The NCAA tournament we lost last season has been found — and will be different than any previous such event.
The realities of the coronavirus pandemic mean the 2021 NCAA tournament will be held at a single destination – the state of Indiana – with multiple venues utilized and the usual tournament schedule adjusted. The Final Four is slated to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 3 and 5, but uncertainty will continue to reign following a regular season characterized by numerous cancellations and postponements throughout college basketball.
What is expected to remain familiar is the selection of a 68-team field, which is where Joe Lunardi comes in. Joey Brackets will continue to perform the bracket math and make projections on the field until Selection Sunday on March 14. For a deeper look at the NCAA tournament bubble, visit John Gasaway’s Bubble Watch (ESPN+) .
Fill out your bracket: ESPN Tournament Challenge
Bracket tools: ESPN+ Fantasy Tools — ESPN college basketball staff
Bracket Watch
Thursday and Friday of Championship Week typically provide the most action on and around the bubble. So far, we’ve not been disappointed. Syracuse lost a heartbreaker to Virginia and moved up a spot on the seed list. Boise State lost its fourth straight and fell out of the field in favor of fellow Mountain West member Utah State, which the Broncos swept in the regular season. Ole Miss and Seton Hall kept their NCAA hopes alive for at least another day with important conference quarterfinal victories. And we lost Duke from the ACC and possibly NCAA tournaments. All in 12 hours. Whew.
