First Four teams have been impactful in past NCAA Tournaments, with No. 10 seed Colorado State aiming to continue the trend in the 2024 bracket by facing No. 7 seed Texas. The model at SportsLine, which has had significant success in predicting March Madness outcomes, is providing insights for this year's tournament after simulating every game 10,000 times and accurately predicting past upsets. Notable matchups include No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 UAB, No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern, and No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale, each with intriguing storylines and players to watch.

By the Numbers
  • First Four teams have won Round of 64 games in 11 out of 12 NCAA Tournaments since 2011.
  • The SportsLine model has beaten over 92% of CBS Sports brackets in three of the last five tournaments.
State of Play
  • Colorado State faces Texas in the Round of 64.
  • UAB's Yaxel Lendeborg and San Diego State's Jaedon LeDee are key players to watch in their matchup.
  • Florida Atlantic's Johnell Davis and Northwestern's Boo Buie headline their teams' East Region clash.
  • Auburn's Bruce Pearl leads the team against Yale, known for its performance in the Ivy League.
What's Next

Follow the SportsLine model's predictions for potential upsets and Cinderella stories in the upcoming NCAA Tournament matchups, providing insights into which double-digit seeds could surprise

Bottom Line

With a history of accurate predictions, the SportsLine model offers valuable guidance for NCAA Tournament bracket picks, highlighting the impact of First Four teams and key matchups to watch in the 2024 March Madness.