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March Madness 2021: Replacement Teams in NCAA Tournament

Louisville, Colorado State, Saint Louis and Ole Miss have been selected as the replacement teams for the 2021 men's NCAA tournament

According to the NCAA rules, if a team withdraws, the first order of business is to make sure all 31 conferences—with the exception of the Ivy League—are represented in the tournament.

If a team from a one-bid league withdraws, they will be replaced by a team from their same conference.

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Related: NCAA Men's Tournament Opening Odds

As for conferences with a multiple tournament teams, a replacement team will be selected from the group of at-large squads that were announced on Sunday. The potential replacement teams are ranked from one to four, and they are required to continue testing protocols. 

The deadline for teams to be replaced in the tournament is 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 16. The men's tournament will begin Friday in Indianapolis.

For teams unable to play due to medical reasons after the deadline has passed, the team's opponent will advance per the NCAA's no-contest rule. There will be no seeding changes once the tournament begins. The incoming team will take the position on the bracket of the team it replaces.

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