Let the madness begin! The 68-team 2021 NCAA bracket tipped off Thursday with the First Four. Texas Southern and Drake were the first two teams to punch their tickets into the Round of 64, but which schools in the 2021 March Madness bracket can you trust? After last year’s edition was lost due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 NCAA Tournament promises to be more memorable than ever, once again giving teams their “one shining moment” on the national stage.
With the March Madness 2021 bracket officially locked, who can you trust with your college basketball picks before Friday’s Noon ET deadline? And which March Madness upsets are lurking? Before making any 2021 March Madness predictions, be sure to check out the 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
Last tournament, SportsLine’s computer simulation nailed massive upsets, 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.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed 15 of the 26 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds the past four tournaments and nailed 14 teams in the Sweet 16 last time.
There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2021 March Madness pools. Now, the model has simulated every possible matchup in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and revealed its bracket. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Top 2021 March Madness bracket upset picks
One team set to pull off a shocking upset in 2021 March Madness brackets: The No. 8 seed LSU Tigers are one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament thanks to the ninth-seeded St. Bonaventure Bonnies.
The Bonnies, who have the 1970 Final Four banner flying in the rafters at the Reilly Center, drilled VCU, 74-65, to win the Atlantic 10 Tournament title and lock up the conference’s automatic berth. St. Bonaventure allows a paltry 60.4 points per outing, and Kyle Lofton is one of the A-10’s best weapons, posting 14.6 points and 5.5 assists per game.
SportsLine’s model sees St. Bonaventure feasting on an LSU defense that gives up 75.3 points per game, with Lofton, Jaren Holmes, Jalen Adaway, Dominick Welch and Osun Osunniyi all scoring in double-digits. The model also has St. Bonaventure advancing to the second round in 48 percent of its 2021 NCAA Tournament simulations.
Another huge curveball in the East Region: No. 12 seed Georgetown pulls off the upset against No. 5 seed Colorado. No. 12 Georgetown upsets No. 5 Colorado in the East Region. Don’t be swayed by the fact the Hoyas are just one game over .500, as they’ve been playing their best when it’s mattered most. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games, with wins over Villanova and Creighton on the way to the Big East Tournament Championship. Never underestimate the power of momentum when making your 2021 March Madness picks.
Colorado’s momentum ended in the Pac-12 Tournament Final with a loss to Oregon State, which wouldn’t even be part of March Madness 2021 without that victory. The Buffaloes’ 22-8 record was inflated by their conference schedule, as the Pac-12 was the softest in the Power Five this season. The fact that no Pac-12 team achieved a top-four seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket shows that Colorado wasn’t tested, making them a prime candidate to be upset.
How to make 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions
SportsLine’s model also has one region where you need to pick the No. 2 seed, while the Nos. 10, 11 and 13 seeds all deliver huge first-round upsets. Nailing those picks could literally make or break your bracket.
So what’s the optimal NCAA Tournament 2021 bracket? And which underdogs shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which No. 2 seed you need to target, and see which region you need to pick the 10, 11, and 13 seeds, all from the model that’s called 15 of the 26 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds in the last four tournaments.