2021 NCAA Division I
men's basketball tournament
Season2020–21
Teams68 (including one that did not play)
Finals siteLucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
ChampionsBaylor Bears (1st title, 2nd title game,
3rd Final Four)
Runner-upGonzaga Bulldogs (2nd title game,
2nd Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachScott Drew (1st title)
MOPJared Butler (Baylor)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments
«2020 2022»

The 2021 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 68 teams to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2020–21 season. The 82nd edition of the tournament began play on March 18, 2021 in sites around the state of Indiana,[1] and concluded with the championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 5, with the Baylor Bears defeating the previously undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs 86–70 to earn the team's first ever title.

For logistical considerations surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in the cancellation of the previous year's tournament), the NCAA announced in January 2021 that all tournament games would be held in Indiana rather than at sites across the country. This was the only time in the history of the tournament that a single state has hosted it in its entirety.[2]

This marked the first time since 1976 that neither Duke nor Kentucky qualified for the tournament.[3] It was also the first time since 1995 that Duke failed to make the tournament, breaking a streak of 24 consecutive appearances. America East champion Hartford and WAC champion Grand Canyon made their NCAA Tournament debuts.

The tournament was marked by many upsets, with Yahoo Sports journalist Pete Thamel calling it "one of the most dizzying NCAA men's tournaments in history". With only half of the 16 second-round games having been played, there had been 11 upsets to that point, using the NCAA's definition of "upset" as a win by a team seeded five or more lines below its defeated opponent. This had already broken the record for most upsets prior to the round of 16; by the end of the second round, this number went up to 12. In addition, at least one 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 seed won a first-round game for the fourth time ever, and the first time since 2016. Also, a record four teams seeded 13 or lower won first-round games.[4] Another notable mark set during the tournament was a record-breaking 14 upsets throughout the event, breaking the original record of 13 upsets from the 1985 and 2014 tournaments.

The Final Four game between UCLA and Gonzaga (the first semifinal game to go into overtime since 1998) saw a game-winning buzzer-beater by Jalen Suggs to take Gonzaga into the championship game, the first buzzer-beater in a national semifinal since 1977. By defeating Gonzaga in the championship game, the Baylor Bears became the second consecutive first-time NCAA champions, following the Virginia Cavaliers in 2019. The last time this happened was in 2002 and 2003, when the Maryland Terrapins and Syracuse Orange (then nicknamed Orangemen) won their first titles in their respective years. Baylor also joined Texas Western (now known as the University of Texas at El Paso) as the only two teams from the state of Texas to have won an NCAA Division I Basketball championship, the Miners having done so in 1966.

Tournament procedure

A total of 68 teams entered the 2021 tournament, with 31 of them (down from 32, due to the Ivy League having canceled all winter semester sports due to COVID-19)[5] having received an automatic bid by winning their conference's tournament. The remaining 37 bids were "at-large", with selections extended by the NCAA Selection Committee. Teams met sport sponsorship requirements and were considered for NCAA championship selection if they played 13 games, which represented a 50 percent reduction of the current minimum. For NCAA championship consideration, all 13 games had to be against other Division I opponents. Teams could also play 12 regular-season games against Division I opponents and one conference tournament game to be eligible for tournament consideration.[6]

The Selection Committee seeded the entire field from 1 to 68. The four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at-large teams played in the First Four round: for the 2021 tournament, the games were played between the overall 65th and 66th seeds, the 67th and 68th seed, and the last four at-large seeds.[7]

The top four teams outside of the ranking (commonly known as the "first four out" in pre-tourney analyses) acted as standbys in the event a school was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to COVID-19 protocols.[8][9] However, if a team withdrew within 48 hours of the tournament's commencement, they would not be replaced; the bracket was not reseeded, and the affected team's opponent would automatically advance to the next round.The replacement teams are as follows, in order:

First Four Out[10]
NET School Conference Record
56 Louisville ACC 13–7
51 Colorado State Mountain West 18–6
43 Saint Louis Atlantic 10 14–6
53 Ole Miss SEC 16–11

[11]

Schedule and venues

Gonzaga vs. University of Southern California at Lucas Oil Stadium

On January 4, 2021, the NCAA announced that due to logistical considerations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (which prompted the cancellation of the 2020 tournament), the entirety of the tournament would be conducted at sites within the Indianapolis metro area and central Indiana, rather than across the country.[12] Players stayed at hotels near the Indiana Convention Center, which served as the main practice facility.[13] Lucas Oil Stadium had two courts named "Unity Court" and "Equality Court" during the First Round, Second Round, and Elite Eight.

On February 19, it was announced that all venues would operate at a maximum of 25% capacity. As this capacity includes staff and players, the exact number of spectators varied by venue.[14][15] Artificial crowd noise was used at all venues to augment the limited in-person attendance.[16]

This tournament marked the first time ever that Indiana Farmers Coliseum was a tournament venue, the first time since 2017 that Bankers Life Fieldhouse was a tournament venue, the first time since 1940 that Hinkle Fieldhouse was a tournament venue, the first time since 1980 that Mackey Arena was a tournament venue, and the first time since 1981 that Assembly Hall was a tournament venue.

First Four:

First and Second Rounds:

Regional Semifinals and Finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight):

  • Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28
    • Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana (Host: Ball State University)
    • Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana (Host: Butler University)
  • Monday, March 29 and Tuesday, March 30
    • Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana (Unity Court and Equality Court) (Hosts: IUPUI/Horizon League)

National Semifinals and Championship (Final Four and Championship):

  • Saturday, April 3 and Monday, April 5
    • Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana (Hosts: IUPUI/Horizon League)

Original 2021 NCAA Tournament schedule and venues

The following sites were originally selected to host each round of the 2021 tournament;[17] with the exceptions of Boise and Minneapolis, all cities and venues listed are scheduled to host tournament games after 2021:

First Four

First and Second Rounds

Regional Semifinals and Finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)

National Semifinals and Championship (Final Four and Championship)

Qualification and selection

Automatic qualifiers

Conference Team Appearance Last bid
America East Hartford 1st Never
American Houston 22nd 2019
Atlantic 10 St. Bonaventure 8th 2018
ACC Georgia Tech 17th 2010
ASUN Liberty 5th 2019
Big 12 Texas 35th 2018
Big East Georgetown 31st 2015
Big Sky Eastern Washington 3rd 2015
Big South Winthrop 11th 2017
Big Ten Illinois 31st 2013
Big West UC Santa Barbara 6th 2011
CAA Drexel 5th 1996
C-USA North Texas 4th 2010
Horizon Cleveland State 3rd 2009
Ivy League Season not played
MAAC Iona 15th 2019
MAC Ohio 14th 2012
MEAC Norfolk State 2nd 2012
Missouri Valley Loyola Chicago 7th 2018
Mountain West San Diego State 13th 2018
NEC Mount St. Mary's 6th 2017
Ohio Valley Morehead State 8th 2011
Pac-12 Oregon State 15th 2016
Patriot Colgate 4th 2019
SEC Alabama 22nd 2018
Southern UNC Greensboro 4th 2018
Southland Abilene Christian 2nd 2019
SWAC Texas Southern 9th 2018
Summit League Oral Roberts 6th 2008
Sun Belt Appalachian State 3rd 2000
WAC Grand Canyon 1st Never
WCC Gonzaga 23rd 2019

Tournament seeds

The tournament seeds and regions were determined through the NCAA basketball tournament selection process.

In contrast to previous years, the S-Curve used to establish overall seeds will also be used as primary determinant of the tournament bracket; this was made possible by the relatively condensed locations of this year's tournament making geographic concerns irrelevant. However, rules that can modify pairings to avoid early rematches and to distribute top conference representatives to different regions will remain in effect.[18][19]

West Regional
Seed School Conference Record Overall Seed Berth type
1 Gonzaga West Coast 26–0 1 Automatic
2 Iowa Big Ten 21–8 7 At-Large
3 Kansas Big 12 20–8 12 At-Large
4 Virginia ACC 18–6 16 At-Large
5 Creighton Big East 20–8 17 At-Large
6 USC Pac-12 22–7 21 At-Large
7 Oregon Pac-12 20–6 25 At-Large
8 Oklahoma Big 12 15–10 32 At-Large
9 Missouri SEC 16–9 33 At-Large
10 VCU Atlantic 10 19–7 38 At-Large
11* Wichita State American 16–5 45 At-Large
Drake Missouri Valley 25–4 48 At-Large
12 UC Santa Barbara Big West 22–4 50 Automatic
13 Ohio MAC 16–7 51 Automatic
14 Eastern Washington Big Sky 16–7 58 Automatic
15 Grand Canyon WAC 17–6 59 Automatic
16* Norfolk State MEAC 16–7 67 Automatic
Appalachian State Sun Belt 17–11 68 Automatic
East Regional
Seed School Conference Record Overall Seed Berth type
1 Michigan Big Ten 20–4 4 At-Large
2 Alabama SEC 24–6 5 Automatic
3 Texas Big 12 19–7 11 Automatic
4 Florida State ACC 16–6 13 At-Large
5 Colorado Pac-12 22–8 20 At-Large
6 BYU West Coast 20–6 23 At-Large
7 UConn Big East 15–7 26 At-Large
8 LSU SEC 18–9 29 At-Large
9 St. Bonaventure Atlantic 10 16–4 39 Automatic
10 Maryland Big Ten 16–13 36 At-Large
11* Michigan State Big Ten 15–12 43 At-Large
UCLA Pac-12 17–9 44 At-Large
12 Georgetown Big East 13–12 47 Automatic
13 UNC Greensboro Southern 21–8 54 Automatic
14 Abilene Christian Southland 23–4 55 Automatic
15 Iona MAAC 12–5 62 Automatic
16* Mount St. Mary's Northeast 12–10 65 Automatic
Texas Southern SWAC 16–8 66 Automatic
South Regional
Seed School Conference Record Overall Seed Berth type
1 Baylor Big 12 22–2 2 At-Large
2 Ohio State Big Ten 21–9 6 At-Large
3 Arkansas SEC 22–6 9 At-Large
4 Purdue Big Ten 18–9 14 At-Large
5 Villanova Big East 16–6 18 At-Large
6 Texas Tech Big 12 17–10 22 At-Large
7 Florida SEC 14–9 28 At-Large
8 North Carolina ACC 18–10 31 At-Large
9 Wisconsin Big Ten 17–12 35 At-Large
10 Virginia Tech ACC 15–6 37 At-Large
11 Utah State Mountain West 20–8 42 At-Large
12 Winthrop Big South 23–1 49 Automatic
13 North Texas C-USA 17–9 52 Automatic
14 Colgate Patriot 14–1 57 Automatic
15 Oral Roberts Summit 16–10 61 Automatic
16 Hartford America East 15–8 64 Automatic
Midwest Regional
Seed School Conference Record Overall Seed Berth type
1 Illinois Big Ten 23–6 3 Automatic
2 Houston American 24–3 8 Automatic
3 West Virginia Big 12 18–9 10 At-Large
4 Oklahoma State Big 12 20–8 15 At-Large
5 Tennessee SEC 18–8 19 At-Large
6 San Diego State Mountain West 23–4 24 Automatic
7 Clemson ACC 16–7 27 At-Large
8 Loyola Chicago Missouri Valley 24–4 30 Automatic
9 Georgia Tech ACC 17–8 34 Automatic
10 Rutgers Big Ten 15–11 40 At-Large
11 Syracuse ACC 16–9 41 At-Large
12 Oregon State Pac-12 17–12 46 Automatic
13 Liberty Atlantic Sun 23–5 53 Automatic
14 Morehead State Ohio Valley 23–7 56 Automatic
15 Cleveland State Horizon 19–7 60 Automatic
16 Drexel Colonial 12–7 63 Automatic

*See First Four

Tournament bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

Note: Unlike past tournaments, teams are not grouped as pods. Second round games will match teams that played at different venues in the first round.

First Four

The First Four games involved eight teams: the four overall lowest-ranked teams, and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams.

March 18 – West Regional
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
Bloomington
   
16 Norfolk State 54
16 Appalachian State 53
March 18 – West Regional
Mackey Arena
West Lafayette
   
11 Wichita State 52
11 Drake 53
March 18 – East Regional
Mackey Arena
West Lafayette
   
11 Michigan State 80
11 UCLA 86*
March 18 – East Regional
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
Bloomington
   
16 Mount St. Mary's 52
16 Texas Southern 60

West Regional

First Round
Round of 64
Sunday, March 20		Second Round
Round of 32
Monday, March 22		Regional Semifinals
Sweet 16
Sunday, March 28		Regional Final
Elite 8
Tuesday, March 30

Bankers Life Fieldhouse
1Gonzaga98
Hinkle Fieldhouse
16Norfolk State55
1Gonzaga87

Lucas Oil Stadium – Equality
8Oklahoma71
8Oklahoma72
Hinkle Fieldhouse
9Missouri68
1Gonzaga83

Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
5Creighton65
5Creighton63
Hinkle Fieldhouse
12UC Santa Barbara62
5Creighton72

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
13Ohio58
4Virginia58
Lucas Oil Stadium – Equality
13Ohio62
1Gonzaga85

Bankers Life Fieldhouse
6USC66
6USC72
Hinkle Fieldhouse
11Drake56
6USC85

Indiana Farmers Coliseum
3Kansas51
3Kansas93
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
14Eastern Washington84
6USC82

Indiana Farmers Coliseum
7Oregon68
7OregonWO
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
10VCU[upper-alpha 1]
7Oregon95

Indiana Farmers Coliseum
2Iowa80
2Iowa86
15Grand Canyon74

West Regional Final

TBS
March 30
7:15 pm EDT
#6 USC Trojans 66, #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs 85
Scoring by half: 30–49, 36–36
Pts: I. Mobley, 19
Rebs: I. Mobley, 7
Asts: I. Mobley, E. Mobley, 3		 Pts: D. Timme, 23
Rebs: J. Suggs, 10
Asts: J. Suggs, 8
Equality Court – Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 6,166
Referees: Randy McCall, Doug Shows, Bert Smith, Tony Henderson [21]

West Regional all tournament team

East Regional

First round
Round of 64
Saturday, March 20		Second Round
Round of 32
Monday, March 22		Regional Semifinals
Sweet 16
Sunday, March 28		Regional Final
Elite 8
Tuesday, March 30

Mackey Arena
1Michigan82
Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
16Texas Southern66
1Michigan86

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
8LSU78
8LSU76
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
9St. Bonaventure61
1Michigan76

Hinkle Fieldhouse
4Florida State58
5Colorado96
Indiana Farmers Coliseum
12Georgetown73
5Colorado53

Bankers Life Fieldhouse
4Florida State71
4Florida State64
Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
13UNC Greensboro54
1Michigan49

Hinkle Fieldhouse
11UCLA51
6BYU62
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
11UCLA73
11UCLA67

Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
14Abilene Christian47
3Texas52
Hinkle Fieldhouse
14Abilene Christian53
11UCLA88*

Mackey Arena
2Alabama78
7UConn54
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
10Maryland63
10Maryland77

Hinkle Fieldhouse
2Alabama96
2Alabama68
15Iona55

East Regional Final

TBS
March 30
9:57 pm EDT
#11 UCLA Bruins 51, #1 Michigan Wolverines 49
Scoring by half: 27–23, 24–26
Pts: J. Juzang, 28
Rebs: J. Bernard, 9
Asts: J. Jaquez Jr., 4		 Pts: H. Dickinson, 11
Rebs: C. Brown Jr., 9
Asts: E. Brooks, M. Smith, 4
Unity Court – Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 7,515
Referees: Bo Boroski, Verne Harris, Lee Cassell

East Regional all tournament team

South Regional

First round
Round of 64
Friday, March 19		Second Round
Round of 32
Sunday, March 21		Regional semifinals
Sweet 16
Saturday, March 27		Regional Final
Elite 8
Monday, March 29

Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
1Baylor79
Hinkle Fieldhouse
16Hartford55
1Baylor76

Mackey Arena
9Wisconsin63
8North Carolina62
Hinkle Fieldhouse
9Wisconsin85
1Baylor62

Indiana Farmers Coliseum
5Villanova51
5Villanova73
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
12Winthrop63
5Villanova84

Lucas Oil Stadium – Equality
13North Texas61
4Purdue69
Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
13North Texas78*
1Baylor81

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
3Arkansas72
6Texas Tech65
Hinkle Fieldhouse
11Utah State53
6Texas Tech66

Bankers Life Fieldhouse
3Arkansas68
3Arkansas85
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
14Colgate68
3Arkansas72

Hinkle Fieldhouse
15Oral Roberts70
7Florida75*
Indiana Farmers Coliseum
10Virginia Tech70
7Florida78

Mackey Arena
15Oral Roberts81
2Ohio State72
15Oral Roberts75*

South Regional Final

CBS
March 29
9:57 pm EDT
#3 Arkansas Razorbacks 72, #1 Baylor Bears 81
Scoring by half: 38–46, 34–35
Pts: D. Davis, J. Notae, 14
Rebs: J. Smith, D. Davis, D. Sills, 6
Asts: D. Sills, 4		 Pts: M. Teague, 22
Rebs: J. Tchamwa Tchatchoua, 6
Asts: D. Mitchell, 6
Unity Court – Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 7,519
Referees: Terry Oglesby, Jeff Clark, Paul Szelc

South Regional all tournament team

Midwest Regional

First round
Round of 64
Friday, March 19		Second Round
Round of 32
Sunday, March 21		Regional Semifinals
Sweet 16
Saturday, March 27		Regional Final
Elite 8
Monday, March 29

Indiana Farmers Coliseum
1Illinois78
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
16Drexel49
1Illinois58

Hinkle Fieldhouse
8Loyola Chicago71
8Loyola Chicago71
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
9Georgia Tech60
8Loyola Chicago58

Bankers Life Fieldhouse
12Oregon State65
5Tennessee56
Hinkle Fieldhouse
12Oregon State70
12Oregon State80

Indiana Farmers Coliseum
4Oklahoma State70
4Oklahoma State69
Lucas Oil Stadium – Equality
13Liberty60
12Oregon State61

Hinkle Fieldhouse
2Houston67
6San Diego State62
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
11Syracuse78
11Syracuse75

Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
3West Virginia72
3West Virginia84
Hinkle Fieldhouse
14Morehead State67
11Syracuse46

Bankers Life Fieldhouse
2Houston62
7Clemson56
Lucas Oil Stadium – Unity
10Rutgers60
10Rutgers60

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
2Houston63
2Houston87
15Cleveland State56

Midwest Regional Final

CBS
March 29
7:15 pm EDT
#12 Oregon State Beavers 61, #2 Houston Cougars 67
Scoring by half: 17–34, 44–33
Pts: M. Calloo, 13
Rebs: E. Thompson, 7
Asts: E. Thompson, 6		 Pts: M. Sasser, 20
Rebs: J. Gorham, 10
Asts: D. Jarreau, 8
Equality Court – Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 7,519
Referees: Ron Groover, Jeff Anderson, Mike Reed

Midwest Regional all tournament team

Final Four – Lucas Oil Stadium

National Semifinals
Saturday, April 3 		National Championship Game
Monday, April 5
      
W1 Gonzaga 93*
E11 UCLA 90
W1 Gonzaga 70
S1 Baylor 86
S1 Baylor 78
MW2 Houston 59

National semifinals

CBS
April 3
5:14 pm EDT
S1 Baylor Bears 78, MW2 Houston Cougars 59
Scoring by half: 45–20, 33–39
Pts: J. Butler, 17
Rebs: J. Tchamwa Tchatchoua, 6
Asts: D. Mitchell, 11		 Pts: M. Sasser, 20
Rebs: J. Gorham, 6
Asts: J. Gorham, 3
Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 8,131
Referees: Doug Sirmons, Pat Adams, Chris Rastatter
CBS
April 3
8:34 pm EDT
W1 Gonzaga Bulldogs 93, E11 UCLA Bruins 90 (OT)
Scoring by half: 45–44, 36–37 Overtime: 12–9
Pts: D. Timme, 25
Rebs: J. Ayayi, 6
Asts: A. Nembhard, 8		 Pts: J. Juzang, 29
Rebs: C. Riley, 10
Asts: T. Campbell, 7
Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 8,131
Referees: Ron Groover, Jeff Anderson, James Breeding

National championship

CBS
April 5
9:20 pm EDT
S1 Baylor Bears 86, W1 Gonzaga Bulldogs 70
Scoring by half: 47–37, 39–33
Pts: J. Butler, 22
Rebs: M. Vital, 11
Asts: J. Butler, 7		 Pts: J. Suggs, 22
Rebs: D. Timme, 5
Asts: A. Nembhard, 4
Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana
Referees: Randy McCall, Bo Boroski, Keith Kimble

Final Four all-tournament team

Source:[22]


Game summaries and tournament notes

Upsets

Per the NCAA, "Upsets are defined as when the winner of the game was seeded five or more places lower than the team it defeated." The 2021 tournament saw a record total of 14 upsets; 7 of them were in the first round, 5 of them were in the second round, and one of them in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, respectively. [23]

RoundWestEastSouthMidwest
First round No. 13 Ohio defeated No. 4 Virginia, 62–58
Second Round No. 7 Oregon defeated No. 2 Iowa, 95–80 None No. 15 Oral Roberts defeated No. 7 Florida, 81–78
Sweet 16 None No. 11 UCLA defeated No. 2 Alabama, 88–78 (OT) None None
Elite 8 None No. 11 UCLA defeated No. 1 Michigan, 51–49 None None

Record by conference

Conference Bids Record Win % FF R64 R32 S16 E8 F4 CG NC
Big 12 711–6.647–7611111
WCC 25–2.714–211111–
American 24–2.667111111––
Pac-12 513–5.72215†5431––
Big Ten 98–9.47118611–––
SEC 67–6.538–6421–––
ACC 74–7.364–722––––
Big East 44–4.500–422––––
Missouri Valley 23–2.6001211––––
Summit 12–1.667–111––––
C-USA 11–1.500–11–––––
MAC 11–1.500–11–––––
Southland 11–1.500–11–––––
MEAC 11–1.50011––––––
SWAC 11–1.50011––––––
Atlantic 10 20–1.000–2†––––––
Mountain West 20–2.000–2––––––
America East 10–1.000–1––––––
Atlantic Sun 10–1.000–1––––––
Big Sky 10–1.000–1––––––
Big South 10–1.000–1––––––
Big West 10–1.000–1––––––
Colonial 10–1.000–1––––––
Horizon 10–1.000–1––––––
MAAC 10–1.000–1––––––
Ohio Valley 10–1.000–1––––––
Patriot 10–1.000–1––––––
Southern 10–1.000–1––––––
WAC 10–1.000–1––––––
Northeast 10–1.0001–––––––
Sun Belt 10–1.0001–––––––

† Includes a game declared no-contest due to COVID-19 protocols with VCU. Oregon of the Pac-12 conference advanced to the second round and VCU of the Atlantic 10 conference was eliminated from the tournament.

    • The FF, R64, R32, S16, E8, F4, CG, and NC columns indicate how many teams from each conference were in the First Four, Round of 64 (first round), Round of 32 (second round), Regional semifinals (Sweet 16), Regional Finals (Elite Eight), National semifinals (Final Four), National Championship Game, and national champion, respectively.
    • The Record column does not include wins or losses in games declared no-contest.

    Media coverage

    Television

    CBS Sports and Turner Sports had US television rights to the tournament.[24][25] As part of a cycle that began in 2016, CBS televised the 2021 Final Four and the national championship game. Because the 2020 tournament had been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, the last two rounds in back-to-back editions were broadcast on CBS for the first time since 2015 (TBS would have broadcast the 2020 Final Four and National Championship according to the arrangement).

    Television channels

    • First Four – truTV and TBS
    • First and Second Rounds – CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV
    • Regional semifinals and Final (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight) – CBS and TBS
    • National semifinals (Final Four) and championship – CBS

    Studio hosts

    • Greg Gumbel (New York City and Indianapolis) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals, Final Four and National Championship Game
    • Ernie Johnson (Atlanta and Indianapolis) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals and Final Four
    • Adam Zucker (New York City) – First round and Second round
    • Matt Winer (Atlanta) – First round (Game Breaks)

    Studio analysts

    • Charles Barkley (Atlanta and Indianapolis) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals, Final Four and National Championship Game
    • Seth Davis (New York City and Indianapolis) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals, Final Four and National Championship Game
    • Jim Jackson (Indianapolis) – National Championship Game
    • Andy Katz (Atlanta) – First Four, first round, second round and Regionals
    • Clark Kellogg (New York City and Indianapolis) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals, Final Four and National Championship Game
    • Candace Parker (Indianapolis) – Final Four
    • Kenny Smith (Atlanta and Indianapolis) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals, Final Four and National Championship Game
    • Gene Steratore (New York City and Indianapolis) (Rules Analyst) – First Four, first round, second round, Regionals, Final Four and National Championship Game
    • Wally Szczerbiak (New York City) – First Four, first round, second round and Regionals

    Commentary teams

    ESPN International had international rights to the tournament. Coverage used CBS/Turner play-by-play teams until the Final Four.[26]

    • Sean McDonough/Jay Bilas or Dick Vitale - Final Four and National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium
      • Bilas did UCLA vs. Gonzaga, Vitale did Houston vs. Baylor and the National Championship Game

    Most-watched tournament games

    All times Eastern. Tournament seedings and region are in parentheses.

    RankRoundDateMatchupNetworkViewers (millions)TV Rating[27][28][29][30][31]
    1 National Championship April 5, 2021, 9:20 ET (1 S) Baylor 86 (1 W) Gonzaga 70 CBS 16.92 9.4
    2 Final Four April 3, 2021, 8:34 ET (11 E) UCLA 90 (1 W) Gonzaga 93 14.94 7.6
    3 Sweet 16 March 28, 2021 5:00 ET (4 E) Florida State 58 (1 E) Michigan 76 9.03 5.1
    4 Final Four April 3, 2021, 5:14 ET (2 MW) Houston 59 (1 S) Baylor 78 8.18 4.4
    5 Round of 32 March 21, 2021, 5:15 ET (11 MW) Syracuse 75 (3 MW) West Virginia 72 7.86 4.5
    6 Sweet 16 March 27, 2021 5:15 ET (5 S) Villanova 51 (1 S) Baylor 62 7.54 4.2
    7 Round of 32 March 21, 2021, 2:40 ET (9 S) Wisconsin 63 (1 S) Baylor 76 7.42 4.5
    8 Elite Eight March 30, 2021, 9:57 ET (11 E) UCLA 51 (1 E) Michigan 49 TBS 6.89 3.9
    9 Sweet 16 March 28, 2021, 2:10 ET (5 W) Creighton 65 (1 W) Gonzaga 83 CBS 6.66 3.9
    10 Sweet 16 March 28, 2021, 7:15 ET (11 E) UCLA 88 (2 E) Alabama 78 TBS 6.51 3.7

    Radio

    Internet

    FastBreak is an online-only program providing whiparound coverage of all tournament games similar to NFL RedZone during the first weekend.

    See also

    Notes

    1. ↑ Game declared no contest due to COVID-19 protocols with VCU. Oregon advances in the tournament.[20]

    References

    1. ↑ "NCAA announces dates for preliminary March Madness rounds". ESPN.com. January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
    2. ↑ "NCAA announces further details for 2021 Division I men's basketball championship". Retrieved January 4, 2021.
    3. ↑ "Gonzaga, Baylor, Illinois, Michigan get top seeds in NCAA men's basketball tournament". ESPN.com. March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
    4. ↑ Thamel, Pete (March 22, 2021). "Why this may already be the craziest NCAA men's tournament ever". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
    5. ↑ "Ivy League cancels basketball season for 2020-21 as part of ban on winter sports due to COVID-19". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
    6. ↑ "DI Council approves Nov. 25 start date for men's and women's basketball". NCAA. September 16, 2020.
    7. ↑ "New bracketing principles adopted for 2021 NCAA tournament". NCAA.com. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
    8. ↑ Gleeson, Scott (March 14, 2021). "March Madness: Here's how Duke could play in the 2021 NCAA Tournament after all". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
    9. ↑ Gleeson, Scott; Mast, Shelby (March 14, 2021). "NCAA Tournament bracketology: Final March Madness projection on Selection Sunday". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
    10. ↑ "Memphis, Colorado State, Saint Louis, Ole Miss are top seeds in NIT bracket. Louisville did not play in the NIT". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
    11. ↑ Wells, Adam (February 21, 2021). "NCAA Tournament teams won't be replaced if forced to withdraw due to COVID-19". Bleacher Report. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
    12. ↑ "NCAA men's basketball tournament to be played entirely in Indiana". ESPN.com. January 4, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    13. ↑ Benbow, Dana Hunsinger; Doyel, Gregg; Osterman, Zach. "It's official: 2021 NCAA tournament to be played entirely in Central Indiana, Indianapolis". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
    14. ↑ "A limited number of fans will be allowed to attend 2021 NCAA Tournament games". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
    15. ↑ "NCAA to allow limited number of fans for Division I men's basketball tournament". ESPN.com. February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
    16. ↑ Daley, Dan. "March Madness 2021: Broadcast Audio Mixes in Crowd Sound — Real and Augmented". Sports Video Group. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
    17. ↑ "Future Division I Men's Basketball Championship sites". NCAA. March 22, 2019.
    18. ↑ "New bracketing principles adopted for 2021 NCAA tournament". www.ncaa.com. NCAA. January 15, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
    19. ↑ "The NCAA bracket S-curve, explained". www.ncaa.com. NCAA. January 15, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
    20. ↑ NCAA staff (March 20, 2021). "VCU-Oregon game ruled a no-contest due to COVID-19 protocols". NCAA.com. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
    21. ↑ "Official collapses, wheeled off court on stretcher from NCAA tournament game". March 30, 2021.
    22. ↑ "NCAA All-Tournament Teams". Associated Press. April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    23. ↑ "We're tracking upsets in the 2021 NCAA tournament". NCAA.com. March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
    24. ↑ Bonesteel, Matt (April 12, 2016). "CBS and Turner Sports lock down NCAA tournament through 2032". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
    25. ↑ "Turner Sports and CBS Sports Announce 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Commentator Teams". Warner Media. March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
    26. ↑ "ESPN's College GameDay Covered by State Farm Headlines Men's College Basketball Studio Programming this Weekend". ESPN Press Room U.S. April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
    27. ↑ Paulsen (March 24, 2021). "NCAA Tournament off to solid start despite dip". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
    28. ↑ Paulsen (March 30, 2021). "Super Sweet 16: schedule change boosts regional semis". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
    29. ↑ Paulsen (March 31, 2021). "Steep declines for men's Elite Eight". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
    30. ↑ Paulsen (April 6, 2021). "Final Four ratings: Gonzaga-UCLA thriller hits post-hiatus high despite drop". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
    31. ↑ Paulsen (April 7, 2021). "Nearly 17 million watch Baylor bully Bulldogs". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
    32. ↑ "Community news: Summer concert series announced and more". Westport News. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
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