Overview
- The 64-team bracket is set after the First Four concluded Wednesday, and Thursday features 16 opening games across CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV.
- Arizona is the leading national-title pick in an ESPN survey of 60 analysts, with Duke, Michigan and Florida also drawing strong backing.
- Louisville will be without freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. to start the tournament and North Carolina is missing forward Caleb Wilson, developments that heighten upset potential for South Florida and VCU.
- SportsLine’s model says it has simulated the bracket 10,000 times and highlights upset candidates, echoing analysts who are eyeing South Florida over Louisville, Texas over BYU and High Point over Wisconsin.
- One spotlight matchup pits Texas A&M’s pace and pressure against Saint Mary’s size and defense, while NBA scouts will zero in on prospects such as BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr.