5,000 Monte Carlo Simulations

2026 Projected Bracket

Model-generated bracket using 5,000 Monte Carlo simulations with team-level advanced stats. Every matchup decided by win probability.

Duke
Projected Champion
47.3%
Title Probability
3
Projected Upsets (R64)

National Championship

(1) East
Duke
89% to win title game
vs
(3) South
Illinois
19% F4 probability
Projected Champion
(1) Duke
47.3% title probability · 68.5% Final Four

Final Four

(1) East
Duke
68.5% F4
vs
(1) West
Arizona
59.9% F4
(3) South
Illinois
19.0% F4
vs
(1) Midwest
Michigan
67.8% F4
East Region Winner: (1) Duke
Round of 64
(1) Duke vs (16) Siena
(1) Duke
96%
(8) Ohio State vs (9) TCU
(8) Ohio State
76%
(5) St. John's vs (12) Northern Iowa
(5) St. John's
82%
(4) Kansas vs (13) Cal Baptist
(4) Kansas
83%
(6) Louisville vs (11) South Florida
(6) Louisville
82%
(3) Michigan St vs (14) N. Dakota St
(3) Michigan State
84%
(7) UCLA vs (10) UCF
(7) UCLA
81%
(2) UConn vs (15) Furman
(2) UConn
90%
Round of 32
(1) Duke vs (8) Ohio State
(1) Duke
92%
(5) St. John's vs (4) Kansas
(5) St. John's
76% Upset
(6) Louisville vs (3) Michigan St
(6) Louisville
73% Upset
(7) UCLA vs (2) UConn
(7) UCLA
59% Upset
Sweet 16
(1) Duke vs (5) St. John's
(1) Duke
88%
(6) Louisville vs (7) UCLA
(6) Louisville
82%
Elite 8
(1) Duke vs (6) Louisville
(1) Duke
89%
TeamR32S16E8F4Champ
(1) Duke96.2%87.1%77.3%68.5%47.3%
(6) Louisville81.7%60.3%47.3%8.3%3.9%
(5) St. John's83.4%64.4%9.1%5.8%2.4%
(2) UConn90.1%40.1%12.0%2.5%1.3%
(3) Michigan St84.7%25.8%20.4%3.7%1.3%
(7) UCLA81.7%49.7%10.9%1.4%0.5%
(8) Ohio State76.0%7.3%5.3%3.3%1.0%
(4) Kansas82.6%21.8%2.8%1.7%0.6%
West Region Winner: (1) Arizona
Round of 64
(1) Arizona vs (16) LIU
(1) Arizona
95%
(8) Villanova vs (9) Utah State
(8) Villanova
62%
(5) Wisconsin vs (12) High Point
(5) Wisconsin
79%
(4) Arkansas vs (13) Hawai'i
(4) Arkansas
86%
(6) BYU vs (11) Texas
(6) BYU
79%
(3) Gonzaga vs (14) Kennesaw St
(3) Gonzaga
89%
(7) Miami vs (10) Missouri
(7) Miami
76%
(2) Purdue vs (15) Queens
(2) Purdue
93%
Round of 32
(1) Arizona vs (8) Villanova
(1) Arizona
86%
(5) Wisconsin vs (4) Arkansas
(5) Wisconsin
65% Upset
(6) BYU vs (3) Gonzaga
(6) BYU
56% Upset
(7) Miami vs (2) Purdue
(7) Miami
57% Upset
Sweet 16
(1) Arizona vs (5) Wisconsin
(1) Arizona
88%
(6) BYU vs (7) Miami
(6) BYU
78%
Elite 8
(1) Arizona vs (6) BYU
(1) Arizona
89%
TeamR32S16E8F4Champ
(1) Arizona95.3%82.4%72.0%59.9%13.4%
(3) Gonzaga88.9%37.9%31.4%8.9%1.3%
(6) BYU78.3%47.6%34.5%5.8%0.6%
(5) Wisconsin79.2%53.9%8.2%5.4%0.5%
(8) Villanova62.8%9.5%6.4%4.2%0.4%
(4) Arkansas86.4%28.2%5.0%3.7%0.4%
(2) Purdue92.3%40.0%12.7%3.1%0.5%
(7) Miami76.4%45.2%9.2%1.6%0.2%
South Region Winner: (3) Illinois
Round of 64
(1) Florida vs (16) Prairie View
(1) Florida
96%
(8) Clemson vs (9) Iowa
(8) Clemson
63%
(5) Vanderbilt vs (12) McNeese
(5) Vanderbilt
79%
(6) North Carolina vs (11) VCU
(6) North Carolina
86%
(3) Illinois vs (14) Penn
(3) Illinois
94%
(4) Nebraska vs (13) Troy
(4) Nebraska
88%
(7) Saint Mary's vs (10) Texas A&M
(7) Saint Mary's
80%
(2) Houston vs (15) Idaho
(2) Houston
87%
Round of 32
(1) Florida vs (8) Clemson
(1) Florida
85%
(5) Vanderbilt vs (6) North Carolina
(5) Vanderbilt
81% Upset
(3) Illinois vs (4) Nebraska
(3) Illinois
86%
(7) Saint Mary's vs (2) Houston
(7) Saint Mary's
68% Upset
Sweet 16
(1) Florida vs (5) Vanderbilt
(1) Florida
79%
(3) Illinois vs (7) Saint Mary's
(3) Illinois
89%
Elite 8
(1) Florida vs (3) Illinois
(3) Illinois
77% 1-Seed Bust
TeamR32S16E8F4Champ
(1) Florida96.4%82.8%67.0%52.6%6.3%
(3) Illinois93.4%81.3%69.9%19.0%2.3%
(5) Vanderbilt79.2%63.5%15.7%10.8%1.3%
(8) Clemson63.1%9.7%6.1%4.5%0.2%
(6) North Carolina86.7%21.0%4.6%2.9%0.2%
(4) Nebraska87.7%13.9%10.4%2.3%0.3%
(2) Houston87.2%28.8%6.7%1.7%0.2%
(7) Saint Mary's79.8%56.4%7.2%1.1%0.1%
Midwest Region Winner: (1) Michigan
Round of 64
(1) Michigan vs (16) Howard
(1) Michigan
97%
(8) Georgia vs (9) Saint Louis
(8) Georgia
70%
(5) Texas Tech vs (12) Akron
(5) Texas Tech
84%
(4) Alabama vs (13) Hofstra
(4) Alabama
87%
(6) Tennessee vs (11) Miami OH
(6) Tennessee
81%
(3) Virginia vs (14) Wright State
(3) Virginia
85%
(7) Kentucky vs (10) Santa Clara
(7) Kentucky
74%
(2) Iowa State vs (15) Tenn. State
(2) Iowa State
94%
Round of 32
(1) Michigan vs (8) Georgia
(1) Michigan
89%
(5) Texas Tech vs (4) Alabama
(5) Texas Tech
74% Upset
(6) Tennessee vs (3) Virginia
(6) Tennessee
68% Upset
(7) Kentucky vs (2) Iowa State
(7) Kentucky
59% Upset
Sweet 16
(1) Michigan vs (5) Texas Tech
(1) Michigan
89%
(6) Tennessee vs (7) Kentucky
(6) Tennessee
74%
Elite 8
(1) Michigan vs (6) Tennessee
(1) Michigan
88%
TeamR32S16E8F4Champ
(1) Michigan96.8%87.2%77.5%67.8%9.5%
(5) Texas Tech84.1%63.0%9.2%7.0%0.3%
(6) Tennessee81.1%58.4%42.5%6.9%0.2%
(4) Alabama86.6%22.3%3.1%2.3%0.0%
(3) Virginia84.4%25.9%18.8%2.9%0.1%
(2) Iowa State93.2%39.8%12.9%2.7%0.2%
(7) Kentucky73.5%45.3%11.7%1.7%0.0%
(8) Georgia70.1%7.5%4.9%3.0%0.1%

How This Bracket Was Generated

5,000 complete tournament simulations were run using our NCAAM prediction model. Each game outcome was determined probabilistically based on the model's win probability (not always picking the favorite). The "Recommended Bracket" picks the model's favored team in each matchup, with one strategic 1-seed bust: Illinois over Florida in the South Elite 8 (Illinois had 19% Final Four probability vs Florida's 52.6%, but the model gives Illinois a strong 69.9% Elite 8 rate and the head-to-head is competitive). Advancement probabilities show how often each team reached that round across all 5,000 simulations.

Generated March 19, 2026 · ParlayGenIQ NCAAM Model · Based on 2025-26 season advanced stats