How much does history matter when it comes to building the bracket? In bracketology, it’s very easy to get muddled in the idea of precedent, simply because that’s what bracketology is mostly based on: analyzing data from previous years’ brackets to help determine what measures the selection committee most values, and apply that backward-looking analysisContinue reading “Bauertology: 1/26/26”
Author Archives: DJ Bauer
Bauertology: 1/23/26
…Or instead of waiting until the end of January or beginning of February to start up Friday Bauertology, I could just start right now. Believe me, I was not planning on doing twice-a-week brackets this early! Apparently, I didn’t even start multi-update weeks until March last year, let alone February. This is uncharted waters we’reContinue reading “Bauertology: 1/23/26”
Bauertology: 1/19/26
It’s time to take a little peek behind the bracketology curtain! In my humble opinion, one of the most valuable assets that a bracketologist can exhibit is transparency. After all, if you’re not able to adequately explain the thought process behind your own decisions, then what good are they? That’s part of why I alwaysContinue reading “Bauertology: 1/19/26”
Bauertology: 1/12/26
Rules, rules, rules! Aren’t they just so much, fun? Well, kinda. For anyone who’s brand new to this whole bracketology thing, or for anyone who’s always had an interest in how the NCAA Tournament bracket and its matchups are created but never fully understood it, the key point is this: rules, pre-established by the tournamentContinue reading “Bauertology: 1/12/26”
Bauertology: 1/5/26
How does a little Bauertology to start the new year sound? It’s officially 2026, and as previously promised, it’s high time for me get back into the bracketology habit: countless hours of poring over tiny names and numbers, often splitting hairs about a nanometer thick time and time again, for about two-and-a-half months nonstop. AndContinue reading “Bauertology: 1/5/26”
Bauertology: 11/3/25 (Preseason)
My, would you look at the time! The offseason is both too long and too short—I’ve been anticipating this moment where college basketball is back in our lives for seven ceaseless months… And yet, visions of the prior season remain in my memory bank like their events just played out yesterday. I think that justContinue reading “Bauertology: 11/3/25 (Preseason)”
Bauertology: 3/16/25 (FINAL)
Well, this is it, y’all. In less than half an hour, we will have a bracket. Months and months of anticipation, poring over résumés, and fighting hordes of angry fans (heh) will come to a head within the next 30 minutes. It’s a blast to do this every year, and for each and every oneContinue reading “Bauertology: 3/16/25 (FINAL)”
Bauertology: 3/12/25
Better late than never, eh? Apologies for the extremely late bracket—one posted whilst conference tournament games are being played—but I promised a projection on Wednesday, and I have delivered! Yay. That said, I wouldn’t take today’s projection super seriously. I did throw it together fairly quickly, in the span of about three or four hours,Continue reading “Bauertology: 3/12/25”
Bauer’s Bubble Watch: 3/10/25
This is the end, beautiful friend. …Well, maybe. Longtime readers of Bauer’s Bubble Watch should know that the Monday or Tuesday before Selection Sunday typically marks the swan song for the annual column. Longtime readers should also know that I have tried my darnedest to get out a final final update on the Thursday orContinue reading “Bauer’s Bubble Watch: 3/10/25”
Bauertology: 3/8/25
A week and a day—that’s all the time left between us and the Madness. And thank goodness for that! Not only because I want to savor these final fleeting moments of pre-tournament goodness during Champ Week, but also because today’s bracket is kind of a mess. Any time you have a major shift at theContinue reading “Bauertology: 3/8/25”