How to … fill out an NCAA bracket

Sporting News, The, March 17, 2003 by Stuart Miller

For those of you who don't have the time to get to know all 65 teams in the NCAA Tournament, filling out a bracket is a numbers game. But you have to know which ones count.

[check] Only three teams finishing the season ranked No. 1 have won the championship since the field expanded from 53 to 64 teams in 1985.

[check] Of the 17 teams in the past 13 tournaments to start play with two or fewer losses, four have been become champions.

[check] Top seeds remain your best bet; they've won 10 of the past 13 tourneys. However, the smart pick is putting two No. 1 seeds in your bracket's Final Four. The Final Four never has been filled with all No. 1 seeds, and three top seeds have made it only three times.

[check] Don't overreach: In the past dozen years, 44 of the 48 Final Four teams hailed from elite conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 or SEC).

[check] Although Indiana reached the final last year, No. 5 seeds have a 4-19 third-round record in the current format. No. 8 seeds reaching the third round are 5-3 in this format.

[check] Top seeds always win in the first round (72-0 from 1985 through 2002), but at least one first or second seed has lost by the second round of 16 tournaments in the past 18 years.

[check] In the first round, look for upsets among the Nos. 5 and 6 seeds--last year three No. 5s, two No. 6s, one No. 4 and one No. 7 seed lost openers. Especially vulnerable are second tier teams from the elite conferences (except the ACC its teams, have the best overall tournament winning percentage at .661).

[check] Check out the conference records of at-large picks. In the past 13 years, only nine teams with losing conference records have won at least one tournament game; only two have won twice.

Just the ticket

Psst, buddy, wanna see the Final Four live? OpenSeats.com has your ticket. "People assume a game is sold out, but it really isn't," says president Bernie Driscoll.

It's easier than eBay--better organized and no bidding necessary. Just click on New Orleans, then take your pick. Entering this week, there were 20 pairs, ranging from $200 to $900 per ticket. (You also can post "wanted" requests.) Earlier rounds are available, too. And OpenSeats.com has more than just NCAA tickets. With fans from all over posting their extras, it's a source for tickets to any sports event in any city.