PickHoops Scoring Options

PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, the national semifinals have featured two #1 seeds six times, making this the most common occurrence. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, only twice did seeds #1, #2, and #3 in a region all fail to advance to the round of 16. This happened in 2 regions in 2000. PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, only 10 schools have made the round of 16 more than 5 times (Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas, Connecticut, Arizona, UCLA, Syracuse, UNC, and Texas). PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, Florida has 3 appearances in the national semifinals. PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, Arizona has made the round of 16 nine times. PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, the Big 10 has had six different schools advance to the national semifinals (Michigan State, Ohio State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Indiana). PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, the Colonial Athletic Association has had two different schools advance to the national semifinals (George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth). PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, the most common number of #1 seeds in the national semifinals is 2 (six times) and 1 (five times). PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, only 5 out of 64 national semifinal teams were seeded lower than #5. In 2011, there were two (#8 Butler and #11 Virginia Commonwealth). PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, the Big East has had seven different schools advance to the national semifinals (Connecticut, West Virginia, Villanova, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, and Syracuse). PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, only 7 times have seeds #1, #2, #3, and #4 in a single region all advanced to the round of 16. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, 10 different schools have won the national championship. PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, the Horizon League, the Conference USA, the Mountain West, and the Atlantic 10 have each sent one school to the national semifinals. PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, only two #9 seeds have made it to the round of 16. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, eighteen teams have advanced to the round of 16 at least 5 times. PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, only one team seeded lower than #5 has reached the national championship game (#8 Butler in 2011). PickHoops QuickFact

During PickHoops history, nine out of sixteen national semifinals have had at least one Big 10 team. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, the lowest average seeding in the national semifinals was in 2011, when the #3, #4, #8, and #11 advanced, making an average seeding of 6.5. PickHoops QuickFact

In sixteen years, more #12 seeds (11) have advanced to the round of 16 than #7, #8, or #9 seeds. PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, the smallest number of #1 seeds to advance to the round of 16 is 2 (two times). PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops started, Duke is 3-1 in the national semifinals. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops started, 55 #1 seeds have made it to the round of 16, an average of more than 3 per year. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, UNC has 6 appearances in the national semifinals. PickHoops QuickFact

Since 1996, Kansas has 3 appearances in the national semifinals. PickHoops QuickFact

Since PickHoops was founded, only two #9 seeds have made it to the round of 16.

PickHoops Scoring

Basic Scoring

Using basic scoring, group owners choose how many points to award per correct pick for each round, from round 1 to round 6.

The opening round "play-in game" is not used.

Advanced Scoring

When using advanced scoring, the following bonuses can be multiplied and/or added to the points awarded for each correct game. Bonuses are applied for correctly picked games for all rounds of the tournament.

Bonus: Seed number

Add or multiply the seed number of the winning team.

Bonus: Seed number for upsets

Add or multiply the seed number of the winning team if the actual result is an upset (higher seed number wins).

For example, if you correctly pick #10 N.C. State and they beat #7 UCLA, you would receive a bonus of 10 either added or multiplied to your score.

To receive this bonus you did not also have to pick the loser of the game correctly, just the winner.

Bonus: Difference in seed number for upsets

Add or multiply the difference between the seed numbers of the two teams if the actual result was an upset.

For example, if you correctly pick #12 Mississippi State and they beat #5 Kansas you would receive a bonus of 7 either added or multipied to your score.

To receive this bonus you did not also have to pick the loser of the game correctly, just the winner. The seed numbers used for the calculation are the seed numbers of the actual teams that played in the game.

Bonus: Add points per round

Add a custom number of points based on the round (1 through 6).

Bonus: Add points per round for upsets

Add a custom number of points based on the round if the actual result was an upset.

Tiebreakers

Groups have the option to select up to three tiebreakers for the purpose of resolving ties in the standings for their group. These tiebreakers will be evaluated in the order that the group owner specifies. Further ties are left as ties in PickHoops standings.

Tiebreaker: Riskiest upset picks

Each bracket is evaluated using the exclusive PickHoops risk assessor, which computes the risk of each chosen upset versus historical tournament results. The bracket that is deemed riskiest by this methodology wins this tiebreaker.

Tiebreaker: Most games correct

This tiebreaker evaluates the total number of correct games in the bracket, regardless of round.

Tiebreaker: Most games correct in first round

This tiebreaker evaluates the number of correct picks in the first round only (32 games).

Tiebreaker: Most games correct in first 2 rounds

This tiebreaker evaluates the number of correct picks in the first two rounds (48 games).

Tiebreaker: Most games correct in latest round

This tiebreaker evaluates the brackets by the number of correct games by round, starting with the championship game and working back to the first round games. A bracket beats another when it has more games picked correctly in a later round.

Tiebreaker: Total points in championship game

When using this tiebreaker, entrants must enter the predicted score of the championship game.

The bracket with the combined scores of both teams in the championship game closest to the actual combined score wins the tiebreaker.

Tiebreaker: Championship game point spread

When using this tiebreaker, entrants must enter the predicted score of the championship game.

The bracket whose difference in points between the two teams in the championship game is closest to the actual difference wins the tiebreaker. The difference is calculated by subtracting the predicted score of the team on the right side of the bracket from the predicted score of the team on the left side. So if you filled 78-66 into your bracket, the point spread would be 12. But if you filled 71-77 into your bracket, the point spread would be -6.

For the purposes of this tiebreaker, it doesn't matter which teams made it to the championship game or which scored more.

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