Sweet 16 bold predictions: Which No. 1 seed is most at risk? Who makes Final Four?
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Sweet 16 bold predictions: Which No. 1 seed is most at risk? Who makes Final Four?
Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
·
4 min read
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Well, that wasa fun first weekend. What other craziness is in store for the second one?
Sixteen teamsremain in theMen's NCAA Tournament, and by the end of the weekend, four of them will be left and heading to Indianapolis. March Madness 2026 has delivered with some incredible finishes. There's every reason to believe the trend will continue in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
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Some of thebold predictions from the start of the tournamentdidn't materialize, but there were a few that did come true. So, it's time to take another swing and share the bold predictions of what will happen in the last push to the Final Four.
How sweet it is. Sixteen teams remain in theMarch Madness 2026tournament. Here are some top players and matchups to watch. No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2 PurdueTexas: Matas Vokietaitis
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2Purdue Purdue: Braden Smith
(Christine Tannous, IndyStar via USA TODAY NETWORK)
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 4 NebraskaIowa: Bennett Stirtz
(Matt Pendleton, Imagn Images)
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 4 NebraskaNebraska: Pryce Sandfort
(BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 1 ArizonaArkansas: Darius Acuff Jr.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 1 ArizonaArizona: Brayden Burries
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 HoustonIllinois: Keaton Wagler
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 HoustonHouston: Emanuel Sharp
(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)
No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 1 DukeSt. John's: Zuby Ejiofor
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)
No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 1 DukeDuke: Cameron Boozer
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 MichiganAlabama: Labaron Philon Jr.
(Matt Pendleton, Imagn Images)
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 MichiganMichigan: Yaxel Lendeborg
(Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK)
No. 3 Michgan State vs. No. 2 UConnMichigan State: Jeremy Fears Jr. (1)
(Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK)
No. 3 Michgan State vs. No. 2 UConnUConn: Alex Karaban
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Iowa StateIowa State: Milan Momcilovic
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
How sweet it is. Sixteen teams remain in theMarch Madness 2026tournament. Here are some top players and matchups to watch. No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2 PurdueTexas: Matas Vokietaitis
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
1/16
Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
How sweet it is. Sixteen teams remain in theMarch Madness 2026tournament. Here are some top players and matchups to watch. No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2 PurdueTexas: Matas Vokietaitis
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2Purdue Purdue: Braden Smith
(Christine Tannous, IndyStar via USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 4 NebraskaIowa: Bennett Stirtz
(Matt Pendleton, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 4 NebraskaNebraska: Pryce Sandfort
(BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 1 ArizonaArkansas: Darius Acuff Jr.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 1 ArizonaArizona: Brayden Burries
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 HoustonIllinois: Keaton Wagler
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 HoustonHouston: Emanuel Sharp
(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 1 DukeSt. John's: Zuby Ejiofor
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 1 DukeDuke: Cameron Boozer
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 MichiganAlabama: Labaron Philon Jr.
(Matt Pendleton, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 MichiganMichigan: Yaxel Lendeborg
(Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 3 Michgan State vs. No. 2 UConnMichigan State: Jeremy Fears Jr. (1)
(Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 3 Michgan State vs. No. 2 UConnUConn: Alex Karaban
(Bill Streicher, Imagn Images)
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Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Iowa StateIowa State: Milan Momcilovic
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
Arizona-Arkansas, Michigan-Alabama light up scoreboard
Get ready to watch points galore with some incredible offenses going against each other.
Of the 16 teams left, four of them are in the top 13 of scoring, and even better, they'll play each other. The nation's top offense in Alabama (91.6 ppg) faces Michigan, which is ninth (87.4). Both teams scored at least 90 points in their first two games, and they will surely pass that.
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In the West, the second-best scoring team in Arkansas (90.2 ppg) goes up against Arizona, 13th in the country (86.1 ppg). Given how the Razorbacks' scoring defense ranks 331st out of 365 teams, the Wildcats are going to be scoring at-will, and Arkansas has the talent to match it. As a result, we get two games where both teams pass the century mark.
Don't blink in these two matchups, or you'll miss a flurry of points.
Another No. 1 seed goes down
The chance at an all-No. 1 seed Final Four is gone. Three remain. Expect another to get knocked out.
Arizona and Michigan have looked nearly perfect, but clearly have to deal with potent offenses that can be overwhelming. Also, Duke has to face a red-hot St. John's team. There's a storm brewing for one of the top seeds, and as a result, only a maximum of two will get in.
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As a bonus: the team that gets bounced first will be the Blue Devils, who clearly have some holes that can be exposed by the Red Storm or its Elite Eight opponent, extending the search for Jon Scheyer's first championship as coach.
Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentat 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 theNCAA men's basketballtournament 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 afirst round gameof 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's2026 NCAATournament 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)
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Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentat Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
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Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentat Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
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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)
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Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in theNCAA men's basketballtournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.
(SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during afirst round gameof the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's2026 NCAATournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
Dan Hurley costs his team
You know the court gets hot when Hurley is on the sideline, but he may raise the temperature too much for his team to survive.
Connecticut will be in a classic against Michigan State with the game hanging in the balance in the final minutes. Something will happen, whether it's a foul call or missed one, that will get Hurley fuming at the officials. Referees try to be lenient when its the postseason, but the coach will go too far and get a technical foul, and possible double-T to giving the Spartans critical free throws that will make the margin too difficult for the Huskies to overcome.
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Michigan State pulls through and the questions afterward will be if Hurley is to blame on the loss. Be on the lookout for a memorable press conference.
Houston cruises to Final Four
No team has a better draw to Indianapolis than Houston. Not only do they get a favorable path in facing Illinois and either Nebraska or Iowa, but the Cougars get to play in their own city. It doesn't get much better for Kelvin Sampson's team, which has looked completely dominant so far.
With all the momentum and great matchups, Houston doesn't just win, but does it easily with double-digit victories in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. The blowout wins make it one of the most impressive runs to the Final Four as it's on a warpath to get back to the title game.
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Last season finally broke Houston's second weekend struggles, where it was eliminated for three straight seasons before finally getting back to the Final Four. The Cougars get back-to-back appearances for the first time since "Phi Slama Jama" rocked the world.
Rick Pitino makes more history
No matter where he goes, success always finds Pitino. Now in 2026, he etches his name further as one of the best coaches of all-time.
St. John's has flipped the script from the beginning of the season to looking like a bona fide title contender, playing with a sense of swagger needed this time of year. The Red Storm not only take down top overall seed Duke, but they get past the Elite Eight to make their first Final Four since 1985. With the achievement, Pitino becomes the first coach to get four programs to the semifinals.
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The path to the first national championship looks tough, but it will cap off the remarkable turnaround in New York City.
