The 2021 NCAA bracket is out and millions of people are entering March Madness brackets before Friday’s first round. Historically, No. 9 seeds have won more often than No. 8 seeds, making the four compelling 8-9 matchups among your most difficult decisions as you make your 2021 March Madness picks. Loyola-Chicago is the No. 8 seed in the Midwest Region, but they’ll have to make sure they’re not looking ahead to a potential matchup against in-state rival Illinois with Georgia Tech to deal with first.
The Yellow Jackets won the ACC Tournament and enter March Madness 2021 having won eight games in a row. Who should you pick in that difficult 8-9 matchup, and which teams will make a deep run in the 2021 March Madness bracket? Before making any 2021 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It absolutely crushed its March Madness picks last tournament, beating nearly 90 percent of all CBS Sports brackets one year after finishing in the top five percent. The model also nailed 14 teams in the Sweet 16 last time.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 15 of the 26 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds the last four tournaments. It also nailed massive upsets last time, including huge wins by No. 13 seed UC-Irvine over No. 4 seed Kansas State, No. 10 seed Florida over No. 7 seed Nevada, and No. 12 seed Oregon over No. 5 seed Wisconsin.
There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2021 March Madness picks. Now, the model has simulated every possible matchup in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and revealed its optimal bracket. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Top 2021 March Madness bracket picks
One team set to disrupt 2021 March Madness brackets: The No. 14-seed Colgate Raiders. SportsLine’s model is calling for them to stun the No. 3-seed Arkansas Razorbacks in a massive first-round upset. The Raiders went 14-1 during the regular season and have established themselves as one of the most efficient offenses in the country, ranking second behind only Gonzaga in scoring (86.3 points per game).
The Raiders are 63-21 in their last three seasons, and senior guard Jordan Burns has proven he’s prepared for the big stage. Burns had 32 points in a first-round matchup against Tennessee in the 2019 NCAA Tournament and is averaging 17.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the three-point line.
Arkansas ranked 192nd in the country in scoring defense and struggled to contain LSU guards Cameron Thomas and Javonte Smart in the SEC Championship Game. That’s why the model predicts Colgate to be the most likely No. 14 seed in the NCAA bracket 2021 to advance, making the Raiders a double-digit seed worthy of strong consideration as you fill out your NCAA Tournament picks.
Another team to back in your 2021 NCAA Tournament picks: No. 10-seed Virginia Tech. The model is projecting that the Hokies take down No. 7 Florida in the first round of the South Region. Virginia Tech coach Mike Young has done an admirable job in his second year in Blacksburg, guiding the Hokies through multiple COVID-19-related disruptions to a 15-5 record and 9-4 mark in ACC play.
Forward Keve Aluma, who followed Young from Wofford, has been a force for Virginia Tech. He’s averaging 15.6 points, eight rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Florida, meanwhile, enters the NCAA Tournament 2021 having lost three of its last four games. The Gators haven’t scored more than 74 points in a contest since January, and SportsLine’s model is calling for Virginia Tech to advance in well over 50 percent of simulations.
How to make 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions
SportsLine’s model also has one region where you absolutely need to pick the No. 2 seed, and the Nos. 10 and 13 seeds both deliver huge first-round upsets. Nailing those picks could literally make or break your bracket. With the model’s proven track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it is calling this year before locking in any bracket picks.
So what’s the optimal NCAA Tournament 2021 bracket? And which underdogs shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which double-digit seeds you can back with confidence, all from the model that’s nailed 15 of the 26 double-digit seed upsets the past four years.