THE BRACKETS
Having two unfamiliar entrants to the Final Four is exciting, but a familiar team will raise the trophy
EAST
1 VILLANOVA
16 MT. SAINT MARY'S /NEW ORLEANS
8 WISCONSIN
9 VIRGINIA TECH
5 VIRGINIA
12 UNC WILMINGTON
4 FLORIDA
13 EAST TENNESSEE STATE
6 SMU
11 PROVIDENCE/USC
3 BAYLOR
14 NEW MEXICO STATE
7 SOUTH CAROLINA
10 MARQUETTE
2 DUKE
15 TROY
VILLANOVA
No way 'Nova becomes the first No. 1 to lose an opener.
WISCONSIN
The Big Ten co-runner-up deserved a higher seed.
VIRGINIA
UVa has the best efficiency-based win odds for a 5 seed.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE
Pressure on turnover-prone Gators PG Kasey Hill will be key.
SMU
Streaking Mustangs haven't lost since Jan. 12 at Cincinnati.
BAYLOR
The Aggies are no match for their first top 50 opponent.
MARQUETTE
Coach Steve Wojciechowski moves on to face his mentor.
DUKE
First-round upsets are no longer a thing for the Devils.
VILLANOVA
Free throw woes—they struggle to draw fouls and make foul shots—catch up to the Badgers.
VIRGINIA
Senior floor general London Perrantes won't get flustered by the Bucs' pressure defense.
SMU
Only a mild upset here: Mustangs are underseeded and 6'7" Semi Ojeleye has breakout potential.
DUKE
The Golden Eagles don't have the D to ice super frosh Jayson Tatum and a scorching offense.
VILLANOVA
A buzzer-beating tip-in from Wildcats shooting guard Donte DeVincenzo beat the Cavs on Jan. 29. This won't be as stressful.
DUKE
Ojeleye, who started his career in Durham, and the nation's No. 3 scoring defense can only give the Blue Devils a scare.
FIRST ROUND
SWEET 16
ELITE EIGHT
FINAL FOUR
WEST
1 GONZAGA
16 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
8 NORTHWESTERN
9 VANDERBILT
5 NOTRE DAME
12 PRINCETON
4 WEST VIRGINIA
13 BUCKNELL
6 MARYLAND
11 XAVIER
3 FLORIDA STATE
14 FLORIDA GULF COAST
7 ST. MARY'S
10 VCU
2 ARIZONA
15 NORTH DAKOTA
GONZAGA
Zags survive Mike Daum, the best unknown forward in D-I.
NORTHWESTERN
After a 78-year drought, the Cats won't fall in their debut.
PRINCETON
Unbeaten since Dec. 20, the Tigers have a Cinderella feel.
WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountaineers are by far the strongest No. 4 seed.
MARYLAND
Banged-up Musketeers have lost seven of their last 10.
FLORIDA STATE
Luckily for the Seminoles, Orlando is not Dunk City.
ST. MARY'S
The Gaels tend to thrive when not facing Gonzaga.
ARIZONA
The Wildcats haven't had a bad loss, and won't here.
GONZAGA
The jumbo frontcourt is a problem for Northwestern, whose tallest starter is 6'8" Dererk Pardon.
PRINCETON
Navigating "Press Virginia," Princeton is the first Ivy champ to reach the Sweet 16 since 2010.
FLORIDA STATE
The overseeded Terps—a better No. 10 or 11 according to advanced analytics—are overwhelmed.
ARIZONA
The Zona defense excels at defending long-range shots, negating the Gaelstorm of threes.
GONZAGA
The Tigers' stingy interior D is no match for 7'1" Przemek Karnowski, who lefty-hooks them into submission.
ARIZONA
Allonzo Trier and his fellow Cats guards thrive on drawing fouls. Too bad the Seminoles are whistle prone.
DUKE
Vintage Grayson Allen: He scores in droves while soaking up boos from the pro-Nova crowd at Madison Square Garden.
GONZAGA
To break through to their first Final Four, the Zags prevail in a tighter game with Zona, whom they beat 69--62 on Dec. 3.
UNC
Lack of interior depth finally catches up with Oregon, while high-volume-shooting wing Justin Jackson leads the Heels to their second straight title game.
CHAMPION
UNC
The Tar Heels get over the devastating loss in last year's final by keeping the battle in the frontcourt and away from the arc. The duel between Meeks and Karnowski is a wash, but UNC's relentless effort on the offensive boards proves the difference.
GONZAGA
Duke made it to the Final Four without a true point guard, but its journey ends with the ball in the hands of the Zags' stellar floor general, Nigel Williams-Goss.
MIDWEST
OREGON
Practically a home game for the Jayhawks, but OU will return to the Final Four—78 years after winning the first.
KANSAS
Swanigan outplays center Landen Lucas, but Kansas's 6'8" freshman sensation, Josh Jackson, makes his star turn.
OREGON
The Ducks struggle with the Cardinals' long, physical D inside, but Brooks and surging point guard Tyler Dorsey take over.
FINAL FOUR
ELITE EIGHT
SWEET 16
FIRST ROUND
KANSAS
The Jayhawks' guard-heavy lineup, led by Devonte' Graham, proves to be too explosive.
PURDUE
Big Ten POY Caleb (Biggie) Swanigan muscles Purdue to its first Sweet 16 since 2010.
OREGON
Smooth-shooting 6'7" wing Dillon Brooks, OU's leading scorer, buries Rhody early and often.
LOUISVILLE
The Pokes' porous D helps mask the Cardinals' iffy O, allowing Donovan Mitchell to score at will.
KANSAS
National POY favorite Frank Mason III stars for KU.
MIAMI
ACC's second-best D shuts down freshman Miles Bridges.
IOWA STATE
Guard Naz Mitrou-Long drops long-range bombs in the win.
PURDUE
Boilers hit from outside to avoid third straight early exit.
RHODE ISLAND
It's the Rams' first opening-round win since '98.
OREGON
Ducks advance even without injured PF Chris Boucher.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Feel-good run ends thanks to D-I's most efficient offense.
LOUISVILLE
'Ville's four-forward lineup grounds the Gamecocks.
KANSAS 1
N.C. CENTRAL/UC DAVIS 16
MIAMI 8
MICHIGAN STATE 9
IOWA STATE 5
NEVADA 12
PURDUE 4
VERMONT 13
CREIGHTON 6
RHODE ISLAND 11
OREGON 3
IONA 14
MICHIGAN 7
OKLAHOMA STATE 10
LOUISVILLE 2
JACKSONVILLE STATE 15
SOUTH
UNC
Both teams love to run, but the Tar Heels' superior defense slows down Ball & Co. just enough.
UNC
The Blue Raiders meet their match with this burly blue blood, led by Kennedy Meeks on the blocks.
UCLA
The Bruins beat the Cats in Lexington on Dec. 3, and they do it again in Memphis in a clash packed with lottery picks.
UNC
The nation's best offensive rebounding team cleans the Razorbacks off the glass.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
Butler yields to a new March upstart, and Giddy Potts enhances his tournament legend.
UCLA
Cincy can do little to slow down maestro Lonzo Ball or keep Bryce Alford from draining threes.
KENTUCKY
The faces are different from the 2014 second-round instant classic, but the result is the same.
UNC
Coach Mike Davis's SWAC attack is no match for UNC.
ARKANSAS
Veteran Hogs exploit the Pirates' turnover tendencies.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
The Blue Raiders' versatile frontline does it again.
BUTLER
Super reserve Kelan Martin (16.1 ppg) leads the Bulldogs.
CINCINNATI
Known for their tough D, the Bearcats win with efficient O.
UCLA
Even Golden Flashes aren't quick enough for the Bruins.
WICHITA STATE
Vastly underseeded, the Shockers' win is unsurprising.
KENTUCKY
The Norse get vanquished in a Bluegrass State battle.
UNC 1
TEXAS SOUTHERN 16
ARKANSAS 8
SETON HALL 9
MINNESOTA 5
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE 12
BUTLER 4
WINTHROP 13
CINCINNATI 6
KANSAS ST./WAKE FOREST 11
UCLA 3
KENT STATE 14
DAYTON 7
WICHITA STATE 10
KENTUCKY 2
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 15
