Nothing But Neural Net

GLM 5ZAIEntry 1

MIDcompletedPublished

Outcome

0 pts

Accuracy

—

Created

Mar 18, 2026, 11:24 PM

Finished

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Tiebreaker

152

Validation

—

R64

R32

S16

Predicted Champion

Blue Devils

Bracket

Final Four

Duke—

Arizona—

Houston—

Michigan—

Duke—

Michigan—

Predicted Total

152

east

R64

Duke—

Siena—

Ohio State—

TCU—

St. John's—

Northern Iowa—

Kansas—

California Baptist—

Louisville—

South Florida—

Michigan State—

North Dakota State—

UCLA—

UCF—

UConn—

Furman—

R32

Duke—

TCU—

Northern Iowa—

California Baptist—

South Florida—

Michigan State—

UCF—

UConn—

S16

Duke—

California Baptist—

Michigan State—

UConn—

Duke—

UConn—

west

R64

Arizona—

Long Island University—

Villanova—

Utah State—

Wisconsin—

High Point—

Arkansas—

Hawai'i—

BYU—

11Texas / NC State

Gonzaga—

Kennesaw State—

Miami—

Missouri—

Purdue—

Queens—

R32

Arizona—

Villanova—

High Point—

Arkansas—

BYU—

Gonzaga—

Missouri—

Purdue—

S16

Arizona—

Arkansas—

Gonzaga—

Purdue—

Arizona—

Gonzaga—

south

R64

Florida—

16Prairie View A&M / Lehigh

Clemson—

Iowa—

Vanderbilt—

McNeese—

Nebraska—

Troy—

North Carolina—

VCU—

Illinois—

Pennsylvania—

Saint Mary's—

Texas A&M—

Houston—

Idaho—

R32

Florida—

Clemson—

McNeese—

Nebraska—

VCU—

Illinois—

Saint Mary's—

Houston—

S16

Florida—

McNeese—

Illinois—

Houston—

Florida—

Houston—

midwest

R64

Michigan—

16UMBC / Howard

Georgia—

Saint Louis—

Texas Tech—

Akron—

Alabama—

Hofstra—

Tennessee—

11SMU / Miami (OH)

Virginia—

Wright State—

Kentucky—

Santa Clara—

Iowa State—

Tennessee State—

R32

Michigan—

Georgia—

Akron—

Hofstra—

Tennessee—

Wright State—

Santa Clara—

Iowa State—

S16

Michigan—

Akron—

Tennessee—

Iowa State—

Michigan—

Iowa State—

Trace

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

userMessage 1

Mar 18, 2026, 11:24 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. 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, 11:26 PM

I'll build a research-driven bracket for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Let me start with comprehensive research on teams, rankings, and matchups.

Reasoning

This is a March Madness bracket competition. I need to research the 2026 NCAA Tournament teams and make smart picks based on real data, not just chalk picks. Let me start by gathering information systematically. First, let me get the big picture - current rankings and tournament outlook.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "2026 NCAA basketball AP Top 25 rankings March"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "2026 NCAA tournament bracketology predictions ESPN"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "KenPom rankings 2026 college basketball efficiency"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ap-top-25-college-basketball-rankings-purdue-arkansas-miami-ohio/",
      "title": "College basketball rankings: Purdue, Arkansas rise in AP Top 25",
      "snippet": "Arkansas moved up three spots to No. 14 after winning the SEC title game over Vanderbilt. 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket: Ranking every ..."
    },
    {
      "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://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://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/men/2026-polls.html",
      "title": "2025-26 Men's College Basketball AP Polls - Sports-Reference.com",
      "snippet": "2025-26 Men's College Basketball AP Polls. « 2024-25 Season. Final Four: AP Preseason #1: Purdue. AP Current #1: Duke."
    },
    {
      "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."
    }
  ]
}

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.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": "Jay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournament ; Men's March Madness 2026 bracket: Get to know all 68 teams. Myron Medcalf ; Instant ..."
    },
    {
      "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": "Jay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournament. Jay ... Men's March Madness 2026 bracket: Get to know all 68 teams. Myron ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48214771/2026-womens-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-instant-bracket-predictions-picks",
      "title": "2026 March Madness women's bracket: Predicting every game - ESPN",
      "snippet": "2026 March Madness women's bracket: Predicting every game. play. How Dawn Staley is preparing South Carolina for the NCAA tournament (1:22)."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_i4Fxp3NUg",
      "title": "Predicting EVERY Game of the 2026 March Madness Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "I predicted EVERY March Madness game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament immediately after the official march madness bracket was released."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "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://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankAdjDE&ref=amherststudent.com",
      "title": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings",
      "snippet": "2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings ; 270, Central Michigan · MAC ; 310, Oral Roberts · Sum ; 308, Texas Southern · SWAC ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-basketball/kenpom-trends-march-madness-bracket",
      "title": "KenPom Trends to Know Before Filling Out Your Men's ...",
      "snippet": "Final Four Averages · Adjusted offensive efficiency rank: 18.47 · Adjusted defensive efficiency rank: 22.96 · Adjusted efficiency margin rank: ..."
    },
    {
      "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 Ratings for all teams ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, including Offensive & Defensive rankings."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLnSsVXipzU",
      "title": "College Basketball Analytics.. Updated KenPom Rankings ...",
      "snippet": "Predicting the ENTIRE 2026 NCAA Tournament Field | FULL March Madness Bracketology · Bracketology Update.. · IMPORTANT Things to Know for 2026 ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 3

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good start. Let me get more specific information about the top teams and rankings.

Tool Call: web_fetch

{
  "url": "https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll"
}

Tool Call: web_fetch

{
  "url": "https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankAdjOE"
}

Tool Result: web_fetch

{
  "content": "[Enable accessibility](https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll#)\n\n**0**\n\n[![AP Logo](https://assets.apnews.com/19/66/bc546486408c8595f01753a9fbeb/ap-logo-176-by-208.svg)](https://apnews.com/)\n\nMenu\n\n- [World](https://apnews.com/world-news)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSECTIONS\n\n\n\n[Iran war](https://apnews.com/hub/iran) [Russia-Ukraine war](https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine) [Español](https://apnews.com/hub/noticias) [China](https://apnews.com/hub/china) [Asia Pacific](https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific) [Latin America](https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america) [Europe](https://apnews.com/hub/europe) [Africa](https://apnews.com/hub/africa)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOP STORIES\n\n\n\n  - [LIVE US knew of Israeli strike on Iranian gas field but didn't take part, AP source says](https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-18-2026)\n  - [Both sides in Iran war ratchet up attacks on energy facilities, as oil prices surge](https://apnews.com/article/iran-iraq-us-israel-trump-march-18-2026-d7ca062ba1bf99d1f8dc00c8073cf10f)\n  - [Trump's failed strong-arming of allies on Iran shows that pressure is losing its effect](https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-war-trump-starmer-macron-germany-caff1073f932ddb88c3d75c7c356ebc7)\n\nNewsletters\n\n[The Morning Wire\\\\\n\\\\\nOur flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.](https://apnews.com/newsletters?id=Morning+Wire+Subscribers) [The Afternoon Wire\\\\\n\\\\\nGet caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day.](https://apnews.com/newsletters?id=Afternoon+Wire)\n\n[See All Newsletters](https://apnews.com/newsletters)\n\n- [U.S.](https://apnews.com/us-news)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSECTIONS\n\n\n\n[Immigration](https://apnews.com/hub/immigration) [Weather](https://apnews.com/hub/weather) [Education](https://apnews.com/education) [Transportation](https://apnews.com/us-news/transportation) [Abortion](https://apnews.com/hub/abortion) [LGBTQ+](https://apnews.com/hub/lgbtq) [Notable Deaths](https://apnews.com/hub/obituaries)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOP STORIES\n\n\n\n  - [Judge throws prosecutor out of court and orders leaders of NJ’s US Attorney’s office to testify](https://apnews.com/article/new-jersey-justice-department-federal-prosecutors-habba-c6882eeefa9432a349127715f3be7d55)\n  - [US to demand bonds of up to $15,000 for visa applications from 12 more countries](https://apnews.com/article/us-state-department-visa-bonds-930417cad95c6dba643b5466966579ba)\n  - [1 dead and another wounded in shooting at US Air Force base in New Mexico](https://apnews.com/article/holloman-air-force-base-new-mexico-shooting-ad4b74c826b17bf31d48edd0f8d1706d)\n\nNewsletters\n\n[The Morning Wire\\\\\n\\\\\nOur flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day.](https://apnews.com/newsletters?id=Morning+Wire+Subscribers)\n\n[See All Newsletters](https://apnews.com/newsletters)\n\nAP QUIZZES\n\n[Test Your News I.Q. — take today’s quiz](https://apnews.com/quizzes)\n\n- [Politics](https://apnews.com/politics)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSECTIONS\n\n\n\n[2026 Elections](https://apnews.com/hub/elections) [Election Results](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/) [Election calendar](https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/calendar/) [White House](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump) [Congress](https://apnews.com/hub/congress) [Supreme Court](https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court) [The latest AP-NORC polls](https://apnews.com/projects/polling-tracker/) [Ground Game](https://apnews.com/hub/ground-game)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTOP STORIES\n\n\n\n  - [Trump’s tariffs are hurting American manufacturers instead of helping them](https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-manufacturing-china-030d58f482ce2505721a3ce86820d1da)\n  - [China ignores Trump’s Hormuz request as the Iran war deepens and his Beijing trip slips](https://apnews.com/article/iran-china-trump-xi-hormuz-b4037d9d5af7fa4b210d75f6d69d4533)\n  - [US intel official says Iran's regime still intact but refuses to discuss talks with Trump about war](https://apnews.com/article/fbi-iran-war-congress-gabbard-kash-patel-54efeb2ec50a7d31421dc1c36ea4ab5b)\n\nNewsletters\n\n[Gr"
}

Tool Result: web_fetch

{
  "content": "Remember me\n[Forgot password?](https://kenpom.com/password_request.php)\n\n[![Subscribe!](https://kenpom.com/assets/subscribe.png)](https://kenpom.com/register-kenpom.php)[**SUBSCRIBE!**](https://kenpom.com/register-kenpom.php)\n\n[![](https://kenpom.com/assets/dt_logo.svg)](https://doubletakeout.com/)[![](https://kenpom.com/assets/bbanalytics.png)](https://bballanalytics.com/)\n\n### ADVANCED ANALYSIS OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL\n\n[![](https://kenpom.com/assets/substack.svg)](https://kenpom.substack.com/)[![](https://kenpom.com/assets/dunksandthrees.svg)](https://dunksandthrees.com/)\n\n* * *\n\n* * *\n\n* * *\n\n* * *\n\n## 2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings\n\n[help](https://kenpom.com/blog/ratings-methodology-update)\n\n[02](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2002&s=RankAdjOE) · [03](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2003&s=RankAdjOE) · [04](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2004&s=RankAdjOE) · [05](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2005&s=RankAdjOE) · [06](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2006&s=RankAdjOE) · [07](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2007&s=RankAdjOE) · [08](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2008&s=RankAdjOE) · [09](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2009&s=RankAdjOE) · [10](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2010&s=RankAdjOE) · [11](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2011&s=RankAdjOE) · [12](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2012&s=RankAdjOE) · [13](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2013&s=RankAdjOE) · [14](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2014&s=RankAdjOE) · [15](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2015&s=RankAdjOE) · [16](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2016&s=RankAdjOE) · [17](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2017&s=RankAdjOE) · [18](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2018&s=RankAdjOE) · [19](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2019&s=RankAdjOE) · [20](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2020&s=RankAdjOE) · [21](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2021&s=RankAdjOE) · [22](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2022&s=RankAdjOE) · [23](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2023&s=RankAdjOE) · [24](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2024&s=RankAdjOE) · [25](https://kenpom.com/index.php?y=2025&s=RankAdjOE) · 26\n\nData through games of [Tuesday, March 17](https://kenpom.com/fanmatch.php?d=2026-03-17) (6205 games)\n\n|  |  |  |  |  |  | Strength of Schedule | NCSOS |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| [Rk](https://kenpom.com/index.php) | [Team](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=TeamName) | Conf | [W](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=Wins)- [L](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=Losses) | [NetRtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php) | [ORtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankAdjOE) | [DRtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankAdjDE) | [AdjT](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankAdjTempo) | [Luck](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankLuck) | [NetRtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankSOS) | [ORtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankSOSO) | [DRtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankSOSD) | [NetRtg](https://kenpom.com/index.php?s=RankNCSOS) |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| 8 | [Purdue](https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Purdue) 2 | [B10](https://kenpom.com/conf.php?c=B10) | 27-8 | +31.18 | 131.6 | 1 | 100.5 | 36 | 64.4 | 325 | -.006 | 199 | +15.88 | 7 | 118.3 | 9 | 102.5 | 4 | +6.28 | 49 |\n| 7 | [Illinois](https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Illinois) 3 | [B10](https://kenpom.com/conf.php?c=B10) | 24-8 | +32.09 | 131.2 | 2 | 99.1 | 28 | 65.6 | 276 | -.050 | 306 | +13.65 | 23 | 117.1 | 22 | 103.4 | 27 | +3.77 | 91 |\n| 18 | [Alabama](https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Alabama) 4 | [SEC](https://kenpom.com/conf.php?c=SEC) | 23-9 | +25.68 | 129.0 | 3 | 103.3 | 67 | 73.1 | 4 | +.019 | 128 | +16.72 | 2 | 119.4 | 1 | 102.7 | 8 | +13.43 | 9 |\n| 1 | [Duke](https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Duke) 1 | [ACC](https://kenpom.com/conf.php?c=ACC) | 32-2 | +38.88 | 128.0 | 4 | 89.1 | 2 | 65.4 | 287 | +.049 | 62 | +14.29 | 15 | 117.0 | 23 | 102.7 | 10 | +10.10 | 18 |\n| 15 | [Arkansas](https://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Arkansas) 4 | [SEC](https://kenpom.com/conf.php?c=SEC) | 26-8 | +26.01 | 127.7 | 5 |"
}

assistantMessage 4

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good, I can see some KenPom ratings. Let me get more details on the teams. I can see Duke is #1, Purdue is #8, Illinois is #7, Alabama is #18. Let me search for more specific information about key teams and matchups.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Duke Blue Devils 2026 season record Cooper Flagg"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Houston Cougars 2026 basketball season Kelvin Sampson"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "UConn Huskies 2026 basketball Dan Hurley repeat"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/duke-basketball-treasure-cooper-flagg-192609271.html",
      "title": "Duke Basketball Treasure Cooper Flagg Sees His ACC Record ...",
      "snippet": "Feb 1, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks with forward Cooper Flagg (2) in the second half ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://dukechronicle.com/article/duke-mens-basketball-womens-mens-soccer-blue-devils-in-the-pros-flagg-cooper-stroud-mavericks-knueppel-20251222",
      "title": "Duke in the pros: Flagg etches his name in record books, Stroud ...",
      "snippet": "The lucky number 42 echoed among Blue Devil fans as Flagg broke Zion Williamson and Jared McCain's scoring record against Notre Dame. Last week, ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://goduke.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2025-26",
      "title": "2025-26 Men's Basketball Cumulative Statistics - Duke Athletics",
      "snippet": "... Blue Devil Tower Premium Seating · Devils Deck Access · Game Day Hospitality. Game Day. Quick Links; Facilities Information · Game Day Parking Guide ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43372596/cooper-flagg-scores-acc-freshman-record-42-duke-win",
      "title": "Cooper Flagg scores ACC freshman-record 42 in Duke win - ESPN",
      "snippet": "Duke Blue Devils. 1y. Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March ... Devil since Danny Ferry's program-record 58 points at Miami in December 1988 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2025-04-10/how-cooper-flaggs-season-stacks-other-great-freshmen",
      "title": "How Cooper Flagg's season stacks up with other great freshmen",
      "snippet": "The Blue Devils were awarded the number one overall seed, but their season was cut short after Michigan State knocked Duke out in the Elite ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtEOFgndt8E",
      "title": "Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts to ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Check out what Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson said about the 2026 NCAA Tournament seeding. #gocoogs #collegebasketball #big12."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/houston-coach-kelvin-sampson-said-030114186.html",
      "title": "What Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said after beating BYU in the ...",
      "snippet": "Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson yells to his players during the first half of the game against BYU during the quarterfinal of the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://uhcougars.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/kelvin-sampson/1618",
      "title": "Kelvin Sampson - Men's Basketball Coach - University of Houston ...",
      "snippet": "In 11 seasons at Houston, Sampson has led the Cougars to seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances – including the 2025 NCAA National Championship Game and ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/houston/basketball/kelvin-sampson-makes-houston-s-standard-on-academics-very-clear",
      "title": "Kelvin Sampson Makes Houston's Standard on Academics Very Clear",
      "snippet": "Houston Cougars' head coach Kelvin Sampson praised the culture that the basketball program has built after the Baylor win."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://cw39.com/cw39/houston-cougars-vs-idaho-march-madness-ncaa-tournament-2026/",
      "title": "Houston Cougars vs. Idaho: No. 2 UH ready to begin March ...",
      "snippet": "Houston opens the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Thursday night against No. ... Kelvin Sampson, who has led the Cougars since 2014."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.ctinsider.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball/article/dan-hurley-technical-fouls-marquette-21962630.php",
      "title": "UConn's Dan Hurley improved sideline behavior before Saturday",
      "snippet": "UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley had cut down on his technical fouls, and ejections before Saturday's antics at Marquette."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.courant.com/2026/01/25/uconn-notes-history-nearly-repeats-itself-as-hurley-td-up-in-ot-win-over-villanova/",
      "title": "Dan Hurley controls emotions after early technical - Hartford Courant",
      "snippet": "UConn head coach Dan Hurley was certainly engaged on the sidelines as he earned his second technical of the season during Saturday's ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLpELgmNU7o",
      "title": "UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley Selection Sunday Media Availability",
      "snippet": "Hear from UConn MBB Head Coach Dan Hurley following UConn's selection as the No. 2 seed in the East Region in the NCAA Tournament on 3.15.26 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5389962/2024/04/04/uconn-repeat-billy-donovan-march-madness/",
      "title": "Can UConn men's basketball repeat? As Dan Hurley learned from ...",
      "snippet": "UConn is looking to become the first repeat national champs since Florida in 2006-07. Hurley reached out to Donovan before the season began."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV_fyyxEUzy/",
      "title": "One of the most LOADED championship teams we've ever seen ...",
      "snippet": "This UConn team was crazy GRADUATE GUARD 2 TRISTEN NEWTON UCONN HUSKIES ... 2026 #uconn #danhurley #collegebasketball #marchmadness # ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 5

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Let me continue researching key teams, especially the top seeds and potential Cinderellas.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Purdue Boilermakers 2026 basketball Zach Edey replacement"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Gonzaga Bulldogs 2026 basketball season Mark Few"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Michigan Wolverines 2026 basketball Dusty May season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.hammerandrails.com/2024/10/23/24277624/purdue-basketball-replacing-the-two-time-npoy-will-take-a-group-effort",
      "title": "Purdue Basketball: Replacing the Two-Time NPOY Will ...",
      "snippet": "Purdue Basketball starts with strong post-play, but replacing Zach Edey is a near impossible task for one man. by Kyle Holderfield."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/zach-edey-returns-purdue-basketball-032306129.html",
      "title": "Zach Edey returns to Purdue basketball, helps Gene Keady ...",
      "snippet": "Zach Edey returns to Purdue basketball, helps Gene Keady to his seat - Yahoo Sports."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://brobible.com/sports/article/daniel-jacobsen-purdue-center-tall-big-man-basketball-recruiting/",
      "title": "Purdue's Freakishly Tall Replacement For Zach Edey Is ...",
      "snippet": "Daniel Jacobsen is the next 7-foot+ college basketball recruit to play for Purdue. He will replace Zach Edey and might be even better!"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/college/purdue/basketball/2023/02/03/purdues-trey-kaufman-renn-grows-into-role-as-change-up-zach-edey/69860717007/",
      "title": "Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn grows into role as changeup ...",
      "snippet": "In moments of struggle, Painter has been quick to replace Kaufman-Renn with Edey. It's difficult to gain traction when you enter a game for a ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/ripcity/comments/1atlc7c/zach_edey_of_purdue_boilermakers/",
      "title": "Zach Edey of Purdue Boilermakers : r/ripcity",
      "snippet": "He's like a bigger Enes Kanter but who has Yao Ming's moves and can defend the inside better. I think he can replace Robert Williams III who ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhQrVys_ISk",
      "title": "Few Breaks Down Gonzaga vs Kennesaw St | Reaction to 3-seed",
      "snippet": "This week on The Mark Few Show, Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few reacts to the Zags earning the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mark-few-provides-gonzaga-forward-174516746.html",
      "title": "Mark Few provides update on Gonzaga forward Braden Huff ahead ...",
      "snippet": "Thu, March 12, 2026 at 5:45 PM UTC. Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs wrapped up their final season in the West Coast Conference with a win ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Izu6WV-xk",
      "title": "Mark Few Reacts to Gonzaga's No. 3 seed for NCAA ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Gonzaga head coach Mark Few held a press conference following the announcement that Gonzaga earned a No. 3 seed and will play No."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/mar/04/a-grip-on-sports-gonzaga-coach-mark-few-was-at-his/",
      "title": "A Grip on Sports: Gonzaga coach Mark Few was at his best this ...",
      "snippet": "A Grip on Sports: Gonzaga coach Mark Few was at his best this WCC season, navigating the rapids with a boat losing ballast · A GRIP ON SPORTS Do ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/BBHOF/posts/coach-of-the-gonzaga-mens-basketball-team-a-class-of-2026-finalist-coach-mark-fe/1600972931388389/",
      "title": "Coach of the Gonzaga Men's Basketball team, a Class of 2026 ...",
      "snippet": "After leading Gonzaga to the first undefeated regular season in program history, Mark Few has been named the 2020-21 Naismith Men's Coach of the ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/michigans-rebuild-keyed-dusty-mays-183129456.html",
      "title": "Michigan's rebuild keyed by Dusty May's new-school approach and ...",
      "snippet": "Michigan's basketball program has a shot to win its second national title, and first since 1989, thanks to a remarkable rebuild under Dusty ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigten/2026/02/28/dusty-may-michigan-basketball-big-ten-regular-season-title-year-2/88909509007/",
      "title": "How Dusty May led Michigan to Big Ten regular season title in Year 2",
      "snippet": "May has helped lead Michigan's transformation from an 8-24 campaign in the 2023-24 season to a potential No. 1 seed and the regular-season ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://gbmwolverine.com/dusty-may-pushes-back-on-idea-that-michigan-bought-super-team-in-best-way-possible",
      "title": "Dusty May pushes back on idea that Michigan 'bought' super team in ...",
      "snippet": "For the second time in recent weeks, Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May pushed back on the idea that Michigan built a super team."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/dusty-may-announces-huge-loss-150111872.html",
      "title": "Dusty May Announces Huge Loss for 2026-27 Michigan Basketball ...",
      "snippet": "Dusty May Announces Huge Loss for 2026-27 Michigan Basketball Team ... The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball received some tough injury news on ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/basketball/2026/03/dusty-may-has-shined-in-building-michigan-rosters-why-it-isnt-that-easy.html",
      "title": "Dusty May has shined in building Michigan rosters. Why it isn't that ...",
      "snippet": "A look at how Dusty May built the best roster in the Big Ten."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 6

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good progress. Let me research more teams, especially some key matchups and potential upsets.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Florida Gators 2026 basketball Todd Golden SEC championship"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Iowa State Cyclones 2026 basketball TJ Otzelberger"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Kansas Jayhawks 2026 basketball Bill Self injuries"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2026/03/14/despite-loss-in-sec-tournament-todd-golden-says-florida-still-deserves-no-1-seed/89017503007/",
      "title": "Florida basketball makes final pitch for No. 1 seed after SEC ...",
      "snippet": "Todd Golden believes that Florida should be a No. 1 seed in March Madness. Here's why and what UF's players said about turning the page to ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zt8jW0bSHw",
      "title": "Todd Golden, Gators on 91-74 loss to Vandy in SEC Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "Todd Golden, Gators on 91-74 loss to Vandy in SEC Tournament Semifinals | Florida Basketball Join this channel to get access to members-only ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/03/11/florida-gators-mens-basketball-todd-golden-sec-tournament-thomas-haugh/",
      "title": "Red-hot Florida eyes SEC tournament title, NCAA No. 1",
      "snippet": "GAINESVILLE — By capitalizing on every advantage available, Todd Golden has captured a national championship at Florida, won 100 games at an ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/coach-todd-golden-rejects-wake-005700885.html",
      "title": "Coach Todd Golden rejects wake-up call talk as top-seeded Florida ...",
      "snippet": "Entering the SEC Tournament, he dismissed the notion that a loss could serve as a reality check for the red-hot, ultra-confident Gators. On ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.alligator.org/article/2026/03/gators-earn-sec-honors-bball?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured",
      "title": "Golden, Chinyelu headline Florida SEC regular-season honors",
      "snippet": "Florida head coach Todd Golden celebrates Florida's SEC Championship win after an NCAA basketball game against Arkansas, Saturday, Feb.28, 2026, ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://cyclones.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/t-j-otzelberger/2378",
      "title": "T.J. Otzelberger - Men's Basketball Coach - Iowa State Athletics",
      "snippet": "In just four years at the helm, Otzelberger has led the Cyclones to a 95-45 record and four trips to the NCAA Tournament. The 95 wins are the most by a coach in ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://cyclones.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/eric-kohr/845",
      "title": "Men's Basketball Coach - Otzelberger, TJ - Iowa State Athletics",
      "snippet": "Follow @coachotz Assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger returned to Iowa State in April of 2015 after a two-year stint as associate head coach at Washington."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.on3.com/sites/cyclone-report/news/iowa-state-head-coach-tj-otzelberger-speaks-on-returning-to-ncaa-tournament-again-in-year-five/",
      "title": "Iowa State head coach TJ Otzelberger speaks on returning to NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "The Cyclones are dancing for the fifth time in as many seasons under head coach TJ Otzelberger and are the two-seed in the Midwest Region ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/videos/iowa-state-basketball-coach-tj-160907238.html",
      "title": "Iowa State basketball coach TJ Otzelberger on 2026 Big 12 ...",
      "snippet": "Iowa State basketball coach TJ Otzelberger on the competitiveness of the 2026 Big 12 Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvAY5ipyeTc",
      "title": "TJ Otzelberger on Iowa State's DOMINANT start to the Big 12 ...",
      "snippet": "... basketball, college hoops, college basketball podcast, cbb, NIL, jeff goodman, rob dauster, kentucky basketball, kentucky wildcats, 2026 ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kansas-basketball-coach-bill-self-230002554.html",
      "title": "Kansas Basketball Coach Bill Self Responds to Retirement Rumors",
      "snippet": "The conversation grew when he was hospitalized again in June 2025 and had two additional stents put in. Self then missed the Colorado game in ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www2.kusports.com/sports/college/basketball-men/2026/jan/21/self-returning-to-action-explains-recent-health-issue/",
      "title": "Self returning to action, explains recent health issue - KU Sports",
      "snippet": "Self said that shortly before the team had been slated to take off on Monday, he had started feeling “some very abnormal chest issues,” which ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/47665859/kansas-bill-self-hospitalized-does-not-travel-team",
      "title": "Kansas: Bill Self hospitalized, does not travel with team - ESPN",
      "snippet": "Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self was hospitalized Monday out of caution and did not travel to Boulder with the team for Tuesday ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.kctv5.com/2026/01/20/ku-says-self-was-taken-hospital-didnt-travel-with-team-colorado/",
      "title": "KU: Self taken to hospital 'out of an abundance of caution' - KCTV5",
      "snippet": "Self has been hospitalized multiple times over the course of the last four years. He missed time during the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament with a No ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4u0vF_K5Ds",
      "title": "Bill Self Hospitalized, Not with Kansas Basketball for Colorado Trip",
      "snippet": "NOTE: Kansas has announced that Jacque Vaughn will serve as acting head coach for tonight's game. Nick Springer and Kevin Flaherty react to ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 7

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Interesting - Bill Self has had health issues. This is an important factor. Let me research more specific matchups and potential upset teams.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "McNeese Cowboys 2026 basketball Will Wade Cinderella"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Northern Iowa Panthers 2026 basketball upset 12 seed"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Akron Zips 2026 basketball MAC tournament upset"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.npr.org/2025/03/21/nx-s1-5336297/mcneese-cowboys-upset-the-clemson-tigers-starting-a-march-madness-cinderella-story",
      "title": "McNeese Cowboys upset the Clemson Tigers, starting a March ...",
      "snippet": "McNeese Cowboys upset the Clemson Tigers, starting a March Madness Cinderella story The McNeese ... WILL WADE: Our enrollment's up 3%. Our ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://pressbreak.substack.com/p/will-wade-and-the-wolf-in-cinderellas",
      "title": "Will Wade and The Wolf in Cinderella's Clothing - Press Break",
      "snippet": "Will Wade and The Wolf in Cinderella's Clothing. McNeese scored a program-defining win, yet the attention is on college basketball power-brokers ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://americanpress.com/2026/03/12/building-for-long-haul/",
      "title": "Building for long haul | American Press",
      "snippet": "Last Spring, after committing to NC State, an emotional Will Wade said he would do everything he could to keep McNeese basketball strong."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://nypost.com/2025/03/20/sports/mcneese-state-makes-case-to-be-march-madness-first-cinderella/",
      "title": "McNeese State makes case to be March Madness' first Cinderella",
      "snippet": "In this case, McNeese gets a first-ever win in the NCAA Tournament. In this case, with the Cowboys coach, Will Wade, already signed, sealed and ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2025/3/20/24390505/mcneese-cowboys-march-madness-cinderella-clemson-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "McNeese Cowboys are March Madness' first Cinderella candidate ...",
      "snippet": "Will Wade turned the McNeese Cowboys into demons in his second season with the program. · McNeese beat Clemson, 69-67, for the program's first ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLPX6FiFlNQ",
      "title": "UNI basketball earns No. 12 seed, will face St. John's - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Northern Iowa is dancing — the Panthers snag a No. 12 seed in the East and will face Big East champ St. John's Friday night in San Diego ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV9pN-RD8Er/",
      "title": "Will Northern Iowa score a 12/5 UPSET over St. John's?! - Instagram",
      "snippet": "Not mistaken that Northern Iowa team that I just mentioned is a 12 seed this year and boy do we have the slow versus fast match up in this ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://deadspin.com/no-5-st-johns-out-to-prove-seeding-too-low-vs-no-12-northern-iowa/",
      "title": "No. 5 St. John's out to prove seeding too low vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa",
      "snippet": "The Red Storm (28-6) won both the Big East regular-season title and the conference tournament, yet secured only a No. 5 seed for a first-round ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ejsportsmedia.com/post/twelfth-seeded-uni-panthers-to-face-fifth-seeded-st-john-s-in-ncaa-tournament-first-round",
      "title": "Twelfth-Seeded UNI Panthers to Face Fifth-Seeded St. John's in ...",
      "snippet": "Twelfth-Seeded UNI Panthers to Face Fifth-Seeded St. John's in NCAA Tournament First Round · CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The University of Northern Iowa ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/meet-ncaa-tournament-no-12-015005116.html",
      "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 ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://getsomemaction.com/news/2026/3/15/mens-basketball-akron-completes-three-peat-behind-clutch-three-from-scott.aspx",
      "title": "Akron Completes MAC Tournament Three-Peat Behind Clutch ...",
      "snippet": "... Zips defeated fourth-seeded Toledo, 79-75. ... 2026 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament Postgame Press Conference: Akron (Championship)"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/akron-zips-historic-stretch-leaves-100527880.html",
      "title": "Akron Zips' historic stretch leaves something to be desired | Opinion",
      "snippet": "An NCAA Tournament win has eluded the Akron Zips men's basketball team during its Division I era. It's a feat UA has been chasing amid MAC ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/2026/03/akron-zips-mens-basketball-defeat-buffalo-bulls-in-mac-tournament-quarterfinal-win.html",
      "title": "Akron Zips avoid late-game scare in MAC tournament quarterfinal ...",
      "snippet": "The No. 2 seed Zips defeated the No. 7-seeded Bulls, moving onto the MAC Tournament semifinals."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYYmC3Ciz1k",
      "title": "GAME WINNER Akron wins the MAC title in the FINAL SECONDS to ...",
      "snippet": "Watch as the Akron Zips defeat the Toledo Rockets, 79-76, after Shammah Scott knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer as they won their ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/akron-pursues-its-first-ncaa-tournament-win-after-22082327.php",
      "title": "Akron pursues its first NCAA Tournament win after conquering the ...",
      "snippet": "The Zips had only one loss in MAC play, a three-point defeat to the RedHawks on Jan. 3. Akron has won 19 of 20 games since, matching St. John's ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 8

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Great info! McNeese is dangerous, Akron has won 19 of 20, Northern Iowa vs St. John's is a classic 5/12 matchup. Let me continue researching.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Vanderbilt Commodores 2026 basketball SEC tournament upset"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "High Point Panthers 2026 basketball Big South champion"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "VCU Rams 2026 basketball NCAA tournament experience"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/arkansas-vanderbilt-score-live-updates-sec-tournament-championship-game/live/",
      "title": "Arkansas outlasts Vanderbilt for SEC Tournament title, carries ...",
      "snippet": "No. 3 seed Arkansas defeated No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 86-75 on Sunday in the 2026 SEC Tournament title game. The Razorbacks captured their first ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vanderbilt-basketball-delivered-punishing-win-193039591.html",
      "title": "How Vanderbilt basketball delivered punishing win vs Florida in ...",
      "snippet": "Vanderbilt advanced to the 2026 SEC Tournament final at Bridgestone Arena by ending Florida's 12-game win streak in emphatic and stunning ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUbNljZpL5U",
      "title": "Hogs win 2026 SEC Tournament over Vanderbilt breakdown",
      "snippet": "Hogs win 2026 SEC Tournament over Vanderbilt breakdown | PTN Digital Extra."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://vucommodores.com/dores-sec-tournament-run-comes-to-an-end/",
      "title": "Dores SEC Tournament Run Comes to an End - Vanderbilt Athletics",
      "snippet": "No. 2-seeded Vanderbilt falls to No. 7 Ole Miss, 89-78, in the quarterfinals of the 2025-26 SEC Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/FloridaGators/comments/1rts7kg/postgame_thread_florida_eliminated_from_2026_sec/",
      "title": "[Postgame Thread] Florida eliminated from 2026 SEC men's ... - Reddit",
      "snippet": "[Postgame Thread] Florida eliminated from 2026 SEC men's basketball tournament with 91 to 74 loss over Vanderbilt in the semifinals. · Comments ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zaD-P73dYJQ",
      "title": "High Point Men's Basketball 2026 Big South Championship Recap",
      "snippet": "High Point Men's Basketball 2026 Big South Championship Recap ... This content isn't available. Skip video."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://highpointpanthers.com/news/2026/3/8/mens-basketball-hpu-wins-back-to-back-big-south-championship-against-winthrop.aspx",
      "title": "HPU Wins Back-to-Back Big South Championships Against Winthrop",
      "snippet": "The Panthers become the first Big South team to win back-to-back tournament championships since Winthrop from 2019-21. Head Coach Flynn Clayman ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/ESPN/videos/high-point-wins-back-to-back-big-south-tournament/1421287319480534/",
      "title": "High Point wins back-to-back Big South tournament - Facebook",
      "snippet": "BACK-TO-BACK BIG SOUTH CHAMPS The High Point Panthers are going to the tourney in back-to-back seasons Sign up for Tournament Challenge ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.wjhl.com/news/high-point-panthers-men-and-women-sweep-big-south-championship-at-freedom-hall/",
      "title": "High Point Panther's men and women sweep Big South ... - WJHL",
      "snippet": "The High Point men's team finished their season 31-4, Big South Conference regular season champions and Big South Conference Tournament ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.threads.com/@yahoosports/post/DVpINBfFclp/high-point-wins-back-to-back-big-south-tournament-titles-the-panthers-are-going",
      "title": "high point wins back-to-back big south tournament titles - Threads",
      "snippet": "HIGH POINT WINS BACK-TO-BACK BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT TITLES. The Panthers are going to the BIG DANCE for the third time in program history."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/401851277",
      "title": "VCU 70-62 Dayton (Mar 15, 2026) Game Recap - ESPN",
      "snippet": "VCU Rams vs Dayton Flyers · VCU beats Dayton 70-62 to win second straight Atlantic 10 Tournament, earn spot in NCAA Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.nbc12.com/2026/03/17/they-have-good-chance-vcu-community-celebrates-rams-a-10-win-return-ncaa-tournament/",
      "title": "'They have a good chance:' VCU community celebrates Rams' A-10 ...",
      "snippet": "Some analysts have identified the Rams as a potential upset pick, citing their 16 wins in their last 17 games."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wuat63ViXg",
      "title": "VCU headed to NCAA tournament after 70-62 win over ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "On The Horn with Zach Joachim: VCU headed to NCAA tournament after 70-62 win over Dayton in Atlantic 10 championship."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/03/15/vcu-rams-headed-back-ncaa-tournament/",
      "title": "VCU Rams headed back to the NCAA Tournament - WWBT",
      "snippet": "VCU was a No. 2 seed in the A-10 tournament this year and now have a record of 27-7. It's the team's second straight A-10 title."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.house-enterprise.com/post/vcu-wins-2026-atlantic-10-tournament-slu-earns-at-large-bid-to-big-dance",
      "title": "VCU Wins 2026 Atlantic 10 Tournament, SLU Earns At-Large Bid to ...",
      "snippet": "Missing: experience | Show results with:experience"
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 9

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Excellent! VCU has won 16 of their last 17 games and won back-to-back A-10 titles. That's a dangerous 11 seed. Let me research more teams.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Tennessee Volunteers 2026 basketball Rick Barnes tournament history"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Virginia Cavaliers 2026 basketball Tony Bennett defense"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "BYU Cougars 2026 basketball Kevin Young season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/longformarticle/everything-rick-barnes-said-after-learning-tennessee-volunteers-draw-in-ncaa-tournament-rick-barnes-nate-ament-jakobi-gillespie-miami-ohio-smu-277826854/",
      "title": "Everything Rick Barnes said after learning Tennessee basketball's ...",
      "snippet": "Tennessee basketball learned its draw in the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday ... Tournament appearances under Barnes: No. 3 in ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Barnes",
      "title": "Rick Barnes - Wikipedia",
      "snippet": "In the 2021–22 season, Barnes led Tennessee to their first SEC Tournament title since the 1978–79 season. In the 2023–24 season, Barnes earned his 800th career ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/rick-barnes-1.html",
      "title": "Rick Barnes Coaching Record - Sports-Reference.com",
      "snippet": "Career Record (major schools): 39 Years, 858-434, .664 W-L% ; Schools: George Mason (20-10), Providence (108-76), Clemson (74-48), Texas (402-180) and Tennessee ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/feb/15/barnes-at-250-wins-with-vols-and-counting-we-can/",
      "title": "Barnes at 250 wins with Vols and counting: 'We can get so much ...",
      "snippet": "Barnes was 60 years old, and he had guided the Longhorns to 402 victories and to 16 NCAA men's basketball tournament appearances during his 17 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://fulldisclosurepro.com/rick-barnes-message-tennessee-ncaa-tournament-path/",
      "title": "Rick Barnes shares message after Tennessee learns NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "The RedHawks reached the tournament after going 31-1 this 2025-26 College Basketball season. “Anytime that you win 30 games, it speaks volumes ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://virginiasports.com/staff/tony-bennett",
      "title": "Tony Bennett - Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site",
      "snippet": "Three-time National Coach of the Year Tony Bennett enters his 16th year as the Dean and Markel Families Men's Head Basketball Coach at the University of ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reuters.com/sports/lakers-hire-ex-virginia-coach-tony-bennett-draft-advisor--flm-2026-02-25/",
      "title": "Lakers hire ex-Virginia coach Tony Bennett as draft advisor | Reuters",
      "snippet": "Bennett, a three-time NCAA national Coach of the Year, retired from coaching in October 2024. He guided the Cavaliers to a national championship ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.streakingthelawn.com/virginia-cavaliers-basketball/44196/uva-basketball-tony-bennett-ryan-odom-dallin-hall-malik-thomas-acc-tipoff",
      "title": "How Virginia basketball is moving forward in the post-Tony Bennett ...",
      "snippet": "While the Tony Bennett era may be over, and with it the use of his patented Packline defense, the bar has not been lowered for the Virginia ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://247sports.com/college/virginia/article/virginia-unveils-tony-bennett-court-ahead-in-pre-game-ceremony-275125298/",
      "title": "Virginia unveils 'Tony Bennett Court' in pre-game ceremony",
      "snippet": "-- In front of a soldl out John Paul jones Arena crowd, Virginia honroed former UVA men's basketball coach Tony Bennett during a pre-game ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/virginia-coach-tony-bennett-hired-lakers-draft/742964",
      "title": "Ex-Virginia coach Tony Bennett hired for an NBA job",
      "snippet": "Former Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett has been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers for a job in scouting for the draft."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://byucougars.com/news/2026/03/15/kevin-young-byu-mens-basketball-media-availability-march-15-2026",
      "title": "BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 15, 2026",
      "snippet": "Kevin Young | BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 15, 2026 - BYU Athletics - Official Athletics Website - BYU Cougars."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvvGFhNiBeA",
      "title": "BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 15, 2026 - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Kevin Young | BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 15, 2026. 10K views · 1 day ago. #gocougs #byuhoops ...more. BYU Cougars. 57.2K."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://byucougars.com/news/2026/03/2/kevin-young-byu-mens-basketball-media-availability-march-2-2026",
      "title": "BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 2, 2026",
      "snippet": "Kevin Young | BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 2, 2026 - BYU Athletics - Official Athletics Website - BYU Cougars."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL1m7LFHyS8",
      "title": "Kevin Young reacts to BYU basketball's 2026 NCAA Tournament draw",
      "snippet": "BYU basketball head coach Kevin Young spoke with reporters on Selection Sunday, March 15, 2026, after the Cougars received a 6-seed in the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PYKnedERws",
      "title": "BYU Men's Basketball | Media Availability | March 2, 2026 - YouTube",
      "snippet": "BYU Men's Basketball Head Coach Kevin Young talks with the media. March 2, 2026 Presented by Mountain America Credit Union #gocougs ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 10

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Tony Bennett retired from Virginia! That's huge news. Let me research more about Virginia's current coaching situation and also look at more potential upsets.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Virginia basketball 2026 Ryan Odom coach post Tony Bennett"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Texas Longhorns 2026 basketball SEC tournament first year"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Miami Ohio RedHawks 2026 basketball 31-1 season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/first-year-coach-ryan-odom-and-virginia-seek-22081072.php",
      "title": "First-year coach Ryan Odom and Virginia seek first NCAA ... - SFGATE",
      "snippet": "Virginia enters the NCAA Tournament with a new coach and a new style, and the Cavaliers want their first tourney win in years."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ywIGdprVC4",
      "title": "MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ryan Odom Media Availability, March 9th 2026",
      "snippet": "I loved listening to the wisdom of Tony Bennett over the years. I ... Talking With Teel: ACC MBB Recap, Future Of Virginia Tech Men's Basketball ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/virginia/basketball/ryan-odom-reflects-on-tony-bennett-s-legendary-career-after-uva-s-win-over-miami-01kj1bfgjvzs",
      "title": "Ryan Odom Reflects On Tony Bennett's Legendary Career After ...",
      "snippet": "Ryan Odom Reflects On Tony Bennett's Legendary Career After UVA's Win Over Miami. Virginia honored national championship winning head coach Tony ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.aol.com/articles/first-coach-ryan-odom-virginia-054618227.html",
      "title": "First-year coach Ryan Odom and Virginia seek first NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "First-year coach Ryan Odom and Virginia seek first NCAA Tournament win in 7 years. Associated Press. STEVE REED. Updated Tue, March 17, 2026 at ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DVJYbsBkXEO/",
      "title": "Former Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett suggested to current ...",
      "snippet": "Former Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett suggested to current Cavaliers big whistle Ryan Odom that Odom not bring the team out onto the ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://texaslonghorns.com/news/2026/3/7/mens-basketball-sec-mens-basketball-tournament-bracket-announced",
      "title": "SEC Men's Basketball Tournament bracket announced",
      "snippet": "Texas (18-13, 9-9 SEC) is the No. 10 seed in the tournament and will open play in a First Round contest against No. 15 seed Ole Miss (12-19, 4- ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-xoAp9ka3A",
      "title": "Texas Longhorns Women's Basketball claims program's first SEC ...",
      "snippet": "THE TEXAS LONGHORNS ARE THE 2026 SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS Subscribe → https://www.youtube.com/@SEC Watch more SEC Women's Basketball ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texas-basketball-longhorns-claim-spot-221850063.html",
      "title": "Longhorns claim spot in NCAA Tournament, will play in First Four",
      "snippet": "Texas basketball receives a sixth straight bid to the NCAA Tournament but will have to return to Dayton, Ohio, for a First Four game against ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://thedailytexan.com/2026/03/08/texas-womens-basketball-makes-history-winning-first-ever-sec-tournament-championship/",
      "title": "Texas women's basketball makes history, winning first-ever SEC ...",
      "snippet": "Texas women's basketball makes history, winning first-ever SEC tournament championship – The Daily Texan."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/texas-tops-south-carolina-to-claim-first-sec-title-in-program-history/ar-AA1XMsMd?cvid=69ae718719f44e8d81707de3dcd1ca65&ocid=fwdbahp&apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1",
      "title": "Texas tops South Carolina to claim first SEC title in program history",
      "snippet": "Texas tops South Carolina to claim first SEC title in program history · Longhorns open dominantly · Texas maintain possession and select strong ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://miamiredhawks.com/news/2026/3/15/mens-basketball-miami-ncaa-tournament-selection-sunday",
      "title": "RedHawks Are Dancing! 31-1 Miami Earns At-Large Bid to ...",
      "snippet": "The RedHawks, who went undefeated during the regular season and boast a 31-1 overall record, will open tournament play in the First Four ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://getsomemaction.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4070",
      "title": "2025-26 Miami Men's Basketball - Schedule",
      "snippet": "2025-26 Miami Men's Basketball Schedule (31-1). Print. Subscribe With ... at Ohio, Athens, Ohio, W 110-108 OT. 3/12/2026, vs. Massachusetts, Cleveland ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2026/03/12/miami-ohio-basketball-march-madness-resume-case-mac-tournament-schedule/89092933007/",
      "title": "Don't be fooled by Miami Ohio 31-1 record. It's built on ...",
      "snippet": "UPDATE: Miami (Ohio) lost in the first round of the MAC tournament Thursday, dropping its record to 31-1 and making for a possibly nervy ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/ncaab/biggest-question-march-madness-bracket-whether-miami-ohio-included/4368706/",
      "title": "Will Miami (Ohio), at 31-1, be included for March Madness?",
      "snippet": "Miami of Ohio enters Selection Sunday at 31-1, but it still does not feel safe for March Madness."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/WCPO9/posts/the-redhawks-are-dancing-miami-was-selected-to-the-first-four-in-the-2026-ncaa-t/1377542941070326/",
      "title": "The RedHawks are dancing! Miami was selected to ...",
      "snippet": "The RedHawks are dancing! Miami was selected to the First Four in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. They will face SMU in Dayton for an 11-seed spot."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 11

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Wow! Miami Ohio is 31-1 but their schedule was weak - they play in the First Four against SMU. Let me research more teams and get a fuller picture.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Kentucky Wildcats 2026 basketball Mark Pope season tournament"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "North Carolina Tar Heels 2026 basketball Hubert Davis"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Louisville Cardinals 2026 basketball Pat Kelsey season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://ukwildcatswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/mens-basketball/2026/03/17/kentucky-basketball-mark-pope-needs-ncaa-tournament/89197182007/",
      "title": "Is Mark Pope's job at risk if Kentucky fails in NCAA Tournament?",
      "snippet": "The Kentucky Wildcats and coach Mark Pope will be under a lot of pressure to win in the NCAA Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article315065459.html",
      "title": "'Anything is possible' for Kentucky in 2026 NCAA Tournament",
      "snippet": "Mark Pope's Kentucky Wildcats now have their NCAA Tournament path. They watched the Selection Sunday show at the coach's house."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPCye9US_Lc",
      "title": "Did Mark Pope's Kentucky Wildcats get a favorable ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "On today's episode of the Wildcats Today Podcast hosts Andrew Stefaniak and Carson Nash preview Kentucky's bracket for the NCAA Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/CatsCoverage/posts/how-year-1-compares-to-year-2-for-mark-pope-pre-2026-ncaa-tournament/945870947825138/",
      "title": "How Year 1 compares to Year 2 for Mark Pope, pre 2026 NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "During the 2024-25 season Mark Pope will prove he can win in the NCAA Tournament https://www.sportsverdict.co.uk/archives/10084."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/great-team-mark-pope-previews-234934355.html",
      "title": "'A great team.' Mark Pope previews UK basketball's first NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "UK coach Mark Pope gives his first thoughts on Kentucky basketball's first round NCAA Tournament game against Santa Clara."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://goheels.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/hubert-davis/4538",
      "title": "Hubert Davis - Men's Basketball Coach",
      "snippet": "The 2025-26 season is Hubert Davis' fifth as head coach at the University of North Carolina and his 14th on the coaching staff at his alma mater."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDQaMdd3lEQ",
      "title": "Hubert Davis Pre-NCAA Tournament Press Conference - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Hubert Davis Pre-NCAA Tournament Press Conference | UNC Basketball ... Comments. 26. Two words: Tar Heels. 17:39 · Go to channel Inside ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.hoopshq.com/recruiting/hubert-davis-unc-recruiting-feb-2026",
      "title": "Has Hubert Davis Turned the Corner on the Recruiting Trail?",
      "snippet": "Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis has been criticized in the past about his ability to consistently attract the nation's top high school ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.tarheelblog.com/unc-basketball/51591/unc-basketball-hubert-davis-hot-seat-poll",
      "title": "Is Hubert Davis the right coach for UNC Basketball? - Tar Heel Blog",
      "snippet": "Is Hubert Davis the right coach for UNC Basketball? Where do you land on this question that divides the fanbase? by David Starnes."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://tarheelswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/tarheels/mens-basketball/2026/01/18/unc-basketball-is-hubert-davis-on-the-hot-seat/88240418007/",
      "title": "UNC Basketball: Is Hubert Davis on the hot seat? - Tar Heels Wire",
      "snippet": "Though UNC sits at 14-4, defensive collapses and an up-and-down four-year run under Hubert Davis have fans uneasy as the ACC grind approaches."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/louisville/basketball/kelsey-players-preview-2026-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "Watch: Pat Kelsey, Louisville Players Preview NCAA Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "Kelsey has guided the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament in both of his first two seasons as head coach, with his first berth snapping a five-year ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2026/02/18/louisville-basketball-records-stats-pat-kelsey-2025-26-roster-mikel-brown-jr-ryan-conwell/88181886007/",
      "title": "Louisville basketball records that could fall in Year 2 under Pat Kelsey",
      "snippet": "Kelsey's inaugural UofL team set a program record with 999 3s attempted (28.5 per game) during the 2024-25 season. It fell 34 makes shy of ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bigredlouie.com/three-crucial-moves-pat-kelsey-must-make-in-the-acc-tournament-for-louisville",
      "title": "Three crucial moves Pat Kelsey must make in the ACC Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "The Louisville Cardinals have had an up-and-down season in 2026 under Pat Kelsey in year two, but are looking to make a serious push towards ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://gocards.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/pat-kelsey/2890",
      "title": "Pat Kelsey - Men's Basketball Coach - University of Louisville Athletic",
      "snippet": "Head Coach - 13 seasons. One season at Louisville: 27-8 (18-2 ACC) 13 seasons overall: 288-130, 167-63 conference. Five NCAA Tournament appearances"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I25M2dw0fk",
      "title": "Louisville HC Pat Kelsey Previews ACC Tournament (3/9/26)",
      "snippet": "Louisville men's basketball head coach Pat Kelsey speaks to the media ahead of the Cardinals' run in the 2026 ACC Tournament."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 12

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good info on Kentucky (pressure on Mark Pope), North Carolina (Hubert Davis on hot seat), and Louisville. Let me get more detailed matchup analysis.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Jay Bilas 2026 NCAA tournament predictions bracket ESPN"
}

Tool Call: web_fetch

{
  "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "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": "Jay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournament · Men's March Madness 2026 bracket: Get to know all 68 teams. Myron Medcalf · Instant ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.on3.com/college/clemson-tigers/news/2026-ncaa-tournament-espn-analyst-jay-bilas-predicts-every-game-in-68-team-field/",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament: ESPN analyst Jay Bilas predicts every ...",
      "snippet": "2026 NCAA Tournament: ESPN analyst Jay Bilas predicts every game in 68-team field · No. 1 Duke over No. 16 Siena · No. 1 Duke over No. 9 TCU · No."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jay-bilas-predicts-major-upset-183836706.html",
      "title": "Jay Bilas Predicts Major Upset in First-Round of NCAA Tournament",
      "snippet": "Jay Bilas is predicting that one of college basketball's powerhouses will lose in the first round."
    },
    {
      "url": "http://africa.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48237100/final-four-national-championship-picks-predictions-march-madness-2026",
      "title": "Final Four, national champion predictions for the men's NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "Jay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournament. Jay Bilas. Joe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026. Joe Lunardi. 2 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.thebiglead.com/jay-bilas-march-madness-predictions-2026-final-four-national-championship/",
      "title": "Jay Bilas' March Madness predictions for 2026 Final Four, national ...",
      "snippet": "Bilas has the Arizona Wildcats as the lone top seed in the Final Four, while the other top seeds fall in the Elite Eight. He predicts No. 3 seed ..."
    }
  ]
}

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/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NCAAM](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NCAAW](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NBA](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NHL](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [PGA Tour](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [LPGA Tour](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [TGL](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Top Soccer](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [MLB](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [World Baseball Classic](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Tennis (M)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Tennis (W)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NFL](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NASCAR](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NCAAF](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [UFC](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NLL (Lacrosse)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [PLL (Lacrosse)](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [F1](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Men's NCAA Ice Hockey](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Women's NCAA Ice Hockey](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NCAA Softball](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [NCAA Baseball](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Men's NCAA Lacrosse](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-bracket#)\n- [Women's NCAA Lacrosse](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48219737/2026-men-ncaa-tournament-jay-bilas-predictions-brac"
}

assistantMessage 13

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Let me try to get more content from the Jay Bilas predictions. Let me also research some more specific team analysis.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "\"Jay Bilas\" \"major upset\" first round 2026 NCAA tournament prediction"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "St John's Red Storm 2026 basketball Rick Pitino Big East champion"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Michigan State Spartans 2026 basketball Tom Izzo tournament experience"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "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": "Jay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournament. Jay Bilas ... major upset. Count on the former, if not the latter; this one ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.threads.com/@athlonsports/post/DV_-XRmFN_Z/esp-ns-jay-bilas-revealed-who-he-thinks-will-win-the-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "ESPN's Jay Bilas revealed who he thinks will win the NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "ESPN's Jay Bilas is expecting a blue-blood program to lose in the first round. Jay Bilas Predicts Major Upset in First-Round of NCAA Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://muckrack.com/kevin-borba",
      "title": "Kevin Borba - Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports Journalist - Muck Rack",
      "snippet": "Jay Bilas Predicts Major Upset in First-Round of NCAA Tournament Original. in a day |. By Kevin Borba Verified. | Athlon Sports Verified. The 2026 NCAA ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://uncwsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/kevin-keatts/41",
      "title": "Kevin Keatts - Men's Basketball Coach - UNC Wilmington Athletics",
      "snippet": "Kevin doesn't just teach the game, he teaches the players.” -Jay Bilas ESPN. “In my 30 years of coaching basketball at Oak Hill Academy, I have had the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://zeam.com/publishers/837/locked-on-big-12-podcast-vods",
      "title": "Locked On Big 12 Podcast VODs | Zeam",
      "snippet": "Saturday in the Big 12 proved that the expanded league is embracing chaos, featuring a major upset ... Jay Bilas, the prominent ESPN college basketball ..."
    }
  ]
}

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 career full of ...",
      "snippet": "He has gone from 1.2 points per game at KU to 16.3 this season and is the first Big East athlete to win player of the year, defensive player of ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7118888/2026/03/14/st-johns-uconn-big-east-tournament/",
      "title": "Rick Pitino and St. John's bring glory days back with Big East title ...",
      "snippet": "Rick Pitino's Red Storm won all three games of their Big East tournament run by double-digits. Ishika Samant / Getty Images."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.rumbleinthegarden.com/st-johns-red-storm-mens-basketball/21225/st-johns-mens-basketball-crushes-uconn-to-capture-back-to-back-big-east-tournament-titles",
      "title": "St. John's men's basketball crushes UConn to capture back-to-back ...",
      "snippet": "St. John's men's basketball crushes UConn to capture back-to-back Big East Tournament titles · Rick Pitino's Red Storm revival has entered ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/FOXCBB/posts/rick-pitino-and-zuby-ejiofor-climb-the-ladder-as-st-johns-celebrates-the-big-eas/1952341395393242/",
      "title": "Rick Pitino and Zuby Ejiofor climb the ladder as St. John's celebrates ...",
      "snippet": "ST JOHN'S 2 BIG AWARD WINNERS COACH OF THE YEAR. Coach Rick Pitino has been named the 2025 BIG EAST Coach of the Year PLAYER OF THE YEAR ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.northjersey.com/picture-gallery/sports/college/basketball/2026/03/15/st-johns-basketball-2026-big-east-tournament-champions-rick-pitino/89165541007/",
      "title": "St. John's basketball celebrates 2026 Big East Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "The St. John's basketball team won the 2026 Big East Tournament championship on Saturday with a 72-52 victory over Connecticut."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMT3oWuJUQc",
      "title": "Tom Izzo reacts to Michigan State gettting No. 3 seed in ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Michigan State coach Tom Izzo shared his inital thoughts on being the No.3 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Michigan State opens the NCAA ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/michiganstate/basketball/msu-spartans-tom-izzo-all-time-ncaa-tournament-record-best-finishes",
      "title": "MSU's Tom Izzo's All-Time NCAA Tourney Record, Best Finishes",
      "snippet": "MSU's Tom Izzo's All-Time NCAA Tourney Record, Best Finishes. Here's how the Spartans' head coach has fared in March Madness over the years."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.mlive.com/spartans/basketball/2026/03/michigan-state-determined-to-earn-it-while-facing-harsh-reality-of-ncaa-tournament.html",
      "title": "Michigan State determined to earn it while facing 'harsh reality' of ...",
      "snippet": "EAST LANSING – About 18 hours after the NCAA Tournament bracket was released, Tom Izzo was back in the Breslin Center media room on Monday ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2026/03/spartans-march-on",
      "title": "28 straight tournaments: Spartans march on | MSUToday",
      "snippet": "Nicknamed “Mr. March,” Head Coach Tom Izzo is also the all-time winningest men's basketball coach in Big Ten Conference history. To say Spartans ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK5-5OI5CoY",
      "title": "Tom Izzo sits down with WILX for a 1-on-1 interview to ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Tom Izzo sat down with WILX's Fred Heumann to preview Michigan State basketball in the NCAA Tournament."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 14

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Excellent! St. John's is crushing it under Rick Pitino - Big East champions. Tom Izzo has 28 straight tournament appearances. Let me get more specific matchup info.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Santa Clara Broncos 2026 basketball WCC tournament upset Kentucky"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "California Baptist Lancers 2026 basketball WAC champion"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "South Florida Bulls 2026 basketball AAC tournament upset"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://www.si.com/college/kentucky/men-s-basketball/santa-clara-over-kentucky-will-be-one-of-the-most-common-upset-picks-in-ncaa-tournament-brackets",
"title": "Santa Clara over Kentucky will be one of the most common upset ...",
"snippet": "Santa Clara over Kentucky will be one of the most common upset picks in NCAA Tournament brackets. A lot of college basketball fans are going to ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYLeHz9KRgo",
"title": "Kentucky is either making a DEEP run or getting upset - YouTube",
"snippet": "... upset' | Bracket Breakdown | 2026 NCAA Tournament. 6.2K ... Just how good is Kentucky's first opponent the #10 seed Santa Clara Broncos?"
},
{
"url": "https://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/three_reasons_the_kentucky_wildcats_will_beat_santa_clara_in_the_ncaa_tournament/s1_17088_43613870",
"title": "Three reasons the Kentucky Wildcats will beat Santa Clara in the ...",
"snippet": "The Broncos just went on a run in the WCC Tournament, where they beat Saint Mary's but then lost to Gonzaga in the final. The Broncos have lost ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.thetelegraph.com/sports/article/santa-clara-basketball-march-madness-kentucky-22078435.php",
"title": "No sleeping on Santa Clara basketball vs. Kentucky in March ...",
"snippet": "The Broncos defeated the Gaels 76-71. Ethan Miller/Getty Images. Three Santa Clara players made the 10-man All-WCC first team this ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401856525/santa-clara-kentucky",
"title": "Santa Clara vs. Kentucky (Mar 20, 2026) Live Score - ESPN",
"snippet": "Live coverage of the Santa Clara Broncos vs. Kentucky Wildcats NCAAM game on ESPN, including live score, highlights and updated stats."
}
]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48213681/cal-baptist-wins-wac-utah-valley-misses-tying-alley-oop",
      "title": "Cal Baptist wins WAC as Utah Valley misses tying alley-oop",
      "snippet": "No. 2 seed Cal Baptist beat top-seeded Utah Valley 63-61 to win the final Western Athletic Conference tournament after the Wolverines' Isaac ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://wacsports.com/news/2026/3/15/basketball-w-california-baptist-wins-the-2026-air-force-reserve-wac-womens-basketball-tournament.aspx",
      "title": "California Baptist Wins the 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC ...",
      "snippet": "LAS VEGAS, Nevada –No. 1 California Baptist defeated No. 2 Abilene Christian 74-58 in the tournament championship game to secure the 2026 Air ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bustingbrackets.com/wac-finale-cal-baptist-lancers-heading-into-march-madness-riding-a-high-basketball",
      "title": "WAC Finale: Cal Baptist Lancers heading into March ...",
      "snippet": "WAC Finale: Cal Baptist Lancers heading into March Madness riding a high. Cal Baptist has one of the most electric scorers in basketball. He ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://cbulancers.com/news/2026/3/10/womens-basketball-cbu-dominates-the-wac-postseason-awards-following-regular-season-title",
      "title": "CBU Dominates the WAC Postseason Awards Following ...",
      "snippet": "CBU would win four of the five major awards and would earn six players on the All-WAC/All-Freshman teams, concluding what was an incredible ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/wacsports/posts/the-california-baptist-lancers-are-the-2026-air-force-reserve-wachoops-womens-ba/1376183501220804/",
      "title": "THE CALIFORNIA BAPTIST LANCERS ARE THE 2026 AIR ...",
      "snippet": "THE CALIFORNIA BAPTIST LANCERS ARE THE 2026 AIR FORCE RESERVE #WAChoops WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS!!"
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/south-florida-star-refuses-believe-031202320.html",
      "title": "South Florida star refuses to believe Bulls are the underdog vs ...",
      "snippet": "Enis and the Bulls enjoyed an incredible campaign, winning the American Conference regular-season title and the conference tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48218476/south-florida-wins-aac-clinch-first-tourney-spot-2012",
      "title": "South Florida wins AAC to clinch first tourney spot since 2012 - ESPN",
      "snippet": "Wes Enis scored 19 points Sunday to help top-seeded South Florida beat No. 2 seed Wichita State 70-55 to win the American Athletic ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe6OQpU9VYA",
      "title": "USF men's basketball punches ticket to March Madness ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "The South Florida Bulls men's basketball team is headed back to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time in 14 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usf-men-basketball-punches-ticket-031903158.html",
      "title": "USF men's basketball punches ticket to March Madness after ...",
      "snippet": "The South Florida Bulls men's basketball team is headed back to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time in 14 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://theamerican.org/news/2026/3/15/south-florida-wins-2026-american-conference-mens-basketball-championship.aspx",
      "title": "South Florida Wins 2026 American Conference Men's Basketball ...",
      "snippet": "— Top-seeded South Florida defeated No. 2 Wichita State, 70–55, on Sunday afternoon at Legacy Arena at the BJCC to win the 2026 American Men's ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 15

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Great info! Santa Clara is being picked as a common upset over Kentucky. Cal Baptist won the WAC and has an electric scorer. South Florida won the AAC and is dangerous as an 11 seed. Let me get more info on a few more teams.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Illinois Fighting Illini 2026 basketball Brad Underwood season"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "TCU Horned Frogs 2026 basketball Jamie Dixon tournament"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Wisconsin Badgers 2026 basketball Greg Gard season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/illinois/basketball/brad-underwood-illinois-ncaa-tournament-run",
      "title": "Brad Underwood on What Illinois Needs for a Deep NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "Everybody's got a new start,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood after his club landed the No. 3 in the South Region on Selection Sunday."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.thetelegraph.com/sports/article/brad-underwood-fran-mccaffery-penn-illinois-ncaa-22081588.php",
      "title": "Illinois' Brad Underwood says he sent unrepeatable text to Penn coach",
      "snippet": "Illinois coach Brad Underwood said his text to Penn coach Fran McCaffery was unrepeatable after the teams drew each other in 2026 March ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIB0bArR9rI",
      "title": "Brad Underwood Selection Sunday Press Conference 3/15/26",
      "snippet": "... Basketball Complex, following the 3-seeded Fighting Illini's selection to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Illinois will open play in Round 1 on ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/illinois-brad-underwood-change-ncaa-205439042.html",
      "title": "Can Illinois and Brad Underwood Change Their NCAA Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "Underwood has a volatile March Madness track record. Can he and the Illini combine consistency with high upside to make a deep run in 2026?"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR9HiiOaMY0",
      "title": "Illini Brad Underwood, Keaton Wagler, Andrej Stojakovic ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Illinois head coach Brad Underwood, guard Keaton Wagler and wing Andrej Stojakovic recap the Big Ten Tournament loss to Wisconsin."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://gofrogs.com/news/2026/3/15/mens-basketball-tcu-earns-ncaa-tournament-bid",
      "title": "TCU Earns NCAA Tournament Bid",
      "snippet": "It will be TCU's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons and the fifth appearance under head coach Jamie Dixon , who is in his 10th ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/tcu-jamie-dixon-drops-truth-122744679.html",
      "title": "TCU's Jamie Dixon drops truth bomb on rising out of Big 12 gauntlet",
      "snippet": "TCU coach Jamie Dixon touted their resilience after rallying past Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=125gz2gT1sY",
      "title": "TCU's Jamie Dixon details Horned Frogs in season ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "TCU's Jamie Dixon details Horned Frogs in season turnaround ... Arizona | 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament. Big ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://gofrogs.com/news/2026/3/9/mens-basketball-preview-big-12-tournament",
      "title": "Preview: Big 12 Tournament - TCU Athletics",
      "snippet": "- The Horned Frogs are 2-0 in neutral site games this season and 7-5 away from home. - TCU is 10-13 all-time and 8-9 under Jamie Dixon at T- ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPF19h-sHvQ",
      "title": "TCU Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament Selection Press Conference",
      "snippet": "TCU Men's Basketball players Brock Harding, Jayden Pierre, and David Punch along with coach Jamie Dixon meet with the media following the ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://wisportsheroics.com/wisconsin-badgers-greg-gard-borrows-respect/",
      "title": "Wisconsin Badgers' Greg Gard Borrows Line From School Legend ...",
      "snippet": "Wisconsin Badgers' Gard sounds off on getting respect amid solid 2025-26 season ... Following the loss to Michigan, Gard referenced a quote from ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fpfcY_9X1k",
      "title": "What Greg Gard, Wisconsin basketball players said after ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Hear from the Badgers after finding out their March Madness first-round foe and destination ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.badgerobserver.com/p/ncaa-tournament-2026-wisconsin-basketball-high-point-john-blackwell",
      "title": "What Greg Gard, Badgers said after NCAA Tournament selection",
      "snippet": "What Greg Gard, Wisconsin basketball players said after NCAA Tournament selection. Hear from the Badgers after finding out their March ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/greg-gard/2648",
      "title": "Greg Gard | Men's Basketball Coach | Wisconsin Badgers",
      "snippet": "A coaching veteran of more than 30 years, Greg Gard heads into his 11th season leading the Wisconsin men's basketball program in 2025-26 and has proven ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD3C9BIc_HY",
      "title": "Greg Gard Media Availability || Wisconsin Basketball || Jan. 20, 2026",
      "snippet": "Greg Gard Media Availability || Wisconsin Basketball || Jan. 20, 2026. 1.4K views · 1 month ago ...more. Wisconsin Badgers. 220K."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 16

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good info. Let me get a bit more detail on the First Four games and the play-in teams.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "SMU Mustangs 2026 basketball season ACC tournament"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Arizona Wildcats 2026 basketball Tommy Lloyd season"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Nebraska Cornhuskers 2026 basketball Fred Hoiberg season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://smumustangs.com/news/2026/3/15/mens-basketball-the-mustangs-are-in.aspx",
      "title": "THE MUSTANGS ARE IN! - SMU Athletics",
      "snippet": "The Mustangs will play Miami (OH) (31-1) in the First Four on Wednesday at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. SMU (20-13) is making its 13th appearance ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa5lFbhOonw",
      "title": "Syracuse Orange vs. SMU Mustangs | ESPN College Basketball",
      "snippet": "SMU Mustangs | ACC MBB Tournament Highlights | ESPN College Basketball ... MOST DISRESPECTFUL Moments of 2026 NBA Season. GD's Highlights."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-14/2026-acc-tournament-bracket-schedule-scores-mens-basketball",
      "title": "2026 ACC tournament: Bracket, schedule, scores for men's basketball",
      "snippet": "2026 ACC tournament schedule, scores · Game 1: No. 15 Pitt 64, No. 10 Stanford 63 · Game 2: No. 11 SMU 86, No. 14 Syracuse 69 · Game 3: No. 13 Wake ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "http://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4498",
      "title": "2025-26 SMU Men's Basketball - Schedule",
      "snippet": "Date, ACC, Opponent, Location, Time/Result. 11/3/2025, Tarleton State, Dallas, Texas, W 96-76. 11/6/2025, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, Dallas, Texas, W 69-58."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/smu-plays-syracuse-acc-tournament-084326361.html",
      "title": "SMU plays Syracuse in ACC Tournament - Yahoo Sports",
      "snippet": "The Mustangs are 8-10 against ACC opponents and 11-2 in non-conference play. SMU is eighth in the ACC with 24.0 defensive rebounds per game ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHJh-VmU3TM",
      "title": "Arizona Basketball Press Conference - Tommy Lloyd on ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd meets with the media to discuss the 2026 NCAA Tournament Selection Show, where the Wildcats received a No."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/77123/arizona-wildcats-postgame-comments-big-12-conference-title-game-tommy-lloyd-bradley-burries-peat-2026",
      "title": "Big 12 Tournament: What Tommy Lloyd, Arizona players said after ...",
      "snippet": "Lloyd said the team will get back late Saturday, rest and recover and then prepare for who they'll face in the Round of 64."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/tommy-lloyd/6449",
      "title": "Tommy Lloyd - Men's Basketball Coach - Arizona Athletics",
      "snippet": "The Wildcats have won two conference regular season titles and made three appearances in conference tournament games - winning two - with Lloyd leading the way."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urps6hsKen4",
      "title": "Tommy Lloyd Interview after Winning the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 ...",
      "snippet": "Comments · Arizona Wildcats' 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship Celebration · Arizona Basketball Big 12 Tournament Championship ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lloyd-discusses-arizonas-first-round-120006883.html",
      "title": "Lloyd Discusses Arizona's First-Round NCAA Tournament Matchup",
      "snippet": "Arizona is back at it in the NCAA Tournament. After a 32-2 season capped off with a Big 12 title, the Wildcats are seeking glory in March."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://huskers.com/news/2026/03/9/nebraska-signs-hoiberg-to-contract-extension",
      "title": "Nebraska Signs Hoiberg to Contract Extension - Huskers.com",
      "snippet": "The new contract with Hoiberg, who has guided Nebraska to 26 wins this season, including a school-record 15 wins in Big Ten Conference action, ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48152996/nebraska-agrees-3-year-extension-coach-fred-hoiberg",
      "title": "Nebraska agrees to 3-year extension with coach Fred Hoiberg - ESPN",
      "snippet": "Hoiberg is now under contract through the 2031-32 season. He previously signed a two-year extension in 2024. \"Fred has built this program step ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/nebraska/basketball/fred-hoiberg-isn-t-looking-past-the-big-ten-tournament-2026",
      "title": "Fred Hoiberg Isn't Looking Past the Big Ten Tournament",
      "snippet": "On Monday, Hoiberg was rewarded with a contract extension that will carry through the 2031-32 season. In his first opportunity to speak publicly ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C92JvDtd6rw",
      "title": "Fred Hoiberg on the emotions of making the NCAA ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Nebraska men's head basketball coach Fred Hoiberg joins CBS Sports Network for an interview ahead of 2026 March Madness."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reuters.com/sports/nebraska-inks-fred-hoiberg-extension-through-2031-32--flm-2026-03-09/",
      "title": "Nebraska inks Fred Hoiberg to extension through 2031-32 | Reuters",
      "snippet": "March 9 - Nebraska signed men's basketball coach Fred Hoiberg to an extension through the 2031-32 season on Monday."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 17

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Great! Arizona is 32-2 and won the Big 12 title - very strong. Nebraska has 26 wins and Fred Hoiberg got an extension - very good season. SMU is 20-13 and plays Miami Ohio in the First Four. Let me get more specific info about some key matchups and teams.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "UCLA Bruins 2026 basketball season Mick Cronin"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Texas A&M Aggies 2026 basketball Buzz Williams season"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "NC State Wolfpack 2026 basketball First Four play-in"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://uclawire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ucla/mens-basketball/2026/03/15/mick-cronin-lets-everyone-know-that-ucla-plays-for-national-titles-college-basketball/89168823007/",
      "title": "Mick Cronin gets us ready for March Madness ... - UCLA Wire",
      "snippet": "At UCLA, Cronin has been trained to chase national championships, rather than attempt to conquer a conference they've been a part of for just ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://uclabruins.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mick-cronin/4251",
      "title": "Mick Cronin - Men's Basketball Coach - UCLA Athletics",
      "snippet": "Mick Cronin enters his seventh season as UCLA's head coach in 2025-26. Through 22 seasons as a collegiate head coach, he has led his teams to an overall ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/ucla/bruins-mick-cronin-discusses-lessons-learned-begins-postseason",
      "title": "Mick Cronin Discusses Lessons Learned As UCLA Begins ...",
      "snippet": "Cronin discussed all that as he joined Petros and Money on AM 570 LA Sports on Monday as the Bruins prepare for the Big Ten Tournament in ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://247sports.com/article/ucla-basketball-bruins-mick-cronin-team-mentality-heading-into-big-ten-tournament-excerpt-277356360/",
      "title": "Mick Cronin on the Team's Mentality Heading into the Big ...",
      "snippet": "In this Bruin247 excerpt, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin talked about the team mentality as the Bruins prepare for the Big Ten Tournament and a ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuLb40nKyX0",
      "title": "UCLA M. Basketball Postgame – vs. Purdue (March 14, 2026)",
      "snippet": "Coach Cronin, Trent Perry and Eric Dailey Jr. met with reporters in a press conference after the Bruins lost to Purdue, 73-66, ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://aggieswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/aggies/mens-basketball/2025/10/29/former-texas-aggies-coach-buzz-williams-recruiting-before-maryland/86968292007/",
      "title": "Former Texas A&M HC Buzz Williams admits to recruiting before ...",
      "snippet": "Former Texas A&M head coach Buzz Williams had some controversial comments on bringing recruits to Maryland."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://texags.com/forums/7/topics/3593109",
      "title": "Buzz won't make it to 26/27 - TexAgs",
      "snippet": "Buzz Williams signed a 6-year deal (running through April 2031) worth approximately $30.3 million, with an initial salary of $4.8 million. No ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://12thman.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/buzz-williams/1821",
      "title": "Buzz Williams - Men's Basketball Coach - 12thMan.com",
      "snippet": "Buzz Williams enters his sixth season as the head coach at Texas A&M and his 18 th year as a collegiate head coach in 2024-25."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/1q9mump/why_did_buzz_williams_leave_texas_am_doesnt_seem/",
      "title": "Why did Buzz Williams leave Texas A&M? Doesn't seem to be going ...",
      "snippet": "For now he's got a negative record overall and is 0-4 in conference play, which finally got me wondering, why is he there at all? Is Maryland a ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://gigemgazette.com/bucky-mcmillan-continues-to-look-like-the-home-run-hire-buzz-williams-never-was",
      "title": "Bucky McMillan continues to look like the home run hire Buzz ...",
      "snippet": "Buzz Williams, on the other hand, is taking Maryland basketball down the drain. They're on pace for one of their worst seasons in school history ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/march-madness-2026-mens-first-four-live-updates-scores-results-bracket/FaqP8tALRmPJ/",
      "title": "Men's March Madness 2026 First Four score, live updates",
      "snippet": "The Texas Longhorns are here, just hours (literally!) after beating NC State in their First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. ... Get it on Google Play."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2026/03/17/first-four-scores-updates-howard-vs-umbc-nc-state-vs-texas-march-madness-2026/89181709007/",
      "title": "First Four scores, highlights: NC State vs Texas; Howard vs UMBC",
      "snippet": "Live score updates from tonight's First Four games of the 2026 NCAA Tournament as Howard plays UMBC and NC State plays Texas in Dayton, Ohio."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/ncstate/projecting-nc-state-s-starting-five-in-first-four-matchup",
      "title": "Projecting NC State's Starting Five in First Four Matchup",
      "snippet": "The Wolfpack is set for a Maui Invitational rematch with the Texas Longhorns for the No. 11 seed in the West Region of the bracket, with No. 6 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.wral.com/sports/ncstate-ncaa-tournament-dayton-first-four-texas-wade-did-it-to-ourselves-march-2026/",
      "title": "'We did it to ourselves': NC State opens NCAA Tournament in First ...",
      "snippet": "The Wolfpack were among the last four teams in the field of 68 and will start the tournament in the First Four in Dayton. NC State (20-13) will play Texas (18- ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/ncaa-basketball-ncaa-tournament-first-four-texas-at-nc-state/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjY6bmV3c21sX01UMVVTQVRPREFZMjg1MjU1MTU%3D/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead",
      "title": "NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Four-Texas at NC State",
      "snippet": "Mar 17, 2026; Dayton, OH, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Tre Holloman (5) celebrates a play with NC State Wolfpack guard Jr. Paul McNeil (2) ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 18

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good info. Let me check the game ID for the play-in games to make sure I understand them correctly.

Tool Call: lookup_game

{
  "gameId": "game-13"
}

Tool Call: lookup_game

{
  "gameId": "game-17"
}

Tool Call: lookup_game

{
  "gameId": "game-25"
}

Tool Call: lookup_game

{
  "gameId": "game-29"
}

Tool Result: lookup_game

{
  "game": {
    "team1": {
      "id": "byu-cougars",
      "name": "Cougars",
      "seed": 6,
      "region": "west"
    },
    "team2": {
      "id": "texas-longhorns",
      "name": "Longhorns",
      "seed": 11,
      "region": "west"
    },
    "gameId": "game-13",
    "team2Alt": {
      "id": "nc-state-wolfpack",
      "name": "Wolfpack",
      "seed": 11,
      "region": "west"
    }
  }
}

Tool Result: lookup_game

{
  "game": {
    "team1": {
      "id": "florida-gators",
      "name": "Gators",
      "seed": 1,
      "region": "south"
    },
    "team2": {
      "id": "prairie-view-am-panthers",
      "name": "Panthers",
      "seed": 16,
      "region": "south"
    },
    "gameId": "game-17",
    "team2Alt": {
      "id": "lehigh-mountain-hawks",
      "name": "Mountain Hawks",
      "seed": 16,
      "region": "south"
    }
  }
}

Tool Result: lookup_game

{
  "game": {
    "team1": {
      "id": "michigan-wolverines",
      "name": "Wolverines",
      "seed": 1,
      "region": "midwest"
    },
    "team2": {
      "id": "umbc-retrievers",
      "name": "Retrievers",
      "seed": 16,
      "region": "midwest"
    },
    "gameId": "game-25",
    "team2Alt": {
      "id": "howard-bison",
      "name": "Bison",
      "seed": 16,
      "region": "midwest"
    }
  }
}

Tool Result: lookup_game

{
  "game": {
    "team1": {
      "id": "tennessee-volunteers",
      "name": "Volunteers",
      "seed": 6,
      "region": "midwest"
    },
    "team2": {
      "id": "smu-mustangs",
      "name": "Mustangs",
      "seed": 11,
      "region": "midwest"
    },
    "gameId": "game-29",
    "team2Alt": {
      "id": "miami-oh-redhawks",
      "name": "RedHawks",
      "seed": 11,
      "region": "midwest"
    }
  }
}

assistantMessage 19

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good, I now understand the First Four games: - game-13: BYU vs Texas/NC State (winner of Texas vs NC State First Four game) - game-17: Florida vs Prairie View/Lehigh (winner of Prairie View vs Lehigh First Four game) - game-25: Michigan vs UMBC/Howard (winner of UMBC vs Howard First Four game) - game-29: Tennessee vs SMU/Miami-Ohio (winner of SMU vs Miami-Ohio First Four game) Now let me research a bit more on some specific matchups and then start building my bracket.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "\"Saint Mary's Gaels\" 2026 basketball Randy Bennett season WCC"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Alabama Crimson Tide 2026 basketball Nate Oats tournament history"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Ohio State Buckeyes 2026 basketball Jake Diebler season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/03/18/ncaa-tournament-saint-marys-bennett-college-basketball/",
      "title": "Faces may change, but Saint Mary's still finds its way back to NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "The Saint Mary's Gaels are making their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday with four new starters."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://smcgaels.com/news/2026/3/16/mens-basketball-mbb-gaels-open-up-fifth-straight-ncaa-tournament-appearance-in-oklahoma-city",
      "title": "MBB | Gaels Open Up Fifth Straight NCAA Tournament Appearance ...",
      "snippet": "... Saint Mary's Gaels vs. 10-Seed Texas A&M Aggies Thursday, March 19 at 4:35 PM PST/6:35 PM CST Paycom Center – Oklahoma City, Okla. WATCH ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/saint-marys-ca/men/2026.html",
      "title": "2025-26 Saint Mary's Gaels Men's Roster and Stats",
      "snippet": "2025-26 Saint Mary's Gaels Men's Roster and Stats ; Record: 27-5 (16-2, 1st in WCC MBB) ; Rank: 21st in the Mar 9th AP Poll ; Coach: Randy Bennett."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/news/gaels-are-west-coast-conference-champs-saint-marys-defeats-gonzaga-70-59-clinch-fourth",
      "title": "Gaels Are West Coast Conference Champs! Saint Mary's Defeats ...",
      "snippet": "... season, the Saint Mary's Gaels are West Coast Conference Regular Season Champions. ... Basketball Coach Randy Bennett trims the net to celebrate winning the WCC ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://smcgaels.com/news/2026/3/17/mens-basketball-mbb-musauskas-named-nabc-first-team-all-pacific-district-bennett-named-nabc-pacific-district-coach-of-the-year",
      "title": "Musauskas Named NABC First Team All-Pacific District, Bennett ...",
      "snippet": "After going 27-5 heading into the 2025-26 NCAA DI Basketball postseason, the Saint Mary's Gaels once again proved to be the creme de la ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1dRFCSEChs",
      "title": "Nate Oats compares 2026 Alabama to the 2024 Final Four team",
      "snippet": "Alabama head coach Nate Oats joins CBS Sports Network for an interview ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. [0:00:00] Coach Oats talks ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Oats",
      "title": "Nate Oats - Wikipedia",
      "snippet": "They lost the Sweet Sixteen game in overtime to UCLA, 88–78. Oats led Alabama to the NCAA tournament for four straight seasons, and in 2022–23, the Tide ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nate-oats-reacts-former-alabama-234032265.html",
      "title": "Nate Oats reacts to former Alabama basketball assistants clinching ...",
      "snippet": "Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats now has not one, but two members of his coaching tree who have punched tickets to the NCAA Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/alabamas-nate-oats-breaks-silence-on-major-suspension-right-before-ncaa-tournament-11687106",
      "title": "Alabama's Nate Oats Breaks Silence on Big Suspension Before ...",
      "snippet": "Nate Oats, head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, breaks silence on shocking suspension just days before the NCAA Tournament."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/alabama/basketball/how-nate-oats-instilling-win-or-go-home-mindset-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "How Nate Oats is Instilling Win-Or-Go-Home Mindset for NCAA ...",
      "snippet": "This was the tipping point for Oats and company, as the Crimson Tide proceeded to win eight straight games and clinch a double bye and the No. 2 ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://buckeyehuddle.com/2026/03/16/with-final-chapter-to-write-buckeyes-playing-their-best-at-the-right-time/",
      "title": "With Final Chapter To Write, Buckeyes Playing Their Best At The ...",
      "snippet": "While Diebler and his staff are undergoing a crash course on the Horned Frogs, he has a four-year starting point guard to rely on in Bruce ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU9EVmX8jl4",
      "title": "Ohio State's Jake Diebler reacts to the Buckeyes ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "#gobucks Get more of the best Ohio State football, basketball and ... 2026 NCAA March Madness Bracket Breakdown for EACH Region ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://247sports.com/college/ohio-state/article/just-the-beginning-ohio-state-basketball-is-back-in-ncaa-tournament-but-jake-dieblers-bob-is-not-done-277918909/",
      "title": "Just the Beginning: Ohio State is back in NCAA Tournament, but ...",
      "snippet": "From the outside, it probably looked like Bjork took the easy way out by hiring Holtmann's assistant Jake Diebler after he led the Scarlet and ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jake-diebler/2108",
      "title": "Jake Diebler | Head Coach | Ohio State Men's Basketball",
      "snippet": "The 2025-26 season will be Diebler's 10th season at Ohio State. He was a video coordinator with the program from 2014-16 and then returned as an assistant coach ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/what_to_expect_from_jake_diebler_in_his_first_ncaa_tournament_with_ohio_state/s1_16601_43611348",
      "title": "What To Expect From Jake Diebler in His First NCAA Tournament ...",
      "snippet": "After Jake Diebler took over the Ohio State Buckeyes as an interim head coach late in the 2023-24 season, he led the Buckeyes to the NIT ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 20

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good info. Nate Oats has suspension issues before the tournament. Let me get more info on that.

Tool Call: web_fetch

{
  "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/alabamas-nate-oats-breaks-silence-on-major-suspension-right-before-ncaa-tournament-11687106"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Alabama basketball player suspended March 2026"
}

Tool Result: web_fetch

{
  "content": "Iran War Live Updates\n[C.I.A. Director Ratcliffe Rejects Claim Iran was not an Imminent Threat](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-war-live-latest-updates-ali-larijani-killed-tehran-retaliates-us-fores-weapons-strait-hormuz-11694515)\n\n- Nation\n\n[News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Politics](https://www.newsweek.com/politics) [Tech](https://www.newsweek.com/technology) [Fact Check](https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check) [Personal Finance](https://www.newsweek.com/personal-finance) [Automotive](https://www.newsweek.com/autos) [Sports](https://www.newsweek.com/sports) [Better Workplaces](https://www.newsweek.com/better-workplaces)\n\n- World\n\n[Russia-Ukraine](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/russia) [Middle East](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/middle-east) [China And Asia](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/china) [Better Planet](https://www.newsweek.com/better-planet) [All World News](https://www.newsweek.com/world)\n\n- Lifestyle\n\n[Family & Parenting](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/parenting) [Entertainment](https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment) [Travel](https://www.newsweek.com/travel) [Pets](https://www.newsweek.com/pets) [Relationships](https://www.newsweek.com/relationships) [Science](https://www.newsweek.com/tech-science) [Health](https://www.newsweek.com/health)\n\n- Opinion\n\n[My Turn](https://www.newsweek.com/my-turn) [All Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion)\n\n- Rankings\n\n[Health](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/health) [Finance](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/finance) [Products](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/products-services) [Education](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/education) [Workplaces](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/work) [Corporate Responsibility](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/corporate-responsibility) [All Rankings](https://rankings.newsweek.com/)\n\n- Connect\n\n[Newsletters](https://www.newsweek.com/preference-center) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Newsweek) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/newsweek) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/newsweek) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@newsweek) [Twitter/X](https://x.com/newsweek) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/newsweek/) [Announcements](https://www.newsweek.com/announcements) [Leadership](https://www.newsweek.com/leadership) [Dev Pragad](https://www.newsweek.com/dev-pragad)\n\n- More\n\n[Newsmakers](https://www.newsweek.com/newsmakers) [Unconventional](https://www.newsweek.com/unconventional) [Events](https://events.newsweek.com/) [Podcasts](https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts) [Vantage](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/vantage) [Readers Choice](https://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice) [Magazine](https://www.newsweek.com/archive) [CEO Circle](https://www.newsweek.com/ceo-circle)\n\n\n![Cole Sullivan](https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/cropped-IMG_6073-1.jpeg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1)\n\nBy Cole Sullivan\n\n0\n\nShare\n\n[Newsweek is a Trust Project member](https://www.newsweek.com/editorial-guidelines)\n\nThe [Alabama Crimson Tide](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/alabama-crimson-tide) were slated as a No. 4 seed on Selection Sunday and will take the court Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET against the No. 13 Hofstra Pride in Tampa Bay at Benchmark International Arena.\n\nHowever, the main focus coming out of Tuscaloosa surrounds star guard Aden Holloway, who the program has determined will not be available — at least for this weekend — due to a serious [off-the-court incident](https://people.com/alabama-basketball-star-arrested-allegedly-possessing-more-than-pound-marijuana-days-before-march-madness-11927153) that occurred Monday morning.\n\nBreaking his silence on the matter for the first time was head coach Nate Oats, who addressed Holloway’s absence during his \"Hey Coach\" radio show, emphasizing that the university and program maintain standards and are preparing to play without him after having to suspend him.\n\n“Look, we've got standards in our program. We've got ways we've held our guys accountable. We try to keep everything in-ho"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/16/sport/march-madness-alabama-aden-holloway-arrested",
      "title": "Alabama's Aden Holloway arrested on felony drug charge on eve of ...",
      "snippet": "Alabama guard Aden Holloway was arrested on a felony drug charge Monday, just days before the start of the NCAA Tournament, authorities said."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jumbo-package-alabama-basketball-aden-125600183.html",
      "title": "Jumbo Package: Alabama Basketball's Aden Holloway arrested and ...",
      "snippet": "Jumbo Package: Alabama Basketball's Aden Holloway arrested and suspended ahead of March Madness - Yahoo Sports."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/2026/03/nate-oats-aden-holloway-suspended-after-felony-charges-we-still-love-him.html",
      "title": "Nate Oats: Aden Holloway suspended after felony charges ... - AL.com",
      "snippet": "Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats said Monday that Aden Holloway will be suspended indefinitely, after the guard was arrested on felony drug ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.wbrc.com/2026/03/17/crimson-tide-star-aden-holloway-suspended-following-drug-arrest/",
      "title": "Crimson Tide star Aden Holloway suspended following drug arrest",
      "snippet": "Warrants were signed and filed March 16, 2026, by Tuscaloosa County District Court. Sheriff Ron Abernathy's office executed the warrants."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/alabama-mens-basketball-embroiled-in-another-controversy-ahead-of-march-madness/",
      "title": "Arrest Is Latest Controversy to Beset Alabama Men's Team",
      "snippet": "On Monday, Alabama men's basketball player Aden Holloway was arrested on felony drug charges for possession of marijuana."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 21

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

This is HUGE news! Alabama star guard Aden Holloway was arrested on a felony drug charge and suspended right before the tournament. This makes Alabama very vulnerable as a 4-seed. Hofstra as a 13-seed could upset them! Let me get more info on Hofstra and other key matchups.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Hofstra Pride 2026 basketball CAA champion season"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Bill Self Kansas health heart issues 2026 availability"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Clemson Tigers 2026 basketball Brad Brownell season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
"results": [
{
"url": "https://gohofstra.com/news/2026/3/5/mens-basketball-pride-earns-no-3-seed-opens-caa-championship-sunday.aspx",
"title": "Pride Earns No. 3 Seed, Opens CAA Championship Sunday",
"snippet": "The Pride finished the regular season with a 21-10 overall record and a CAA mark of 12-6. Hofstra has won four straight and eight of its last ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD-JI_wMzt8",
"title": "Hofstra Men's Basketball! - 2026 CAA Champions - YouTube",
"snippet": "This one was for you. CAA Champions.. 2026 CAA Champions - Hofstra Men's Basketball! 464 views · 5 days ago ...more. Hofstra Pride. 1.75K."
},
{
"url": "https://thehofstrachronicle.com/112008/basketball/pride-crowned-champions-of-caa-advance-to-ncaa-tournament/",
"title": "Pride crowned champions of CAA– advance to NCAA Tournament",
"snippet": "Hofstra sealed the title with a gritty 75-69 victory over Monmouth University, finishing the job in a hard-fought battle that required ..."
},
{
"url": "https://bustingbrackets.com/the-pride-of-hempstead-the-hofstra-pride-are-a-true-cinderella-story-basketball",
"title": "The Pride Of Hempstead. The Hofstra Pride are a true Cinderella Story",
"snippet": "The Hofstra Pride benefited from the top seeds going down and claimed the NCAA Tournament automatic bid. Hofstra is making their first NCAA ..."
},
{
"url": "https://www.zagsblog.com/2026/03/10/hofstra-wins-caa-championship-secures-bid-to-ncaa-tournament/",
"title": "Hofstra wins CAA Championship, secures bid to NCAA Tournament",
"snippet": "The Pride secured their bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 75-69 win in the CAA Championship game against Monmouth. Hofstra guard Preston Edmead ..."
}
]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/387323107017276/posts/966129645803283/",
      "title": "I'm proud of my Kansas Jayhawks and how far they've come this ...",
      "snippet": "Bill Self is one heck of a Coach, leader, and mentor to his team. Despite dealing with ongoing heart issues causing him to miss the 2023 Big 12 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.kmbc.com/article/bill-self-health-update-afib-dehydration-kansas-win-colorado/70084257",
      "title": "Bill Self says he's ready to coach after missing Colorado game - KMBC",
      "snippet": "Self said doctors determined he was dehydrated and experiencing AFib, a heart rhythm issue he has dealt with previously. “I was experiencing ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DU6d9i9FoQA/",
      "title": "Coach Bill Self's heart care team — which includes cardiology ...",
      "snippet": "The first joint community training event will take place Sunday, April 12, 2026, at the Grand Valley State University Kelly Family Sports ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cjonline.com/story/sports/college/hawk-zone/2026/01/19/kansas-basketball-coach-bill-self-receives-medical-care-2026-lmh-health-iv-fluids-colorado-trip/88258187007/",
      "title": "Bill Self gets medical care; does not go to Colorado for KU basketball",
      "snippet": "It was just this past summer in 2025 that Self spent time in the hospital and was released. At that time, he had two stents inserted. He had ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/kansas-mens-basketball-coach-bill-self-undergoes-heart-procedure-after-concerning-symptoms-000158712.html",
      "title": "Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self undergoes heart procedure ...",
      "snippet": "Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self underwent a heart procedure in which two stents were inserted, the school announced Thursday."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://clemsonwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/clemson/mens-basketball/2026/03/16/clemson-brad-brownell-talks-making-2026-ncaa-tournament/89180991007/",
      "title": "Clemson HC Brad Brownell talks making the 2026 NCAA Tournament",
      "snippet": "Clemson head coach Brad Brownell talks making the 2026 NCAA Tournament, all the hard work it took to make it there."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://rubbingtherock.com/brad-brownell-fires-back-at-the-doubters-as-clemson-prepares-for-ncaa-tournament-01kkvxne7rdc",
      "title": "Brad Brownell fires back at the doubters as Clemson prepares for ...",
      "snippet": "For a program that has long been considered the “forgotten man” of the ACC elite, securing an at-large bid after a 24-win season is a massive ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/clemson/basketball/what-the-2026-postseason-means-for-brad-brownell-legacy-at-clemson",
      "title": "What the 2026 Postseason Means for Brad Brownell's Legacy at ...",
      "snippet": "In seven seasons, Purnell guided the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances, though each ended in a first-round loss."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.tigernet.com/clemson-basketball/story/brad-brownell-not-taking-third-straight-ncaat-appearance-for-granted-24236",
      "title": "Brad Brownell not taking third straight NCAAT appearance for granted",
      "snippet": "Clemson lost over 90 percent of its scoring production entering the 2025-26 season, with program cornerstones like Chase Hunter and Ian ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVTTbCmN1C0",
      "title": "Clemson HC Brad Brownell discusses Tigers' selection to ... - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Clemson HC Brad Brownell discusses Tigers' selection to NCAA Tournament. 50 views · 40 minutes ago ...more ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 22

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Excellent! Key findings: 1. Alabama star Aden Holloway suspended after felony drug arrest - Alabama is vulnerable 2. Bill Self has ongoing heart issues, hospitalized multiple times - Kansas coaching instability 3. Hofstra won CAA championship and is a potential Cinderella 4. Clemson lost 90% of scoring production this season - they're rebuilding Let me research a few more teams and then start building my bracket.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Iowa Hawkeyes 2026 basketball Fran McCaffery season"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Missouri Tigers 2026 basketball Dennis Gates season"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "UCF Knights 2026 basketball Johnny Dawkins season"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.thegazette.com/sports/college/iowa-basketball/fran-mccaffery-has-no-intention-of-moving-on-from-iowa-men-s-basketball-after-2024/article_a2413bb0-a49f-5b56-982f-03e826620b9e.html",
      "title": "Fran McCaffery has 'no intention of moving on' from Iowa ...",
      "snippet": "McCaffery is under contract through 2027-28. His most recent extension, signed by then-Iowa athletics director Gary Barta, was announced ahead ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44251986/sources-iowa-set-dismiss-head-coach-fran-mccaffery",
      "title": "Iowa dismisses head coach Fran McCaffery after 15 seasons",
      "snippet": "Iowa's men's basketball program dismissed McCaffery after 15 seasons as coach of the Hawkeyes, the school announced Friday."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran_McCaffery",
      "title": "Fran McCaffery",
      "snippet": "McCaffery was introduced as the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 29, 2010, where he reached the final of the 2013 National Invitation Tournament and ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/basketball-men/2025/03/13/iowa-basketball-coach-fran-mccaffery-says-he-plans-to-return-to-hawkeyes-program-next-season/82138764007/",
      "title": "Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery says he plans to ...",
      "snippet": "Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery says he plans to return to Hawkeyes next season ... © 2026 www.hawkcentral.com. All rights reserved."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQrM6vMAdc",
      "title": "Iowa fires Fran McCaffery after 15 seasons",
      "snippet": "Iowa fires Fran McCaffery after 15 seasons | Insider reveals two potential replacement options. 19K views · 1 year ago."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/missouri/basketball/mizzou-s-2026-march-madness-run-built-on-player-retention-development",
      "title": "Mizzou's 2026 March Madness Run Built on Player Retention ...",
      "snippet": "Head coach Dennis Gates has managed to draw back multiple players for multiple seasons, allowing roster continuity and familiarity with his ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd2VSe2zKUY",
      "title": "Dennis Gates Previews 2026 SEC Tournament - YouTube",
      "snippet": "For more Missouri Tigers news and analysis: https://www.si.com/college/missouri Follow us: BlueSky: ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://mutigers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/dennis-gates/2919",
      "title": "Dennis Gates - Men's Basketball Coach - University of Missouri ...",
      "snippet": "Inheriting a team that won 12 games and returned just three players from the season before, Gates engineered the seventh-best improvement nationally – and top ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/college/tiger-extra/2026/03/06/dennis-gates-challenges-for-missouri-basketball-apt-entering-final-push/89025034007/",
      "title": "Dennis Gates' challenges for Missouri basketball entering final push",
      "snippet": "After a blowout December loss in the Braggin' Rights game, Dennis Gates tried to redirect his team's focus. It was a challenge, of sorts."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%9326_Missouri_Tigers_men%27s_basketball_team",
      "title": "2025–26 Missouri Tigers men's basketball team - Wikipedia",
      "snippet": "... basketball season and is led by fourth year head coach Dennis Gates. The team plays its home games at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri, as a fourteenth ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://ucfknights.com/staff/johnny-dawkins",
      "title": "Johnny Dawkins - UCF Athletics - Official Athletics Website",
      "snippet": "In the deepest, most challenging league in college basketball, Dawkins led the Knights to seven victories in their inaugural season as members of the Big 12 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://247sports.com/college/cincinnati/article/johnny-dawkins-talks-ucfs-first-ncaa-tournament-berth-in-7-years-277842520/",
      "title": "Johnny Dawkins Talks UCF's First NCAA Tournament Berth in 7 Years",
      "snippet": "Johnny Dawkins Talks UCF's First NCAA Tournament Berth in 7 Years. The Knights will face the UCLA Bruins in the first round in Philadelphia. Joe ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.si.com/college/cbb-hq/johnny-dawkins-remarkable-turnaround-with-ucf-went-from-hot-seat-to-tournament",
      "title": "Johnny Dawkins remarkable turnaround with UCF went from hot ...",
      "snippet": "The UCF basketball team is in position for a deep NCAA Tournament run and it took head coach Johnny Dawkins off the hot seat."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.kens5.com/video/sports/locked-on/lo-orlando/locked-on-ucf/ucf-knights-outperform-expectationsis-johnny-dawkins-safe-now-ucf-podcast/535-84820937-da69-4398-907e-92d215ad525f",
      "title": "UCF Knights OUTPERFORM Expectations—Is Johnny Dawkins ...",
      "snippet": "UCF Knights defy preseason expectations with a 20-win basketball season, but have they done enough to clinch an NCAA tournament berth?"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://ucfknights.com/news/2026/01/2/mens-hoops-hosts-no-17-kansas-to-begin-big-12-play",
      "title": "Men's Hoops Hosts No. 17 Kansas to Begin Big 12 Play",
      "snippet": "UCF has found success against in-state opponents under head coach Johnny Dawkins, going 31-11 against teams from Florida since his arrival. The ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 23

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Reasoning

Good info. Iowa fired Fran McCaffery - they have a new coach. UCF and Missouri are doing well. Let me get a bit more info on some key teams.

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "\"Best upset picks\" \"12 over 5\" 2026 March Madness bracket"
}

Tool Call: web_search

{
  "query": "Duke vs Michigan championship prediction 2026 Final Four"
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "url": "https://xbotgo.com/blogs/knowledge/march-madness-predictions-upset-picks",
      "title": "2026 March Madness: 8 Bracket Buster Picks",
      "snippet": "2026's Best Upset Picks. Miami (Ohio) over Vanderbilt — 13 beats 5 ... For 2026: - Pick at least one 12-over-5 — skipping it entirely ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.versussportssimulator.com/articles/college-basketball/2026-march-madness-predictions-bracket-picks",
      "title": "50000 Simulations Reveal Who Wins the NCAA Tournament",
      "snippet": "For 12-over-5 upsets, all four 12-seeds have probabilities ... What are the best upset picks for 2026 March Madness? The top first ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://ellendegenerates.com/",
      "title": "EllenDegenerates | 2026 NCAA March Madness Bracket ...",
      "snippet": "Best upset picks? 12-over-5 (35%) and 11-over-6 (37%) are most reliable historically. Enable JavaScript for the full interactive experience. March Madness 2026 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/1jdqvr1/bracket_help_thread_monday_31725/",
      "title": "Bracket Help Thread - Monday 3/17/25 : r/CollegeBasketball",
      "snippet": "Best upset picks for March Madness. NCAA bracket predictions. College ... 12 over 5 that people fall in love with that never ends up ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://x.com/billhpicks/status/2034184149133889819",
      "title": "Bill (@billhpicks) on X",
      "snippet": "This is one of the best upset picks in the entire bracket. South ... The 12-over-5 is the most statistically common upset in March ..."
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: web_search

{
  "results": [
    {
      "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": "Final Four pick: Duke Ultimately, though, it's hard to ignore Duke's experience winning close games — including over two other No. 1 seeds in ..."
    },
    {
      "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": "FINAL FOUR. No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 1 Florida Gators. This will be a great matchup of Florida's incredible frontcourt and a top-10 ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAZJ_li2jzg",
      "title": "Andy Katz breaks down his 2026 March Madness bracket - YouTube",
      "snippet": "Andy Katz runs through each region in his official men's 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, joined by Wayne Staats."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.fantasypros.com/2026/03/2026-ncaa-tournament-predictions-final-four-picks/",
      "title": "2026 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Final Four Picks - FantasyPros",
      "snippet": "“My Final Four picks are Duke, Houston, Arizona, and Michigan. Despite being part of arguably the toughest region in the tournament as the ..."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/_/id/48222819/oddsmakers-again-favor-duke-win-ncaa-tournament",
      "title": "Oddsmakers again favor Duke to win NCAA tournament - ESPN",
      "snippet": "Duke is the favorite at +300 at DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by fellow No. 1 seeds Michigan (+360) and Arizona (+390). Defending national ..."
    }
  ]
}

assistantMessage 24

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

Now I have gathered significant research. Let me compile the key findings and build my bracket: **Key Research Findings:** 1. **Alabama**: Star guard Aden Holloway SUSPENDED for felony drug arrest - extremely vulnerable as 4-seed 2. **Kansas**: Bill Self hospitalized multiple times with heart issues - coaching instability 3. **St. John's**: Big East champions under Rick Pitino but only a 5-seed, faces classic 12/5 upset 4. **Akron**: Won 19 of last 20 games, MAC three-peat champions 5. **McNeese**: Will Wade has them dangerous, won 16+ recently 6. **VCU**: Won 16 of last 17, A-10 champions - dangerous 11-seed vs UNC 7. **Santa Clara**: Beat Saint Mary's in WCC tournament, popular upset pick over Kentucky 8. **Virginia**: Tony Bennett retired, new coach Ryan Odom in first year 9. **Hofstra**: CAA champions, Alabama missing star makes this interesting 10. **Miami Ohio**: 31-1 but weak schedule, in First Four 11. **Duke**: #1 overall seed, 32-2, dominant 12. **Arizona**: 32-2, Big 12 champions 13. **Michigan**: 31-3 under Dusty May Let me build my bracket with these insights:

Reasoning

Great info! Let me now build my bracket. Based on my research: **Key findings:** 1. **Duke** - AP #1, KenPom #1, 32-2, dominant team, Cooper Flagg is a star 2. **Arizona** - 32-2, Big 12 champions, elite team 3. **Michigan** - 31-3, Dusty May has rebuilt them, #1 seed in KenPom 4. **Houston** - Kelvin Sampson, deep tournament experience, 2-seed 5. **Florida** - Todd Golden, SEC regular season champ but lost to Vanderbilt in SEC tournament 6. **UConn** - Dan Hurley, defending champs (won 2025), 2-seed in East 7. **Alabama** - STAR PLAYER ADEN HOLLOWAY SUSPENDED for felony drug arrest - VERY VULNERABLE 8. **Kansas** - Bill Self has ongoing heart issues, hospitalized multiple times - coaching instability 9. **St. John's** - Rick Pitino, Big East champions, dangerous team 10. **Virginia** - Tony Bennett retired, new coach Ryan Odom in first year 11. **McNeese** - Will Wade, dangerous 12-seed 12. **Akron** - MAC champions, 19 of 20 wins, dangerous 12-seed 13. **Northern Iowa** - Classic 12/5 upset candidate vs St. John's 14. **VCU** - 16 of last 17 wins, A-10 champions, dangerous 11-seed vs UNC 15. **South Florida** - AAC champions, dangerous 11-seed vs Louisville 16. **Santa Clara** - WCC runner-up, beat Saint Mary's, popular upset pick over Kentucky 17. **Hofstra** - CAA champions, Alabama missing star - possible upset 18. **Cal Baptist** - WAC champions, has "electric scorer" - could upset Kansas (coaching issues) 19. **Miami Ohio** - 31-1 but weak schedule, plays SMU in First Four 20. **Texas/NC State** - Texas barely made tournament, NC State in First Four For the First Four games, I'm taking NC State over Texas given their tournament pedigree, Prairie View A&M over Lehigh based on SWAC strength, UMBC over Howard since they've pulled a 16-over-1 upset before, and SMU over Miami Ohio due to Miami's soft schedule despite the gaudy record. Now I'll work through the bracket region by region. In the East Region, Duke cruises past Siena, though TCU's Jamie Dixon has postseason experience and could trouble Ohio State in an 8-9 battle. Northern Iowa has the defensive makeup to spring the 12-over-5 upset against St. John's, while Kansas looks vulnerable given Bill Self's health concerns—Cal Baptist might actually pull the shocker. Louisville's inconsistency and South Florida's dangerous roster makes that 6-11 matchup tricky, Michigan State should handle North Dakota State behind Izzo's track record, and UCLA's instability opens the door for UCF. UConn, the defending champs, should advance comfortably against Furman. Moving to the West, Arizona dominates LIU as a 1-seed should. Villanova and Utah State feels like a toss-up at 8-9, but I'll lean Nova given their program pedigree. The 12-over-5 upset with High Point over Wisconsin is historically likely. Arkansas appears solid at the 4-seed, and BYU should handle either Texas or NC State. Kennesaw State shouldn't pose a threat to Gonzaga, while Missouri's roster continuity gives them an edge over Miami. The 7-10 matchup between Purdue and Missouri could go either way—I'll take Missouri based on their experience. Purdue dominates Queens as expected. In the South, Florida is vulnerable after that Vanderbilt loss, though Prairie View or Lehigh shouldn't present much of a problem. Clemson and Iowa feels like a true coin flip at 8-9, so I'll go with Clemson's steadier play. McNeese is dangerous as a 12-seed and could absolutely upset Vanderbilt, who just stunned Florida in the SEC tournament. Nebraska should handle Troy comfortably given their strong season, and North Carolina has enough to beat VCU despite the pressure on Davis. Illinois is a Final Four contender and should roll past Pennsylvania, while Saint Mary's and Texas A&M presents another toss-up—I'll lean toward the Gaels' consistency and tournament experience. Houston should cruise against Idaho. In the Midwest, Michigan is a legitimate title threat and takes care of either UMBC or Howard without issue. Georgia and Saint Louis is another coin flip, but I'll go with Georgia's superior talent. The Texas Tech versus Akron matchup is where the bracket gets interesting—the 12-5 upset is historically the most reliable one in tournament history, and Akron's recent dominance makes them a real threat to knock off the Red Raiders. Alabama's situation is concerning with the Holloway suspension, but their roster depth might be enough to survive Hofstra. Tennessee should advance past whoever emerges from the SMU-Miami OH play-in game. Virginia's transition under Odom makes them vulnerable against Wright State, though the talent gap should still carry them. Kentucky has potential for a deep run, but Santa Clara's ability to beat Saint Mary's suggests they could pull an upset. Iowa State is built for March with their defensive identity and should handle Tennessee State without much trouble.

Tool Call: validate_bracket

{
  "r1": [
    {
      "gameId": "game-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-2",
      "winnerId": "tcu-horned-frogs"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-3",
      "winnerId": "northern-iowa-panthers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-4",
      "winnerId": "california-baptist-lancers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-5",
      "winnerId": "south-florida-bulls"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-6",
      "winnerId": "michigan-state-spartans"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-7",
      "winnerId": "ucf-knights"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-8",
      "winnerId": "uconn-huskies"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-9",
      "winnerId": "arizona-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-10",
      "winnerId": "villanova-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "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": "clemson-tigers"
    },
    {
      "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": "hofstra-pride"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-29",
      "winnerId": "tennessee-volunteers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-30",
      "winnerId": "wright-state-raiders"
    },
    {
      "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": "california-baptist-lancers"
    },
    {
      "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": "mcneese-cowboys"
    },
    {
      "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": "akron-zips"
    },
    {
      "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": "gonzaga-bulldogs"
    },
    {
      "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": "michigan-wolverines"
    }
  ],
  "r5": [
    {
      "gameId": "ff-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "ff-2",
      "winnerId": "michigan-wolverines"
    }
  ],
  "r6": [
    {
      "gameId": "champ-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    }
  ]
}

Tool Result: validate_bracket

{
  "valid": true
}

assistantMessage 25

Mar 18, 2026, 11:26 PM

The bracket validates. Let me review my key upset picks based on research: **MAJOR FIRST ROUND UPSETS:** 1. **Hofstra over Alabama** (13 over 4) - Alabama star Aden Holloway SUSPENDED for felony drug arrest 2. **Cal Baptist over Kansas** (13 over 4) - Bill Self hospitalized multiple times with heart issues 3. **Wright State over Virginia** (14 over 3) - Tony Bennett retired, new coach Ryan Odom in first year 4. **Santa Clara over Kentucky** (10 over 7) - Beat Saint Mary's in WCC tournament, Mark Pope under pressure **Classic 12/5 Upsets:** 5. **Northern Iowa over St. John's** - 12/5 is statistically most common (35%), St. John's underseeded at 5 6. **McNeese over Vanderbilt** - Will Wade team dangerous, Vandy lost SEC title game 7. **Akron over Texas Tech** - Won 19 of 20 games, MAC three-peat champions 8. **High Point over Wisconsin** - Back-to-back Big South champs, 31-4 **Other Upsets:** 9. **VCU over UNC** (11 over 6) - Won 16 of 17, A-10 champions; Hubert Davis on hot seat 10. **South Florida over Louisville** (11 over 6) - AAC champions, Louisville inconsistent 11. **UCF over UCLA** (10 over 7) - UCF tournament-tested, UCLA volatility Now let me submit the final bracket:

Reasoning

The bracket validated successfully! Let me review my upset picks and make sure I'm happy with them: **First Round Upsets:** 1. TCU over Ohio State (9 over 8) - Minor upset 2. Northern Iowa over St. John's (12 over 5) - Classic upset, St. John's only 5 seed despite Big East title 3. Cal Baptist over Kansas (13 over 4) - Bill Self health issues 4. South Florida over Louisville (11 over 6) - USF won AAC, Louisville inconsistent 5. UCF over UCLA (10 over 7) - UCLA instability 6. High Point over Wisconsin (12 over 5) - Classic 12/5 upset 7. McNeese over Vanderbilt (12 over 5) - Will Wade team, Vandy lost SEC title game 8. VCU over UNC (11 over 6) - VCU won 16 of 17, Hubert Davis on hot seat 9. Akron over Texas Tech (12 over 5) - Akron won 19 of 20, classic 12/5 10. Hofstra over Alabama (13 over 4) - MAJOR! Alabama star suspended 11. Wright State over Virginia (14 over 3) - Tony Bennett retired, new coach 12. Santa Clara over Kentucky (10 over 7) - Mark Pope pressure, Santa Clara beat Saint Mary's That's 12 upsets in the first round, including several major ones (Hofstra, Wright State, Santa Clara, Cal Baptist, Akron, Northern Iowa, McNeese). Wait, I should verify I have the right team IDs and matchups. Let me double-check a few of the games to make sure my upsets are valid. Actually, let me reconsider a few things: - Cal Baptist beating Kansas is very bold (13 over 4) - Wright State beating Virginia (14 over 3) is extremely bold - Hofstra beating Alabama (13 over 4) with Alabama's star suspended is reasonable but still bold - The bracket validated, so the matchups are correct I have good variety with 12 first-round upsets, most notably Hofstra over Alabama due to the suspension, Cal Baptist over Kansas with Self's health concerns, and Akron over Texas Tech as the most statistically probable 12/5 upset. My championship prediction is Duke over Michigan with a projected total score around 155 points based on both teams' offensive capabilities.

Tool Call: submit_bracket

{
  "r1": [
    {
      "gameId": "game-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-2",
      "winnerId": "tcu-horned-frogs"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-3",
      "winnerId": "northern-iowa-panthers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-4",
      "winnerId": "california-baptist-lancers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-5",
      "winnerId": "south-florida-bulls"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-6",
      "winnerId": "michigan-state-spartans"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-7",
      "winnerId": "ucf-knights"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-8",
      "winnerId": "uconn-huskies"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-9",
      "winnerId": "arizona-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-10",
      "winnerId": "villanova-wildcats"
    },
    {
      "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": "clemson-tigers"
    },
    {
      "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": "hofstra-pride"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-29",
      "winnerId": "tennessee-volunteers"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "game-30",
      "winnerId": "wright-state-raiders"
    },
    {
      "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": "california-baptist-lancers"
    },
    {
      "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": "mcneese-cowboys"
    },
    {
      "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": "akron-zips"
    },
    {
      "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": "gonzaga-bulldogs"
    },
    {
      "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": "michigan-wolverines"
    }
  ],
  "r5": [
    {
      "gameId": "ff-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    },
    {
      "gameId": "ff-2",
      "winnerId": "michigan-wolverines"
    }
  ],
  "r6": [
    {
      "gameId": "champ-1",
      "winnerId": "duke-blue-devils"
    }
  ],
  "tiebreakerScore": 152
}

Tool Result: submit_bracket

{
  "submitted": true
}

Tokens

Input: 689269
Output: 7487
Reasoning: 0