Just in case the 48- and 16-team versions aren’t enough to satisfy the craving for pandemic alternatives to the traditional 68-team NCAA tournament field, we present the first monthly update of a potential 80-team bracket.
Here’s a refresher on the basics:
• All conference champions — regular season and tournament — qualify for the expanded field.
• Instead of the current First Four games, there would be 16 opening-round contests spread across the four regions. These games would be played on the home court of the higher seed (without fans).
• Teams winning both regular-season and conference tournament championships — double qualifiers, if you will — receive an opening-round bye. They become part of a 48-team group advancing directly to the central tournament site.
• The number of at-large teams, set for 37 this year due to the Ivy League opting out, will fluctuate between 32 and 48 depending on the number of “double qualifiers” (the typical number of teams in this category is 12 to 16).
• Reduced travel will be a consideration in the opening-round pairings when it can be done without unduly impacting competitive balance.
• Existing principles for avoiding intraconference pairings remain in place.
These pairings are updated through games of Dec. 28 (currently projected “double” qualifiers are listed in ALL CAPS, with a bye; current “bid stealers” are in bold):
WOODEN REGION
(1) GONZAGA vs. (20) MOUNT ST. MARY’S
(8) Virginia Tech/(15) Boise State vs. (9) Indiana/(14) Alabama
(5) OREGON vs. (16) WRIGHT STATE
(4) Texas Tech vs. (17) GEORGIA STATE
(6) Clemson vs. (11) USC/(12) Seton Hall
(3) Illinois vs. (18) HOFSTRA
(7) Xavier vs. (10) NC State/(13) Maryland
(2) Texas vs. (19) COLGATE
MARAVICH REGION
(1) Baylor vs. (20) NORFOLK STATE
(8) Arkansas/(14) Providence vs. (9) Purdue/(13) Ole Miss
(5) San Diego State vs. (16) FURMAN
(4) Rutgers vs. (17) TOLEDO
(6) Virginia vs. (11) Richmond/(12) BYU
(3) Iowa vs. (18) ABILENE CHRISTIAN
(7) Duke vs. (10) Stanford/(12) SMU
(2) TENNESSEE vs. (19) SOUTHERN UTAH
NAISMITH REGION
(1) VILLANOVA vs. (20) TEXAS SOUTHERN
(8) Saint Louis/(13) Penn State vs. (9) UCLA/(12) Drake
(5) FLORIDA STATE vs. (16) WINTHROP
(4) Michigan vs. (17) NEW MEXICO STATE
(6) Michigan State vs. (15) WESTERN KENTUCKY
(3) West Virginia vs. (18) BELMONT
(7) Louisville/(14) Arizona State vs. (10) LSU/(11) Drake
(2) HOUSTON vs. (19) UC IRVINE
PHOG ALLEN REGION
(1) KANSAS vs. (20) STONY BROOK
(8) Florida/(15) Davidson vs. (9) Minnesota/(14) Arizona
(5) Ohio State vs. (16) LOYOLA CHICAGO
(4) Missouri vs. (17) LIBERTY
(6) North Carolina vs. (11) NORTHWESTERN/(12) Oklahoma
(3) Creighton vs. (18) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
(7) Colorado vs. (10) Syracuse/(13) UConn
(2) Wisconsin vs. (19) SAINT PETER’S
LAST FOUR BYES
Clemson
Duke
Xavier
Colorado
LAST FOUR IN
Penn State
Alabama
Maryland
Arizona State
FIRST FOUR OUT
TCU
Marquette
Saint Mary’s
VCU
NEXT FOUR OUT
Dayton
UCF
Georgia
Utah
MULTI-BID CONFERENCES
Big Ten (13)
ACC (9)
Big 12 (7)
Pac-12 (7)
SEC (7)
Big East (6)
Atlantic 10 (3)
West Coast (3)
American (2)
Mountain West (2)