2024 NCAA Tournament Bracketology

By Joe Lunardi Updated: 9/12/2023 at 9 a.m. ET

College basketball has never been more of a year-round enterprise. From the coaching carousel to the transfer portal to early NBA draft entries, the roster of your favorite team might have changed since you clicked on this page. ESPN Bracketology has you covered during the entire offseason, with regular updates as we count down to the 2023-24 campaign. Opening night is less than two months away.

Bracket Watch

When coach Bob Huggins was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in June, the prospects for West Virginia basketball seemed bleak. First came the resignation of the Naismith Hall of Famer. Then came a predictable exodus of key personnel, namely forward Tre Mitchell and guard Kerr Kriisa. But interim coach Josh Eilert went to work -- and quickly. He convinced Kriisa, the former Arizona standout, to stick around. He also retained transfers Jesse Edwards (Syracuse) and Raequan Battle (Montana State), while adding late portal pickups Noah Farrakhan (Eastern Michigan) and big man Akok Akok (Georgetown). The same Mountaineers who nearly fell out of our projections in the wake of Huggins' departure are now at their highest point -- a rising No. 10 seed -- since the spring. WVU has a legit chance to finish in the top half of a 14-team Big 12, all but assuring another NCAA bid.

On the Bubble

Last Four Byes

Last Four In

First Four Out

Next Four Out

68-Team Bracket

SOUTH (DALLAS)

Omaha

Pittsburgh

Spokane

Memphis

WEST (LOS ANGELES)

Indianapolis

Spokane

Pittsburgh

Omaha

MIDWEST (DETROIT)

Indianapolis

Salt Lake City

Memphis

Charlotte

EAST (BOSTON)

Charlotte

Brooklyn

Salt Lake City

Brooklyn

Conference Breakdown

Conference

Team

Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock

RULES

ESPN's Bracketology efforts are focused on projecting the NCAA tournament field just as we expect the NCAA Division I basketball committee to select the field in March. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi uses the same data points favored by the committee, including strength of schedule and other season-long indicators, including the NET and team-sheet data similar to what is available to the NCAA, in his projections of the field. Visit the NCAA's website for a fuller understanding of NCAA selection criteria.

68-Team Bracket

The 68-team bracket is the standard version of the NCAA tournament field that has been in place since 2011. If the 2021 field is comprised of 68 teams, there will be some key differences to past years, however.

The primary adjustment from a normal year is, of course, the playing of the entire NCAA tournament at a single site. This eliminates the need for geographical considerations in seeding. Additionally, there will be at least one fewer automatic qualifier this season, as the Ivy League's decision to forgo the 2020-21 season reduces the number of AQ entries to 31 for this season.

48-Team Bracket

In this projection, a condensed selection process would reduce the field by 10 at-large teams and 10 automatic qualifiers (the latter of which still receive a revenue unit). The top four seeds in each region would receive a bye into the second round, with four first-round games per region - 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10 and 8 vs. 9 - being played without fans on the higher seed's home court.

To minimize travel, first-round pairings will be guided by geography to the greatest extent possible. And the reduced field results in only 32 teams competing at the central site. All participants must post a minimum .500 conference record - the "Lunardi Rule" - for at-large consideration.

16-Team Bracket

In this projection, the committee selects and seeds the 16 best available teams. There are no automatic qualifiers, although all non-competing conference champions receive the designated revenue unit.

To maintain some sense of national balance, conference participation is capped at four teams. And no region shall have more than one team from the same conference.

ESPN

Bracket Watch

Top Overall Seed

First Team Out

Last Team In

On the Bubble

Last Four Byes

Last Four In

First Four Out

Next Four Out

68-Team Bracket

SOUTH (DALLAS)

Omaha

Pittsburgh

Spokane

Memphis

WEST (LOS ANGELES)

Indianapolis

Spokane

Pittsburgh

Omaha

MIDWEST (DETROIT)

Indianapolis

Salt Lake City

Memphis

Charlotte

EAST (BOSTON)

Charlotte

Brooklyn

Salt Lake City

Brooklyn

Conference Breakdown

More Stories