Athlon Sports' 2021-22 NCAA Tournament Projections
Here are the 68 teams that will get a shot at making it to the Final Four in New Orleans
After a thrilling March Madness that nearly saw Gonzaga complete its undefeated season, the 2021-22 college basketball season is right around the corner and ready to tip-off on Nov. 9.
Related: Top 25 for 2021-22
Can Baylor defend its first men's basketball title? Will Duke go the distance in Coach K's final season? Can those Zags finally get over the hump? There are plenty of big storylines heading into what projects to be an exciting season.
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Athlon Sports is taking its best shot to build the bracket in August ahead of the new season. While there's always time for more surprises — few saw Michigan and Alabama earning the top two seeds in the East before last season — we are projecting 10 conferences to send multiple teams to the Big Dance this season.
2021-22 NCAA Tournament Projected Field
*indicates projected conference champion
West | East | Midwest | South | |
1 | Gonzaga* | UCLA* | Kansas* | Texas |
2 | Baylor | Villanova* | Duke* | Michigan* |
3 | Kentucky | Arkansas* | Purdue | North Carolina |
4 | Houston* | Illinois | Oregon | Ohio State |
5 | Florida State | Tennessee | Maryland | Alabama |
6 | Michigan State | Virginia Tech | USC | Connecticut |
7 | Auburn | Virginia | St. Bonaventure* | Louisville |
8 | Texas Tech | West Virginia | Xavier | Colorado State* |
9 | Syracuse | Mississippi State | Richmond | LSU |
10 | Notre Dame | Indiana | BYU | Belmont* |
11 | Oklahoma State | Memphis | UAB* | Arizona State |
12 | Florida | Drake* | Washington State | Buffalo* |
12 | St. John's | San Diego State | ||
13 | Liberty* | Wright State* | UC Santa Barbara* | New Mexico State* |
14 | Yale* | Delaware* | Colgate* | Iona* |
15 | Winthrop* | Georgia State* | South Dakota State* | Chattanooga* |
16 | Prairie View A&M* | Wagner* | Norfolk State* | Vermont* |
16 | New Orleans* | Southern Utah* |
NCAA Tournament Field by Conference
ACC (8): Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Louisville, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Syracuse
America East (1): Vermont
American (2): Houston, Memphis
Atlantic 10 (2): St. Bonaventure, Richmond
ASUN (1): Liberty
Big 12 (6): Kansas, Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, West Virginia, Oklahoma State
Big East (4): Villanova, Xavier, Connecticut, St. John’s
Big Sky (1): Southern Utah
Big South (1): Winthrop
Big Ten (7): Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue, Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana
Big West (1): UC Santa Barbara
Colonial (1): Delaware
Conference USA (1): UAB
Horizon (1): Wright State
Ivy (1): Yale
MAAC (1): Iona
MAC (1): Buffalo
MEAC (1): Norfolk State
Missouri Valley (1): Drake
Mountain West (2): Colorado State, San Diego State
Northeast (1): Wagner
OVC (1): Belmont
Pac-12 (5): UCLA, Oregon, USC, Arizona State, Washington State
Patriot (1): Colgate
SEC (8): Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State, Florida
Southern (1): Chattanooga
Southland (1): New Orleans
Summit (1): South Dakota State
Sun Belt (1): Georgia State
SWAC (1): Prairie View A&M
WAC (1): New Mexico State
WCC (2): Gonzaga, BYU
