March Madness 2026 bracket: Predicting every game in NCAA Tournament

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March Madness 2026 bracket: Predicting every game in NCAA Tournament

Bailey Bassett, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Mar 16, 2026 ·

8 min read

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Arguably the most anticipated sporting event of the year is here. March Madness is upon us, and everybody will be filling out their NCAA Tournament brackets. That includes grandma, your second cousin twice removed, the basketball know-it-all, and anybody in between.

Looking at a bracket of 68 teams can be a daunting task, but ClutchPoints has you covered. Below are predictions for every March Madness game of 2026, along with analysis for why certain teams are destined for greatness, why others could be bracket busters, and who could make a Cinderella run .

First Four

West Region

(11) Texas beats (11) NC State

Midwest Region

(11) Miami (OH) beats (11) SMU
(16) UMBC beats (16) Howard

South Region

(16) Lehigh beats (16) Prairie View A&M

Analysis:

This will be one of the most fun First Fours in recent memory. Eight teams will battle it out to make the Round of 64. Miami (OH) nearly completed a perfect season. The team went 31-1, but after losing in the MAC Tournament, it will have to play their way into the first round . While the RedHawks were fraud-checked in conference tournament play, they have shown a grittiness all season long, and they know how to win the close ones. That will be enough to at least secure a First Four win, even if they don't get past the Round of 64.

Another iconic team is here as well. UMBC is famous for becoming the first 16-seed ever to win a March Madness game. This is their first time back in the tournament since doing so in 2018, so perhaps they find the magic yet again. Lehigh is back for the first time since C.J. McCollum led a Cinderella run in 2012, too.

East Region

First Round

(1) Duke beats (16) Siena
(9) TCU beats (8) Ohio State
(5) St. John's beats (12) Northern Iowa
(4) Kansas beats (13) Cal Baptist
(6) Louisville beats (11) South Florida
(3) Michigan State beats (14) North Dakota State
(7) UCLA beats (10) UCF
(2) UConn beats (15) Furman

Second Round

(1) Duke beats (9) TCU
(5) St. John's beats (4) Kansas
(6) Louisville beats (3) Michigan State
(2) UConn beats (7) UCLA

Sweet 16

(1) Duke beats (5) St. John's
(2) UConn beats (6) Louisville

Elite Eight

(1) Duke beats (2) UConn

Analysis: Duke is the overall No. 1 seed in the entire 64-team field. The Blue Devils' depth is littered with future NBA players, headlined by the likely National Player of the Year in Cameron Boozer . They are a little bit shaken up by injuries, though. Caleb Foster just suffered a likely season-ending injury and Patrick Ngongba is dealing with a foot injury. As long as Ngongba returns to form, that might not be enough to slow Duke down. UConn will certainly look to give it a run for its money, as Dan Hurley looks to win a third championship in four years. That hasn't been done since UCLA had the greatest dynasty of all time in the '70s. Alex Karaban is the lone holdover from both of the previous championship teams.

Michigan State plays hard defense like it always does, and St. John's is a great sleeper pick because it is led by the nation's best transfer portal class. No team was screwed over by their seeding more than St. John's was. Kansas has had a tumultuous season because of the drama surrounding Darryn Peterson . The guard might go first overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, and nobody would be surprised if he single-handedly willed the Jayhawks throughout March, but nobody ever knows when he will or won't play because of cramping/injury management/he might just be ready to go to the NBA issues. Louisville has the potential to be a player in the East Region, too, but its success will likely come down to the health of Mikel Brown Jr.

South Region

First Round

(1) Florida beats (16) Lehigh
(8) Clemson beats (9) Iowa
(5) Vanderbilt beats (12) McNeese
(4) Nebraska beats (13) Troy
(6) UNC beats (11) VCU
(3) Illinois beats (14) Penn
(10) Texas A&M beats (7) Saint Mary's
(2) Houston beats (15) Idaho

Second Round

(1) Florida beats (8) Clemson
(4) Nebraska beats (5) Vanderbilt
(3) Illinois beats (6) UNC
(2) Houston beats (10) Texas A&M

Sweet 16

(1) Florida beats (4) Nebraska
(3) Illinois beats (2) Houston

Elite Eight

(3) Illinois beats (1) Florida

Analysis: The No. 1 seed in the South Region is Florida. The reigning champions don't have the same roster as last season, which played a part in a slow start, but they are looking like potential champions yet again. However, it is Illinois that is predicted to make it to the Final Four. There perhaps isn't a more well-rounded starting five in all of college basketball than the unit featuring Keaton Wagler , Andrej Stojakovic , David Mirkovic , Kylan Boswell , and Tomislav Ivisic . Ivisic's brother, Zvonimir, is an intimidating force off the bench, too.

Houston plays elite defense, as it always does. The Cougars lost in the national title game last year. The offense is improved compared to then, though, so maybe they break through this go around. Vanderbilt and Nebraska each had arguably their best seasons in program history. The Cornhuskers and Commodores could be slated for a round two clash, that is if Nebraska breaks its streak as the only power conference team that has never won a March Madness game.

West Region

First Round

(1) Arizona beats (16) Long Island
(8) Villanova beats (9) Utah State
(5) Wisconsin beats (12) High Point
(4) Arkansas beats (13) Hawaii
(6) BYU beats (11) Texas
(3) Gonzaga beats (14) Kennesaw State
(7) Miami beats (10) Missouri
(2) Purdue beats (15) Queens

Second Round

(1) Arizona beats (8) Villanova
(4) Arkansas beats (5) Wisconsin
(3) Gonzaga beats (6) BYU
(2) Purdue beats (7) Miami

Sweet 16

(4) Arkansas beats (1) Arizona
(2) Purdue beats (3) Gonzaga

Elite Eight

(4) Arkansas beats (2) Purdue

Analysis: In these predictions, Arkansas is the lowest-seeded team to make a run all the way to the Final Four. It would need Darius Acuff Jr. to continue an iconic run scoring the basketball at an extremely high level for this to occur. Getting past Arizona's depth won't be easy, though. The Wildcats have seven players averaging 8.7 points per game or more, which is why they won 23 games to start the season. Purdue came into the year as the preseason number one team. It has bounced back from a slower-than-expected start. Braden Smith is just one assist away from becoming the all-time college basketball assist leader.

Gonzaga is a talented team that has often fallen just short in recent years. Braden Huff 's injury won't help the Bulldogs change their March Madness misfortunes, but if Gonzaga goes on a deep run, there is a chance he can return to the court. There is also BYU and potential number one pick AJ Dybantsa , and Wisconsin and its great offense.

Midwest Region

First Round

(1) Michigan beats (16) UMBC
(9) Saint Louis beats (8) Georgia
(12) Akron beats (12) (5) Texas Tech
(4) Alabama beats (13) Hofstra
(6) Tennessee beats (11) Miami (OH)
(3) Virginia beats (14) Wright State
(10) Santa Clara beats (7) Kentucky
(2) Iowa State beats (15) Tennessee State

Second Round

(1) Michigan beats (9) Saint Louis
(4) Alabama beats (12) Akron
(6) Tennessee beats (3) Virginia
(2) Iowa State beats (10) Santa Clara

Sweet 16

(1) Michigan beats (4) Alabama
(2) Iowa State beats (6) Tennessee

Elite Eight

(1) Michigan beats (2) Iowa State

Analysis: Michigan has size on size, and that will be enough to overwhelm a number of NCAA Tournament opponents, especially lower-seeded teams that it will face in the first couple of rounds. The Wolverines have 6-foot-9 stars in Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson , as well as a 7-foot-3 paint presence in Aday Mara . Even their guards are big, and the team should run the Midwest Region. There is plenty of competition in this region, though. Georgia, for example, has the offense to compete with anybody. As the eight-seed, they could face Michigan in round two, but Saint Louis and fan-favorite Robbie Avila could best them in the Round of 64. Speaking of elite offenses, nobody scores more per game than Alabama. The Crimson Tide average 91.7 points per game.

Tennessee is arguably the best six-seed in the field. Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament are legitimate stars. Iowa State also has arguably the best big three in the NCAA with Tamin Lipsey , Joshua Jefferson , and Milan Momcilovic .

Final Four

Final Four

(1) Duke beats (3) Illinois
(1) Michigan beats (4) Arkansas

National Championship

(1) Duke beats (1) Michigan

Analysis:Last NCAA Tournament was just the second time ever that all one seeds made the Final Four. There should be more diversity this year. In these predictions, Duke, Illinois, Michigan, and Arkansas advance to the semifinal round. Boozer is having not just one of the best freshman seasons in college basketball history, but one of the best seasons ever, regardless of age, evidenced by his offensive rating via KenPom being the best since that was tracked starting in 2003. A March Madness run predicted here would cement his case in history.

Michigan is well-positioned to take on Duke in the national championship . Last year's Florida vs. Houston game was an all-time classic that ended with a two-point discrepancy. This one could be just as close, but the Blue Devils will win their sixth title to go into a tie with UConn and North Carolina for the third most ever.

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