{
  "Bracket Watch": {
    "Bracket": "68-Team",
    "Top Overall Seed": "248",
    "First Team Out": "84",
    "Last Team In": "222",
    "Write Up": "Houston was 2025's national runner-up, but begins this season as the No. 1 overall seed in Bracketology. Even more importantly, the Cougars recently received a procedural advantage that could pay very substantial dividends in March: They were originally slotted as the host institution for the 2026 South Regional. By rule, that would have precluded them from playing any rounds in the South Region. Several weeks ago, however, Houston was replaced by Rice as the host, and can now be considered for a South Regional slot -- allowing for possible Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in their home city. Not that Kelvin Sampson needs the advantage. But this conveniently timed switch can't hurt Houston's chances of reaching a third Final Four in five years to perhaps, finally, capture the school's first NCAA title. If that were to happen, I hope Rice receives more than a case of Phi Slamma Jamma towels in return. As we all know, the little things matter in March (and April!).",
    "Mobile Photo Top Overall": "/photo/2025/1013/r1559779_1296x729_16-9.jpg",
    "Desktop Photo Top Overall": "/photo/2025/1013/r1559779_864x1296_2-3.jpg",
    "Mobile Photo First Team Out": "/photo/2025/1013/r1559782_1296x729_16-9.jpg",
    "Desktop Photo First Team Out": "/photo/2025/1013/r1559782_864x1296_2-3.jpg",
    "Mobile Photo Last Team In": "/photo/2025/1013/r1559783_1296x729_16-9.jpg",
    "Desktop Photo Last Team In": "/photo/2025/1013/r1559783_864x1296_2-3.jpg"
  },
  "Bubble": {
    "Last Four Byes": [
      "2132",
      "269",
      "2294",
      "2608"
    ],
    "Last Four In": [
      "68",
      "264",
      "258",
      "222"
    ],
    "First Four Out": [
      "84",
      "120",
      "228",
      "2567"
    ],
    "Next Four Out": [
      "201",
      "61",
      "245",
      "2390"
    ]
  },
  "NCAAM Bracket": {
    "South": {
      "teams": [
        {
          "name": "Houston Cougars",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "248",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Michigan Wolverines",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "130",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Louisville Cardinals",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "97",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Gonzaga Bulldogs",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2250",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Kansas Jayhawks",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2305",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Auburn Tigers",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2",
          "seedHistory": {
            "2025-12-14T05:45:51.000Z": 1
          }
        },
        {
          "name": "Creighton Bluejays",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "156",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Missouri Tigers",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "142",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "USC Trojans",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "30",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Saint Mary's Gaels",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "2608",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Boise State Broncos",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": true,
          "playInTeam": {
            "name": "Washington Huskies",
            "isAQ": false,
            "isNew": true,
            "id": "264",
            "seedHistory": {}
          },
          "id": "68",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "McNeese Cowboys",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2377",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "UNC Wilmington Seahawks",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "350",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Furman Paladins",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "231",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Youngstown State Penguins",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2754",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Montana Grizzlies",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "149",
          "seedHistory": {}
        }
      ]
    },
    "West": {
      "teams": [
        {
          "name": "Duke Blue Devils",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "150",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Kentucky Wildcats",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "96",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "BYU Cougars",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "252",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Illinois Fighting Illini",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "356",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Iowa State Cyclones",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "66",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Wisconsin Badgers",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "275",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Oregon Ducks",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2483",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Texas Longhorns",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "251",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Cincinnati Bearcats",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2132",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Marquette Golden Eagles",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "269",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Memphis Tigers",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "235",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Liberty Flames",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2335",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "High Point Panthers",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2272",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Utah Valley Wolverines",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "3084",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Little Rock Trojans",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2031",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Vermont Catamounts",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "playInTeam": {
            "name": "Southern Jaguars",
            "isAQ": true,
            "isNew": true,
            "id": "2582",
            "seedHistory": {}
          },
          "id": "261",
          "seedHistory": {}
        }
      ]
    },
    "East": {
      "teams": [
        {
          "name": "Florida Gators",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "57",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "UConn Huskies",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "41",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "UCLA Bruins",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "26",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Arizona Wildcats",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "12",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Arkansas Razorbacks",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "8",
          "seedHistory": {
            "2025-12-14T05:45:51.000Z": 3
          }
        },
        {
          "name": "North Carolina Tar Heels",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "153",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Ohio State Buckeyes",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "194",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "NC State Wolfpack",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "152",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Mississippi State Bulldogs",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "344",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Ole Miss Rebels",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "145",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "VCU Rams",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2670",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Akron Zips",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "2006",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "UC Irvine Anteaters",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "300",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "St. Thomas-Minnesota Tommies",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "2900",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Florida Gulf Coast Eagles",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "526",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Navy Midshipmen",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2426",
          "seedHistory": {}
        }
      ]
    },
    "Midwest": {
      "teams": [
        {
          "name": "Purdue Boilermakers",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2509",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "St. John's Red Storm",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2599",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Tennessee Volunteers",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2633",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Texas Tech Red Raiders",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2641",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Alabama Crimson Tide",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "333",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Michigan State Spartans",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "127",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "San Diego State Aztecs",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "21",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Baylor Bears",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "239",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Vanderbilt Commodores",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "238",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Iowa Hawkeyes",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2294",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Virginia Cavaliers",
          "isAQ": false,
          "isNew": false,
          "playInTeam": {
            "name": "Villanova Wildcats",
            "isAQ": false,
            "isNew": true,
            "id": "222",
            "seedHistory": {}
          },
          "id": "258",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Yale Bulldogs",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "43",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Illinois State Redbirds",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2287",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Troy Trojans",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": true,
          "id": "2653",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Siena Saints",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2561",
          "seedHistory": {}
        },
        {
          "name": "Norfolk State Spartans",
          "isAQ": true,
          "isNew": false,
          "id": "2450",
          "seedHistory": {}
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}