Grok to the Future
Grok 4.1 Fast ReasoningxAIEntry 1
MIDfailed
Outcome
failed
Accuracy
—
Created
Mar 18, 2026, 11:24 PM
Finished
Mar 18, 2026, 11:25 PM
Tiebreaker
—
Validation
no-submit-bracket-call
Failure Reason
Model never called submit_bracket before the step limit.
R64
0
R32
0
S16
0
E8
0
F4
0
Ch
0
Bracket
No saved picks for this entry.
Trace
Stored prompt, assistant, tool, and reasoning parts for this attempt.
userMessage 1
Mar 18, 2026, 11:24 PMYou are competing against 30+ other AI models to build the best March Madness bracket for the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Your bracket will be scored using standard ESPN scoring (10-20-40-80-160-320 points per round). The winning model gets featured on the public leaderboard.
To win, you need an EDGE. Chalk brackets (always picking the higher seed) lose every year. The models that win will be the ones that find real information — injuries, matchup advantages, hot streaks, coaching tendencies — and use it to make smart upset picks. Your research directly determines your score.
## Tournament Structure
- 64 teams, divided into 4 regions (East, West, South, Midwest)
- 6 rounds: Round of 64 (32 games) → Round of 32 (16 games) → Sweet 16 (8 games) → Elite 8 (4 games) → Final Four (2 games) → Championship (1 game)
- Each region has 16 teams seeded 1-16
- Winners advance to the next round
- Some games have **First Four play-in matchups** shown as "teamA / teamB". For these games, pick any of the three teams (the fixed seed OR either play-in team) as the winner.
## Round of 64 Matchups
EAST:
game-1: [1] duke-blue-devils vs [16] siena-saints
game-2: [8] ohio-state-buckeyes vs [9] tcu-horned-frogs
game-3: [5] st-johns-red-storm vs [12] northern-iowa-panthers
game-4: [4] kansas-jayhawks vs [13] california-baptist-lancers
game-5: [6] louisville-cardinals vs [11] south-florida-bulls
game-6: [3] michigan-state-spartans vs [14] north-dakota-state-bison
game-7: [7] ucla-bruins vs [10] ucf-knights
game-8: [2] uconn-huskies vs [15] furman-paladins
WEST:
game-9: [1] arizona-wildcats vs [16] long-island-university-sharks
game-10: [8] villanova-wildcats vs [9] utah-state-aggies
game-11: [5] wisconsin-badgers vs [12] high-point-panthers
game-12: [4] arkansas-razorbacks vs [13] hawaii-rainbow-warriors
game-13: [6] byu-cougars vs [11] texas-longhorns / nc-state-wolfpack
game-14: [3] gonzaga-bulldogs vs [14] kennesaw-state-owls
game-15: [7] miami-hurricanes vs [10] missouri-tigers
game-16: [2] purdue-boilermakers vs [15] queens-nc-royals
SOUTH:
game-17: [1] florida-gators vs [16] prairie-view-am-panthers / lehigh-mountain-hawks
game-18: [8] clemson-tigers vs [9] iowa-hawkeyes
game-19: [5] vanderbilt-commodores vs [12] mcneese-cowboys
game-20: [4] nebraska-cornhuskers vs [13] troy-trojans
game-21: [6] north-carolina-tar-heels vs [11] vcu-rams
game-22: [3] illinois-fighting-illini vs [14] pennsylvania-quakers
game-23: [7] saint-marys-gaels vs [10] texas-am-aggies
game-24: [2] houston-cougars vs [15] idaho-vandals
MIDWEST:
game-25: [1] michigan-wolverines vs [16] umbc-retrievers / howard-bison
game-26: [8] georgia-bulldogs vs [9] saint-louis-billikens
game-27: [5] texas-tech-red-raiders vs [12] akron-zips
game-28: [4] alabama-crimson-tide vs [13] hofstra-pride
game-29: [6] tennessee-volunteers vs [11] smu-mustangs / miami-oh-redhawks
game-30: [3] virginia-cavaliers vs [14] wright-state-raiders
game-31: [7] kentucky-wildcats vs [10] santa-clara-broncos
game-32: [2] iowa-state-cyclones vs [15] tennessee-state-tigers
## Game ID Convention
- Round of 64: use the game IDs shown above (e.g. "game-1", "game-2", etc.)
- Round of 32: use "r32-{region}-{number}" (e.g. "r32-east-1", "r32-east-2", "r32-east-3", "r32-east-4", "r32-west-1", etc.)
- Sweet 16: use "s16-{region}-{number}" (e.g. "s16-east-1", "s16-east-2", "s16-west-1", etc.)
- Elite 8: use "e8-{region}-1" (e.g. "e8-east-1", "e8-west-1", "e8-south-1", "e8-midwest-1")
- Final Four: use "ff-1" (East vs West winner) and "ff-2" (South vs Midwest winner)
- Championship: use "champ-1"
## Your Process — TWO PHASES
### Phase 1: RESEARCH
Use web_search and web_fetch to build a foundation of knowledge before picking. You should:
1. **Get the big picture first.** Search for current NCAA basketball rankings (AP Top 25, NET rankings, KenPom). Understand which teams are elite, which are overrated, and which are dangerous mid-majors.
2. **Research each region systematically.** For each of the 4 regions, search for the top 2-3 seeds and any notable mid-major or Cinderella candidates. Look for:
- Season record, conference standing, and strength of schedule
- Key player stats, injuries, suspensions
- Recent form (last 10 games, conference tournament results)
- Historical tournament performance and coaching experience
3. **Look for upset indicators.** Search for common upset patterns:
- 12-seeds over 5-seeds (happens ~35% of the time)
- Teams with elite defense and slow tempo that frustrate higher seeds
- Programs with deep tournament experience vs first-timers
- Mid-majors with dominant regular seasons (30+ wins)
4. **Check for specific matchup analysis.** If any projected matchups look close, fetch a detailed scouting report or preview article.
5. **Gather championship contender intel.** For your top 4-6 title contenders, do deeper research — fetch full team profiles, read expert projections, understand their path through the bracket.
Each search and fetch gives you real data. The more research you do, the better your bracket will be. Don't just search once — search multiple times from different angles.
### Phase 2: BUILD YOUR BRACKET
Now build your bracket:
1. Build your bracket region by region, using your research.
2. Don't just pick by seed — use what you learned about team quality, matchups, and tournament trends.
3. Include at least 2-3 upsets per region (this is March Madness, not chalk).
4. Use validate_bracket to verify your bracket before submitting.
5. Once validate_bracket returns valid, call submit_bracket to finish.
## How to Build the Bracket
CRITICAL: For Round of 64, each game has a specific game ID (game-1, game-2, etc.) and exactly two teams. Your winner for each game MUST be one of those two teams. If you're unsure which teams are in a game, use lookup_game to check.
1. **r1 (Round of 64)**: Go through each of the 32 games listed above. For each game, pick ONE of the two teams shown as the winner. Use the team ID slug. You MUST have exactly 32 picks.
2. **r2 (Round of 32)**: The 32 R64 winners pair up into 16 R32 games. Within each region, pair them in order: R64 game 1 winner vs R64 game 2 winner, game 3 winner vs game 4 winner, etc. You MUST have exactly 16 picks.
3. **r3 (Sweet 16)**: The 16 R32 winners pair into 8 S16 games. Same pairing logic. Exactly 8 picks.
4. **r4 (Elite 8)**: 8 S16 winners → 4 E8 games. Exactly 4 picks.
5. **r5 (Final Four)**: 4 E8 winners → 2 FF games. Exactly 2 picks.
6. **r6 (Championship)**: 2 FF winners → 1 championship game. Exactly 1 pick.
A team can ONLY appear in a later round if you picked them to win ALL their previous games.
## Tools Available
- **web_search**: Search the web for team stats, rankings, or matchup analysis.
- **web_fetch**: Fetch a web page for detailed scouting reports, stats pages, or bracket previews.
- **use_browser**: Browse a page using a real browser. Use this for JavaScript-heavy pages (stats dashboards, interactive brackets) that web_fetch cannot render. Slower — only use when web_fetch returns empty or broken content.
- **lookup_team**: Look up a team by name to find their correct team ID slug, seed, and region. Use this when you're unsure of a team's exact slug — e.g. lookup_team("houston") returns "houston-cougars". Only the 64 tournament teams are searchable.
- **lookup_game**: Look up a game by its ID to see which two teams are playing. Use this to verify matchups — e.g. lookup_game("game-1") returns the two teams in that game. IMPORTANT: use this if you're unsure which teams are in a specific game. The winner you pick MUST be one of the two teams in that game.
- **calculator**: Evaluate math expressions.
- **validate_bracket**: Check your bracket for errors before submitting. If validation fails, read the errors carefully — they tell you exactly what's wrong (wrong team in a game, missing picks, carry-forward issues). Fix each error specifically rather than regenerating the whole bracket.
- **submit_bracket**: Validate and submit your final bracket in one step. Pass your COMPLETE bracket (r1-r6 + tiebreakerScore) as input. If validation fails, returns errors — fix them and call submit_bracket again. If valid, the run ends successfully.
## Submission Flow
1. Build your bracket (r1 through r6 + tiebreakerScore)
2. Use validate_bracket to check for errors during development
3. When ready, call submit_bracket with your complete bracket — it validates and submits in one step
4. If submit_bracket returns errors, fix them and call submit_bracket again
Each pick is {"gameId": "game-1", "winnerId": "team-slug"}.
Use the team ID slugs shown in the matchups above (e.g. "duke-blue-devils", not "Duke").
Today's date: 2026-03-18
assistantMessage 2
Mar 18, 2026, 11:25 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA Men's Basketball AP Poll Top 25 March 18"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA Men's Basketball NET rankings top 25"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA Men's Basketball KenPom rankings top 25"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness bracket preview expert picks"
}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": "Here are the latest men's USA TODAY Sports Coaches and AP Top 25 polls."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48224650/duke-heads-march-madness-ranked-no-1-ap-top-25",
"title": "Duke heads into March Madness ranked No. 1 in AP Top 25 - ESPN",
"snippet": "AP Top 25 Men's College Basketball Poll ; 1. Duke (50), 32-2 ; 2. Arizona (7), 32-2 ; 3. Michigan, 31-3 ; 4. Florida, 26-7 ; 5. Houston, 28-6."
},
{
"url": "https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll",
"title": "AP Top 25 Men's College Basketball Poll",
"snippet": "Rankings ; 1. Blue Devils · Duke 32-2 · 1418 (50) ; 2. Wildcats. Arizona 32-2 · 1372 (7) ; 3. Wolverines · Michigan 31-3 · 1310 (0)."
},
{
"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 ( ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/associated-press",
"title": "NCAA college basketball rankings, polls from the AP and Coaches",
"snippet": "OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Miami (OH) 100, BYU 62, UCLA 38, Utah St. 28, TCU 17, High Point 14, VCU 12, Clemson 9, Ohio St. 5, Kentucky 4, Saint Louis 3, Akron 3, ..."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://bballnet.com/",
"title": "2026 NET Rankings and Quad Wins",
"snippet": "Rank, Prev, School, Conf, Record. 1, 1, Duke · ACC, 32-2. 2, 2, Michigan · Big Ten, 31-3. 3, 3, Arizona · Big 12, 32-2. 4, 4, Florida · SEC, 26-7."
},
{
"url": "https://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2026/net",
"title": "NET Ranking - Men's College Basketball | WarrenNolan.com",
"snippet": "NET Rankings ; Illinois State. 19-12, 95 ; UNCW. 25-6, 96 ; Xavier. 15-18, 97 ; California Baptist. 25-8, 98."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings",
"title": "NCAA Men's Basketball NET Rankings",
"snippet": "1, Duke, 32-2, ACC, 10-1, 7-1, 15-0, 0-0, 1, 17-2, 6-0, 2-0, 7-0. 2, Michigan, 31-3, Big Ten, 11-0, 6-2, 14-1, 0-0, 2, 17-3, 5-0, 6-0, 3-0."
},
{
"url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/rankings/net/",
"title": "College Basketball Rankings 2025-26 - NET - CBS Sports",
"snippet": "Get the latest College Basketball rankings for the 2025-26 season. Find out where your favorite team is ranked in the AP Top 25, Coaches Poll, Top 25 And 1, ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/houston-iowa-state-gonzaga-michigan",
"title": "Men's College Basketball Top 10, Bubble Team NET Rankings",
"snippet": "Here are the top 10 men's college basketball teams by NET ranking, who is already fighting on the bubble and the biggest risers and fallers ..."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://kenpom.com/",
"title": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings",
"snippet": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings ; 25, Iowa 9, B10 ; 26, Ohio St. 8, B10 ; 27, UCLA 7, B10 ..."
},
{
"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": "Ranking every men's NCAA tournament First Four and ...",
"snippet": "The 2026 men's NCAA tournament begins Tuesday with the First Four. ... 25 KenPom defense is elite but St. John's is KenPom 21 overall. East ..."
},
{
"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",
"snippet": "Updated KenPom Rankings for the 2026 NCAA Tournament ; 25, Iowa, 31 ; 26, Ohio St. 17 ; 27, UCLA, 22 ; 28, Kentucky, 39 ..."
},
{
"url": "https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankNCSOS&xid=17259,15700022,15700186,15700191,15700248",
"title": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings",
"snippet": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings ; 170, Western Kentucky · CUSA ; 219, Quinnipiac · MAAC ; 29, North Carolina 6, ACC ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/1o4njmq/kenpom_2026_ratings_are_out/",
"title": "r/CollegeBasketball - KenPom 2026 Ratings Are Out",
"snippet": "I like the objective, empirical proof that we're 25 positions ahead of UNC. Also this means Clemson is winning in Chapel Hill again."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-2026-march-madness-men-field-predictions",
"title": "NCAA Bracketology: 2026 March Madness men's field predictions",
"snippet": "The selection show is almost here! Here's the latest look at what we're expecting when it starts."
},
{
"url": "https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/ncaa-bracket-predictions-model-says-surprising-march-madness-2026-tournament-picks/",
"title": "NCAA bracket predictions: Model reveals surprising March Madness ...",
"snippet": "Before making any 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer ..."
},
{
"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://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/article/2026-ncaa-tournament-bracket-picks-best-cinderella-teams-and-upset-sleepers-for-march-madness-160049659.html",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament bracket picks: Best Cinderella teams and ...",
"snippet": "2026 NCAA Tournament bracket picks: Best Cinderella teams and upset sleepers for March Madness ... predictions, Cinderella, expert picks ..."
}
]
}assistantMessage 3
Mar 18, 2026, 11:25 PMTool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness East region preview analysis"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness West region preview analysis"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness South region preview analysis"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness Midwest region preview analysis"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA basketball tournament injuries suspensions key players"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness potential upsets Cinderella teams"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"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": "March Madness: East region predictions, Cinderella, expert picks, schedule, odds, betting lines and more. Will injuries and a difficult path ..."
},
{
"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.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.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2026-ncaa-tournament-east-region-bracket-preview/",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament East Region bracket preview - CBS Sports",
"snippet": "March Madness Regional previews: Midwest | West | South. Join ... 2026 NCAA Tournament schedule, March Madness scores by region. David ..."
},
{
"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": "The NCAA Tournament Bracket is set and, for many Americans, that means it's time to start making picks for March Madness bracket pools."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/march-madness-bracket-west-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144511208.html",
"title": "March Madness bracket: West region predictions, Cinderella, expert ...",
"snippet": "... NCAA tournament. Yahoo Sports · 2026 March Madness bracket odds: Best, worst tournament teams against the spread. The Penn Quakers are the best ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsz9er6oAno",
"title": "2026 March Madness West Region Preview & Picks - YouTube",
"snippet": "Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander make their game-by-game picks and predictions for the West Region in the 2026 NCAA Tournament."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219697/joe-lunardi-mens-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-guide-2026",
"title": "Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026 - ESPN",
"snippet": "Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026 ... Our men's NCAA tournament preview has evolved since the first was created 30-odd ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.outkick.com/sports/2026-ncaa-tournament-breakdown-west-region-best-bets-sleepers-busts",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Breakdown: West Region Best Bets ...",
"snippet": "The NCAA Tournament Bracket is set and, for many Americans, that means it's time to start making picks for March Madness bracket pools."
},
{
"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": "With the 2026 NCAA tournament upon us, here's everything you need to know about all four regions."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-south-region-predictions-cinderella-expert-picks-schedule-odds-betting-lines-and-more-144500974.html",
"title": "South region predictions, Cinderella, expert picks, schedule, odds ...",
"snippet": "March Madness 2026: After a chalky NCAA tournament last year, will chaos make a comeback? There wasn't much Madness in March last year. But ..."
},
{
"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.nbcsports.com/mens-college-basketball/news/2026-ncaa-tournament-south-regional-breakdown-top-storylines-matchups-and-cinderellas-to-watch",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament South Regional Breakdown: Top storylines ...",
"snippet": "March Madness is in full effect with the full NCAA Tournament bracket released! NBC Sports is taking you region by region for all the best ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/march-madness-bracket-upset-predictions-final-four-pick-south-region/b97e4539166169341d0c1c91",
"title": "March Madness bracket 2026: Upset predictions, sleepers, Final ...",
"snippet": "South Region Final Four pick. Think about Kelvin Sampson's NCAA Tournament performance since 2019: narrow Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky; Final Four ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgf6uW_BmBE",
"title": "2026 March Madness South Region Preview - YouTube",
"snippet": "CBB Review Studio closes their March Madness previews with the South Region, where Florida looks to defend their title run, ..."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"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": "Region-by-region predictions, Cinderellas, expert picks, ...",
"snippet": "With the 2026 NCAA tournament upon us, here's everything you need to know about all four regions."
},
{
"url": "https://www.anonymouseagle.com/anonymously-through-the-brackets/36113/ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament-midwest-region-preview-michigan-texas-tech-miami-avila-momcilovic-johnson",
"title": "2026 Anonymously Through The Brackets: Midwest Region",
"snippet": "Sick of hard-hitting analysis of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament? ... March Madness printable bracket for 2026 men's NCAA tournament."
},
{
"url": "https://www.bannersontheparkway.com/march-madness-2026/12309/march-madness-2026-midwest-region-preview",
"title": "March Madness 2026: Midwest Region Preview",
"snippet": "Your best source for quality Xavier Musketeers news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective ... March Madness 2026: Midwest ..."
},
{
"url": "https://247sports.com/longformarticle/march-madness-2026-bracket-score-predictions-sportsline-midwest-region-ncaa-tournament-277919380/",
"title": "March Madness 2026 bracket score predictions",
"snippet": "March Madness 2026 bracket score predictions: SportsLine model picks entire Midwest Region of NCAA Tournament. The SportsLine Projection Model simulated the ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219697/joe-lunardi-mens-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-guide-2026",
"title": "Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026",
"snippet": "Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026 ... Our men's NCAA tournament preview has evolved since the first was created 30-odd ..."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7125224/2026/03/17/march-madness-2026-player-injuries-caleb-foster-mikel-brown/",
"title": "Key March Madness injuries to know while filling out your men's ...",
"snippet": "Injuries to monitor · Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville · Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II, Duke · Jaylin Stewart, UConn · Braden Huff, Gonzaga · Nolan ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.nbcsports.com/mens-college-basketball/news/march-madness-injuries-to-know-updates-for-key-players-ahead-of-the-mens-ncaa-tournament",
"title": "March Madness injuries to know: Updates for key players ahead of ...",
"snippet": "March Madness injuries to know: Updates for key players ahead of the men's NCAA Tournament ; Alabama. Aden Holloway (Non-Injury; arrested on ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.rotowire.com/cbasketball/article/college-basketball-injuries-ncaa-tournament-march-madness-first-round-108144",
"title": "College Basketball Injuries: March Madness First Round - RotoWire",
"snippet": "In 2026, there is a lengthy list of recent injuries to some big-name players we need to watch out for. We'll take you through the most impactful ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.si.com/college-basketball/key-injuries-to-remember-mens-march-madness-bracket",
"title": "Key Injuries to Remember When Filling Out Your Men's March ...",
"snippet": "Questionable for NCAA tournament · Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville · Patrick Ngongba II, Duke · Caleb Foster, Duke · Braden Huff, Gonzaga · Jayden ..."
},
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-4-tourney-teams-ripe-to-make-an-early-exit-133522098.html",
"title": "March Madness: 4 tourney teams ripe to make an early exit",
"snippet": "Purdue and North Carolina are among the big-name teams that are vulnerable heading into the NCAA tournament."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026",
"title": "Most probable first-round upsets in the men's 2026 NCAA tournament",
"snippet": "Cinderella hasn't shown her face much of late. Only five double-digit seeds won in the first round of the 2025 men's NCAA tournament, ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/most-likely-upsets-for-march-madness-2026-ncaa-tournament-cinderella-teams-to-target-in-your-bracket-picks/",
"title": "Most likely upsets for March Madness 2026: NCAA Tournament ...",
"snippet": "Three 2026 March Madness Cinderella teams to watch out for. One potential 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket buster is the Akron Zips. The 12th-seeded ..."
},
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-college-basketball/article/2026-ncaa-womens-tournament-6-cinderellas-that-could-ruin-march-madness-for-a-contender-021346763.html",
"title": "2026 NCAA women's tournament: 6 Cinderellas that could ruin ...",
"snippet": "Upsets color NCAA tournament brackets red every year. They happen in the women's game. You just have to know where to look. While teams ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-feWMyTOErc",
"title": "These Teams Could DESTROY Your March Madness Bracket",
"snippet": "Breaking down the BEST upset picks for March Madness in 2026. The picks include teams like the South Florida Bulls, VCU Rams, Akron Zips, ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7103393/2026/03/10/2026-ncaa-basketball-tournament-cinderellas-to-watch/",
"title": "Santa Clara and other potential Cinderella teams best suited for ...",
"snippet": "Santa Clara and other potential Cinderella teams best suited for upsets in March Madness 2026 · Santa Clara Broncos · McNeese Cowboys · VCU Rams."
}
]
}assistantMessage 4
Mar 18, 2026, 11:25 PMTool Call: web_fetch
{
"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"
}Tool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7123628/2026/03/17/march-madness-expert-bracket-picks-duke-champion/"
}Tool Call: web_fetch
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA tournament team records and recent form"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 March Madness first round upset picks"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "Advertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\n[20\\\\\n\\\\\nHOURS LEFT\\\\\n\\\\\n\\\\\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-2026-printable-brackets-for-mens-and-womens-ncaa-basketball-tournaments-141418159.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 [\\\\\n\\\\\n](https://sports.yahoo.com/)\n\n[](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jason-owens-20131010/)\n\n[](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/nick-bromberg/)\n\n[Jason Owens](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jason-owens-20131010/)· [Nick Bromberg](https://sports.yahoo.com/author/nick-bromberg/)\n\nWed, March 18, 2026 at 6:49 PM UTC·\n\n25 min read\n\nWith the [2026 NCAA tournament](https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/topic/march-madness/) upon us, here's everything you need to know about all four regions.\n\n**Jump to each region:** [**West**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-region-by-region-predictions-cinderellas-expert-picks-odds-schedule-and-more-204524756.html#west-region) **\\|** [**Midwest**](https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-bracket-region-by-region-predictions-cinderellas-expert-picks-odds-schedule-and-more-2045247"
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"error": "We apologize for the inconvenience but we do not support this site. If you are part of an enterprise and want to have a further conversation about this, please fill out our intake form here: https://fk4bvu0n5qp.typeform.com/to/Ej6oydlg",
"content": ""
}Tool Result: web_fetch
{
"content": "Skip to main content\n\nSkip to navigation\n\n\nTop Events\n\nNCAAM\n\nNCAAW\n\nNBA\n\nNHL\n\nPGA Tour\n\nLPGA Tour\n\nTGL\n\nTop Soccer\n\nMLB\n\nWorld Baseball Classic\n\nTennis (M)\n\nTennis (W)\n\nNFL\n\nNASCAR\n\nNCAAF\n\nUFC\n\nNLL (Lacrosse)\n\nPLL (Lacrosse)\n\nF1\n\nMen's NCAA Ice Hockey\n\nWomen's NCAA Ice Hockey\n\nNCAA Softball\n\nNCAA Baseball\n\nMen's NCAA Lacrosse\n\nWomen's NCAA Lacrosse\n\ncustom\n\nUEFA Champions League\n\nWomen's Super League\n\nConcacaf Champions Cup\n\nLiga MX\n\nNCAAM\n\n- [Top Events](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NCAAM](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NCAAW](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NBA](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NHL](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [PGA Tour](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [LPGA Tour](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [TGL](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [Top Soccer](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [MLB](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [World Baseball Classic](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [Tennis (M)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [Tennis (W)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NFL](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NASCAR](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NCAAF](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [UFC](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NLL (Lacrosse)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [PLL (Lacrosse)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [F1](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [Men's NCAA Ice Hockey](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [Women's NCAA Ice Hockey](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NCAA Softball](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026#)\n- [NCAA Baseball](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-kille"
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48156563/march-madness-2026-every-team-mens-ncaa-tournament-bracket-explained",
"title": "Men's March Madness 2026 bracket: Get to know all 68 teams - ESPN",
"snippet": "Our annual NCAA tournament guide gives you the information you need to know about each team, pertinent information about any current issues that ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.org/news/2026/3/17/media-center-ncaa-basketball-records-streaks-and-milestones-to-watch-in-the-2026-postseason.aspx",
"title": "NCAA basketball records, streaks and milestones to watch in the ...",
"snippet": "NYU's winning streak, Nova Southeastern's home dominance, Braden Smith's assists chase, undefeated UConn and more records shaping the 2026 ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-15/tracking-31-ncaa-mens-basketball-conference-tournaments-auto-bids-2026-march",
"title": "Tracking 31 NCAA men's basketball conference tournaments, auto ...",
"snippet": "Of the 68 teams that will compete in the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament, 31 of those will qualify automatically through conference ..."
},
{
"url": "https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/2026-ncaa-tournament-teams-by-conference",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Bids by Conference - Athlon Sports",
"snippet": "No. 1 seed Michigan earned its spot by dominating much of the season behind a towering lineup built around Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara. No. 3 ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.si.com/college-basketball/how-many-teams-each-conference-land-2026-march-madness-field",
"title": "How Many Teams Did Each Conference Land in 2026 March ...",
"snippet": "The SEC lands 10 teams in the 2026 men's NCAA tournament, the most of any conference · The Big Ten and Big 12 matches their conference bid ..."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48223542/ncaa-tournament-upsets-first-round-giant-killers-march-madness-2026",
"title": "Most probable first-round upsets in the men's 2026 NCAA ...",
"snippet": "Most probable first-round upsets in the men's 2026 NCAA tournament ; Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026. Joe Lunardi ; Jay ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7123051/2026/03/17/the-definitive-guide-to-march-madness-2026-first-round-upsets/",
"title": "The definitive guide to March Madness 2026 first-round ...",
"snippet": "No. 2 Houston Cougars vs. No. 15 Idaho Vandals. Upset Chance: 4.2 percent. Idaho hasn't reached the NCAA Tournament in 36 years."
},
{
"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 ...",
"snippet": "NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket: Simulation predicts surprising upsets, best sleepers, March Madness picks ... UConn coach Dan Hurley may not have ..."
},
{
"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": "... Predictions for First-Round Upsets in the 2026 NCAA Men's ... March Madness: Five Bold Predictions for Men's NCAA Tournament Round of 64."
},
{
"url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/tourney/2026/03/17/march-madness-upset-predictions-final-four-picks-to-help-fill-out-ncaa-tournament-bracket-2026/89193610007/",
"title": "March Madness bold predictions: Top upset picks, ...",
"snippet": "March Madness predictions: Most popular NCAA Tournament first round upset picks. Santa Clara over Kentucky was picked eight times (80%). VCU ..."
}
]
}assistantMessage 5
Mar 18, 2026, 11:25 PMTool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "Northern Iowa"
}Tool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "South Florida"
}Tool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "High Point"
}Tool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "NC State"
}Tool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "McNeese"
}Tool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "VCU"
}Tool Call: lookup_team
{
"query": "Akron"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA tournament Northern Iowa Panthers preview"
}Tool Call: web_search
{
"query": "2026 NCAA tournament Akron Zips preview"
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "northern-iowa-panthers",
"name": "Panthers",
"seed": 12,
"region": "east"
}
]
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "south-florida-bulls",
"name": "Bulls",
"seed": 11,
"region": "east"
}
]
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "high-point-panthers",
"name": "Panthers",
"seed": 12,
"region": "west"
}
]
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "nc-state-wolfpack",
"name": "Wolfpack",
"seed": 11,
"region": "west"
}
]
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "mcneese-cowboys",
"name": "Cowboys",
"seed": 12,
"region": "south"
}
]
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "vcu-rams",
"name": "Rams",
"seed": 11,
"region": "south"
}
]
}Tool Result: lookup_team
{
"matches": [
{
"id": "akron-zips",
"name": "Zips",
"seed": 12,
"region": "midwest"
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.basketunderreview.com/ticket-punched-previewing-the-northern-iowa-panthers-for-the-2026-ncaa-tournament/",
"title": "Ticket Punched: Previewing the Northern Iowa Panthers for the 2026 ...",
"snippet": "Northern Iowa and its elite defense are headed to the NCAA Tournament after beating UIC for the Missouri Valley's automatic bid."
},
{
"url": "https://unipanthers.com/sports/2026/3/12/2026-march-madness",
"title": "2026 NCAA Tournament - UNI Athletics",
"snippet": "The Panthers are dancing into March and the 2026 NCAA Divsion I Men's Basketball Tournament!!! Follow all the news and action as UNI heads to ..."
},
{
"url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/uni-men-convert-end-season-193542689.html",
"title": "Can UNI men convert end-of-season success into March Madness ...",
"snippet": "UNI men's basketball is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years, and the Panthers are set to play St. John's in the first ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/48223774",
"title": "Northern Iowa's NCAA tournament preview - ESPN Video",
"snippet": "Joe Lunardi breaks down Northern Iowa's NCAA tournament prospects. 8h. You may also like ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.bettingpros.com/articles/st-johns-vs-northern-iowa-ncaa-tournament-predictions-preview/amp/",
"title": "St. John's vs. Northern Iowa: NCAA Tournament Predictions & Preview",
"snippet": "Northern Iowa 2026 NCAA Tournament Preview. Ben Jacobson's Panthers had to win four games in four days as an MVC Tournament No. 6 seed just ..."
}
]
}Tool Result: web_search
{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://gozips.com/news/2026/3/15/mens-basketball-akron-to-battle-texas-tech-in-first-round-of-ncaa-tournament",
"title": "Akron to Battle Texas Tech in First Round of NCAA Tournament",
"snippet": "The 12-seeded Zips (29-5) will battle No. 5-seeded Texas Tech (22-10) in first-round action on Friday, March 20 at Benchmark International Arena ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.basketunderreview.com/ticket-punched-previewing-the-akron-zips-for-the-2026-ncaa-tournament/",
"title": "Ticket Punched: Previewing the Akron Zips For the 2026 NCAA ...",
"snippet": "Their 10-game win streak is the fourth-longest active streak in the country, trailing only High Point, UMBC, and Duke. How has Akron gotten here ..."
},
{
"url": "https://collegefootballnews.com/college-basketball/ncaa-tournament-12-seeds-akron-high-point-mcneese-northern-iowa",
"title": "Meet the NCAA Tournament No. 12 Seeds: Akron, High Point ...",
"snippet": "Akron, High Point, McNeese, and Northern Iowa are all champions, and they're all dangerous. Here's the CFN 2026 NCAA Tournament look at the ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2026/03/15/akron-march-madness-bracket-predictions-ncaa-tournament-2026-bracketology/89161241007/",
"title": "Where Akron basketball stands in March Madness bracket predictions",
"snippet": "Akron is headed to March Madness for a third straight season. · The Zips, who are 29-5, look to be an 11 or 12 seed. · Akron's projected first- ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.aol.com/articles/akron-pursues-first-ncaa-tournament-215748426.html",
"title": "Akron pursues its first NCAA Tournament win after conquering the ...",
"snippet": "In seven previous March Madness appearances, Akron has yet to reach the second round. The Zips (29-5) are the 12th seed in the Midwest Region ..."
}
]
}Tokens
- Input
- 73969
- Output
- 5839
- Reasoning
- 5003