NCAA Tournament: How the Bracket is Built

Note: 5 seeds (17-20 on seed list) must be placed in the same pods as the four seeds. Available pods are Portland(Georgetown), Seattle(Louisville), Pittsburgh(Maryland), and Jacksonville(North Carolina). Every team from here on out is typically sent to the closest pod site.

17. Utah – Sent to closest pod site (Portland) which feeds into the Houston region.

18. Arkansas – Closest pod site was Columbus but that feeds into Kentucky’s region. The teams played only twice, so by the rules, they would be allowed to match up in the Sweet Sixteen, but the committee opted to send them to the next closest pod (Jacksonville) which feeds into the Los Angeles region.

19. West Virginia – Sent to closest pod site (Columbus) which feeds into the Cleveland region.

20. Northern Iowa – Sent to remaining pod site (Seattle) which feeds into the Syracuse region.

Note: 6 seeds (21-24 on seed list) must be sent to same pod sites as the three seeds. Available pods are Pittsburgh(Notre Dame), Columbus(Oklahoma), Jacksonville(Baylor), Louisville(Iowa State).

21. SMU – Sent to closest pod site (Louisville) which feeds into Houston region.

22. Providence – The closest pod site is Pittsburgh but Notre Dame is playing there. The two teams met in the non-conference and while they could meet in the round of 32, the committee opted against a potential rematch and sent them to Columbus which feeds into the Syracuse region.

23. Butler – Sent to closest remaining pod site (Pittsburgh) which feeds into the Cleveland region.

24. Xavier – Sent to remaining pod site (Jacksonville) which feeds into the Los Angeles region.

Note: 7 seeds (25-28 on seed list) must be sent to same pod sites as the two seeds. Available pods are Charlotte(Virginia), Portland(Arizona), Seattle(Gonzaga), and Omaha(Kansas).

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25. Michigan State – Could have been sent to either Charlotte or Omaha, but Michigan State played Kansas in non-confrence play. Committee opted to avoid a potential rematch and sent them to Charlotte which feeds into the Syracuse region.

26. Wichita State – Sent to closest pod site (Omaha) which feeds into the Cleveland region.

27. Iowa – Could be sent to either Seattle or Portland. Seattle pod feeds into Houston region, while the Portland pod feeds into the Los Angeles region. Houston is closer, so they were sent to the Seattle pod.

28. VCU – Sent to last remaining pod (Portland) which feeds into the Los Angeles region.

Note: 8 seeds (29-32 on seed list) must be sent to same pod sites as the one seeds. Available pods are Charlotte(Duke), Louisville(Kentucky), Omaha(Wisconsin), and Pittsburgh(Villanova)

29. Cincinnati – Sent to closest pod site (Louisville) which feeds into the Cleveland region.

30. Oregon – Sent to closest pod site (Omaha) which feeds into the Los Angeles region.

31. NC State – Couldn’t be sent to Charlotte as the 1 is Duke. The teams played twice and cannot meet until the Sweet Sixteen. Wolfpack sent to Pittsburgh which feeds into the Syracuse region.

32. San Diego State – Sent to last remaining pod site (Charlotte) which feeds into the Houston region.

Next: Seed List 33-50