ESPN releases updated 2024 March Madness Bracketology following transfer portal moves
With the NCAA Transfer Portal changing the landscape of college basketball, ESPN has released its updated 2024 March Madness Bracketology. Joe Lunardi shared his latest thoughts on who would play in what seed, with a few major changes to the bracket this time around. The biggest change of this iteration — listing Kansas as the new No. 1 overall seed of the tournament.
Additionally, Lunardi now lists St. John’s as the first team out now, while Boise State remains the last team in. Another mover on the list of bubble teams was Auburn, who he now lists as one of his Last Four Byes.
“For all the attention paid to big-name transfers such as Hunter Dickinson and Max Abmas, the truth is that their new schools — Kansas and Texas, respectively — were already NCAA tournament locks for 2024,” explained Lunardi. “To see the real impact of player movement, we have to dig deeper. Namely, we need to focus on bubble teams, for which a single offseason decision can mean the difference between the Big Dance and the NIT.
“In this update, a pair of surprises — 6-foot-11 Tolu Smith pulling out of the NBA draft and returning to Mississippi State, preceded by Rutgers’ leading scorer Cam Spencer making a late portal entry — are enough to massively change the fortunes of two schools. Suddenly, the Bulldogs are off the bubble as a projected 10-seed, while the Scarlet Knights sink to the dreaded “First Four Out” list. It is indeed a whole new world.”
2024 Bracketology: Last four in/First four out
Last Four Byes: Auburn, Florida, Providence, Virginia
Last Four In: Illinois, Ohio State, Memphis, Boise State
First Four Out: St. John’s, Rutgers, Texas Tech, Kansas State
Next Four Out: New Mexico, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Stanford
2024 Bracketology: East Region (Boston)
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Texas Southern/Howard
No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 Iowa State
No. 5 USC vs. No. 12 Charleston
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Drake
No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 11 Florida
No. 3 Texas vs. No. 14 Long Beach St.
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Wright St.
West Region (Los Angeles)
No. 1 Marquette vs. No. 16 Colgate
No. 8 Northwestern vs. No. 9 Clemson
No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon
No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Furman
No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 11 Duquesne
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 14 McNeese State
No. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 Virginia
No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Weber St.
Midwest Region (Detroit)
No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 16 Morehead St./Wagner
No. 5 North Carolina vs. No. 12 Yale
No. 4 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 13 James Madison
No. 6 Villanova vs. No. 11 Illinois/Memphis
No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kent State
No. 7 Baylor vs. No. 10 Providence
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Radford
South Region (Dallas)
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 South Dakota State
No. 8 Miami vs. No. 9 Colorado
No. 5 San Diego St. vs. No. 12 Liberty
No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 E. Kentucky
No. 6 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 11 Ohio State/Boise St.
No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 14 Vermont
No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 10 Mississippi State
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Iona