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Myron MedcalfMar 21, 2026, 01:00 AM ET<\/p>\n
Close<\/a> Covers college basketball Multiple Authors<\/p>\n We’re back to rank the remaining 32 teams in the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament.<\/p>\n In past years, we called this a reseeding, but we’ve scrapped that approach to answer this question: Who are the best remaining teams in the field?<\/p>\n This season, the answer is complicated. Partially because we don’t know who will be available for the second round. Will Patrick Ngongba II return for Duke? What about Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson, who suffered an ankle injury early in Friday’s win over Tennessee State? Tyler Bilodeau missed UCLA’s victory over UCF in the opening round. UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. similarly sat out Friday. Alabama didn’t have an injury, but it did seem to take a step back without embattled star Aden Holloway as it advanced past Hofstra.<\/p>\n The next round also doesn’t look particularly chalky. The top four seeds in each region went 4-0 in the round of 64 for the second straight year and for the seventh time since expansion in 1985. But all four 9-seeds also advanced — the first time this has happened since 2019 and the sixth time overall in tournament history. And, we have a handful of double-digit seeds.<\/p>\n Still, based on what we know right now, and looking at the results from the opening round — and mostly the complete body of work for each team — we’ve produced these rankings.<\/p>\n See how the round of 32 was set: 1. Arizona Wildcats<\/a> Jaden Bradley<\/a>, the Big 12 Player of the Year, scored just seven in Friday’s win over Long Island — and the Wildcats still had 92 points. Brayden Burries<\/a> (18 points) and Koa Peat<\/a> (15 points), a pair of NBA prospects, were two of five Zona players who had eight or more points, continuing their success as a balanced squad. Also of note: Tommy Lloyd’s squad is 39% from the 3-point line during its current 10-game winning streak.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Utah State (Sunday, 7:50 p.m. ET, truTV)<\/p>\n 2. Duke Blue Devils<\/a> Cameron Boozer<\/a> and his team were short-handed against Siena<\/a>, and it showed. The Blue Devils became the first 1-seed in the history of the NCAA tournament to trail a 16-seed by double digits at halftime Thursday, per ESPN Research. They clearly missed Patrick Ngongba II<\/a>‘s defense and Caleb Foster<\/a>‘s 3-point shooting. But Boozer overpowered the Saints, finishing 13-for-14 from the free throw line in the win. The Blue Devils also held Siena to 8-for-34 shooting after halftime, with the same elite defense (second in adjusted efficiency on KenPom) that fueled wins this season over Kansas, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan and Michigan State.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. TCU (Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 1:30<\/p>\n TCU set to face Duke in 2nd round of NCAA tournament<\/p>\n Check out some of the best highlights from TCU and Duke ahead of their round of 32 matchup in the NCAA tournament.<\/p>\n 3. Florida Gators<\/a> The Gators’ 39-point halftime advantage over Prairie View A&M is tied for the second largest lead at the break in NCAA tournament history, per ESPN Research. Their performance is also an extension of their near-flawless finish to the 2025-26 season. Florida has won 13 of its past 14 games, including 12 straight before a loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament semifinal. Seven of those were won by 19 or more points, including a 100-77 win over Alabama on Feb. 1 and an 111-77 rout of Arkansas on Feb. 28. No team in America is playing better.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Iowa (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n 2 Related<\/p>\n 4. Michigan Wolverines<\/a> The Wolverines’ massive frontcourt was the anchor of a dominant season for Dusty May’s squad, which won the Big Ten regular-season title. On Thursday, those big stars were kept out of the lane by Howard’s zone. Once Michigan figured it out, though — with 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara<\/a> playing over the top and dominating — it couldn’t be stopped. The Wolverines made 46% of their 3-point attempts. This season, they’ve only lost to a Wisconsin team that made 15 3-pointers, a Duke squad that was led by the national player of the year front-runner and a Purdue unit that made 60% of its shots inside the arc.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Saint Louis (Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 5. Houston Cougars<\/a> The Cougars’ win over Idaho<\/a> in the opening round was more proof Houston can pummel opponents with its defensive pressure. The Vandals scored just 47 points (72 points per 100 possessions). Beyond their three-game losing streak in February (at Iowa State, vs. Kansas, vs. Arizona), the Cougars have played like a national championship contender a year after losing to Florida in the title game. Freshman Kingston Flemings<\/a> (18 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals against Idaho) seems capable of leading them back to the championship game.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Texas A&M (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)<\/p>\n 6. Iowa State Cyclones<\/a> On the one hand, it’s admirable Iowa State managed to score 108 points in its win over Tennessee State, despite Joshua Jefferson<\/a> playing only three minutes due to a sprained ankle. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine Iowa State going on a deep run if Jefferson, the AP second-team All-American, who sat on the bench in a walking boot for the rest of the game, is unavailable. Per EvanMiya, the Cyclones have been 20.5 points per 100 possessions better this season with him on the floor. Without him, they’re a different team.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Kentucky (Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 7. Illinois Fighting Illini<\/a> The best offensive team in the country might have exceeded its own expectations when it registered an unworldly 197 points per 100 possessions in the second half of its win over Penn<\/a> in the first round. David Mirkovic<\/a> scored 29 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and Keaton Wagler<\/a>, a second-team AP All-American, added 18 points. That game marked the ninth instance of the Illini scoring 90 or more points this season. If it wasn’t clear before, Illinois’ offense, at its best, can reach a level few teams in the field can match.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. VCU (Saturday, 7:50 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 8. Purdue Boilermakers<\/a> On Dec. 6, following a lopsided home loss to Iowa State, many wrote Purdue off. There was no reason to believe otherwise as the season went on. In league play, Purdue — the AP preseason No. 1 team — was overshadowed by more compelling storylines at Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois and Nebraska. Yet, in their current five-game winning streak, a run that includes the Big Ten tournament title-game victory over Michigan, the Boilermakers have, finally, lived up to the preseason buzz. Trey Kaufman-Renn<\/a> (17.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG in five games) is playing like an All-American again and Purdue has had the best offense in the country during that stretch.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Miami (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 0:39<\/p>\n Braden Smith’s 26 points, 4 treys power Purdue win<\/p>\n Braden Smith scored 26 points, including four 3-pointers, to help Purdue defeat Queens University.<\/p>\n 9. St. John’s Red Storm<\/a> Last year’s St. John’s team was the talk of New York City and even made an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” But what if this version of Rick Pitino’s squad is even better? The metrics between the two teams might be comparable, but this group has an offensive chemistry that eluded last year’s team. Led by Zuby Ejiofor<\/a> (16.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG), the Johnnies won their 11th game Saturday by a margin of 20-plus points. They’ve been 37th in adjusted offensive efficiency during their current 20-1 streak too. Last year’s group was 74th overall.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Kansas (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 10. UConn Huskies<\/a> With five minutes to go in its win over Furman in the opening round, the Huskies were in a five-point game. They still have the players to win their third national title in four years — a feat that hasn’t been achieved since John Wooden walked the sidelines at UCLA — but they didn’t get through the first round with the same excellence as the other contenders. They’re clearly a better team when Tarris Reed Jr<\/a>. (31 points, 27 rebounds against Furman) takes over, especially with Silas Demary Jr<\/a>. out Friday due to an ankle injury. They just haven’t looked like future champions in weeks.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. UCLA (Sunday, 8:45 p.m. ET, TNT)<\/p>\n 11. Michigan State Spartans<\/a> The Spartans are led by one of America’s best point guards in Jeremy Fears Jr<\/a>., who recorded seven points and 11 assists in the first round against North Dakota State<\/a> on Thursday. It was the fifth time that Michigan State, which finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten race, scored 90 points or more this season. That offensive threshold is the result of Michigan State’s recent effectiveness from the 3-point line (50% from beyond the arc against NDSU). The Spartans have made 44% of their 3-point attempts over their past five games.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Louisville (Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n Tournament Challenge Second Chance<\/p>\n Create up to 25 new men’s brackets beginning at the Sweet 16 and compete for $50K in total prizes! Tournament Challenge Second Chance<\/a><\/p>\n 12. Arkansas Razorbacks<\/a> No player in the country has outperformed Darius Acuff Jr<\/a>. over the past month. On Thursday, the 6-foot-3 point guard finished with 24 points (2-for-5 from beyond the arc) and seven assists — his fifth consecutive game with at least 24 points, five assists and two 3-pointers — against Hawai’i<\/a>. But this team is also not just Acuff. Trevon Brazile<\/a> and Meleek Thomas<\/a> have been equally important contributors for an Arkansas squad that’s now won six games in a row, a run that includes the SEC tournament championship. During this streak, the Razorbacks have been 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency nationally and connected on 43% of their 3-point attempts.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. High Point (Saturday, 9:45 p.m., truTV\/TBS)<\/p>\n 13. Nebraska Cornhuskers<\/a> Nebraska has the Big Ten’s best defense. That was evident in its victory over Troy<\/a>, which also resulted in the Huskers’ first NCAA tournament win. These Trojans were not easy, either. In November, they scored 108 points in a double-overtime victory against San Diego State, a top-20 defensive team nationally. But on Thursday, they scored just 47 points and registered 77 points per 100 possessions against the Cornhuskers. Offensively, Pryce Sandfort<\/a> (23 points) and his teammates connected on 34 3-pointers in their past three games, but the elite defense has been the story of their season.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Vanderbilt (Saturday, 8:45 p.m., TNT)<\/p>\n 14. Vanderbilt Commodores<\/a> The Commodores followed Tyler Tanner<\/a>‘s lead again to beat a tough McNeese<\/a> team. That has been the ongoing narrative for Vanderbilt. When Tanner (26 points on Thursday), a 6-foot point guard who is a projected first-round pick in the NBA draft, plays well his team usually wins. The Dores are 13-3 this season when he scores at least 20 points. The return of Duke Miles<\/a> from a knee injury late last month has mattered, too: Vanderbilt has been seventh in adjusted offensive efficiency since he returned to help his team reach the SEC tournament title game and advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Nebraska (Saturday, 8:45 p.m., TNT)<\/p>\n 15. Virginia Cavaliers<\/a> This Virginia team doesn’t look like the groups that were more methodical under Tony Bennett. In the Ryan Odom era, nearly half of the Cavaliers’ field goal attempts are 3-pointers, which might have seemed sacrilegious under the old guard. Yet, it works: Virginia took down Wright State on Friday after making 13 shots from beyond the arc. The Cavs also play a defense that’s allowed just one team (Miami) to exceed a 42% clip inside the arc over their past four games. Even Duke finished 17-for-40 from 2 against them in the ACC tournament. With Thijs De Ridder<\/a> (double figures in nine of his past 10 games) and a strong defense, Virginia is a tough opponent for any team.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Tennessee (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)<\/p>\n All of ESPN. All in one place.<\/p>\n Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now<\/a><\/p>\n 16. Gonzaga Bulldogs<\/a> The wins are not always pretty for Gonzaga, but they don’t have to be. This season, the Zags have won 31 games, a WCC tournament title and defeated teams such as Kentucky, Alabama and UCLA, all with a scrappy approach that relies on second-chance opportunities, elite defense and dominance in the paint. Graham Ike<\/a> (19 points, eight rebounds against Kennesaw State<\/a>) is the captain of the ship for Mark Few’s squad, which is ranked ninth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. But this is the worst 3-point shooting team (33.5%) Few has had at Gonzaga. The Bulldogs overcame a 3-for-18 clip from beyond the arc against the Owls on Thursday.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Texas (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, truTV\/TBS)<\/p>\n 17. Alabama Crimson Tide<\/a> Nate Oats’ squad steamrolled a Hofstra team that had been a popular upset pick after star Aden Holloway<\/a> was arrested on a felony drug charge Monday, removed from campus and separated from the team. Instead, Labaron Philon Jr<\/a>. (29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) proved he could carry the load without the team’s most impactful offensive player, per EvanMiya. However, Philon also had five turnovers. And Alabama missed 24 of its 36 3-point attempts. Holloway is their best 3-point shooter. The Crimson Tide can still overwhelm opponents with their scoring attack in this tournament, but they will miss Holloway as the level of competition rises.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Texas Tech (Sunday, 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS)<\/p>\n 18. Texas Tech Red Raiders<\/a> Despite being without All-American JT Toppin<\/a>, the Red Raiders remain one of America’s top 3-point shooting teams. They’ve also been third in adjusted offensive efficiency without Toppin — although they’re a sub-100 team defensively, per BartTorvik. That offensive strength gave them a boost when they scored 51 points in the second half against Akron. Jaylen Petty<\/a> recorded a career-high 24 points, while Christian Anderson<\/a> added 18. It is unknown if this team can reach the same heights without Toppin. But it is clearly a squad with second-weekend potential, even short-handed.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Alabama (Sunday, 9:45 p.m. ET, TBS)<\/p>\n 19. Kansas Jayhawks<\/a> We never remember teams when we talk about the NCAA tournament, only the stars. Carmelo Anthony in 2003. Kemba Walker in 2011. Anthony Davis<\/a> in 2012. Jalen Brunson in 2018. For all its flaws, Kansas has a standout performer in Darryn Peterson<\/a> (28 points against Cal Baptist on Friday), the most polarizing player in college basketball this season. But just when it felt safe to believe in the promise of Kansas, the Jayhawks surrendered an 18-2 run that allowed Cal Baptist to cut its deficit to six points late. (They, of course, survived and advanced.) We’ve seen the same movie with Kansas all season. And we’re still waiting for them to play 40 minutes of great basketball.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. St. John’s (Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 20. Kentucky Wildcats<\/a> Friday’s win over Santa Clara featured the same chaos that’s defined Kentucky all season — topped by a tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Otega Oweh<\/a> near half court at the end of regulation. The Wildcats have been a mess despite their elite talent. But on Friday, Oweh, the preseason SEC Player of the Year, had a career-high 35 points, plus eight rebounds and seven assists. Denzel Aberdeen<\/a>, who won a national title with Florida last year, had 16 points. Mouhamed Dioubate<\/a> and Brandon Garrison<\/a>, both four-star recruits in high school, combined for 27 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks. The chemistry isn’t always obvious with this group — but it has the personnel to compete against any opponent.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Iowa State (Sunday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 0:25<\/p>\n Santa Clara-Kentucky trade late 3s in wild sequence to force OT<\/p>\n Santa Clara’s Allen Graves and Kentucky’s Otega Oweh hit clutch 3-pointers to send the game to overtime.<\/p>\n 21. Tennessee Volunteers<\/a> The Vols stopped Miami (Ohio) on Friday even though Nate Ament<\/a>, the 6-10 projected lottery pick, finished 0-for-3. Ja’Kobi Gillespie<\/a> instead continued to be the catalyst with 29 points. The Vols are the top offensive rebounding team in the country and, for the past six weeks, have also been top-10 defensively. They did have a letdown of a 2-4 stretch before the NCAA tournament despite wins over Vanderbilt, Alabama and Tennessee. If they keep playing to their strengths, they can reach the second weekend.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Virginia (Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)<\/p>\n 22. Louisville Cardinals<\/a> Mikel Brown Jr<\/a>., a projected first-round draft pick, missed his 13th game of the season Thursday and will miss his 14th on Saturday. So the team that showed up Thursday in the win over South Florida<\/a> is the same one that’s played more than two-thirds of this season without its young star. The good news is the Cardinals are 8-5 without Brown, including Thursday. Isaac McKneely<\/a>, J’Vonne Hadley<\/a> and Ryan Conwell<\/a> combined to score 51 points against South Florida and steady the ship, the way they have all season.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Michigan State (Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 23. Miami Hurricanes<\/a> First-year head coach Jai Lucas led Miami back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. When he arrived last offseason, he built his team around Malik Reneau<\/a>, the 6-foot-9 forward who transferred from Indiana. On Friday, Reneau recorded 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists. The Hurricanes may not have secured a bunch of earth-shattering wins this season, but they were steady (top five in offensive and defensive efficiency in ACC play) all season. That was enough to advance to the next round.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Purdue (Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 24. UCLA Bruins<\/a> The Bruins missed Tyler Bilodeau<\/a> (17.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 46% from beyond the arc) when he was out against UCF on Friday due to a knee injury. As a result, they had to hold off a tough Big 12 squad in the final minutes. It wasn’t a fan-friendly affair: The Bruins missed a lot of shots. But they also forced 17 turnovers. Eric Dailey Jr<\/a>. (20 points) was one of four UCLA players in double figures. If anything, the Bruins proved that, despite missing their best player, they can play the suffocating defense they’ll need to see the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. They’ll hope Bilodeau can return though.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. UConn (Sunday, 8:45 p.m. ET, TNT)<\/p>\n 25. Saint Louis Billikens<\/a> After winning 24 of its first 25 games, Saint Louis seemed to hit a wall in the final weeks of the regular season, finishing 4-4. Still, the Billikens’ body of work always suggested they were a team with an offense capable of dominance. We witnessed the latter Josh Schertz’s team registered 128 points per 100 possessions against a Georgia squad that finished 10-8 in the SEC. With Robbie Avila<\/a> and five other players who’ve shot at least 37% from 3 this season, the Billikens remain an offensive powerhouse.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Michigan (Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 26. VCU Rams<\/a> Down 19 points in the second half against North Carolina, VCU never lost its cool. Terrence Hill Jr<\/a>. (34 points) and Lazar Djokovic<\/a> (15 points, five rebounds, two blocks) led the Rams to their seventh win in a row. For the past 18 games — that’s included just one loss — they’ve been around a top-50 offensive and defensive team nationally. It’s that proficiency on both ends that they used to win a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles. It’s also how the Rams can advance to the Sweet 16.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Illinois (Saturday, 7:50 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 0:35<\/p>\n Terrence Hill Jr.’s 3, UNC’s missed FTs lift VCU to upset in OT<\/p>\n Terrence Hill Jr. knocks down a huge step-back 3-pointer, then Henri Veesaar misses pivotal free throws as VCU knocks off UNC.<\/p>\n 27. Utah State Aggies<\/a> Mason Falslev<\/a>, the Mountain West Player of the Year, and MJ Collins Jr<\/a>., a top transfer from Saint Louis, combined to score 42 points in Friday’s win over Villanova. Jerrod Calhoun’s squad has registered 120 points per 100 possessions this season with Collins and Falslev on the court together, per EvanMiya. They’re the spark for the Mountain West’s best offense — and Utah State’s best chance to advance. The Aggies also have an improved defense in recent weeks going for them. Only one opponent in their past four games has surpassed a 45% clip inside the arc.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Arizona (Sunday, 7:50 p.m. ET, truTV)<\/p>\n 28. Texas A&M Aggies<\/a> Thursday’s win over Saint Mary’s allowed the Aggies to showcase their ability to play at a slower tempo and still prevail. The 59-possession game was the slowest of the season for the Aggies, who’ve played at a top-20 tempo. Yet, they secured their third victory in four games with a dominant effort inside, outscoring the Gaels 28-12 in the paint. It also helped that Rashaun Agee<\/a> had his sixth game with at least 20 points and eight rebounds. The Aggies are 5-1 in those matchups.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Houston (Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT)<\/p>\n 29. TCU Horned Frogs<\/a> TCU knocked off some of the top teams in America this season. Two weeks after losing to Michigan in a tight game in November, the Horned Frogs defeated Florida and Wisconsin in back-to-back contests. In Big 12 play, they beat Iowa State and Texas Tech. For the past month, they have been top 25 in offensive rebounding rate, per BartTorvik. Their gutsy win against Ohio State punctuated that 7-1 stretch. The Frogs continue to win with collective grit and a roster that doesn’t have an NBA prospect but relies on four players averaging double figures — including Xavier Edmonds<\/a>, who had 16 points and eight rebounds against the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Duke (Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)<\/p>\n 0:22<\/p>\n Edmonds’ late bucket helps TCU hold off Ohio State<\/p>\n Xavier Edmonds hits the go-ahead basket with 4.1 seconds left to lead TCU to a 66-64 win over Ohio State.<\/p>\n 30. Iowa Hawkeyes<\/a> For a third consecutive season, the Bennett Stirtz<\/a>-Ben McCollum pairing has resulted in an NCAA tournament win. The two did it at Division II Northwest Missouri State in 2024 and did it at Drake last year. On Friday, the 6-foot-4 Stirtz led all scorers with 16 points as he and McCollum prevailed again.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Florida (Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS)<\/p>\n 31. Texas Longhorns<\/a> The Longhorns were 1-5 entering the tournament and ranked 161st in adjusted defensive efficiency during that stretch. They’ve been better this week, holding NC State to 98 points per 100 possessions in the First Four and then beating BYU despite A.J. Dybantsa’s 35-point effort. Sean Miller continues to ride the hot hand, whether that’s Dailyn Swain<\/a> (28 assists in his past five games), Matas Vokietaitis<\/a> (38 points combined in two NCAA tournament games) or Tramon Mark<\/a> (18.0 PPG, 45% from beyond the arc in the tournament).<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Gonzaga (Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, truTV\/TBS)<\/p>\n 32. High Point Panthers<\/a> Entering the NCAA tournament, Wisconsin had one of the field’s most impressive collections of wins, with victories over Illinois (twice), Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue. High Point couldn’t match that r\u00e9sum\u00e9, but it had the most efficient offense and defense in the Big South this season. And the Panthers had lost just once since Dec. 14. They went on to force 10 key turnovers (they’re ranked fifth in the nation in defensive turnover rate) in the upset win over Wisconsin. Rob Martin<\/a> and Terry Anderson<\/a> (38 points combined against the Badgers) could be a handful for Arkansas.<\/p>\n Up next: vs. Arkansas (Saturday, 9:45 p.m., truTV\/TBS)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Myron MedcalfMar 21, 2026, 01:00 AM ET Close Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":555459,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-555458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/555458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=555458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/555458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/555459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=555458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=555458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=555458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n Joined ESPN.com in 2011
\n Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato<\/p>\n
Thursday<\/a> | Friday<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/_end_rule.png\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118472_559_12.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 1 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Long Island 92-58 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118473_907_150.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 1 overall (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Siena 71-65 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/57.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 1 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Prairie View A&M 114-55 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118473_372_130.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 1 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 16 Howard 101-80 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/248.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 2 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Idaho 78-47 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/66.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 2 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Tennessee State 108-74 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/356.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 3 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Penn 105-70 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2509.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 2 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Queens University 104-71 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2599.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 5 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 Northern Iowa 79-53 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118476_873_41.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Furman 82-71 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/127.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 15 Bryant 92-67 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118481_956_c63c95b0-dc8f-4ae5-b198-fca49811bbce.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118481_269_8.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 4 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Hawai’i 97-78 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/158.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 4 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Troy 76-47 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118482_171_238.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 5 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 McNeese 78-68 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/258.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 3 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Wright State 82-73 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/r1531432_1296x729_16-9.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2250.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 3 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Kennesaw State 73-64 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/333.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 3 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 Hofstra 90-70 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2641.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 5 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 12 Akron 91-71 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2305.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 4 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 13 California Baptist 68-60 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/96.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 7 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Santa Clara 89-84 in overtime (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2633.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 6 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 Miami (Ohio) 78-56 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/97.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 6 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 11 South Florida 83-79 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2390.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 7 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Missouri 80-66 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118487_596_26.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 7 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 UCF 75-71 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/139.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 9 (Midwest)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Georgia 102-77 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118488_32_2670.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 11 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 North Carolina 82-78 in overtime (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/328.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 9 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Villanova 86-76 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/245.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 10 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 7 Saint Mary’s 63-50 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118489_454_2628.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 9 (East)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Ohio State 66-64 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2294.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 9 (South)
First-round result: Defeated No. 8 Clemson 67-61 (Friday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774118490_100_251.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 11 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 6 BYU 79-71 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2272.png\")
<\/p>\n
Original seed: No. 12 (West)
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Wisconsin 83-82 (Thursday)<\/a><\/p>\n