Men: This year’s Florida Atlantic might be … Florida Atlantic

Men’s Bracketology: 2024 NCAA TournamentBy Joe Lunardi Updated: 2/9/2024 at 9:30 a.m. ET

Bracketology is in its 30th season on ESPN.com. From now until Selection Sunday on March 17, we’ll keep you up to date on the postseason chances and projection of your favorite teams. Our brackets will update Tuesday and Friday during conference play. We will culminate with daily updates throughout Championship Week in March, all with an eye toward the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Bracket WatchA common question in our sprint to Selection Sunday is a variation on an annual theme. “Who is this year’s Florida Atlantic?” The Owls’ overtime loss Thursday at UAB may add to the perception that last year’s leading Cinderella is underachieving. Upon closer inspection, however, the opposite is true. FAU’s record (18-5) isn’t quite where it was a year ago at this time (22-2), but the Owls played a far tougher non-conference schedule (53rd from 298th), are ranked higher (A.P. No. 20 vs. “others receiving votes”) and are doing all of it in a better conference. Further, last season’s Final Four team had nothing like this year’s wins over tourney-bound Arizona, Texas A&M and Butler. All of which leads us to conclude that “this year’s Florida Atlantic” may yet be, well, Florida Atlantic.

On the Bubble68-Team BracketMIDWEST (DETROIT)IndianapolisBrooklynPittsburghOmahaWEST (LOS ANGELES)Salt LakeSalt LakeOmahaCharlotteEAST (BOSTON)BrooklynSpokanePittsburghCharlotteSOUTH (DALLAS)MemphisSpokaneMemphisIndianapolisConference BreakdownPhoto illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock