No. 11 seed New Mexico is back in the NCAA Tournament bracket for the first time since 2014, running the table at the Mountain West Tournament last week to earn an automatic bid to the 2024 March Madness bracket. The Lobos knocked off Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State during their impressive run and are a trendy upset pick for Friday’s game against No. 6 seed Clemson. They play at the eighth-fastest pace in college basketball, and their offense ranks in the top 20 nationally in scoring (82.6 points per game). Clemson prefers to play at a slower pace, creating an intriguing matchup that is a difficult decision for 2024 March Madness picks.
Picking first-round 2024 March Madness upsets is one part of building a winning 2024 March Madness strategy, but Final Four picks are much more important. Which teams should you have advancing to Phoenix in your 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket? Before making any 2024 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 92 percent of all CBS Sports brackets three of the past five tournaments. In an upset-laden 2023 NCAA Tournament, the model was all over UConn’s shocking Final Four run as a 4-seed. It went an amazing 23-9 in the first round, including an astounding 12-4 in the Midwest and West regions.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 20 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016. There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2024 March Madness picks.
Now, with the 2024 NCAA bracket revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Three 2024 March Madness bracket games to watch
One of the most intriguing 2024 March Madness matchups to watch: No. 5 San Diego State versus No. 12 UAB. The Aztecs are getting set for their fourth straight tournament appearance following their run to the national title game last season, the first in program history. They were a No. 5 seed last year as well, and all three of the 2023 Final Four teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament field are in the same half of the East Region. This is the first meeting between UAB and San Diego State since 1989, when the Blazers cruised to a 91-46 victory in the championship game of the UAB Classic.
Another 2024 March Madness matchup to keep an eye on is No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern in the East Region. These programs are trying to build on their recent unprecedented success when they meet in the Round of 64 on Friday afternoon. Florida Atlantic made a historic run to the Final Four last season, coming up just short against San Diego State on a buzzer-beater, and it returned all five of its starters from that team. Northwestern snapped a 77-year NCAA Tournament drought by making its first appearance in 2017, and it returned last spring when it lost to UCLA in the second round.
Another 2024 March Madness matchup to watch out for: No. 4 seed Auburn will battle No. 13 seed Yale in the East Region. The Bulldogs are seeking their second win in the NCAA Tournament after beating Brown in the Ivy League Tournament title game. They are led by All-Ivy League First Team selection Danny Wolf, who is averaging 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He will go head-to-head with Auburn’s Johni Broome, an All-SEC First Team performer who posted 13 double-doubles this season. You can see the model’s 2024 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make 2024 NCAA bracket predictions
Who wins every tournament-defining matchup? And which teams will make surprising runs through the 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2024 NCAA bracket picks.