The excitement of March Madness is in full swing as the brackets for both the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments are now set. As basketball fans across the country prepare their brackets, Rice University’s Scott Powers, a former Major League Baseball analyst with a deep background in sports analytics, has a tool that can help. His website uses simulation-based analytics to optimize bracket selections.
“This website has been around since about 2016, but every year we update it with the latest data,” said Powers, assistant professor of sport analytics and statistics. “It’s a very simple interface — point and click so anyone can use it.”
The platform allows users to simulate tournament outcomes based on various parameters, including the size of their bracket pool and different scoring systems. Unlike traditional bracket selection, which relies on gut feelings or historical trends, Powers’ system is designed to optimize a user’s chances by factoring in how others are likely to pick their teams.
“March Madness is unpredictable,” Powers said. “No one has ever filled out a perfect bracket. The key isn’t just picking winners — it’s about making strategic decisions that nudge the odds in your favor.”
One big takeaway from Powers’ research is that winning your bracket pool isn’t just about picking the strongest team. It’s also about standing out. If everyone chooses the same favorite, then even if that team wins, you’re still competing against a lot of similar brackets with similar odds of winning the pool. But if you pick a strong team that’s a little less popular and they go all the way, you’ve got a much better shot at winning your pool outright.
Powers updates the website each year after Selection Sunday, ensuring users have access to the latest tournament data. “The updates are pushed after the bracket is announced,” he said. “After that, I just run some code, and the site is ready to go.”
His tool is designed for both casual fans and serious competitors. “Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just filling out a bracket for fun, this tool can help you make more informed choices,” he said. “And if you’re a serious competitor, it might even free up time to enjoy the games instead of overthinking your picks.”
The same principles that power his website — using data to optimize decisions — are also being applied throughout college athletics. As its landscape continues to evolve with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness deals, teams are increasingly relying on analytics to make strategic roster decisions. Powers’ work demonstrates how simulations and probability models can be used not just for predicting tournament outcomes but also for evaluating players, identifying potential recruits and optimizing team-building strategies.
“There’s so much data available now to evaluate players and make smart recruiting choices,” he said.
For those interested in accessing Powers’ bracket optimization tool and learning more about his research, visit his website at https://saberpowers.shinyapps.io/mRchmadness/.