Sunday, March 21, 2021

Path to Pittsburgh is Set

NCAA Tournament ready to return with 16-team field announced.

Path to Pittsburgh is Set
Senior Jordan Kawaguchi has led North Dakota to the top overall seed in the tournament.

After a year in hibernation, the NCAA Tournament is set to return, as the 16-team field for the 2021 tournament was announced Sunday night on ESPNU.

North Dakota, Boston College, Minnesota and Wisconsin claimed the top four seeds in the tournament, which begins this weekend at four regional sites. The winners of each regional will advance to the NCAA Frozen Four, set for April 8 and 10 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

American International, which upset the No. 1 overall seed in the 2019 tournament, will get a chance to repeat that feat at the Midwest Regional in Fargo, N.D. The first-round games there:

  • No. 1 North Dakota vs. No. 4 American International (Fri., 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3)
  • No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Minnesota Duluth (Fri., 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

Boston College is the No. 2 overall seed and heads to the Northeast Regional in Albany, N.Y. The first-round games there:

  • No. 1 Boston College vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (Sat., 1 p.m. ET, ESPNews)
  • No. 2 St. Cloud State vs. No. 3 Boston University (Sat., 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPNews)

Minnesota’s Big Ten tournament title lifted the Golden Gophers to the No. 3 overall seed, in Loveland, Colo., for the West Regional. The first-round games there:

  • No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 4 Omaha (Sat., 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
  • No. 2 Minnesota State vs. No. 3 Quinnipiac (Sat., 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3)

Wisconsin earned the fourth No. 1 seed and will travel to the East Regional in Bridgeport, Conn. The first-round games there:

  • No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 4 Bemidji State (Fri., 1 p.m., ESPN2)
  • No. 2 Massachusetts vs. No. 3 Lake Superior State (Fri., 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

The winners of the Midwest and East Regionals will face off in Pittsburgh, as will the winners of the West and Northeast Regionals.