With no actual basketball, here is a look at what the NCAA tournament could have looked like. Based on 2019 selections and seeding compared with my rankings, the tournament is selected and seeded using the "pairwise" ranking. For conferences whose tournaments did not complete, the automatic berth goes to the highest-ranked team still alive at the time of cancellation according to ESPN's brackets.

First, the regions:

1 Kansas+
2 Maryland
3 San Diego State
4 Seton Hall
5 West Virginia
6 Ohio State
7 Saint Marys
8 Arizona
9 Michigan
10 Utah State*
11 Providence
12 Yale*
13 Liberty*
14 Hofstra*
15 Little Rock+
16# Boston University*
16# North Carolina Central+
1 Gonzaga*
2 Florida State+
3 Kentucky+
4 Auburn
5 Wisconsin+
6 BYU
7 Penn State
8 Iowa
9 East Tennessee State*
10 Rutgers
11# Rhode Island
11# Florida
12 Cincinnati+
13 Eastern Washington+
14 Bradley*
15 Northern Kentucky*
16 Siena+
1 Baylor
2 Creighton+
3 Duke
4 Michigan State
5 Butler
6 Illinois
7 Wichita State
8 Oklahoma
9 Richmond
10 Indiana
11 Marquette
12 Stephen F. Austin+
13 Vermont+
14 Belmont*
15 North Dakota State*
16# Robert Morris*
16# Prairie View A&M+
1 Dayton+
2 Villanova
3 Oregon+
4 Louisville
5 Virginia
6 Houston
7 USC
8 LSU
9 Colorado
10 Arizona State
11# Texas
11# Northern Iowa
12 Akron+
13 New Mexico State+
14 North Texas+
15 UC Irvine+
16 Winthrop*

* designates conference champion
+ designates highest remaining seed at conference tournament cancellation
# designates first-four participants


Odds of Advancing to Round (Using Hypothetical Bracket Above)

First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Finals Champion
 69.83% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
 67.72% FLORIDA
 54.87% ROBERT MORRIS
 53.24% TEXAS
 46.76% NORTHERN IOWA
 45.13% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
 32.28% RHODE ISLAND
 30.17% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
 97.54% KANSAS
 96.36% BAYLOR
 95.53% GONZAGA
 87.94% DUKE
 87.37% FLORIDA STATE
 87.32% MARYLAND
 86.27% DAYTON
 83.32% MICHIGAN STATE
 82.73% SAN DIEGO STATE
 81.88% KENTUCKY
 81.78% LOUISVILLE
 81.72% CREIGHTON
 81.50% VILLANOVA
 81.36% AUBURN
 78.90% OREGON
 78.30% BUTLER
 74.84% WEST VIRGINIA
 71.74% VIRGINIA
 71.61% SETON HALL
 69.04% HOUSTON
 67.88% OHIO STATE
 66.85% IOWA
 58.01% WISCONSIN
 57.99% OKLAHOMA
 56.52% BYU
 54.40% PENN STATE
 52.65% LSU
 52.41% MARQUETTE
 50.95% UTAH STATE
 50.87% USC
 50.44% INDIANA
 50.36% ARIZONA
 49.64% MICHIGAN
 49.56% WICHITA STATE
 49.13% ARIZONA STATE
 49.05% SAINT MARYS
 47.59% ILLINOIS
 47.35% COLORADO
 45.60% RUTGERS
 42.01% RICHMOND
 41.99% CINCINNATI
 33.30% FLORIDA
 33.15% EAST TENNESSEE STATE
 32.12% PROVIDENCE
 28.39% LIBERTY
 28.26% AKRON
 25.16% YALE
 21.70% STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
 21.10% NORTH TEXAS
 18.64% EASTERN WASHINGTON
 18.50% UC IRVINE
 18.28% NORTH DAKOTA STATE
 18.22% NEW MEXICO STATE
 18.12% BRADLEY
 17.27% HOFSTRA
 17.20% TEXAS
 16.68% VERMONT
 13.77% NORTHERN IOWA
 13.73% WINTHROP
 12.68% LITTLE ROCK
 12.63% NORTHERN KENTUCKY
 12.06% BELMONT
 10.18% RHODE ISLAND
  4.47% SIENA
  2.23% ROBERT MORRIS
  2.20% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  1.41% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
  0.26% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
 73.69% GONZAGA
 70.09% BAYLOR
 68.17% KANSAS
 67.65% DUKE
 61.58% MICHIGAN STATE
 57.26% VILLANOVA
 55.41% MARYLAND
 54.57% DAYTON
 54.01% LOUISVILLE
 53.07% FLORIDA STATE
 47.95% WEST VIRGINIA
 46.00% KENTUCKY
 45.93% CREIGHTON
 44.07% OREGON
 43.26% SAN DIEGO STATE
 40.32% AUBURN
 40.02% OHIO STATE
 38.74% HOUSTON
 34.47% SETON HALL
 34.46% WISCONSIN
 32.80% VIRGINIA
 29.35% BYU
 28.80% BUTLER
 25.28% INDIANA
 25.22% PENN STATE
 24.64% WICHITA STATE
 22.89% LSU
 21.77% CINCINNATI
 21.56% UTAH STATE
 20.33% SAINT MARYS
 19.77% IOWA
 19.43% COLORADO
 19.28% RUTGERS
 18.68% OKLAHOMA
 18.57% USC
 17.55% ARIZONA STATE
 17.03% FLORIDA
 16.00% ARIZONA
 15.62% MICHIGAN
 15.33% MARQUETTE
 13.37% PROVIDENCE
 13.02% ILLINOIS
 10.79% RICHMOND
  9.73% YALE
  7.85% LIBERTY
  7.32% AKRON
  6.69% TEXAS
  6.62% UC IRVINE
  6.49% VERMONT
  5.86% NEW MEXICO STATE
  5.74% EAST TENNESSEE STATE
  5.55% NORTH TEXAS
  4.95% NORTHERN IOWA
  4.15% NORTH DAKOTA STATE
  4.13% BRADLEY
  4.00% BELMONT
  3.49% RHODE ISLAND
  3.44% EASTERN WASHINGTON
  3.35% HOFSTRA
  3.13% STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
  3.10% WINTHROP
  2.69% LITTLE ROCK
  2.43% NORTHERN KENTUCKY
  0.80% SIENA
  0.29% ROBERT MORRIS
  0.20% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  0.15% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
  0.01% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
 55.14% GONZAGA
 51.75% DUKE
 50.87% KANSAS
 38.50% MICHIGAN STATE
 37.35% BAYLOR
 32.17% LOUISVILLE
 31.71% VILLANOVA
 30.27% FLORIDA STATE
 29.85% DAYTON
 27.68% MARYLAND
 25.51% OREGON
 25.22% SAN DIEGO STATE
 24.67% OHIO STATE
 24.25% KENTUCKY
 22.43% HOUSTON
 18.12% WEST VIRGINIA
 16.74% CREIGHTON
 16.15% VIRGINIA
 14.30% BYU
 13.19% AUBURN
 12.47% BUTLER
 12.42% WISCONSIN
 12.19% PENN STATE
 10.43% SETON HALL
 10.37% IOWA
  9.83% LSU
  9.03% ARIZONA
  8.76% MICHIGAN
  8.49% RUTGERS
  8.16% FLORIDA
  8.03% UTAH STATE
  7.92% INDIANA
  7.86% COLORADO
  7.81% MARQUETTE
  7.63% WICHITA STATE
  7.39% SAINT MARYS
  6.58% USC
  6.37% OKLAHOMA
  6.36% CINCINNATI
  6.32% ILLINOIS
  6.09% ARIZONA STATE
  5.85% PROVIDENCE
  2.96% RICHMOND
  2.71% TEXAS
  2.06% AKRON
  2.05% EAST TENNESSEE STATE
  1.86% NORTHERN IOWA
  1.76% VERMONT
  1.65% YALE
  1.58% NORTH TEXAS
  1.53% UC IRVINE
  1.53% NEW MEXICO STATE
  1.33% BELMONT
  1.12% LIBERTY
  1.07% RHODE ISLAND
  0.85% BRADLEY
  0.80% HOFSTRA
  0.56% STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
  0.55% WINTHROP
  0.49% NORTH DAKOTA STATE
  0.42% NORTHERN KENTUCKY
  0.36% LITTLE ROCK
  0.35% EASTERN WASHINGTON
  0.13% SIENA
  0.03% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  0.02% ROBERT MORRIS
  0.01% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
  0.00% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
 38.85% GONZAGA
 37.21% KANSAS
 32.59% DUKE
 22.33% MICHIGAN STATE
 19.57% LOUISVILLE
 19.55% BAYLOR
 17.32% DAYTON
 16.17% VILLANOVA
 13.84% FLORIDA STATE
 12.61% OREGON
 11.09% HOUSTON
 10.71% OHIO STATE
 10.67% MARYLAND
 10.40% KENTUCKY
 10.12% SAN DIEGO STATE
 10.06% WEST VIRGINIA
  8.17% VIRGINIA
  6.61% CREIGHTON
  6.11% WISCONSIN
  5.99% AUBURN
  5.60% BYU
  4.93% SETON HALL
  4.91% ARIZONA
  4.90% BUTLER
  4.89% IOWA
  4.73% MICHIGAN
  4.58% PENN STATE
  4.54% LSU
  3.43% COLORADO
  3.13% FLORIDA
  2.86% RUTGERS
  2.83% MARQUETTE
  2.69% INDIANA
  2.63% CINCINNATI
  2.57% WICHITA STATE
  2.18% UTAH STATE
  2.15% ILLINOIS
  2.13% OKLAHOMA
  2.07% USC
  1.96% SAINT MARYS
  1.87% ARIZONA STATE
  1.59% PROVIDENCE
  0.87% TEXAS
  0.80% RICHMOND
  0.63% EAST TENNESSEE STATE
  0.60% AKRON
  0.55% NORTHERN IOWA
  0.50% YALE
  0.43% VERMONT
  0.41% NEW MEXICO STATE
  0.34% NORTH TEXAS
  0.30% UC IRVINE
  0.30% LIBERTY
  0.28% BELMONT
  0.25% RHODE ISLAND
  0.13% BRADLEY
  0.11% WINTHROP
  0.10% HOFSTRA
  0.09% STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
  0.06% NORTH DAKOTA STATE
  0.06% EASTERN WASHINGTON
  0.05% NORTHERN KENTUCKY
  0.03% LITTLE ROCK
  0.02% SIENA
  0.00% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  0.00% ROBERT MORRIS
  0.00% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
  0.00% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
 24.91% KANSAS
 23.16% GONZAGA
 23.02% DUKE
 14.74% MICHIGAN STATE
 11.79% BAYLOR
  9.05% LOUISVILLE
  7.52% DAYTON
  6.58% VILLANOVA
  6.11% FLORIDA STATE
  5.35% OHIO STATE
  4.94% OREGON
  4.92% WEST VIRGINIA
  4.80% MARYLAND
  4.71% SAN DIEGO STATE
  4.34% HOUSTON
  4.30% KENTUCKY
  3.13% CREIGHTON
  2.96% VIRGINIA
  2.34% WISCONSIN
  2.34% ARIZONA
  2.28% BUTLER
  2.24% MICHIGAN
  2.10% BYU
  2.09% AUBURN
  2.01% SETON HALL
  1.79% IOWA
  1.64% PENN STATE
  1.46% LSU
  1.24% MARQUETTE
  1.15% FLORIDA
  1.12% INDIANA
  1.05% WICHITA STATE
  1.03% COLORADO
  0.92% RUTGERS
  0.89% ILLINOIS
  0.85% OKLAHOMA
  0.82% CINCINNATI
  0.72% UTAH STATE
  0.62% SAINT MARYS
  0.52% PROVIDENCE
  0.48% USC
  0.42% ARIZONA STATE
  0.26% RICHMOND
  0.21% TEXAS
  0.14% EAST TENNESSEE STATE
  0.13% VERMONT
  0.13% YALE
  0.12% NORTHERN IOWA
  0.11% AKRON
  0.08% BELMONT
  0.07% NEW MEXICO STATE
  0.06% LIBERTY
  0.05% RHODE ISLAND
  0.05% NORTH TEXAS
  0.04% UC IRVINE
  0.02% BRADLEY
  0.02% STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
  0.02% HOFSTRA
  0.01% WINTHROP
  0.01% NORTH DAKOTA STATE
  0.01% EASTERN WASHINGTON
  0.01% NORTHERN KENTUCKY
  0.00% LITTLE ROCK
  0.00% SIENA
  0.00% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  0.00% ROBERT MORRIS
  0.00% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
  0.00% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL
 16.21% KANSAS
 14.14% GONZAGA
 13.90% DUKE
  8.17% MICHIGAN STATE
  5.84% BAYLOR
  4.21% LOUISVILLE
  3.29% DAYTON
  2.78% FLORIDA STATE
  2.70% VILLANOVA
  2.56% OHIO STATE
  2.30% WEST VIRGINIA
  2.09% SAN DIEGO STATE
  2.05% MARYLAND
  1.95% OREGON
  1.83% KENTUCKY
  1.72% HOUSTON
  1.16% CREIGHTON
  1.08% VIRGINIA
  1.07% ARIZONA
  1.01% MICHIGAN
  0.93% WISCONSIN
  0.83% BUTLER
  0.81% BYU
  0.78% SETON HALL
  0.76% AUBURN
  0.67% IOWA
  0.61% PENN STATE
  0.48% LSU
  0.44% FLORIDA
  0.42% MARQUETTE
  0.36% INDIANA
  0.33% WICHITA STATE
  0.31% COLORADO
  0.30% RUTGERS
  0.28% ILLINOIS
  0.27% CINCINNATI
  0.26% OKLAHOMA
  0.22% UTAH STATE
  0.19% SAINT MARYS
  0.16% PROVIDENCE
  0.11% USC
  0.10% ARIZONA STATE
  0.06% RICHMOND
  0.05% TEXAS
  0.03% EAST TENNESSEE STATE
  0.03% YALE
  0.03% VERMONT
  0.03% NORTHERN IOWA
  0.02% AKRON
  0.01% BELMONT
  0.01% LIBERTY
  0.01% RHODE ISLAND
  0.01% NEW MEXICO STATE
  0.01% NORTH TEXAS
  0.01% UC IRVINE
  0.00% BRADLEY
  0.00% STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
  0.00% HOFSTRA
  0.00% WINTHROP
  0.00% NORTH DAKOTA STATE
  0.00% EASTERN WASHINGTON
  0.00% NORTHERN KENTUCKY
  0.00% LITTLE ROCK
  0.00% SIENA
  0.00% BOSTON UNIVERSITY
  0.00% ROBERT MORRIS
  0.00% PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
  0.00% NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL


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Note: if you use any of the facts, equations, or mathematical principles introduced here, you must give me credit.

copyright ©2020 Andrew Dolphin