March Madness is considered among the largest, most anticipated tournaments in sports, especially for those who participate from home by creating brackets to predict the winners. The inaugural basketball games in 1939 had just eight contenders. Now, 68 collegiate teams make it much more difficult to predict who will become the NCAA Tournament champion.
Selection Sunday has come and gone, brackets are being created, and bets are being made. Although it’s nearly impossible to pick all 63 NCAA Tournament games correctly, our publisher partner data may be able to lend a helping hand.
On March 15th, 2022, we gathered our publisher pageviews of articles mentioning the participating basketball teams from the last 90 days to predict who might win each game. Our scoring system: the team with the most pageviews wins.
If you want to skip to the final rounds, we recommend using the Table of Contents.
Let The Big Dance begin.
Source: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
First Round
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Gonzaga Bulldogs | 657,030 |
Georgia State Panthers | 9,670 |
Winner: Gonzaga Bulldogs
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Boise State Broncos | 100,320 |
Memphis Tigers | 676,690 |
Winner: Memphis Tigers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
UConn Huskies | 189,260 |
New Mexico State Aggies | 19,120 |
Winner: UConn Huskies
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Arkansas Razorbacks | 350,060 |
Vermont Catamounts | 10,690 |
Winner: Arkansas Razorbacks
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Alabama Crimson Tide | 6,083,950 |
Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 672,660 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 697,470 |
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas Tech Red Raiders | 461,360 |
Montana State Bobcats | 1,570 |
Winner: Texas Tech Red Raiders
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Michigan State Spartans | 1,158,080 |
Davidson Wildcats | 25,440 |
Winner: Michigan State Spartans
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Duke Blue Devils | 2,506,320 |
Cal State Fullerton Titans | 9,660 |
Winner: Duke Blue Devils
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Baylor Bears | 1,463,980 |
Norfolk State Spartans | 1,710 |
Winner: Baylor Bears
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
North Carolina Tar Heels | 990,660 |
Marquette Golden Eagles | 45,620 |
Winner: North Carolina Tar Heels
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Saint Mary Gaels | 15,410 |
Wyoming Cowboys | 735,470 |
Indiana Hoosiers | 334,290 |
Winner: Wyoming Cowboys
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
UCLA Bruins | 1,621,830 |
Akron Zips | 5,690 |
Winner: UCLA Bruins
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas Longhorns | 1,024,700 |
Virginia Tech Hokies | 264,560 |
Winner: Texas Longhorns
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Purdue Boilermakers | 384,790 |
Yale Bulldogs | 187,550 |
Winner: Purdue Boilermakers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Murray State Racers | 117,930 |
San Francisco Dons | 19,660 |
Winner: Murray State Racers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Kentucky Wildcats | 1,526,730 |
Saint Peter’s Peacocks | Insufficient Data |
Winner: Kentucky Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Arizona Wildcats | 850,120 |
Wright State Raiders | 52,070 |
Winner: Arizona Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Seton Hall Pirates | 37,260 |
TCU Horned Frogs | 144,880 |
Winner: TCU Horned Frogs
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Houston Cougars | 214,000 |
UAB Blazers | 51,380 |
Winner: Houston Cougars
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Illinois Fighting Illini | 274,190 |
Chattanooga Mocs | 13,520 |
Winner: Houston Illinois Fighting Illini
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Colorado Buffaloes | 140,760 |
Michigan Wolverines | 4,457,120 |
Winner: Michigan Wolverines
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Tennessee Volunteers | 318,560 |
Longwood Lancers | 880 |
Winner: Tennessee Volunteers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Ohio State Buckeyes | 1,138,720 |
Loyola Ramblers | 13,550 |
Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Villanova Wildcats | 64,850 |
Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens | 13,350 |
Winner: Villanova Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Kansas Jayhawks | 86,020 |
Texas Southern Tigers | 1,440 |
Texas A&M Aggies | 1,926,920 |
Winner: Texas A&M Aggies
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
San Diego State Aztecs | 116,750 |
Creighton Bluejays | 42,960 |
Winner: San Diego State Aztecs
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Iowa Hawkeyes | 675,390 |
Richmond Spiders | 67,470 |
Winner: Iowa Hawkeyes
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Providence Friars | 82,850 |
South Dakota State Jackrabbits | 3,190 |
Winner: Providence Friars
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
LSU Tigers | 289,810 |
Iowa State Cyclones | 86,310 |
Winner: LSU Tigers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Wisconsin Badgers | 2,438,980 |
Colgate Raiders | 53,670 |
Winner: Wisconsin Badgers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
USC Trojans | 1,710,570 |
Miami Hurricanes | 1,240,480 |
Winner: USC Trojans
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Auburn Tigers | 2,383,810 |
Jacksonville State Gamecocks | 5,610 |
Winner: Auburn Tigers
Second Round
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Gonzaga Bulldogs | 657,030 |
Memphis Tigers | 676,690 |
Winner: Memphis Tigers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
UConn Huskies | 189,260 |
Arkansas Razorbacks | 350,060 |
Winner: Arkansas Razorbacks
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Alabama Crimson Tide | 6,083,950 |
Texas Tech Red Raiders | 461,360 |
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Michigan State Spartans | 1,158,080 |
Duke Blue Devils | 2,506,320 |
Winner: Duke Blue Devils
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Baylor Bears | 1,463,980 |
North Carolina Tar Heels | 990,660 |
Winner: Baylor Bears
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Wyoming Cowboys | 735,470 |
UCLA Bruins | 1,621,830 |
Winner: UCLA Bruins
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas Longhorns | 1,024,700 |
Purdue Boilermakers | 384,790 |
Winner: Texas Longhorns
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Murray State Racers | 117,930 |
Kentucky Wildcats | 1,526,730 |
Winner: Kentucky Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Arizona Wildcats | 850,120 |
TCU Horned Frogs | 144,880 |
Winner: Arizona Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Houston Cougars | 214,000 |
Illinois Fighting Illini | 274,190 |
Winner: Illinois Fighting Illini
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Michigan Wolverines | 4,457,120 |
Tennessee Volunteers | 318,560 |
Winner: Michigan Wolverines
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Ohio State Buckeyes | 1,138,720 |
Villanova Wildcats | 64,850 |
Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas A&M Aggies | 1,926,920 |
San Diego State Aztecs | 116,750 |
Winner: Texas A&M Aggies
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Iowa Hawkeyes | 675,390 |
Providence Friars | 82,850 |
Winner: Iowa Hawkeyes
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
LSU Tigers | 289,810 |
Wisconsin Badgers | 2,438,980 |
Winner: Wisconsin Badgers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
USC Trojans | 1,710,570 |
Auburn Tigers | 2,383,810 |
Winner: Auburn Tigers
Source: AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Regional Semifinals: Sweet 16
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Memphis Tigers | 676,690 |
Arkansas Razorbacks | 350,060 |
Winner: Memphis Tigers
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Alabama Crimson Tide | 6,083,950 |
Duke Blue Devils | 2,506,320 |
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Baylor Bears | 1,463,980 |
UCLA Bruins | 1,621,830 |
Winner: UCLA Bruins
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas Longhorns | 1,024,700 |
Kentucky Wildcats | 1,526,730 |
Winner: Kentucky Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Arizona Wildcats | 850,120 |
Illinois Fighting Illini | 274,190 |
Winner: Arizona Wildcats
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Michigan Wolverines | 4,457,120 |
Ohio State Buckeyes | 1,138,720 |
Winner: Michigan Wolverines
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas A&M Aggies | 1,926,920 |
Iowa Hawkeyes | 675,390 |
Winner: Texas A&M Aggies
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Wisconsin Badgers | 2,438,980 |
Auburn Tigers | 2,383,810 |
Winner: Wisconsin Badgers
Source: AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Regional Finals: Elite 8
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Memphis Tigers | 676,690 |
Alabama Crimson Tide | 6,083,950 |
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
UCLA Bruins | 1,621,830 |
Kentucky Wildcats | 1,526,730 |
Winner: UCLA Bruins
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Arizona Wildcats | 850,120 |
Michigan Wolverines | 4,457,120 |
Winner: Michigan Wolverines
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Texas A&M Aggies | 1,926,920 |
Wisconsin Badgers | 2,438,980 |
Winner: Wisconsin Badgers
Source: AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt
National Semifinals: Final Four
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Alabama Crimson Tide | 6,083,950 |
UCLA Bruins | 1,621,830 |
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Michigan Wolverines | 4,457,120 |
Wisconsin Badgers | 2,438,980 |
Winner: Michigan Wolverines
Source: Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY Sports
National Championship
Competing Teams | Pageviews |
Alabama Crimson Tide | 6,083,950 |
Michigan Wolverines | 4,457,120 |
Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
And there you have it!
Some of you may read this article and think we’ve missed our shot. Others may think they totally scored by finding this story.
We won’t be offended either way. We’re not basketball experts, just people who love data.
Agree? Disagree? Strongly disagree? Tweet us @taboola and let us know!