# 2024 College Basketball Tournament Pool **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** basketball-nba\ **Created:** [March 17, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960 "2024-03-17T23:04:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/1 "2024-03-17T23:04:48Z")
Attention hoops fans! March Madness is here again! Time for the annual NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Pool. Enter your brackets at [ESPN Men's Tournament Challenge - Make Picks](https://fantasy.espn.com/games/tcmen) or download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app on your phone. The group name is **SDMB Bracketeers** and the password is **cecil123**. As in past years, there is a limit of 3 brackets per player. Brackets must be entered before the first game starts on Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/2 "2024-03-18T22:39:25Z")
Just FYI…I entered a bracket (or two) last year. I just created a new bracket on ESPN, and, after completion, it was automatically entered in this pool. Which is fine with me! ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/3 "2024-03-18T23:36:12Z")
Yeah, I noticed the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/4 "2024-03-19T00:32:40Z")
Defending Champion Ponch8 has entered his bracket. I may create a second one as well that better reflects the awesome power of the Florida Gators. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/5 "2024-03-19T01:42:05Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I just created a new bracket on ESPN, and, after completion, it was automatically entered in this pool OK, I just created a second bracket on ESPN, and it was NOT automatically entered into the SD pool. I had to add it via a click. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on, but my two brackets are in. I have no expectations of winning. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/6 "2024-03-21T02:42:34Z")
I had the same problem. I completed two brackets but only my first one got added automatically. I had to go back and add the second one. Reminder to get your brackets in before the first game tips off tomorrow (Thursday). Looks like we have 19 in the pool so far. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/7 "2024-03-22T01:38:35Z")
Anybody have Kentucky going all the way? No? Good, 'cuz they’re out. Go Oakland! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/8 "2024-03-22T02:01:11Z")
I had them winning a few games in one of my brackets. One of these days I will learn not to do that. Kentucky has won one NCAA tournament game in the last 4 seasons. Perhaps the UK faithful may be running out of patience with Coach Cal. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/9 "2024-03-22T13:00:03Z")
Damn Jayhawks almost pulled a Kentucky last night, and kept me up way past my bedtime. Blowing big leads seems to be their tournament specialty. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/10 "2024-03-22T19:28:03Z")
Today Northwestern scored 19 points in the first half. Later they scored 19 points in overtime. They were 5-5 from the field in OT, including two end-of-shot-clock 3-pointers. And 7 of 8 from the line in OT. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/11 "2024-03-23T18:09:27Z")
In another thread, this [linked story](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39771265/tom-izzo-ncaa-selection-process-needs-more-nuance-less-analytics) pointed out that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey wanted to end automatic bids for conference champions (presumably the one-bid smaller school conferences) in favor of more selections from the committee, presumably so that the P5 conferences would get more teams in the tournament. Wonder what Sankey would say right now? The SEC earned 8 bids (1 automatic, 7 by the committee), and went 3-5 in the first round. All five losses were to lower-seeded teams. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/12 "2024-03-23T19:11:40Z")
I never really understood the logic of giving an automatic bid to the conference _tournament_ winner, rather than the conference champion. Too easy for a so-so team that would never make the tournament otherwise, to get hot for a couple games and get in the tournament, where they’re likely to get squashed like a bug in the first round. Meanwhile a more deserving team gets locked out. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/13 "2024-03-23T20:39:54Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I never really understood the logic of giving an automatic bid to the conference _tournament_ winner, rather than the conference champion. AIUI, it’s up to the conference to determine who gets the automatic bid. Until 2017, the Ivy League did not have a post-season conference tournament, so the regular season winner got the bid. Ultimately, then, the Big Boy conferences will always have a tournament, because the tourney winner might add an additional spot for the conference, like NC State in the ACC this year. And, of course, the conference tournaments are big money makers… ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/14 "2024-03-24T17:51:09Z")
OTOH, the tournament winner might not have been the best team over the course of a season, but they are by definition on a hot streak right now. NC State is in the sweet 16, and Oregon took a #3 seed to double overtime in the second round. Seems like it’s hard to argue those teams are “undeserving”. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/15 "2024-03-24T20:41:37Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > the tournament winner might not have been the best team over the course of a season, but they are by definition on a hot streak right now. The shiniest example of this is UConn in 2011, which won five games to secure the automatic bid, and then proceeded to win the national title. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/16 "2024-03-30T13:34:26Z")
Well, my bracket fell completely apart in the Sweet 16. Looks like I have one team left in the entire tournament. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/17 "2024-03-30T14:04:50Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > NC State is in the sweet 16, In the Elite Eight now – go Wolfpack! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/18 "2024-03-30T15:45:58Z")
Duke has played a 13 seed, a 12 seed, a 1 seed without their all-American, and will now face an 11 seed for the regional final. Go Wolfpack, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/19 "2024-03-31T18:50:26Z")
I had completely forgotten until just now that one of my brackets actually has NC State in the Final Four. Clearly I am an extremely well-informed and insightful fan. Go Wolfpack!! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960/20 "2024-03-31T18:53:58Z")
The defending champion Ponch8 has climbed out of the cellar! However, with so many other people also picking UConn, it looks like I have no chance to defend my title successfully. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2024-college-basketball-tournament-pool/998960.md?page=2)