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fo.aolcdn.com%252Fimages%252Fdims%253Fimage_uri%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fo.aolcdn.com%25252Fimages%25252Fdims%25253Fimage_uri%25253Dhttps%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Fs.yimg.com%2525252Fos%2525252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2525252F2019-02%2525252Fc51f2780-3b70-11e9-bfbf-733751ce931b%252526compress%25253D1%252526progressive%25253D1%252526quality%25253D75%252526client%25253Dhawkeye%252526signature%25253Dd092d3756b63bc2c31c92e32916b4833725b7794%2526compress%253D1%2526progressive%253D1%2526quality%253D75%2526client%253Dhawkeye%2526signature%253Ddb62467eb4736c04d9054832a90b4af8a6e2d4fa%26compress%3D1%26progressive%3D1%26quality%3D75%26client%3Dhawkeye%26signature%3D21a69444967b6d022b98885e60b65557c113c0b8&compress=1&progressive=1&quality=75&client=hawkeye&signature=e94f82e643d4d29282d58410007504a387c13134)](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/nick-bromberg/)\n\n[Nick Bromberg](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/nick-bromberg/) Senior writer\n\nWed, March 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC·\n\n10 min read\n\nWith the [2026 NCAA men's tournament](https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/topic/march-madness/) upon us, here's everything you need to know about the Midwest region.\n\n**\\[More regional breakdowns:** [**East**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-east-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144508183.html) **\\|** [**West**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-2026-west-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144511669.html) **\\|** [**South**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-south-region-bracket-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-watch-times-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144500978.html) **\\]**\n\n## Who are the favorites?\n\n- Michigan ( [+350 to win the national title at BetMGM](https://mediaserver.betmgmpartners.com/renderBanner.do?zoneId=1734022))\n\n- Iowa State (16-1)\n\n-"
}
assistantMessage 17
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 NCAA tournament 12 seed over 5 seed upsets predictions St. John's Northern Iowa Vanderbilt McNeese Texas Tech Akron"
}
Now let me search for specific upset indicators and 12-5 matchups:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/12-vs-5-upset-rankings-can-reeling-texas-tech-make-it-past-red-hot-akron/amp/",
      "title": "12 vs. 5 upset rankings: Can Texas Tech make it past red-hot Akron?",
      "snippet": "No. 12 vs. No. 5 seed upset rankings · 4. Northern Iowa over St. John's · 3. High Point over Wisconsin · 2. McNeese over Vanderbilt · 1. Akron over ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/college/tiger-extra/2026/03/18/ncaa-tournament-upset-predictions-tribunes-bracket-buster-march-madness-picks/89185410007/",
      "title": "March Madness upset predictions: Tribune's NCAA bracket-buster ...",
      "snippet": "We say that it catches up to the Tide. Don't fall for 13-seed Cal Baptist over 4-seed Kansas or 12-seed Northern Iowa over 5-seed St. John's."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/march-madness-upset-predictions-2026-131717987.html",
      "title": "March Madness upset predictions 2026: Which 12 seed is most ...",
      "snippet": "12 McNeese (28-5) takes on No. 5 Vanderbilt (26-8) in the South Region. No. 12 Northern Iowa (23-12) takes on No. 5 St. John's (26-6) in the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/the-12-vs-5-seed-upset-you-should-pick-in-your-march-madness-bracket-11680806",
      "title": "The 12 vs 5 Seed Upset You Should Pick in Your March Madness ...",
      "snippet": "The 12 vs 5 Seed Upset You Should Pick in Your March Madness Bracket · East Region: 5. St. John's vs. 12. Northern Iowa · South Region: 5."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://deadspin.com/best-12-vs-5-ncaa-tournament-upset-picks-for-2026-march-madness/",
      "title": "Best 12 vs 5 NCAA Tournament Upset Picks for 2026 March Madness",
      "snippet": "Best 12 vs 5 NCAA Tournament Upset Picks for 2026 March Madness · #12 UNI (+470) vs #5 St. John's -10.5 · #12 Akron (+260) vs #5 Texas Tech -7.5."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 18
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/12-vs-5-upset-rankings-can-reeling-texas-tech-make-it-past-red-hot-akron/amp/"
}
Let me fetch the CBS Sports 12-5 upset analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "site: media \\| arena: collegebasketball \\| pageType: stories \\|\nsection: \\| slug: 12-vs-5-upset-rankings-can-reeling-texas-tech-make-it-past-red-hot-akron \\| sport: collegebasketball \\| route: article\\_single.us \\|\n6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories\n\n[Skip to Main Content](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/12-vs-5-upset-rankings-can-reeling-texas-tech-make-it-past-red-hot-akron/#page-content)\n\nClose\n\nSign in with your TV provider\n\nIf not listed, please contact your TV provider.\n\n![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)\n\nAll ProvidersXfinity\n\n# 12 vs. 5 upset rankings: Can reeling Texas Tech make it past red-hot Akron?\n\n## The No. 12 seeds went 2-2 in last year's NCAA Tournament, and here's who's most likely to pull the upsets this year\n\n[![            Josh Nagel     ](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2021/02/10/a1bebcdf-53d8-4539-944c-505ae18df2e5/thumbnail/80x80/593e2e2034be701e2b3cd3b33d7e3b21/expert-headshot-josh-nagel.png)](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/josh-nagel/)\n\nBy\n[Josh Nagel](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/josh-nagel/)\n\n4 hrs ago\n•\n3 min read\n\n\n![joshua-dent-saint-marys-gaels](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2026/02/20/433d445e-c016-456d-a0bb-65d4fab6c8aa/thumbnail/770x433/0497746771bd606379bbdbe8d5260093/tavari-johnson-akron-zips-imagn-images-1.jpg)Imagn Images\n\nOver the past 40 years, No. 12 seeds have held a win rate of 35.6% and overall record of 57-103 in the NCAA Tournament.\n\nThis is  in large part because the gap between the clubs is rarely as wide as it might appear on paper. The No. 5 seeds are usually reserved for middling big-conference programs that fell slightly short of expectations, while the No. 12 seeds are often granted to smaller-conference programs that won their conference tournaments, enter the NCAA Tournament on a massive winning streak and are beaming with confidence.\n\nBoth of these performance arcs showed up last year as No. 12 seeds went 2-2 in the opening round. McNeese State defeated No. 5 [Clemson](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/CLEM/clemson-tigers/) 69–67, while [Colorado State](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/COLOST/colorado-state-rams/) defeated No. 5 [Memphis](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MEMP/memphis-tigers/) 78–70. Can the No. 12 seeds in the 2026 NCAA Tournament match this success?\n\n## No. 12 vs. No. 5 seed upset rankings\n\nWe'll look at the matchups between this year's No. 12 and No. 5 seeds and rank which upsets are most likely to occur. These are ordered from least likely to most likely.\n\n### 4\\. Northern Iowa over St. John's\n\nLike many college basketball observers, we thought the Red Storm, who won both the Big East regular season and tournament titles, were snubbed by the selection committee with a relatively modest No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Moreover, we expect them to play with a proverbial chip on their shoulders as a result, not that this Rick Pitino-coached team was light on motivation before Selection Sunday.\n\n[Northern Iowa](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/NIOWA/northern-iowa-panthers/) was once a staple of the NCAA Tournament, making four memorable appearances in a seven-year span, but this will be the Panthers' first trip to the Big Dance since 2016. They finished sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference before embarking on a conference tournament title tun to secure the automatic bid.\n\nWhile we expect the Panthers to hang around for a while, the Red Storm should flex their muscle and pull away from a Northern Iowa club that is limited on the offensive end (69.9 points per game).\n\n### 3\\. High Point over Wisconsin\n\nThe late-blooming Badgers surged down the stretch with an 8-2-mark in the rugged Big Ten, which included a solid conference tournament showing that ended with a 68-65 semifinal loss to regular-season champion [Mich"
}
assistantMessage 19
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 NCAA tournament injury reports key players Darryn Peterson Kansas Dylan Harper Rutgers"
}
Now let me search for injury reports and key player information:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.10tv.com/article/syndication/associatedpress/it-isnt-only-freshmen-making-this-march-madness-special-here-are-top-prospects-in-other-classes/616-1611bcf8-fe92-4235-87d8-acb0e7756051",
      "title": "It isn't only freshmen making this March Madness special ... - 10TV",
      "snippet": "Even then, two of the top five players taken were Rutgers teammates Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, whose Scarlet Knights failed to reach the NCAA ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/deep-freshman-class-poised-steal-002502792.html",
      "title": "Deep freshman class poised to steal March Madness spotlight as ...",
      "snippet": "The road to Indianapolis for the Final Four could be fueled by college basketball stars barely old enough to have a driver's license."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/usatodaysports/posts/heres-a-look-at-10-potential-ncaa-tournament-breakout-stars-to-watch-out-for-in-/1497602861725523/",
      "title": "March Madness potential breakout players, stars in 2026 NCAA",
      "snippet": "2️⃣ Is Darryn Peterson still the top prospect? 3️⃣ Could ... Darryn Peterson (Kansas) - 20.0ppg Caleb Wilson (UNC) - 19.8ppg, 58 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.aol.com/sports/march-madness-bracket-top-players-164538504.html",
      "title": "Top players to watch in each region of the NCAA men's tournament",
      "snippet": "Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Peterson is arguably the most important player to his team in the tournament. How he goes dictates how Kansas ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25404131-darryn-peterson-hints-potential-kansas-return-amid-2026-nba-draft-rumors",
      "title": "Darryn Peterson Hints at Potential Kansas Return Amid 2026 NBA ...",
      "snippet": "Projected top-two 2026 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson didn't shut down the idea of returning for a second season with Kansas during a ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 20
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "Rick Pitino St. John's 2026 tournament experience coaching advantage"
}
Let me search for more specific matchup analysis and coaching information:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/14/sport/rick-pitino-st-johns-big-east-tournament",
      "title": "At 73, Rick Pitino is pulling off another masterpiece in a ...",
      "snippet": "When Rick Pitino went to St. John's, it suited his M.O. to a tee – proud program, desperate fan base, nowhere to go but up."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.amny.com/sports/rick-pitino-stjohns-godage-3-15-26/",
      "title": "Rick Pitino has authored a new St. John's golden age",
      "snippet": "Rick Pitino has authored a new St. John's golden age; now NCAA Tournament success must follow. By Joe Pantorno Posted on March 15, 2026."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/rick-pitino-st-john-red-055620944.html",
      "title": "Rick Pitino, St. John's Red Storm make Big East history ...",
      "snippet": "Rick Pitino and the St. John's Red Storm made Big East history after beating UConn to win their second consecutive tournament title."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/MarchMadnessMBB/posts/st-johns-goes-back-to-back-the-rick-pitino-era-keeps-the-momentum-going-as-the-j/1326426462853743/",
      "title": "ST. JOHN'S GOES BACK-TO-BACK 🔥 The Rick Pitino era ...",
      "snippet": "ST. JOHN'S GOES BACK-TO-BACK The Rick Pitino era keeps the momentum going, as the Johnnies clinch a second straight Big East title."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/st-johns-announces-rick-pitino-news-ahead-of-ncaa-tournament-11692450",
      "title": "St. John's Announces Rick Pitino News Ahead of NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "John's announced major news on Tuesday morning: Pitino was officially named NABC Regional Coach of the Year, and four of his players also ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 21
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 NCAA tournament Cinderella teams mid-majors High Point McNeese Akron Northern Iowa"
}
Now let me search for specific information about potential Cinderella teams:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/2026-ncaa-tournament-bracket-projections-comparing-march-madness-ai-picks-from-chatgpt-copilot-gemini/amp/",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament bracket projections: Comparing March ...",
      "snippet": "It identifies double-digit seeds 10 Santa Clara, 11 South Florida, 12 High Point and 12 Northern Iowa as teams who could be bracket busters."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-region-by-region-predictions-cinderellas-expert-picks-odds-schedule-and-more-204524913.html",
      "title": "March Madness 2026: Region-by-region predictions, Cinderellas ...",
      "snippet": "Who is the Cinderella of the region? High Point is a high-scoring team. Sorry for the horrible attempt at a pun there, but the region's No ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college-basketball/ten-teams-that-could-make-cinderella-runs-in-2026-mens-march-madness",
      "title": "Ten Teams That Could Make Cinderella Runs in 2026 Men's March ...",
      "snippet": "Ten Teams That Could Make Cinderella Runs in 2026 Men's March Madness · 10. High Point (No. 12 Seed, West Region) · 9. Akron (No. 12 Seed, Midwest ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://fansided.com/ncaab/march-madness-sleepers-6-teams-ready-make-cinderella-run-",
      "title": "March Madness sleepers: 6 teams ready to make a Cinderella run",
      "snippet": "The Hofstra Pride have true Cinderella potential · The Northern Iowa Panthers are Missouri Valley's best hope for a Cinderella run · The high- ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.aol.com/sports/march-madness-2026-region-region-204524311.html",
      "title": "March Madness 2026: Region-by-region predictions, Cinderellas ...",
      "snippet": "But if you insist on tabbing a Cinderella out of the East, there are worse places to look than No. 12 seed Northern Iowa. The Panthers boast one ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 22
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "2026 NCAA tournament championship contenders Duke Arizona Michigan Florida Houston"
}
Let me search for championship contender analysis:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/2026-march-madness-bracket-ncaa-tournament-announced-with-duke-as-no-1-overall-seed-220224866.html",
      "title": "NCAA tournament announced with Duke as No. 1 overall seed",
      "snippet": "The NCAA men's tournament bracket has been revealed with Duke as the No. 1 overall seed playing out of the East region. Arizona is the No."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/what-know-about-every-mens-team-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "What to know about every men's team in the NCAA tournament",
      "snippet": "The 2026 men's NCAA tournament 68-team field is finally set. With each team setting its sights on the Big Dance through 31 auto bids and 37 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25407079-buying-or-selling-top-contenders-2026-mens-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "Buying or Selling Top Contenders for the 2026 Men's NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "As you work through either your \"Sheet of Integrity\" or your 50th set of picks since the 2026 men's NCAA tournament field was announced Sunday night, ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://collegefootballnews.com/college-basketball/meet-ncaa-tournament-2026-no-1-seeds-arizona-duke-florida-michigan",
      "title": "Meet the NCAA Tournament No. 1 Seeds: Arizona, Duke, Florida",
      "snippet": "Arizona, Duke, Florida, and Michigan will almost certainly be the 2026 NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeds. Here's CFN's breakdown of every top seed's ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7121417/2026/03/16/mens-ncaa-tournament-2026-bracket-picks-arizona/",
      "title": "Who will win the 2026 NCAA Tournament? Our expert Lindsay ...",
      "snippet": "Who will win the 2026 NCAA Tournament? Our expert Lindsay Schnell picks Arizona in her bracket ; 1 Duke. 5 ; 3 Michigan State. 2 ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 23
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25407079-buying-or-selling-top-contenders-2026-mens-ncaa-tournament"
}
Let me fetch the Bleacher Report analysis on contenders:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "![Video thumbnail](https://media.sportsplatform.io/bleacher-report/pt/images/2026-03/20260316184525733-null.png)\n\n01:25\n\nFeatured Video\n\nMen's Tourney Storylines 📚\n\nPreviousNext\n\n![Florida v Duke](https://gsp-image-cdn.wmsports.io/cms/prod/bleacher-report/getty_images/2026-03/2250573632_large_cropped.jpg)\n\nDuke's Isaiah EvansJacob Kupferman/Getty Images\n\n![tag-logo](https://gsp-image-cdn.wmsports.io/cms/prod/bleacher-report/2025-02/ncaam.png)\n\n# Buying or Selling Top Contenders for the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament\n\nKerry MillerMar 17, 2026\n\nAs you work through either your \"Sheet of Integrity\" or your 50th set of picks since the 2026 men's NCAA tournament field was announced Sunday night, let's take a closer look at some of the top contenders.\n\nWe'll briefly examine each of the four No. 1 and four No. 2 seeds and come to a conclusion on whether we're buying or selling their title odds.\n\nTo be clear, I'm buying all eight of these teams as viable candidates to win the national championship.\n\nWhat we're buying or selling are their national championship odds, and their implied probability of winning it all.\n\nOdds are the consensus of several books, [via Vegas Insider](https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-basketball/odds/futures/), captured Monday morning. Teams are presented in ascending order of odds.\n\n## Purdue Boilermakers (West No. 2 Seed)\n\n1 of 8\n\n![Purdue v UCLA](https://gsp-image-cdn.wmsports.io/cms/prod/bleacher-report/getty_images/2026-03/2266528958_large_cropped.jpg)\n\nMichael Reaves/Getty Images\n\nBraden Smith\n\n**Odds:** +2940\n\n**Reason to Buy:** Veteran Leadership and Elite Offense\n\nAfter dropping 80 points on Michigan in the Big Ten title game, Purdue is now rated by KenPom as the No. 1 offense in the nation, narrowly sliding ahead of Illinois for that crown.\n\nThat all starts with senior point guard Braden Smith, who is one assist away from Bobby Hurley for the NCAA career record. It also depends heavily upon senior shooting guard Fletcher Loyer, senior power forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, and senior center Oscar Cluff.\n\nWhen that veteran quartet is collectively doing its thing—with sophomore CJ Cox pitching in some triples, too—Purdue has the potential for greatness.\n\nThe question is whether Loyer will go through one of his cold spells from distance, or if Cluff will make minimal impact, as was the case for much of the final 13 games of the regular season.\n\nBut while Smith racked up 46 assists during the four-game Big Ten tournament run, each of those other three seniors scored in double figures in each game.\n\nThat's the blueprint for a title.\n\n**Reason to Sell**: It's Purdue\n\nArkansas-Little Rock. North Texas. Saint Peter's. Fairleigh Dickinson.\n\nNeed we say more?\n\nThe Boilermakers did finally make it to a title game two years ago, but Zach Edey isn't walking through that door.\n\nAnd though they just looked pretty great in winning the Big Ten tournament, Purdue ended the regular season with losses in seven of its final 13 games, dropping games left and right at Mackey Arena, which would have been unthinkable in recent years.\n\n**Verdict**: Selling\n\nThe offense is great, but the defense is a problem.\n\nNo one could score against them in the Big Ten tournament for some reason, but Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin all lit up this team for better than 1.3 points per possession. Even Penn State almost hit that mark in a game at Mackey Arena without its freshman star Kayden Mingo.\n\nIt's just about inevitable that they'll run into at least one game where they need to score about 90 points to overcome their poor defense. And while they could do just that, it makes it tough to bet on Purdue.\n\n## Connecticut Huskies (East No. 2 Seed)\n\n2 of 8\n\n![Connecticut v Marquette](https://gsp-image-cdn.wmsports.io/cms/prod/bleacher-report/getty_images/2026-03/2265681763_large_cropped.jpg)\n\nPatrick McDermott/Getty Images\n\nDan Hurley\n\n**Odds:** +2220\n\n**Reason to Buy:** Recent History\n\nNot only did Connecticut win it all in 2023 and 2024"
}
assistantMessage 24
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "\"South Florida\" \"Louisville\" 2026 NCAA tournament 11 seed upset potential"
}
Now let me search for more specific information about key matchups and team strengths:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/without-mikel-brown-jr-no-6-seed-louisville-tips-off-vs-no-11-usf/",
      "title": "Without Mikel Brown Jr., No. 6 seed Louisville tips off vs. ...",
      "snippet": "... NCAA Tournament -- including Thursday afternoon when Louisville (23-10) faces No. 11 seed South Florida (25-8) in Buffalo, N.Y.. \"He made ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://thespun.com/college-basketball/no-11-seed-emerging-as-popular-upset-pick-for-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "No. 11 Seed Emerging As Popular Upset Pick For NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "Fans now favor South Florida for a potential first-round upset over injury-weakened Louisville. Sportsbook. Bet365. Bet $10 and Get $365 in ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/college/tiger-extra/2026/03/18/ncaa-tournament-upset-predictions-tribunes-bracket-buster-march-madness-picks/89185410007/",
      "title": "March Madness upset predictions: Tribune's NCAA bracket ...",
      "snippet": "It's not happening. We will listen to 11-seed USF over 6-seed Louisville, though, especially since the Cardinals will be without superstar ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7121264/2026/03/16/march-madness-upsets-ncaa-tournament-2026-10-most-likely/",
      "title": "The 10 most likely men's NCAA tournament upsets for ...",
      "snippet": "No. 6 Louisville Cardinals vs. No. 11 South Florida Bulls. Upset Chance: 28 percent. In last week's list of our favorite underdogs, we explored ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college-basketball/march-madness-brackets-expert-predictions-first-round-upsets-2026-mens-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "Expert Predictions for First-Round Upsets in the 2026 ...",
      "snippet": "11 South Florida besting No. 6 Louisville in the first round. This game Vegas sees a bit more in the Cardinals' favor, with Louisville a 5.5 ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 25
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/without-mikel-brown-jr-no-6-seed-louisville-tips-off-vs-no-11-usf/"
}
Let me fetch the CBS Sports article about Louisville vs South Florida:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "site: media \\| arena: collegebasketball \\| pageType: stories \\|\nsection: \\| slug: without-mikel-brown-jr-no-6-seed-louisville-tips-off-vs-no-11-usf \\| sport: collegebasketball \\| route: article\\_single.us \\|\n6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories\n\n[Skip to Main Content](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/without-mikel-brown-jr-no-6-seed-louisville-tips-off-vs-no-11-usf/#page-content)\n\nClose\n\nSign in with your TV provider\n\nIf not listed, please contact your TV provider.\n\n![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)\n\nAll ProvidersXfinity\n\n# Without Mikel Brown Jr., No. 6 seed Louisville tips off vs. No. 11 USF\n\n## Without Mikel Brown Jr., No. 6 seed Louisville tips off vs. No. 11 USF\n\nBy\n\nFLM\n\n\n8 hrs ago\n•\n2 min read\n\n\n![default-cbs-image](https://sportsfly.cbsistatic.com/fly-504/bundles/sportsmediacss/images/core/video-slate.png)\n\nNow Playing\n\nShare\n\nShare Video\n\n- [Copy the video link](https://www.cbssports.com/watch/general/video/bracket-tips-11-seed-with-best-chance-at-first-round-upset \"Copy the video link\")\n- [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=bracket-tips-11-seed-with-best-chance-at-first-round-upset&url=https://www.cbssports.com/watch/general/video/bracket-tips-11-seed-with-best-chance-at-first-round-upset \"X\")\n- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=297742330311988&display=popup&href=https://www.cbssports.com/watch/general/video/bracket-tips-11-seed-with-best-chance-at-first-round-upset \"Facebook\")\n\nLink copied!\n\nWithout Mikel Brown Jr., No. 6 seed [Louisville](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/LVILLE/louisville-cardinals/) tips off vs. No. 11 USF\n\nIt's safe to say Pat Kelsey's second season at Louisville hasn't gone entirely to plan.\n\nYes, the Cardinals are back in the NCAA Tournament, earning the No. 6 seed in the East Region. But expectations were higher for the team, which was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season.\n\nA big part of those hopes fell on star freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who has been incredibly effective but has missed 12 games due to a back injury.\n\nBrown sat out last week's ACC tournament and, on Wednesday, was ruled out for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament -- including Thursday afternoon when Louisville (23-10) faces No. 11 seed [South Florida](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/SFLA/south-florida-bulls/) (25-8) in Buffalo, N.Y.\n\n\"He made great progress last week,\" Kelsey said Monday. \"We'll see how the next couple days of practice go.\"\n\nBrown, who averages 18.2 points and a team-high 4.7 assists per game, is a catalyst for the Cardinals. Louisville is 16-5 and averages 88.1 points in games he's played in and is 7-5 and averaging 81.7 in games he's missed.\n\nThe Bulls, meanwhile, have rallied from tragedy for a remarkable season. The program hired Bryan Hodgson from Arkansas State last March after previous head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, 43, died due to complications during a medical procedure in October 2024.\n\nHodgson has led South Florida to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012. The Bulls enter on an 11-game winning streak, with their last loss coming on Jan. 31 at Temple. Six of their last seven wins have come by at least 15 points, but Hodgson said he isn't satisfied with what he's seen.\n\n\"I think we could still play a little bit better. Put together elite performances on both sides of the ball,\" he said Monday. \"We'll need to do that on Thursday to beat Louisville.\"\n\nDivision II transfer Wes Enis is coming into his own at the Division I level entering the postseason. He's scored at least 19 points in each of the last five games to claim the South Florida team lead at 16.8 points per contest. Izaiyah Nelson, who followed Hodgson from Arkansas State, is close behind at 15.7 ppg to go with 9.6 rebounds per game.\n\nEnis, despite being new to this level, i"
}
assistantMessage 26
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "\"North Carolina\" \"VCU\" 2026 NCAA tournament 6 seed vs 11 seed analysis"
}
Now let me search for information about other key matchups:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://collegefootballnews.com/college-basketball/north-carolina-vs-vcu-prediction-preview-ncaa-tournament-first-round",
      "title": "North Carolina vs VCU Prediction and Preview: NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "North Carolina is on first round upset alert against a dangerous VCU team. Here's the CFN prediction and preview."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ncaa-bracket-2026-march-madness-upsets/",
      "title": "NCAA bracket 2026: Best March Madness seed upsets to ...",
      "snippet": "... (6) seeds since 2010, give VCU a gander. The Rams have lost once ... North Carolina is without star freshman Caleb Wilson and has very much missed ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://poolgenius.teamrankings.com/ncaa-bracket-picks/articles/march-madness-upset-predictions-first-round-2026/",
      "title": "Top 4 March Madness Upset Predictions for the First Round",
      "snippet": "No. 11 VCU over No. 6 North Carolina. Odds to win: 43% Public pick rate: 28%."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2026-march-madness-odds-predictions-200409323.html",
      "title": "Breakdown of First Round in the South Region - UNC on ...",
      "snippet": "6 North Carolina Tar Heels (-142) vs. No. 11. VCU Rams (+120). Spread ... 2026 March Madness odds: UConn enters women's NCAA tournament as massive ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.aol.com/articles/march-madness-upset-picks-ncaa-221710944.html",
      "title": "March Madness upset picks: NCAA Tournament first-round ...",
      "snippet": "(6) North Carolina 74, (11) VCU 73. ATS winner: VCU +2.5. (3) Illinois 86, (14) Penn 64. ATS winner: Penn +24.5. (7) Saint Mary's 71, (10) Texas ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 27
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://collegefootballnews.com/college-basketball/north-carolina-vs-vcu-prediction-preview-ncaa-tournament-first-round"
}
Let me fetch the College Football News analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "[Skip to main content](https://collegefootballnews.com/#main-content)\n\nMarch 18, 2026\n\n[![College Football News | College Football Predictions, Analysis and Updates home](https://collegefootballnews.com/.image/cs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good/MTk1NjMwNjY3ODQzNzc0MzQ3/sticky-navigation-logo-1.svg)](https://collegefootballnews.com/)\n\n- [College Football](https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football)\n- [Predictions](https://collegefootballnews.com/predictions)\n- [Rankings](https://collegefootballnews.com/rankings)\n- [Schedules](https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/2025-college-football-schedules)\n- [Bowl Projections](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/bowl-projections)\n\n[Search](https://collegefootballnews.com/search \"Search\")\n\n[College Basketball](https://collegefootballnews.com/college-basketball)\n\n[CFN](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/cfn)\n\n[North Carolina Vs VCU](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/north-carolina-vs-vcu)\n\n[NCAA Tournament picks](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/ncaa-tournament-picks)\n\n[NCAA Tournament](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/ncaa-tournament)\n\n[North Carolina Basketball](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/north-carolina-basketball)\n\n[North Carolina Vs VCU Prediction](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/north-carolina-vs-vcu-prediction)\n\n[College Basketball](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/college-basketball)\n\nNorth Carolina is as blueblood as a college basketball program gets, but VCU is used to consistently playing at a high level and won’t shrink against any of the NCAA Tournament giants.\n\nThe Tar Heels have gone six years in a row with a winning record. VCU hasn’t had a losing record since 1999.\n\nIt knows how to win, and under Phil Martelli in his first season with the program, it knows how to handle pressure, winning its last six games to take the Atlantic 10 and get in.\n\nNorth Carolina lost star Caleb Wilson to an injury, but it’s on a two-game losing streak, and it’s about to be tested.\n\nThe winner gets either [Illinois](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/illinois) or Penn.\n\n![Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) shoots in the second half at Spectrum Center.](https://collegefootballnews.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_xy_center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620%2Cx_1397%2Cy_844/MjIyMDE5NjgyNjkxOTgzMjIy/usatsi_28481960.jpg)\n\nMar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) shoots in the second half at Spectrum Center.\n\n© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images\n\n## North Carolina vs VCU Game Preview: The Rams Are an Awful Matchup For the Tar Heels\n\n### North Carolina vs VCU How To Watch\n\n**Date:** Thursday, March 19\n\n**Venue:** Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC\n\n**Time:** 6:50 pm ET\n\n**TV:** TNT\n\n**Streaming:** March Madness Live App, Paramount+, HBO Max\n\n**Teams:** (6) North Carolina 24-8, (11) VCU 27-7\n\n**North Carolina Rankings:** KenPom 29 \\| NET 24\n\n**VCU Rankings:** KenPom 45 \\| NET 43\n\n**College Football Programs:** North Carolina will have a better second season under Bill Belichick - it has an offense now. VCU is a big school, but without a football program, it’s all about the hoops side and this tournament.\n\n\\- [CFN NCAA Tournament Schedule, Previews](https://collegefootballnews.com/college-basketball/2026-ncaa-tournament-schedule-predictions-picks)\n\n### Key Stats\n\n\\- **North Carolina doesn’t foul.** It led the [ACC](https://collegefootballnews.com/tag/acc) and was 16th in the nation with just 14.6 per game.\n\n\\- **VCU attempts a whole lot of free throws.** It was 18th in the country, averaging over 25 per game.\n\n### Why VCU Will Win: The Deep Rams Come In Waves\n\nThe loss of Wilson didn’t just take away a superstar from the North Carolina lineup, it made an already thin bench even leaner.\n\nThere are Tar Heel bench points, but VCU will be the fresher team throughout. It’s seventh in the nation in bench points - getting an average of 34 per game - and it shows in the ability to"
}
assistantMessage 28
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "\"Caleb Wilson\" injury North Carolina 2026 NCAA tournament"
}
Now let me search for information about other key injuries and matchups:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.wral.com/sports/unc-homecourt-advantage-greenville-sc-caleb-wilson-out-march-2026/",
      "title": "UNC opens NCAA Tournament without Caleb Wilson vs. ...",
      "snippet": "UNC opens NCAA Tournament without Caleb Wilson vs. surging VCU. No. 6 seed North Carolina begins its NCAA Tournament run Thursday against No."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.fayobserver.com/story/sports/college/acc/2026/03/18/unc-basketball-caleb-wilson-injury-march-madness-ncaa-tournament/89139733007/",
      "title": "UNC basketball's Caleb Wilson experiencing 'way more ...",
      "snippet": "UNC basketball freshman Caleb Wilson is out for the season with an injury, but he was all smiles ahead of the Tar Heels' NCAA Tournament ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/unc-announces-historic-caleb-wilson-news-before-ncaa-tournament-11692621",
      "title": "UNC Announces Historic Caleb Wilson News Before ...",
      "snippet": "Unfortunately for Hubert Davis and his UNC squad, they'll be without freshman phenom Caleb Wilson. Wilson broke his wrist during a loss to the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/unc/tar-heels-wilson-ceiling-went-unrecognized-in-2025",
      "title": "UNC's Wilson's Ceiling Went Unrecognized in 2025",
      "snippet": "North Carolina Will Miss Wilson in NCAA Tournament. Feb 10, 2026 ... Major Injury Update Released on UNC's Caleb Wilson. Published by on ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://goheels.com/news/2026/3/6/mens-basketball-caleb-wilson-breaks-right-thumb-in-practice-will-miss-rest-of-the-season",
      "title": "Caleb Wilson Breaks RIGHT Thumb In Practice, Will Miss ...",
      "snippet": "Caleb Wilson broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill in practice on Thursday, March 5. He will need surgery and is out for the rest of ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 29
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_search
{
  "query": "\"Santa Clara\" \"Kentucky\" 2026 NCAA tournament 10 seed vs 7 seed analysis"
}
Now let me search for information about other key matchups and teams:
Tool Result: web_search
{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/kentucky/men-s-basketball/kentucky-s-ncaa-tournament-matchup-with-10-seed-santa-clara-will-be-much-tougher-than-most-imagine",
      "title": "Kentucky's NCAA Tournament matchup with 10-Seed ...",
      "snippet": "On social media, it seems most Kentucky fans are very happy with the draw of Santa Clara, but this Broncos team is very dangerous. The other ten ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/10-vs-7-upset-rankings-saint-marys-least-likely-ncaa-tournament-no-7-seed-to-lose-but-heres-who-could/amp/",
      "title": "10 vs. 7 NCAA Tournament predictions:",
      "snippet": "Santa Clara over Kentucky. The $22 million team going down in the first round to a program that hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1996?"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/kentucky-santa-clara-march-madness-bracket-pick/5e9ab0508c1261fd9ce94b5f",
      "title": "Kentucky or Santa Clara? How to pick 7 vs. 10 matchup in ...",
      "snippet": "Here is a complete guide to picking No. 7 Kentucky and No. 10 Santa Clara in your 2026 March Madness bracket, including updated odds and our ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-basketball/3-things-kentucky-fans-should-know-about-santa-clara/",
      "title": "3 things Kentucky fans should know about Santa Clara",
      "snippet": "3. Santa Clara's last NCAA Tournament win came as a No. 10 seed. Kentucky fans surely hope this isn't a sign of things to come."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kentucky-basketball-round-64-ncaa-115500333.html",
      "title": "Kentucky Basketball Round of 64 NCAA Tournament History",
      "snippet": "The match is set: the Kentucky Wildcats will face off against the Santa Clara Broncos on Friday at 12:15 pm in a 7 vs 10 matchup, ..."
    }
  ]
}
assistantMessage 30
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: web_fetch
{
  "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/10-vs-7-upset-rankings-saint-marys-least-likely-ncaa-tournament-no-7-seed-to-lose-but-heres-who-could/amp/"
}
Let me fetch the CBS Sports 10-7 upset analysis:
Tool Result: web_fetch
{
  "content": "site: media \\| arena: collegebasketball \\| pageType: stories \\|\nsection: \\| slug: 10-vs-7-upset-rankings-saint-marys-least-likely-ncaa-tournament-no-7-seed-to-lose-but-heres-who-could \\| sport: collegebasketball \\| route: article\\_single.us \\|\n6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories\n\n[Skip to Main Content](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/10-vs-7-upset-rankings-saint-marys-least-likely-ncaa-tournament-no-7-seed-to-lose-but-heres-who-could/#page-content)\n\nClose\n\nSign in with your TV provider\n\nIf not listed, please contact your TV provider.\n\n![[object Object] Logo](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/2020/04/22/e9ceb731-8b3f-4c60-98fe-090ab66a2997/screen-shot-2020-04-22-at-11-04-56-am.png)\n\nAll ProvidersXfinity\n\n# 10 vs. 7 upset rankings: Saint Mary's least likely NCAA Tournament No. 7 seed to lose, but here's who could\n\n## A No. 10 seed has beaten a No. 7 seed in each of the last 17 NCAA Tournaments, and here's who's most likely to do so this year\n\n[![            Gene Menez     ](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2025/02/25/e3fc5f22-2045-4dd3-96ac-837c2e9778cf/thumbnail/80x80/ed782ce87de01af5e23e30354c68e009/expert-headshot-gene-menez.png)](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/gene-menez/)\n\nBy\n[Gene Menez](https://www.cbssports.com/writers/gene-menez/)\n\n5 hrs ago\n•\n4 min read\n\n\n![joshua-dent-saint-marys-gaels](https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2026/02/27/1bec7cda-72b9-49d9-87b0-1f32cdbbd456/thumbnail/770x433/b7df54ae38a08d4bc570de362de931be/joshua-dent-saint-marys-gaels.jpg)Imagn Images\n\nThere is good news and bad news for the No. 10 seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament.\n\nThe good news: A No. 10 seed has beaten a No. 7 seed in each of the last 17  tournaments. The bad news: Just two No. 10 seeds have reached the Sweet 16 in the past eight tournaments.\n\nThis year [Missouri](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MIZZOU/missouri-tigers/), [Santa Clara](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/SNCLRA/santa-clara-broncos/), [Texas A&M](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/TEXAM/texas-am-aggies/) and [UCF](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/UCF/ucf-knights/) are the No. 10 seeds that will try to get past the first weekend. But they first must get past the first round.\n\n## No. 7 vs. No. 10 seed upset rankings\n\nWe'll look at the matchups between this year's No. 7 and No. 10 seeds and rank which upsets are most likely to occur. These are ordered from least likely to most likely.\n\n### 4\\. Texas A&M over Saint Mary's\n\nLike the school's football team last fall, the Texas A&M basketball team started off hot and faded down the stretch. The Aggies (21-11) began the season 17-4 overall and 7-1 in SEC play before losing seven of their last 11 and squeaking into the 68-team field.\n\nThursday's game will be a contrast of styles. A&M plays at the 29th fastest tempo in the country (70.5 possessions per 40 minutes), which is a major reason the team averages 87.7 points per game (ninth in the nation). Meanwhile, [Saint Mary's](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/MARYCA/saint-marys-gaels/) ranks 298th in tempo (65.2 possessions per 40). Despite playing at a slower tempo—or perhaps because of it—the Gaels have a more efficient offense than A&M, averaging 120.4 points per 100 possessions to the Aggies' 119.7.\n\nSaint Mary's, on paper, has a big advantage on the boards. The 12th tallest team in the country per KenPom, the Gaels rank fourth in the nation in rebounding margin (11.3 per game). By contrast, A&M is 228th in Div. I in rebound margin (-0.2). Rebounding and tempo are two reasons why Saint Mary's limits opponents to just 64.6 points per game (seventh in the country).\n\nIn addition, the Aggies are prone to fouling; they rank 325th in the nation in fouls per game (19.3). That does not bode well against the Gaels, who lead all of Div. I in free throw shooting (80.5%).\n\n### 3\\. UCF over UCLA\n\nThe Knights (21-11) are just 1-5 in five previous NCAA Tournam"
}
assistantMessage 31
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: calculator
{
  "expression": "32 + 16 + 8 + 4 + 2 + 1"
}
Now I have gathered substantial research. Let me summarize key findings before building my bracket: ## Key Research Findings: ### Top Teams & Rankings: 1. **Duke** (#1 overall seed, 32-2, AP #1) 2. **Arizona** (#1 seed, 32-2, AP #2) 3. **Michigan** (#1 seed, 31-3, AP #3) 4. **Florida** (#1 seed, 26-7, AP #4, defending champion) 5. **Houston** (#2 seed, 28-6, AP #5) 6. **Iowa State** (#2 seed, 27-7, AP #6) 7. **UConn** (#2 seed, 29-5, AP #7) 8. **Purdue** (#2 seed, 27-8, AP #8) ### Key Injuries: 1. **Louisville**: Missing star freshman PG Mikel Brown Jr. (18.2 ppg, 4.7 apg) - out for first two rounds 2. **North Carolina**: Missing star freshman Caleb Wilson (19.8 ppg) - out for season with broken thumb 3. **Kansas**: Has potential #1 NBA pick Darryn Peterson healthy ### Upset Alerts: 1. **12-5 Matchups**: Historically 35.6% upset rate - Most likely: **Akron over Texas Tech** (Texas Tech reeling, Akron red-hot) - **McNeese over Vanderbilt** (McNeese 28-5, experienced) - **High Point over Wisconsin** (High Point high-scoring) - Least likely: **Northern Iowa over St. John's** (St. John's motivated, Rick Pitino coaching) 2. **11-6 Matchups**: - **South Florida over Louisville** (Louisville missing Brown Jr., USF on 11-game win streak) - **VCU over North Carolina** (UNC missing Caleb Wilson, VCU deep bench) 3. **10-7 Matchups**: Has happened 17 straight tournaments - **Santa Clara over Kentucky** (Santa Clara dangerous, Kentucky inconsistent) - **Missouri over Miami** (Missouri has home crowd in St. Louis) ### Cinderella Candidates: 1. **High Point** (#12 seed, West) - High-scoring team 2. **Akron** (#12 seed, Midwest) - Red-hot, Texas Tech struggling 3. **South Florida** (#11 seed, East) - 11-game win streak, Louisville injured 4. **VCU** (#11 seed, South) - Deep bench, UNC injured 5. **Santa Clara** (#10 seed, Midwest) - Dangerous matchup for Kentucky ### Region Strengths: 1. **East**: Loaded with Duke, UConn, Kansas, Michigan State, St. John's 2. **West**: "Region of Champions" - Arizona, Purdue, Gonzaga, Arkansas all won conference tournaments 3. **South**: Florida (defending champ), Houston (elite defense), Illinois (explosive offense) 4. **Midwest**: Michigan (weakest #1 seed per some analysts), Iowa State strong, Virginia overseeded ### Coaching Advantages: 1. **Rick Pitino** (St. John's) - Championship experience 2. **Dan Hurley** (UConn) - Back-to-back championships recently 3. **Tom Izzo** (Michigan State) - Tournament success Now let me proceed to Phase 2: BUILD YOUR BRACKET. ## Phase 2: BUILD YOUR BRACKET I'll build my bracket region by region, incorporating my research findings. ### EAST REGION Analysis: - Duke is the clear favorite but has a tough region - UConn has championship pedigree - Kansas has Darryn Peterson (potential #1 NBA pick) - St. John's has Rick Pitino motivation - Louisville missing Mikel Brown Jr. makes them vulnerable to South Florida - Michigan State is always dangerous in March ### WEST REGION Analysis: - Arizona is the favorite but Purdue has elite offense - Gonzaga always tournament-ready - Arkansas playing its best basketball - High Point (12 seed) has upset potential over Wisconsin - Miami vs Missouri is a toss-up with home crowd advantage for Missouri ### SOUTH REGION Analysis: - Florida defending champions but tough path - Houston has elite defense - Illinois has explosive offense - Nebraska overseeded per some analysts - VCU has strong chance over injured UNC - Saint Mary's vs Texas A&M favors Saint Mary's ### MIDWEST REGION Analysis: - Michigan weakest #1 seed per some analysts - Iowa State strong with continuity and culture - Virginia overseeded, lacks high-end wins - Texas Tech struggling, Akron red-hot - Santa Clara dangerous for Kentucky - Tennessee solid but has play-in game Now I'll build my bracket systematically:
Tool Result: calculator
{
  "result": 63
}
assistantMessage 32
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: calculator
{
  "expression": "8 + 8 + 8 + 8"
}
I need to make 63 picks total. Let me start with Round of 64 (r1): ## Round of 64 Picks (r1): ### EAST: 1. **game-1**: [1] Duke vs [16] Siena → **Duke** (clear favorite) 2. **game-2**: [8] Ohio State vs [9] TCU → **TCU** (slight upset, 9 seeds often beat 8 seeds) 3. **game-3**: [5] St. John's vs [12] Northern Iowa → **St. John's** (Rick Pitino motivation, Northern Iowa limited offense) 4. **game-4**: [4] Kansas vs [13] California Baptist → **Kansas** (Darryn Peterson too much) 5. **game-5**: [6] Louisville vs [11] South Florida → **South Florida** (Louisville missing Mikel Brown Jr., USF on 11-game win streak) 6. **game-6**: [3] Michigan State vs [14] North Dakota State → **Michigan State** (Tom Izzo in March) 7. **game-7**: [7] UCLA vs [10] UCF → **UCLA** (UCF 1-5 in tournament history) 8. **game-8**: [2] UConn vs [15] Furman → **UConn** (defending champ pedigree) ### WEST: 9. **game-9**: [1] Arizona vs [16] LIU → **Arizona** (clear favorite) 10. **game-10**: [8] Villanova vs [9] Utah State → **Utah State** (Villanova 0-5 vs ranked teams, first tournament since Jay Wright retirement) 11. **game-11**: [5] Wisconsin vs [12] High Point → **High Point** (upset! High Point high-scoring, Wisconsin inconsistent) 12. **game-12**: [4] Arkansas vs [13] Hawaii → **Arkansas** (playing best basketball of season) 13. **game-13**: [6] BYU vs [11] Texas/North Carolina State → **BYU** (BYU tournament experience, pick Texas to win play-in) 14. **game-14**: [3] Gonzaga vs [14] Kennesaw State → **Gonzaga** (always tournament ready) 15. **game-15**: [7] Miami vs [10] Missouri → **Missouri** (home crowd in St. Louis, Miami rebounding advantage but Missouri home court) 16. **game-16**: [2] Purdue vs [15] Queens → **Purdue** (elite offense) ### SOUTH: 17. **game-17**: [1] Florida vs [16] Prairie View/Lehigh → **Florida** (defending champ) 18. **game-18**: [8] Clemson vs [9] Iowa → **Iowa** (Iowa's offense over Clemson's defense) 19. **game-19**: [5] Vanderbilt vs [12] McNeese → **McNeese** (upset! McNeese 28-5, experienced) 20. **game-20**: [4] Nebraska vs [13] Troy → **Nebraska** (Troy has 70-spot KenPom gap) 21. **game-21**: [6] North Carolina vs [11] VCU → **VCU** (upset! UNC missing Caleb Wilson, VCU deep bench) 22. **game-22**: [3] Illinois vs [14] Penn → **Illinois** (explosive offense) 23. **game-23**: [7] Saint Mary's vs [10] Texas A&M → **Saint Mary's** (rebounding advantage, free throw shooting) 24. **game-24**: [2] Houston vs [15] Idaho → **Houston** (elite defense) ### MIDWEST: 25. **game-25**: [1] Michigan vs [16] UMBC/Howard → **Michigan** (clear favorite) 26. **game-26**: [8] Georgia vs [9] Saint Louis → **Georgia** (slight edge) 27. **game-27**: [5] Texas Tech vs [12] Akron → **Akron** (upset! Texas Tech reeling, Akron red-hot) 28. **game-28**: [4] Alabama vs [13] Hofstra → **Alabama** (Hofstra Cinderella potential but Alabama's offense) 29. **game-29**: [6] Tennessee vs [11] SMU/Miami (OH) → **Tennessee** (solid team) 30. **game-30**: [3] Virginia vs [14] Wright State → **Virginia** (despite being overseeded) 31. **game-31**: [7] Kentucky vs [10] Santa Clara → **Santa Clara** (upset! Santa Clara dangerous, Kentucky inconsistent) 32. **game-32**: [2] Iowa State vs [15] Tennessee State → **Iowa State** (strong team) Now I need to determine the play-in winners for the games with "/": - game-13: Texas vs NC State → I'll pick **Texas** to win play-in - game-17: Prairie View vs Lehigh → I'll pick **Prairie View** to win play-in - game-25: UMBC vs Howard → I'll pick **Howard** to win play-in - game-29: SMU vs Miami (OH) → I'll pick **SMU** to win play-in Now let me create the r1 array:
Tool Result: calculator
{
  "result": 32
}
assistantMessage 33
Mar 18, 2026, 11:54 PM
Tool Call: submit_bracket
{
  "r1": [
    {
      "gameId": "game-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-2",
      "winnerId": "tcu-horned-frogs"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-3",
      "winnerId": "st-johns-red-storm"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-4",
      "winnerId": "kansas-jayhawks"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-5",
      "winnerId": "south-florida-bulls"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-6",
      "winnerId": "michigan-state-spartans"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-7",
      "winnerId": "ucla-bruins"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-8",
      "winnerId": "uconn-huskies"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-9",
      "winnerId": "arizona-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-10",
      "winnerId": "utah-state-aggies"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-11",
      "winnerId": "high-point-panthers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-12",
      "winnerId": "arkansas-razorbacks"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-13",
      "winnerId": "byu-cougars"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-14",
      "winnerId": "gonzaga-bulldogs"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-15",
      "winnerId": "missouri-tigers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-16",
      "winnerId": "purdue-boilermakers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-17",
      "winnerId": "florida-gators"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-18",
      "winnerId": "iowa-hawkeyes"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-19",
      "winnerId": "mcneese-cowboys"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-20",
      "winnerId": "nebraska-cornhuskers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-21",
      "winnerId": "vcu-rams"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-22",
      "winnerId": "illinois-fighting-illini"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-23",
      "winnerId": "saint-marys-gaels"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-24",
      "winnerId": "houston-cougars"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-25",
      "winnerId": "michigan-wolverines"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-26",
      "winnerId": "georgia-bulldogs"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-27",
      "winnerId": "akron-zips"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-28",
      "winnerId": "alabama-crimson-tide"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-29",
      "winnerId": "tennessee-volunteers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-30",
      "winnerId": "virginia-cavaliers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-31",
      "winnerId": "santa-clara-broncos"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-32",
      "winnerId": "iowa-state-cyclones"
    }
  ],
  "r2": [
    {
      "gameId": "r32-east-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-east-2",
      "winnerId": "kansas-jayhawks"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-east-3",
      "winnerId": "michigan-state-spartans"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-east-4",
      "winnerId": "uconn-huskies"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-west-1",
      "winnerId": "arizona-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-west-2",
      "winnerId": "arkansas-razorbacks"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-west-3",
      "winnerId": "gonzaga-bulldogs"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-west-4",
      "winnerId": "purdue-boilermakers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-south-1",
      "winnerId": "florida-gators"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-south-2",
      "winnerId": "nebraska-cornhuskers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-south-3",
      "winnerId": "illinois-fighting-illini"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-south-4",
      "winnerId": "houston-cougars"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-midwest-1",
      "winnerId": "michigan-wolverines"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-midwest-2",
      "winnerId": "alabama-crimson-tide"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-midwest-3",
      "winnerId": "tennessee-volunteers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "r32-midwest-4",
      "winnerId": "iowa-state-cyclones"
    }
  ],
  "r3": [
    {
      "gameId": "s16-east-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-east-2",
      "winnerId": "uconn-huskies"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-west-1",
      "winnerId": "arizona-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-west-2",
      "winnerId": "purdue-boilermakers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-south-1",
      "winnerId": "florida-gators"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-south-2",
      "winnerId": "houston-cougars"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-midwest-1",
      "winnerId": "michigan-wolverines"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "s16-midwest-2",
      "winnerId": "iowa-state-cyclones"
    }
  ],
  "r4": [
    {
      "gameId": "e8-east-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "e8-west-1",
      "winnerId": "arizona-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "e8-south-1",
      "winnerId": "houston-cougars"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "e8-midwest-1",
      "winnerId": "iowa-state-cyclones"
    }
  ],
  "r5": [
    {
      "gameId": "ff-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "ff-2",
      "winnerId": "houston-cougars"
    }
  ],
  "r6": [
    {
      "gameId": "champ-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    }
  ],
  "tiebreakerScore": 142
}
Good, 32 picks for r1. Now I need to build the subsequent rounds. Let me think through the bracket logic: ## EAST REGION Projections: R64 Winners: Duke, TCU, St. John's, Kansas, South Florida, Michigan State, UCLA, UConn R32 Matchups: - r32-east-1: Duke vs TCU → **Duke** - r32-east-2: St. John's vs Kansas → **Kansas** (Darryn Peterson over Rick Pitino) - r32-east-3: South Florida vs Michigan State → **Michigan State** (Tom Izzo experience) - r32-east-4: UCLA vs UConn → **UConn** (championship pedigree) Sweet 16: - s16-east-1: Duke vs Kansas → **Duke** (Duke is #1 overall) - s16-east-2: Michigan State vs UConn → **UConn** (UConn's tournament success) Elite 8: - e8-east-1: Duke vs UConn → **Duke** (Duke advances to Final Four) ## WEST REGION Projections: R64 Winners: Arizona, Utah State, High Point, Arkansas, BYU, Gonzaga, Missouri, Purdue R32 Matchups: - r32-west-1: Arizona vs Utah State → **Arizona** - r32-west-2: High Point vs Arkansas → **Arkansas** (High Point Cinderella run ends) - r32-west-3: BYU vs Gonzaga → **Gonzaga** (Gonzaga experience) - r32-west-4: Missouri vs Purdue → **Purdue** (Purdue's elite offense) Sweet 16: - s16-west-1: Arizona vs Arkansas → **Arizona** (Arizona too strong) - s16-west-2: Gonzaga vs Purdue → **Purdue** (Purdue's offense over Gonzaga) Elite 8: - e8-west-1: Arizona vs Purdue → **Arizona** (Arizona to Final Four) ## SOUTH REGION Projections: R64 Winners: Florida, Iowa, McNeese, Nebraska, VCU, Illinois, Saint Mary's, Houston R32 Matchups: - r32-south-1: Florida vs Iowa → **Florida** (defending champ) - r32-south-2: McNeese vs Nebraska → **Nebraska** (McNeese Cinderella run ends) - r32-south-3: VCU vs Illinois → **Illinois** (Illinois' explosive offense) - r32-south-4: Saint Mary's vs Houston → **Houston** (Houston's elite defense) Sweet 16: - s16-south-1: Florida vs Nebraska → **Florida** - s16-south-2: Illinois vs Houston → **Houston** (defense over offense) Elite 8: - e8-south-1: Florida vs Houston → **Houston** (Houston to Final Four, revenge for last year's championship loss) ## MIDWEST REGION Projections: R64 Winners: Michigan, Georgia, Akron, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Santa Clara, Iowa State R32 Matchups: - r32-midwest-1: Michigan vs Georgia → **Michigan** - r32-midwest-2: Akron vs Alabama → **Alabama** (Akron Cinderella run ends) - r32-midwest-3: Tennessee vs Virginia → **Tennessee** (Virginia overseeded) - r32-midwest-4: Santa Clara vs Iowa State → **Iowa State** (Iowa State's continuity) Sweet 16: - s16-midwest-1: Michigan vs Alabama → **Michigan** (weakest #1 seed but advances) - s16-midwest-2: Tennessee vs Iowa State → **Iowa State** (Iowa State's culture) Elite 8: - e8-midwest-1: Michigan vs Iowa State → **Iowa State** (Iowa State to Final Four) ## FINAL FOUR: - ff-1: Duke (East) vs Arizona (West) → **Duke** (Duke is #1 overall) - ff-2: Houston (South) vs Iowa State (Midwest) → **Houston** (Houston's defense) ## CHAMPIONSHIP: - champ-1: Duke vs Houston → **Duke** (Duke wins championship) Now I need to calculate a tiebreaker score. Looking at recent championship game scores: - 2025: Florida 72, Houston 68 (140 total) - 2024: UConn 75, Purdue 60 (135 total) - 2023: UConn 76, San Diego State 59 (135 total) Average around 137. I'll predict **142** for my tiebreaker. Now let me build the complete bracket:
Tool Result: submit_bracket
{
  "submitted": true
}

Tokens

Input
690940
Output
7261
Reasoning
0