Final Four reseed: Power rankings of the teams left in March Madness

Story by

Story by
Final Four reseed: Power rankings of the teams left in March Madness

Final Four reseed: Power rankings of the teams left in March Madness

Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORK · USA TODAY Sports

Tue, Mar 31, 2026 ·

6 min read

About Our Ads

After two thrilling weeks of high-stakes games, a group of 68 teams that entered mid-March with dreams of a national championship has been whittled down to four.

And with that, college basketball 's preeminent event is about to get underway.

The Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Tournament will tip off on Saturday, April 4, with Arizona , Michigan , UConn and Illinois heading to Indianapolis hoping to cut down the nets inside Lucas Oil Stadium after securing a national title.

FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS: Who will advance to 2026 national championship?

Making the Final Four is an accomplishment in and of itself in college basketball, a step in a journey that doubles as a destination after teams successfully navigate all of the challenges that the first four full rounds of March Madness have to offer.

This year, the Final Four is giving fans across the country a pair of teams, Michigan and Arizona , that were two of the three best teams for much of the season and two others, Illinois and UConn , that spent most of the season ranked in the top 15. There's some history at stake, too. Will Arizona win and break a nearly 30-year title-less spell for schools west of Texas? Can Michigan or Illinois become the Big Ten's first national champion since 2000? Or is UConn poised for its third title in the past four years, cementing its status as a modern-day dynasty?

Those questions will be answered soon enough, but for now, how do those four squads stack up against one another?

Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.

(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)

Kansas Jayhawks cheerleaders perform before a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the St. John's Red Storm at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
(Denis Poroy, Imagn Images)

Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.

(SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.

(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)

VCU Rams fans react after a 3-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. #6 of the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)

Howard Bison cheerleaders perform during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Keybank Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
(Mark Konezny, Imagn Images)

BYU Cougars cheerleader in the second half against the Texas Longhorns during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

Former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams is seen in the crowd against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Mar 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Texas A&M Aggies cheerleaders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

Texas Longhorns band in the first half against the BYU Cougars during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

St. John's Red Storm mascot Johnny Thunder mixes with players prior to taking the court during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California.
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)

A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers fans cheer during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers cheerleaders react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)

The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY
(Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images)

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)

The Wisconsin Badgers mascot performs during a time out during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

A view of Buddy the Street Dog as Queens University of Charlotte Royals guard Yoav Berman talks to the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on March 19, 2026.
(Jeff Le, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders preform during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The South Florida Bulls mascot performs during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
(Mark Konezny, Imagn Images)

The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleaders perform in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Jim Dedmon, Imagn Images)

The Troy Trojans mascot dances on the floor during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, William Purnell-Imagn Images)

The UCF Knights band performs during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia.
(Bill Streicher, Imagn Images)

Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader performs during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders perform in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Akron Zips fans in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders in the first half against the Akron Zips during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Santa Clara Broncos fans react to game play against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 20, 2026 in St. Louis, MO.
(Jeff Le, Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

Akron Zips cheerleaders and mascot in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Wright State Raiders fans celebrate after a Wright State Raiders guard TJ Burch (22) scores during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.
(Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

Hofstra Pride cheerleaders in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Garth Noble of the Louisville pep band is amped at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky. March 21, 2026.
(Matt Stone/Courier Journal)

Michigan head coach Dusty May high-fives players after 95-72 win over Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
(Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish band and spirit squad cheer during the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament against the Fairfield Stags at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 21, 2026.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Final Four power rankings

1. Arizona

Though there's not a whole lot that separates them from fellow juggernaut Michigan, the Wildcats have everything you could realistically hope for out of a title team. They have the consummate floor general in guard Jaden Bradley . They have a pair of five-star freshmen in Brayden Burries and Koa Peat who have more than lived up to their immense hype before likely heading off to the NBA in a few weeks. They've got size and toughness down low, with Ivan Kharchenkov, Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka . While he still hasn't won a title, their coach, Tommy Lloyd, has exorcised some past March demons by leading the program to its first Final Four since 2001.

What might be most encouraging for Arizona is that it's much less prone than anyone else in the country to an off shooting night. The Wildcats have the third-lowest 3-point rate among all Division I teams, preferring instead to get high-percentage shots closer to the basket. Even when they do fire from beyond the arc, they're still pretty good, shooting 36% as a team.

While it's presumptuous to declare Arizona's game against Michigan as the pseudo national championship, whoever wins the matchup will be a decided favorite in the title game.

2. Michigan

The Wolverines were a pleasant surprise in coach Dusty May's first season, more than tripling their win total from the previous season and advancing to the Sweet 16. In his second season at the helm, they're not an upstart; they're a freight train.

After a 31-3 regular season, they've won their four NCAA Tournament games by a combined 90 points, including a 33-point beatdown of Tennessee in the Elite Eight. For all the size Arizona has, Michigan counters with perhaps the best frontcourt in the country, a physical and highly skilled trio featuring Yaxel Lendeborg , Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. May's team is No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and is just one of two squads ranked in the top five in Division I in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom (Arizona, fittingly, is the other). The Wolverines' guards are a bit more of a question mark, but North Carolina transfer Elliot Cadeau has been on a heater in the tournament, with 33 assists to just seven turnovers.

MARCH MADNESS BRACKET HOT TAKES: Duke blows it, UConn wins it, Arizona shouldn't care

3. UConn

While the Huskies are only 24 months removed from the second of their back-to-back national championships, this is a largely remade team, with program stalwart Alex Karaban the only player left who received significant minutes from either of those squads. Though they don't have that championship pedigree, this is a squad that has shown its mettle, hanging on to beat Michigan State in the Sweet 16 before pulling off an epic comeback victory against Duke in the Elite Eight, a game they trailed by 17 in the second half.

No player has been more integral to this run than Tarris Reed Jr. , who has been perhaps the best player in the tournament. Reed enters the Final Four averaging 21.8 points and 13.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the field. UConn isn't nearly as offensively potent as it has been in recent years, but it was still able to beat Duke despite missing 18 of its 23 3s. Cliche as it may sound, this is a team, program and coach that simply finds ways to win.

Dan Hurley's squad has this working for it, too: the Huskies have now won 18 consecutive games in the Sweet 16 or later in the tournament.

4. Illinois

The Fighting Illini's road to Indianapolis wasn't as arduous as the paths traveled by the other three national semifinalists, but coach Brad Underwood's team didn't look any less impressive. It won its four tournament games by an average of 19.5 points and each game was decided by at least 10 points, including a win against No. 2 seed Houston in a game played in the Cougars' hometown.

Illinois is No. 1 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, more than three points per 100 possessions better than any of the teams remaining in the field. Even when shots aren't falling at a dizzying pace, it has shown an ability to gut out games behind an improving defense that has held each of its past three opponents under 60 points.

UConn will be a sizable challenge, but don't let the Huskies' 74-61 victory against the Illini back in November at Madison Square Garden sway you too much, especially since the teams' current top scorers, Reed for UConn and Keaton Wagler for Illinois, combined to play just 29 minutes.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Final Four power rankings: Who's the best team left in March Madness?

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by:

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

Final Four power rankings

1. Arizona

2. Michigan

3. UConn

4. Illinois