Basketball Stats Showdown 2024
The Nextech Stats Showdown competition is back for 2024! Student teams will be tasked with using past tournament data (2013-2023) to create an algorithm that most accurately determines the top 10 most winningest teams in the NCAA tournament bracket. There are two ways to win: (1) the winning team per division (middle and high school) will win a traveling trophy to display in their school, a pizza party and bragging rights for the year and (2) the school with the highest team scores average will win a pizza party for the team members from their school.
The Nextech Stats Showdown competition is back for 2024! Student teams will be tasked with using past tournament data (2013-2023) to create an algorithm that most accurately determines the top 10 most winningest teams in the NCAA tournament bracket. There are two ways to win: (1) the winning team per division (middle and high school) will win a traveling trophy to display in their school, a pizza party and bragging rights for the year and (2) the school with the highest team scores average will win a pizza party for the team members from their school.
Student Teams
This competition is open to teams of 2-4 students in grades 6-12 from any school throughout Indiana. This adult can be a teacher, parent or guardian or club advisor. The adult sponsor will be responsible for making sure the students comply with the rules and meet all the requirements and deadlines for the algorithm submission. A sponsor can work with multiple teams.
Assignment
Students will be asked to answer the question: “What team in the NCAA Tournament Field is going to win the most games throughout March Madness?”
Teams will be tasked with using past tournament teams’ data (2013-2023) to create an algorithm that most accurately determines the top 10 most winningest teams in the bracket. School teams will then use that algorithm and apply it to the 2024 data after Selection Sunday and submit their Top Ten list for 2024.
Prior to the announcement of the 2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament field, teams will submit an algorithm that will choose the ten teams from the tournament field most likely to win games. After Selection Sunday, student teams will use their algorithm to submit their team’s top ten list. Who are the top ten teams (numbered from 10 – 1, 10 being the most likely to win the most games and 1 being the least) that are going to win games during March Madness as determined by their number crunching?
Competition Schedule
| February 1 (or after) | Data set is released to sponsors who are already registered, and student groups can start creating their algorithm. If you register after February 1, sponsors will receive the data set and instructions within 2 business days |
| Friday, March 15, 2024 | Algorithms due to sponsor by end of the day |
| Sunday, March 17, 2024 | Selection Sunday |
| No later than Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Sponsors are provided the 2024 data sheet |
| March 20-21, 2024 | Teams have 48 hours after the Selection Sunday team data is distributed to apply their algorithm to the data, select their top 10 teams and submit their selections (and algorithm used) to Nextech |
| Throughout Tournament | Teams will be provided updates on Stats Showdown competition results |
| March 21-24, 2024 | Rounds 1 and 2 of the NCAA Tournament |
| March 28-30, 2024 | Rounds 3 and 4 of the NCAA Tournament |
| Saturday, April 6, 2024 | The Final Four |
| Monday, April 8, 2024 | The Championship Game |
| Friday, April 19, 2024 | Winners notified on or before date; prizes distributed |
Want to learn more? Watch this quick video with Stephanie Zircher and Jenna Garcia from the Nextech team.
Still have questions? Email Stephanie Zircher at stephanie@nextech.org
