Men’s Bracket Watch: Final Projection Before Selection Sunday Show

Which teams will be the last four in and first four out in SI's last projections before the NCAA tournament field is set?
Texas is on the bubble on Selection Sunday as it awaits its NCAA tournament fate.
Texas is on the bubble on Selection Sunday as it awaits its NCAA tournament fate. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Selection Sunday is finally here! After two weeks of wall-to-wall conference tournament action to lock in nearly half the teams whose names you’ll hear called Sunday, we’ve finally reached the big day. How does Sports Illustrated expect the field to look when it’s officially unveiled Sunday evening? Here’s our final projection ahead of the 6 p.m. ET show.

On The Bubble

Last Four Byes

Baylor Bears
West Virginia Mountaineers
Utah State Aggies
Arkansas Razorbacks

Last Four In

Vanderbilt Commodores
San Diego State Aztecs
Indiana Hoosiers
Texas Longhorns

First Four Out

Boise State Broncos
North Carolina Tar Heels
Xavier Musketeers
UC Irvine Anteaters

Next Four Out

Ohio State Buckeyes
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
George Mason Patriots
Dayton Flyers

BOLD indicates clinched automatic bid
* denotes projected automatic qualifier

South Region

No. 1 Auburn Tigers vs. No. 16 Alabama State Hornets/Saint Francis Red Flash
No. 8 UConn Huskies vs. No. 9 New Mexico Lobos
No. 5 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 12 VCU Rams
No. 4 Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon Antelopes
No. 6 BYU Cougars vs. No. 11 UC San Diego Tritons
No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 14 Lipscomb Bison
No. 7 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. No. 10 West Virginia Mountaineers
No. 2 St. John's Red Storm vs. No. 15 Robert Morris Colonials

East Region

No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers/American Eagles
No. 8 Memphis Tigers vs. No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs
No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 12 McNeese State Cowboys
No. 4 Maryland Terrapins vs. No. 13 High Point Panthers
No. 6 Saint Mary's Gaels vs. No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers/Texas Longhorns
No. 3 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. No. 14 Troy Trojans
No. 7 Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. No. 10 Utah State Aggies
No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 15 Montana Grizzlies

Midwest Region

No. 1 Houston Cougars vs. No. 16 SIUE Cougars
No. 8 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. No. 9 Creighton Bluejays
No. 5 Clemson Tigers vs. No. 12 Colorado State Rams
No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers vs. No. 13 Akron Zips
No. 6 Louisville Cardinals vs. No. 11 San Diego State Aztecs/Vanderbilt Commodores
No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers vs. No. 14 Wofford Terriers
No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks
No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers vs. No. 15 Omaha Mavericks

West Region

No. 1 Florida Gators vs. No. 16 Norfolk State Spartans
No. 8 Marquette Golden Eagles vs. No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners
No. 5 Oregon Ducks vs. No. 12 Liberty Flames
No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones vs. No. 13 Yale Bulldogs
No. 6 UCLA Bruins vs. No. 11 Drake Bulldogs
No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington Seahawks
No. 7 Missouri Tigers vs. No. 10 Baylor Bears
No. 2 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 15 Bryant Bulldogs


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Kevin Sweeney
KEVIN SWEENEY

Kevin Sweeney is a staff writer at Sports Illustrated covering college basketball and the NBA draft. He joined the SI staff in July 2021 and also serves host and analyst for The Field of 68. Sweeney is a Naismith Trophy voter and ia member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.