The most enticing week on the sports calendar has arrived, with the 2023 March Madness group set to begin Tuesday night in Dayton. 16-seeded Texas A&M Corpus-Christi and Southeast Missouri State will battle for a shot at 1-seeded Alabama in the first round of the 2023 NCAA tournament, while 11-seeded Pittsburgh and Mississippi State will attempt them to beat Ticket to the Round of 64. There will also be two play-in games in Dayton on Wednesday night during the First Four before the madness ramps up on Thursday.
Thursday’s loaded table ends when No. 2 UCLA takes on No. 15 UNC Asheville. The Bruins are one of the most popular picks for the 2023 NCAA tournament, but how far should they go in your 2023 NCAA basketball squad? Before making predictions for the 2023 March Madness bracket, be sure to check out the 2023 NCAA tournament bracket picks from SportsLine’s trusted computer model.
The SportsLine projection model simulated the entire 2023 NCAA tournament 10,000 times. It absolutely smashed its March Madness picks, beating over 92% of all CBS Sports Brackets two of the last four tournaments. The model also nailed three teams in the West and South Region Sweet 16 last year, including No. 5 Houston.
It also knows how to spot an excitement. The same model has spawned brackets that nailed 18 first-round surprises through double-digit seeds. Two years ago, it also provided some massive upsets, including predicting the championship game between Gonzaga and Baylor and winning Houston’s Midwest Region win despite the Cougars not being No. 1.
There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2023 March Madness picks. Now that the 2023 NCAA bracket has been unveiled, the model is simulating the matchups and the results are in. You can only see it at SportsLine.
Three 2023 March Madness Bracket games to watch
One of the best NCAA Tournament first round matchups is No. 8 Maryland vs. No. 9 West Virginia in the South Region. Maryland enters the 2023 NCAA tournament as a higher-seeded player, but West Virginia ranks higher in NET and KenPom. The Mountaineers defeated the Terrapins in the second round of the 2015 NCAA tournament and are two point favorites to win the rematch at the latest 2023 NCAA tournament odds. Thursday’s winner will likely face Alabama, the top overall winner, in the second round.
Another Southern matchup worth keeping an eye on is No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 Charleston. It’s rare for two mid-major programs to clash in the NCAA tournament round, but this first-round matchup is an excellent opportunity for both teams. Charleston rode a 31-3 record to a Colonial Athletic Association title, making it its first appearance in the Big Dance since 2018. San Diego State is in the field for the third straight year but is aiming for its first win since 2015.
No. 4 Virginia vs. No. 13 Furman is another important matchup in the South. The Cavaliers earned the No. 4 pick after finishing as the co-regular-season champions in the ACC and runners-up in the tournament. Veteran guard Kihei Clark, a starter on the 2019 Virginia national title team, leads an experienced roster. Furman has his own experience and leads the country by two percentage points (59.1). The Paladins prefer to play quick games, while Virginia is one of the most methodical teams in the college hoop. You can see the model’s 2023 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make predictions for the 2023 NCAA bracket
Who wins every tournament-determining matchup? And which teams will make surprise runs through the 2023 NCAA tournament? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting excitement, you should see what stunners it’s calling this year before you commit to any NCAA bracket picks for 2023.
So what is the optimal bracket for the 2023 NCAA tournament? And Which NCAA Tournament Cinderella Teams Will Shock College Basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which double-digit seeds you can trust, all from the model called 18 surprises by double-digit seeds.