What is Bracket Résumé Score?
Bracket Résumé Score (BRS) was created to provide a more precise evaluation of NCAA Tournament résumés using the NCAA’s existing NET framework.
The NCAA Selection Committee evaluates teams using a variety of factors. One of the most important tools in that evaluation is the NET, including the location-adjusted quadrant system that classifies wins and losses based on opponent quality and game location.
BRS does not attempt to replace the Selection Committee’s judgment or predict every committee decision. Instead, it refines one important component of the résumé evaluation process by replacing broad quadrant categories with a continuous scoring model.
Rather than treating every Quad 1 win as equal, NRS recognizes that not all Quad 1 wins carry the same résumé value. Likewise, not all Quad 2, Quad 3, and Quad 4 results are equal. A road win over the #1 team and a neutral-site win over the #48 team may both be Quad 1 victories, but they are not identical accomplishments. NRS assigns each game a value based on the opponent’s current NET ranking and the location of the game while preserving the NCAA’s location-adjusted philosophy.
The result is a transparent scoring system that provides the committee, media, and fans with a more detailed view of résumé strength while remaining rooted in the NCAA’s existing evaluation framework.
NCAA Quadrant Definitions
NRS begins with the NCAA’s location-adjusted quadrant definitions.
| Quadrant | Home | Neutral | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad 1 | 1-30 | 1-50 | 1-75 |
| Quad 2 | 31-75 | 51-100 | 76-135 |
| Quad 3 | 76-160 | 101-200 | 136-240 |
| Quad 4 | 161-365 | 201-365 | 241-365 |
These quadrant definitions are established by the NCAA and form the foundation of the BRS scoring model. Every value used within BRS is built from these location-adjusted cutoffs.
Methodology
1. What is Bracket Résumé Score?
• Purpose of BRS
• What BRS is
• What BRS is not
2. NCAA Quadrant Framework
• NCAA Quadrant Definitions
• Why quadrants matter
• Foundation of the BRS model
3. From Quadrants to Continuous Values
• Why every Quad 1 win is not equal
• Why every Quad 2, Quad 3, and Quad 4 result is not equal
• Continuous scoring within each quadrant
4. Determining Location Values
• Deriving location values from NCAA quadrant definitions
• Home, Neutral, and Road game values
• Why road wins receive more credit
5. Win Values
• Win value tables
• Interpolation between quadrant cutoffs
• Examples
6. Loss Values
• Loss value tables
• Why home losses are penalized more heavily
• Relationship between NCAA quadrant cutoffs and NRS loss values
• Examples
7. Calculating Team Scores
• Assigning values to every game
• Summing wins and losses
• Computing the Bracket Résumé Score
8. Daily Updates
• Why every game changes throughout the season
• Opponent NET rankings and daily recalculation
9. Why Teams Move in the Rankings
• Changes without playing
• Strengthening and weakening résumés over time
10. Frequently Asked Questions
• Why doesn’t NRS predict the Selection Committee?
• Why isn’t every Quad 1 win equal?
• Why does game location matter so much?
• Why can teams move without playing?
• Why can a 28-3 team have a lower BRS than a 20-11 team?
11. Worked Examples
• Comparing equivalent Quad 1 wins
• Comparing equivalent losses
• Sample team résumé calculation