March Madness lives on. Following the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament, The Post projected the final bracket and will spend the rest of the week presenting round-by-round results produced via online simulation, thanks to our friends at whatifsports.com.

Duke and Villanova. Mike Krzyzewski and Jay Wright. The Big East and the ACC. Madison Square Garden.

Of course it would be a classic.

In a matchup of the two best programs from the two most legendary basketball conferences — as well as two of the three active Division I coaches with multiple national championships — No. 3 Duke triumphed over No. 2 Villanova in overtime, 91-89, in The Post’s Sweet 16 simulation.

The Blue Devils, who have made the Elite Eight 16 times under Krzyzewski, were in front until a wild final minute of regulation, which featured three lead changes and Saddiq Bey’s game-tying jumper with two seconds left. Duke, led by Tre Jones’ 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, finally escaped when Jermaine Samuels missed a game-winning 3-point attempt as time expired.

To reach its first Final Four since 2015, Duke has to take down a familiar foe.

Former ACC rival Maryland ended No. 16 Winthrop’s improbable journey, with the No. 4 Terrapins claiming a 70-67 victory, behind Jalen Smith’s 18 points and 12 rebounds. Maryland hasn’t reached the Elite Eight in 18 years, while coach Mark Turgeon has never been past the Sweet 16.

At the start of the century, Duke and Maryland had the country’s most intense rivalry — the Blue Devils won the national championship in 2001, followed by the Terrapins’ first title in 2002 — but the teams haven’t met since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014. Krzyzewski vowed he wouldn’t schedule another game against the ACC founding member, following its “assault on tradition.”

Though the most dominant team of the era remains, no No. 1 seed will be in the Final Four for the first time since 2006, following Baylor’s loss to Louisville.

An all-time Cinderella remains in the mix, though.

East Tennessee State becomes the second-ever No. 12 seed — joining Missouri (2002) — to reach the Elite Eight, with its 83-72 win over No. 9 USC. Next, the Buccaneers will try to upset No. 2 Michigan State, which beat No. 11 Wichita State, 75-61.

In the West, No. 2 San Diego State advanced to its first-ever Elite Eight with an 87-85 overtime victory over No. 6 Houston, while No. 4 Oregon moved one win from its second Final Four in three years, following its 83-73 win over No. 9 Marquette.