March 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nNebraska 76, Troy 47<\/p>\n
No. 4 Nebraska has been hearing all about the fact that it was the last Power 5 school without a men\u2019s basketball NCAA Tournament win, and the Cornhuskers were determined to end that in Oklahoma City. Also? They were determined for it not to be the end of arguably the best team in program history.<\/p>\n
Nebraska crushed No. 13 Troy and looked more like the team that started 20-0 and was one of the best stories in the sport this season. The Cornhuskers\u2019 \u201cno middle\u201d defense was suffocating. Their ball movement was crisp. Forward Pryce Sandfort was hitting. And the home-court advantage was powerful. This will be a tough out Saturday. \u2014 Joe Rexrode, senior writer<\/p>\n
No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese State<\/p>\n
3:15 p.m. ET on truTv<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a trend as old as March itself \u2014 offense can be slow to show up early in the NCAA Tournament. That plays directly into McNeese State\u2019s identity. The Cowboys aren\u2019t built on shooting, ranking 299th from 3-point range and 136th from two, but they dominate the glass and defend at an elite level.<\/p>\n
Vanderbilt, on the other hand, brings one of the most efficient offenses in the country into this matchup. Per KenPom, the Commodores rank seventh nationally in offensive efficiency, sitting top 40 in two-point percentage, top 90 from 3, and an impressive fourth at the free-throw line.<\/p>\n
The start early could tell the story late. Does Vandy come out making shots? Or will McNeese State\u2019s defense overwhelm the Commodores?<\/p>\n
If Vanderbilt grabs control, maintaining that pressure will be key, because McNeese thrives on relentless rim pressure, ranking top 70 in both free-throw attempts and makes. The Cowboys\u2019 formula is simple: disrupt, pressure and force mistakes, leading the nation in defensive turnover percentage.<\/p>\n
For Vanderbilt, the path is just as clear: execute, stay efficient and trust an offense that\u2019s delivered all season. McNeese is dangerous, but unlike your typical Cinderella, it won\u2019t beat you from deep. The Cowboys will try to drag you into the mud and win it their way. \u2014 Tobias Bass, staff editor<\/p>\n
No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU<\/p>\n
6:50 p.m. ET on TNT<\/p>\n
This game could be a pressure test for UNC if it isn\u2019t wise \u2014 even though VCU is seeded No. 11 \u2014 as the Rams are 27-7 and one of the hottest teams in this pod, having won 16 of their last 17 contests. The Atlantic 10 champs are defined by an aggressive style that could be described as organized chaos.<\/p>\n
The Tar Heels certainly have an edge in various areas \u2014 size, rebounding and transition scoring \u2014 but VCU\u2019s backcourt play will test UNC for 40 minutes. The Rams are +1.4 in turnover margin and force their opponents into 11.9 per game. They also average 7.4 steals per game.<\/p>\n
UNC will need to do the simple things well: control the glass and protect the ball. VCU will pressure ball handlers, but the bigger question is, will the Tar Heels\u2019 talent be enough to overcome a scrappy opponent or will VCU claw its way to an upset? \u2014 Zach Powell, staff editor<\/p>\n
No. 7 Saint Mary\u2019s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M<\/p>\n
7:35 p.m. ET on truTV<\/p>\n
What happens when an unstoppable force of chaotic, nonstop pressure and movement meets two 7-foot immovable objects \u2014 plus a 6-foot-8 one? We\u2019re going to find out. Texas A&M\u2019s famous \u201cBucky Ball,\u201d the name of coach Bucky McMillan\u2019s high-chaos, high-pressure style, vaulted the Aggies to an 8-1 start to SEC play this season. In that stretch, they averaged 84.5 points per game and scored 90 or more three times.<\/p>\n
The Aggies are known for their full-court pressure, high-tempo offense and rapid 3-point shooting. This season, they\u2019re 11th in the country in pace with 76.0 possessions per game, 14th in 3s attempted per game at just under 30, and 43rd in steals per game at 8.1. Six players average double-digit scoring for Texas A&M.<\/p>\n
The problem is, chaos isn\u2019t always controllable.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2266226372-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Bucky McMillan\u2019s Texas A&M squad loves to play fast, ranking 11th in the country in pace with 76.0 possessions per game. (Johnnie Izquierdo \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
After the fast start to conference play, Texas A&M went 4-7 in its last 11 games. A lack of effective defense caught up to it, as the Aggies finished the year with the fourth-worst scoring defense (79.6 points allowed per game) in the SEC.<\/p>\n
On the flip side, Saint Mary\u2019s deploys three gargantuans in Andrew McKeever (7-foot-2, 285 pounds), Harry Wessels (7-foot-1, 280 pounds) and Paulius Murauskas (6-foot-8, 235 pounds). They\u2019ll control the glass and make the runaway train that is Bucky Ball navigate through oak trees.<\/p>\n
In Mikey Lewis and Joshua Dent, the Gaels, who knocked off three-seed Gonzaga in their regular-season finale, have talented guards. Against Texas A&M, the question will be whether Saint Mary\u2019s can wade through the full-court press. On the flip side, the Aggies will be forced to bomb away from outside.<\/p>\n
If styles make fights, this should be a good one. \u2014 Devon Henderson, staff writer<\/p>\n
No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis<\/p>\n
9:45 p.m. ET on CBS<\/p>\n
A battle between Saint Louis, which ranks as the Atlantic 10 conference\u2019s top team in KenPom rankings, and Georgia, whose 22 wins this season match its highest total since the turn of the century, could very well come down to which team has the better gas tank. Both offenses were elite scoring units this season, with the Bulldogs\u2019 89.8 points per game ranking fifth and the Billikens\u2019 87.2 points per game ranking 10th in the nation.<\/p>\n
The style in which these teams racked up those points could make the difference Thursday night. Georgia led the NCAA with 19.91 fast break points per game and averaged 28.8 3-pointers per game, while Saint Louis\u2019 methodical, halfcourt offense peppered defenses with a variety of scoring options \u2014 seven different players averaged over 9 points per game for Josh Schertz\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n
Many fans will be familiar with Saint Louis\u2019 leading scorer, Robbie Avila, who previously starred at Indiana State. Avila averaged 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season as the Billikens frequently run their offense through the 6-foot-10 center.<\/p>\n
Saint Louis will need every single one of those good looks to keep pace with Georgia, especially if the Bulldogs\u2019 shots are falling and they can create turnovers to kickstart fast breaks. Sophomore Jeremiah Wilkinson starred in his first year at Georgia, leading the team with 17 points per game, but the Bulldogs\u2019 second-round loss to Ole Miss in the SEC tournament highlighted how much they rely on him \u2014 Wilkinson hit just 3 of 12 field goals and missed six 3-pointers as Georgia lost by four points.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Georgia\u2019s second-leading scorer, Blue Cain, struggled mightily against Ole Miss, but his junior-year leap has been a key reason why the Bulldogs are in the dance for a second straight year. If he can supplement Wilkinson, the Bulldogs could advance.<\/p>\n
But if Avila is finding open teammates all night, and Saint Louis shoots as well as they did all season (40.1 percent from deep), it\u2019ll be hard to stop the Billikens from winning their first tournament game since 2014. \u2014 Mark Puleo, staff editor\u00a0<\/p>\n
Correction: A previous version of this article contained several errors in the section about Georgia and Saint Louis. Silas Demary Jr. plays for Connecticut. He is not Georgia\u2019s primary scorer. Jabri Abdur-Rahim, who was listed as a player for Georgia, left the school in 2024. Gibson Jimerson and Yuri Collins were listed as the starting backcourt for Saint Louis, but Jimerson graduated last year and Collins last played for the Billikens in 2023. That section has been edited to reflect the correct rosters.<\/p>\n