Bracketologist Simulates NCAA Tournament Featuring No. 6 Seed BYU Basketball

PROVO, Utah –  ESPN Bracketologist simulated an NCAA Tournament matchup in the second round between his No. 6 seed BYU Cougars and his No. 11 seed Indiana Hoosiers.

Lunardi posted the results of his simulation based on “a season’s worth of analytics, observations and occasional attempts at humor” via Twitter on Thursday, March 19.

The simulation took place on the same day that NCAA Tournament games would have taken place had they not been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.

In Lunardi’s bracket, the Cougars would have played against the Hoosiers in Albany, NY as a member of the West Region.

ALBANY (1230p ET)–@BYUbasketball, a true 5-seed, is sent to Albany as a No. 6 due to its no-Sunday rule. @IndianaMBB avoided the First Four despite losing eight of its last 13 games and being forced to watch a Sesame Street marathon its delayed charter. #TwitterTourney2020 pic.twitter.com/ygcPzHMCwh

— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 19, 2020

Lunardi’s project had BYU up 40-21 after the first 20 minutes of game time. The Cougars held the Hoosiers to 29.7 percent shooting in the first half to go up 19 points at the break.

ALBANY (130p ET)–The @BYUbasketball show why they were the nation's top three-point shooting team, sniping @IndianaMBB to the tune of a 40-21 halftime advantage. Indiana shoots just 29.7 percent from the floor. #TwitterTourney2020

— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 19, 2020

In the second half, BYU continued to roll behind 16-28 makes from beyond the arc. Lunardi had the Cougars taking down IU 78-61 to advance to the round of the 32.

Lunardi projected that BYU would face the winner of the matchup between No. 3 seed Seton Hall and No. 14 seed Eastern Washington.

ALBANY (240p ET)–@BYUbasketball rolls, 78-61, making 16 of 28 three-points attempts. @IndianaMBB coach Archie Miller slams a trash can lid in disgust. The Cougars advance to face the Seton Hall-Eastern Washington winner. #TwitterTourney2020 pic.twitter.com/QgJTUXbfoT

— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 19, 2020

Lunardi said that he will continue to play out his bracket on Twitter.

NCAA Tournament Canceled 

Due to concerns of coronavirus, the NCAA canceled its annual basketball tournaments on Thursday, March 12.

“This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities,” the statement read.

NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt announced the decision to not reveal brackets on Sunday, March 15.

“Anything less than a credible process is inconsistent with the tradition of the NCAA basketball championships. Brackets based on hypotheticals can’t substitute for a complete selection, seeding and bracketing process,” wrote Gavitt in a statement. “There will always be an asterisk next to the 2020 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball championships regardless if brackets are released. There is not an authentic way to produce tournament fields and brackets at this point without speculating and that isn’t fair to the teams that would be positively or negatively impacted by manufacturing March Madness.”

NCAA SVP Dan Gavitt on not releasing a 2020 NCAA Tournament bracket. #MarchMadness

Full statement:
👉 https://t.co/xiJAFZrY8v pic.twitter.com/nrGHDBxzGP

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 15, 2020

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