Considering the recent news that Jim Nantz has renewed his contract with CBS Sports, we felt now was an appropriate time to provide an update on the 2021 TVNewser Bracket Challenge.
The 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is back in action Saturday afternoon with four of the eight Sweet 16 matchups: The Midwest regional semifinals featuring Oregon State vs. Loyola of Chicago, as well as Syracuse vs. Houston. Also being played are the South regional semifinals featuring Baylor versus Villanova, and Oral Roberts versus Arkansas.
The other four Sweet 16 games will be played on Sunday.
Bloomberg TV anchor Francine Lacqua remains at the top of the 2021 TVNewser Challenge heap (44 points), four points clear of NBC News congressional correspondent and MSNBC Way Too Early Host Kasie Hunt.
CNBC Closing Bell co-anchor Sara Eisen and CNN Newsroom anchor Kate Bolduan are tied for 3rd place with 39 points each. CNBC.com managing editor Jeffrey McCracken and Fox Business correspondent Edward Lawrence are tied for 5th with 38 points each. CNBC anchor/senior national correspondent Brian Sullivan and TVNewser senior editor/Adweek TV reporter A.J. Katz are tied for 7th with 37 points each. A trio of newsers are tied for 9th with 36 points each: NBC News chief White House correspondent and Saturday Today co-host Peter Alexander, CNBC Squawk Box co-host Joe Kernen and Bloomberg Surveillance co-host Tom Keene.
Surprisingly, our defending champion from 2019, Fox News’ Abby Hornacek, is currently in last place. Of course, that could change at any moment!
| STANDINGS – 2021 ROUND 2 | ||||||
| Rank | Network | Team Name | Score | Correct | Max Score | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomberg | Francine Lacqua | 44 | 35 | 156 | Gonzaga (172) |
| 2 | NBC News/MSNBC | Kasie Hunt | 40 | 31 | 116 | Michigan (145) |
| 3 | CNBC | Sara Eisen | 39 | 32 | 127 | Gonzaga (167) |
| 3 | CNN | Kate Bolduan | 39 | 31 | 87 | Illinois (170) |
| 5 | CNBC | Jeffrey McCracken | 38 | 30 | 118 | Michigan (138) |
| 5 | Fox Business | Edward Lawrence | 38 | 30 | 86 | Illinois (154) |
| 7 | CNBC | Brian Sullivan | 37 | 28 | 149 | Gonzaga (171) |
| 7 | TVNewser/Adweek | A.J. Katz | 37 | 29 | 97 | Illinois (155) |
| 9 | NBC News | Peter Alexander | 36 | 29 | 128 | Gonzaga (155) |
| 9 | CNBC | Joe Kernen | 36 | 29 | 84 | Illinois (144) |
| 9 | Bloomberg | Tom Keene | 36 | 29 | 100 | Gonzaga (141) |
| 12 | PBS | Michael Rancilio | 35 | 29 | 151 | Baylor (150) |
| 12 | CNBC | Jessica Golden | 35 | 28 | 127 | Gonzaga (162) |
| 12 | Weather Channel | Paul Goodloe | 35 | 27 | 131 | Baylor (136) |
| 12 | Weather Channel | Alex Wallace | 35 | 28 | 111 | Gonzaga (167) |
| 12 | Bloomberg | Romaine Bostick | 35 | 28 | 127 | Baylor (134) |
| 17 | CNBC | Tyler Mathisen | 34 | 28 | 138 | Gonzaga (143) |
| 17 | CNBC | Steve Kovach | 34 | 26 | 82 | Texas (130) |
| 19 | CNBC | Dominic Chu | 33 | 27 | 77 | Illinois (126) |
| 19 | CNBC | Matt Rosoff | 33 | 26 | 109 | Gonzaga (172) |
| 19 | PBS | Judy Woodruff | 33 | 27 | 97 | Oregon State (159) |
| 22 | NBC News/MSNBC | Willie Geist | 32 | 26 | 88 | Illinois (163) |
| 23 | HLN | Bob Van Dillen | 31 | 24 | 115 | Gonzaga (112) |
| 23 | Bloomberg | Taylor Riggs | 31 | 24 | 83 | Illinois (123) |
| 23 | Bloomberg | David Westin | 31 | 24 | 135 | Michigan (175) |
| 23 | Bloomberg | Emily Chang | 31 | 25 | 111 | Gonzaga (155) |
| 27 | NBC News | Janelle Rodriguez | 30 | 25 | 130 | Michigan (112) |
| 28 | CNBC | Brian Steel | 29 | 24 | 113 | Gonzaga (159) |
| 28 | CBS | Darius Walker | 29 | 25 | 141 | Gonzaga (123) |
| 30 | Fox News | Joe Concha | 28 | 23 | 76 | Illinois (152) |
| 30 | Bloomberg | Caroline Hyde | 28 | 23 | 32 | Georgetown (68) |
| 30 | Bloomberg | Kailey Leinz | 28 | 23 | 68 | Virginia (96) |
| 33 | Fox News | Abby Hornacek | 26 | 22 | 94 | Gonzaga (147) |