2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
United States top collegiate-level basketball tournament for 2026
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was an event involving 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the NCAA Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2025–26 season. The 87th edition of the tournament began on March 17 and concluded with the championship game on April 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Michigan Wolverines won their second title, and the first under Dusty May. It was Michigan’s first national championship since 1989, ending a streak of four straight title game defeats (two of which were vacated by the NCAA) for the Wolverines.
Indianapolis, Indiana
9th Final Four)
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| Season | 2025–26 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 68 | ||||
| Finals site | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana | ||||
| Champions | Michigan Wolverines (2nd title, 8th title game, 9th Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | UConn Huskies (7th title game, 8th Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
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| Winning coach | Dusty May (1st title) | ||||
| MOP | Elliot Cadeau (Michigan) | ||||
| Top scorer | Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn) (117 points) | ||||
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Atlantic Sun champion Queens and Western Athletic Conference (WAC) champion California Baptist made their tournament debuts. Queens qualified in its first year of eligibility, becoming only the fifth school since 1972 to achieve the feat.
Ohio Valley champion Tennessee State made its third-ever appearance, its first since 1994, while Big Sky champion Idaho made its first appearance since 1990. Coastal Athletic champion Hofstra made its first appearance since 2001.[a] Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion Akron and Southland champion McNeese each made their third consecutive tournament appearance.
For the first time since 2022 there was a Philadelphia Big 5 school in the tournament, with both Villanova and Penn qualifying. Teams from 33 U.S. states and the District of Columbia participated.
For the second consecutive season, all top four seeds advanced to the second round. This was the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 that this had happened.[1] The biggest upset in the first round was No. 5 seed Wisconsin losing to No. 12 seed High Point.[2] Nebraska, High Point, Howard, and Prairie View A&M each earned their first ever tournament wins, although Howard and Prairie View A&M accomplished this in the First Four. Nebraska had previously been the only power conference team to have never won an NCAA tournament game.[3][4] The average margin of victory in the first round was 17.4 points, the highest since the tournament expanded in 1985. This, coupled with higher seeds' tendency to win during the 2025 tournament, has led to a belief that mid-major programs are unable to compete with major conference programs in the NIL and transfer portal era.[5] However, No. 1 overall seed Duke did get a challenge from No. 16 seed Siena, trailing by 13 points before recovering to win the game by six points.[6] Additionally, for the 18th straight year, a double digit seed made the Sweet 16, although for the third consecutive year no 12-seed or lower team made the Sweet 16, and for the fourth consecutive year only one double digit seed made the Sweet 16.[7][8][9] For the second straight season, no mid-major teams made the Sweet 16.[10][11]
The Final Four comprised No. 1 seed Michigan, No. 1 seed Arizona, No. 2 seed Connecticut, and No. 3 seed Illinois. While Illinois was the lowest numbered seed to make the Final Four in two years, the Final Four was noted for not having a real Cinderella story.[12]
This was the final tournament played under the 68-team format, as the NCAA voted to expand the tournament to 76 teams for the 2027 edition.[13]
Tournament procedure
A total of 68 teams entered the 2026 tournament. Thirty-one automatic bids were awarded to each program that won its conference's tournament. The remaining 37 teams received at-large bids, with selections extended by the NCAA selection committee on Selection Sunday (March 15). The selection committee also seeded the entire field from 1 to 68.
Eight teams (the four-lowest seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at large-teams) played in the First Four. The winners of these games advanced to the main tournament bracket.
| NET | School | Conference | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Oklahoma | SEC | 19–15 |
| 38 | Auburn | 17–16 | |
| 47 | San Diego State | Mountain West | 22–11 |
| 41 | Indiana | Big Ten | 18–14 |
Schedule and venues
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2026 tournament:[14]
First Four
- March 17 and 18
First and second rounds (Subregionals)
- March 19 and 21
- KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York (Hosts: Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Canisius University, & Niagara University)
- Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina (Hosts: Furman University & Southern Conference)
- Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Host: Big 12 Conference)
- Moda Center, Portland, Oregon (Host: Oregon State University)
- March 20 and 22
- Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, Florida (Host: University of South Florida)
- Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Host: Saint Joseph's University)
- Viejas Arena San Diego, California (Host: San Diego State University)
- Enterprise Center St. Louis, Missouri (Host: Missouri Valley Conference)
Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)
- March 26 and 28
- South Regional
- Toyota Center, Houston, Texas (Host: Rice University)
- West Regional
- South Regional
- March 27 and 29
- Midwest Regional
- United Center, Chicago, Illinois (Host: Big Ten Conference)
- East Regional
- Midwest Regional
National semifinals and championship game (Final Four)
- April 4 and 6
- Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana (Hosts: Horizon League and Indiana University Indianapolis)
Indianapolis will host the Final Four for the ninth time, having previously hosted in 2021.[15]
Qualification and selection of teams
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Automatic qualifiers
Teams who won their conference championships (31) automatically qualify.
| Conference | Team | Appearance | Last bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| America East | UMBC | 3rd | 2018 |
| American | South Florida | 4th | 2012 |
| Atlantic 10 | VCU | 21st | 2025 |
| ACC | Duke | 48th | 2025 |
| Atlantic Sun | Queens | 1st | Never |
| Big 12 | Arizona | 40th | 2025 |
| Big East | St. John's | 32nd | 2025 |
| Big Sky | Idaho | 5th | 1990 |
| Big South | High Point | 2nd | 2025 |
| Big Ten | Purdue | 37th | 2025 |
| Big West | Hawai’i | 6th | 2016 |
| CAA | Hofstra | 5th | 2001 |
| CUSA | Kennesaw State | 2nd | 2023 |
| Horizon | Wright State | 5th | 2022 |
| Ivy League | Penn | 25th | 2018 |
| MAAC | Siena | 7th | 2010 |
| MAC | Akron | 8th | 2025 |
| MEAC | Howard | 5th | 2024 |
| Missouri Valley | Northern Iowa | 9th | 2016 |
| Mountain West | Utah State | 26th | 2025 |
| NEC | LIU | 8th | 2018 |
| Ohio Valley | Tennessee State | 3rd | 1994 |
| Patriot | Lehigh | 6th | 2012 |
| SEC | Arkansas | 37th | 2025 |
| Southern | Furman | 8th | 2023 |
| Southland | McNeese | 5th | 2025 |
| SWAC | Prairie View A&M | 3rd | 2019 |
| Summit League | North Dakota State | 5th | 2019 |
| Sun Belt | Troy | 4th | 2025 |
| WAC | California Baptist | 1st | Never |
| WCC | Gonzaga | 28th | 2025 |
Seeds
The tournament seeds and regions were determined through the NCAA basketball tournament selection process and were published by the selection committee after the brackets were released in March.
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*See First Four
Source:[16]
Tournament bracket
All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4). Games on CBS are also on Paramount+, while games on TBS, TNT, and truTV are also on HBO Max.
Game summaries
First Four – Dayton, Ohio
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The First Four games involve eight teams: the four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at-large teams.
| March 18 – South Regional | ||||
| 16 | Prairie View A&M | 67 | ||
| 16 | Lehigh | 55 | ||
| March 18 – Midwest Regional | ||||
| 11 | Miami (OH) | 89 | ||
| 11 | SMU | 79 | ||
East regional – Washington, D.C.
| First round Round of 64 March 19–20 | Second round Round of 32 March 21–22 | Regional semifinals Sweet 16 March 27 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 29 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Duke | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Siena | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Duke | 81 | |||||||||||||||||
| Greenville – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | TCU | 58 | |||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Ohio State | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | TCU | 66 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Duke | 80 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | St. John's | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | St. John's | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Northern Iowa | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | St. John's | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
| San Diego – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Kansas | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Kansas | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | California Baptist | 60 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Duke | 72 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UConn | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Louisville | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | South Florida | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Louisville | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Michigan State | 77 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Michigan State | 92 | |||||||||||||||||
| 14 | North Dakota State | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Michigan State | 63 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UConn | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | UCLA | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | UCF | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | UCLA | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UConn | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UConn | 82 | |||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Furman | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
East regional final
March 29 5:05 p.m. |
| No. 1 Duke Blue Devils 72, No. 2 UConn Huskies 73 | ||
| Scoring by half: 44–29, 28–44 | ||
| Pts: Cameron Boozer, 27 Rebs: Cameron Boozer, 8 Asts: Cayden Boozer, 6 |
Pts: Tarris Reed, 26 Rebs: Tarris Reed, 9 Asts: Tarris Reed, 3 | |
Capital One Arena – Washington, D.C. Attendance: 19,502 Referees: Mike Reed, Tony Chiazza, Roger Ayers |
East regional all-tournament team
- Tarris Reed (MOP) - UConn
- Cameron Boozer, Duke
- Cayden Boozer, Duke
- Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's
- Isaiah Evans, Duke
South regional – Houston, Texas
| First round Round of 64 March 19–20 | Second round Round of 32 March 21–22 | Regional semifinals Sweet 16 March 26 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 28 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Florida | 114 | |||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Prairie View A&M | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Florida | 72 | |||||||||||||||||
| Tampa – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Iowa | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Clemson | 61 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Iowa | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Iowa | 77 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Nebraska | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Vanderbilt | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | McNeese | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Vanderbilt | 72 | |||||||||||||||||
| Oklahoma City – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Nebraska | 74 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Nebraska | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Troy | 47 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Iowa | 59 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Illinois | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | North Carolina | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | VCU | 82OT | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | VCU | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| Greenville – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Illinois | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Illinois | 105 | |||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Penn | 70 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Illinois | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Houston | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Saint Mary's | 50 | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Texas A&M | 63 | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Texas A&M | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
| Oklahoma City – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Houston | 88 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Houston | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Idaho | 47 | |||||||||||||||||
South regional final
March 28 6:09 p.m. |
| No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini 71, No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes 59 | ||
| Scoring by half: 28–32, 43–27 | ||
| Pts: Keaton Wagler, 25 Rebs: David Mirkovic, 12 Asts: Keaton Wagler, 3 |
Pts: Bennett Stirtz, 24 Rebs: Cam Manyawu, 5 Asts: Tied, 3 | |
Toyota Center – Houston, Texas Attendance: 17,010 Referees: John Gaffney, Michael Irving, Tony Padilla |
South regional all-tournament team
- Keaton Wagler (MOP) - Illinois
- David Mirković, Illinois
- Andrej Stojaković, Illinois
- Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
- Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
West regional – San Jose, California
| First round Round of 64 March 19–20 | Second round Round of 32 March 21–22 | Regional semifinals Sweet 16 March 26 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 28 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Arizona | 92 | |||||||||||||||||
| 16 | LIU | 58 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Arizona | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
| San Diego – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Utah State | 66 | |||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Villanova | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Utah State | 86 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Arizona | 109 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Arkansas | 88 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Wisconsin | 82 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | High Point | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | High Point | 88 | |||||||||||||||||
| Portland – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Arkansas | 94 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Arkansas | 97 | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Hawai’i | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Arizona | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Purdue | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | BYU | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Texas | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Texas | 74 | |||||||||||||||||
| Portland – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Gonzaga | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Gonzaga | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Kennesaw State | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Texas | 77 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Purdue | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Miami (FL) | 80 | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Missouri | 66 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Miami (FL) | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
| St. Louis – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Purdue | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Purdue | 104 | |||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Queens | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
West regional final
March 28 8:49 p.m. |
| No. 1 Arizona Wildcats 79, No. 2 Purdue Boilermakers 64 | ||
| Scoring by half: 31–38, 48–26 | ||
| Pts: Koa Peat, 20 Rebs: Motiejus Krivas, 12 Asts: Jaden Bradley, 6 |
Pts: Oscar Cluff, 14 Rebs: Oscar Cluff, 10 Asts: Braden Smith, 7 | |
SAP Center – San Jose, California Attendance: 15,854 Referees: DJ Carstensen, Michael Greenstein, Joe Lindsay |
West regional all-tournament team
- Koa Peat (MOP) - Arizona
- Jaden Bradley, Arizona
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
- Tramon Mark, Texas
- Braden Smith, Purdue
Midwest regional – Chicago, Illinois
| First round Round of 64 March 19–20 | Second round Round of 32 March 21–22 | Regional semifinals Sweet 16 March 27 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 29 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Michigan | 101 | |||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Howard | 80 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Michigan | 95 | |||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo – Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Saint Louis | 72 | |||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Georgia | 77 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Saint Louis | 102 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Michigan | 90 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Alabama | 77 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Tech | 91 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Akron | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Tech | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
| Tampa – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Alabama | 90 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Alabama | 90 | |||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Hofstra | 70 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Michigan | 95 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Tennessee | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Tennessee | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Miami (OH) | 56 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Tennessee | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Virginia | 72 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Virginia | 82 | |||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Wright State | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Tennessee | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Iowa State | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Kentucky | 89OT | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Santa Clara | 84 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Kentucky | 63 | |||||||||||||||||
| St. Louis – Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Iowa State | 82 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Iowa State | 108 | |||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Tennessee State | 74 | |||||||||||||||||
Midwest regional final
March 29 2:15 p.m. |
| No. 1 Michigan Wolverines 95, No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers 62 | ||
| Scoring by half: 48–26, 47–36 | ||
| Pts: Yaxel Lendeborg, 27 Rebs: Tied, 7 Asts: Elliot Cadeau, 10 |
Pts: Ja'Kobi Gillespie, 21 Rebs: Tied, 7 Asts: Ja'Kobi Gillespie, 4 | |
United Center – Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 20,410 Referees: Gregory Nixon, Bart Lenox, Jeffrey Anderson |
Midwest regional all-tournament team
- Yaxel Lendeborg (MOP) - Michigan
- Elliot Cadeau, Michigan
- Roddy Gayle Jr., Michigan
- Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
- Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
Final Four – Indianapolis, Indiana
During the Final Four round, regardless of the seeds of the participating teams, the champion of the overall top seed's region (No. 2 UConn, East Region) plays against the champion of the fourth overall top seed's region (No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini, South Region), and the champion of the second overall top seed's region (No. 1 Arizona Wildcats, West Region) plays against the champion of the third-ranked top seed's region (No. 1 Michigan Wolverines, Midwest Region).
| National Semifinals Final Four Saturday, April 4 | National Championship Game Monday, April 6 | ||||||||
| E2 | UConn | 71 | |||||||
| S3 | Illinois | 62 | |||||||
| E2 | UConn | 63 | |||||||
| MW1 | Michigan | 69 | |||||||
| W1 | Arizona | 73 | |||||||
| MW1 | Michigan | 91 | |||||||
- Final Four (National semifinals)
April 4 6:09 p.m. |
| E2 UConn Huskies 71, S3 Illinois Fighting Illini 62 | ||
| Scoring by half: 37–29, 34–33 | ||
| Pts: Tarris Reed, 17 Rebs: Tarris Reed, 11 Asts: Silas Demary Jr., 7 |
Pts: Keaton Wagler, 20 Rebs: Tied, 8 Asts: Keaton Wagler, 2 | |
Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 72,111 Referees: Ron Groover, Paul Szelc, Marques Pettigrew |
TBS/TNT/TruTV/HBO Max |
April 4 8:49 p.m. |
| W1 Arizona Wildcats 73, MW1 Michigan Wolverines 91 | ||
| Scoring by half: 32–48, 41–43 | ||
| Pts: Koa Peat, 16 Rebs: Koa Peat, 11 Asts: Tied, 1 |
Pts: Aday Mara, 26 Rebs: Aday Mara, 9 Asts: Elliot Cadeau, 10 | |
Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 72,111 Referees: Doug Sirmons, Keith Kimble, Doug Shows |
- National championship (Final)
TBS/TNT/TruTV/HBO Max |
April 6 8:50 p.m. |
| E2 UConn Huskies 63, MW1 Michigan Wolverines 69 | ||
| Scoring by half: 29–33, 34–36 | ||
| Pts: Alex Karaban, 17 Rebs: Tarris Reed, 14 Asts: Malachi Smith, 3 |
Pts: Elliot Cadeau, 19 Rebs: Morez Johnson Jr., 10 Asts: Tied, 2 | |
Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 70,720 Referees: James Breeding, Jeffrey Anderson, Kipp Kissinger |
Final Four all–tournament team
- Elliot Cadeau – (MOP) Michigan
- Morez Johnson Jr. – Michigan
- Alex Karaban – UConn
- Aday Mara – Michigan
- Tarris Reed – UConn
Record by conference
| Conference | Bids | Record | Win % | FF | R64 | R32 | S16 | E8 | F4 | CG | NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Ten | 9 | 21–8 | .724 | – | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Big East | 3 | 7–3 | .700 | – | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Big 12 | 8 | 11–8 | .579 | – | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| ACC | 8 | 6–8 | .429 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| SEC | 10 | 14–10 | .583 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Atlantic 10 | 2 | 2–2 | .500 | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big South | 1 | 1–1 | .500 | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mountain West | 1 | 1–1 | .500 | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| WCC | 3 | 1–3 | .250 | – | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| MEAC | 1 | 1–1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| SWAC | 1 | 1–1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MAC | 2 | 1–2 | .333 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| American | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Atlantic Sun | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big Sky | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big West | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| CAA | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| CUSA | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Horizon | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ivy | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MAAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MVC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NEC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| OVC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Southern | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Southland | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Summit | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sun Belt | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| WAC | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| America East | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Patriot | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
- The FF, R64, R32, S16, E8, F4, CG, and NC columns indicate how many teams from each conference were in the First Four, round of 64, round of 32, Sweet 16 and Elite Eight (regional semifinals and finals), Final Four and championship game (national semifinal and final), and national champion, respectively. The sum of the number of teams a conference placed in each round therefore does not equal the number of bids a conference received.
Tournament notes
Upsets
Per the NCAA, an upset occurs "when the losing team in an NCAA tournament game was seeded at least five seed lines better than the winning team".[22] The 2026 tournament had a total of six upsets.
| Round | West | East | Midwest | South |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 64 | No. 12 High Point defeated No. 5 Wisconsin, 83–82 No. 11 Texas defeated No. 6 BYU, 79–71 |
None | No. 11 VCU defeated No. 6 North Carolina, 82–78 OT | |
| Round of 32 | No. 11 Texas defeated No. 3 Gonzaga, 74–68 | None | No. 9 Iowa defeated No. 1 Florida, 73–72 | |
| Sweet 16 | None | No. 9 Iowa defeated No. 4 Nebraska, 77–71 | ||
| Elite 8 | None | |||
| Final 4 | None | |||
| National Championship | None | |||
Tournament records
Media coverage
Television
CBS Sports and TNT Sports had US television rights to the tournament.[23][24] As part of a cycle that began in 2016, TBS televised the 2026 Final Four and the National Championship Game.
In November 2025, TNT Sports and ESPN announced an agreement to allow ESPN's Dick Vitale to call a First Four game on truTV alongside TNT Sports' Charles Barkley. In exchange, Vitale and Barkley called a December 13, 2025 regular season game on ESPN between Indiana and Kentucky.[25]
CBS Mornings co-host and The NFL Today analyst Nate Burleson replaced Ernie Johnson for the first two weeks of the tournament, as Johnson announced his semi-retirement from hosting March Madness to focus on his increasing Inside the NBA duties for ESPN and ABC under a sub-licensing agreement from TNT Sports. Johnson continued to host the Final Four and National Championship Game.[26]
Television channels
Streaming
- HBO Max (only TBS, TNT, and truTV games), ad free tiers only.[27]
- Paramount+ (only CBS games), ad free tiers only
- March Madness app and website (with TV Everywhere authentication)
Studio hosts
- Nate Burleson (New York City) – First and Second rounds and regionals
- Adam Zucker (New York City) – First and Second rounds
- Adam Lefkoe (Atlanta and Indianapolis) – First Four, First and Second rounds, regional semifinals and Final Four
- Ernie Johnson (Indianapolis) – Final Four and national championship game
- Jamie Erdahl (New York City) – First and Second rounds (game breaks)
Studio analysts
- Charles Barkley (New York City and Indianapolis) – First and Second rounds, regionals, Final Four and national championship game
- Seth Davis (Atlanta and New York City) – First and Second rounds
- Clark Kellogg (New York City and Indianapolis) – First and Second rounds, regionals, Final Four and national championship game
- Jamal Mashburn (Atlanta and Indianapolis) – First Four, First and Second rounds, regional semifinals and Final Four
- Renee Montgomery (New York City) – First and Second rounds
- Candace Parker (Indianapolis) – Final Four
- Bruce Pearl (Atlanta, New York City and Indianapolis) – First Four, First and Second rounds, regionals, Final Four and national championship game
- Jalen Rose (Atlanta and Indianapolis) – First Four, First and Second rounds, regional semifinals and Final Four
- Kenny Smith (New York City and Indianapolis) – First round, regionals, Final Four and national championship game
- Gene Steratore (New York City and Indianapolis) (Rules Analyst) – First Four, First and Second rounds, regionals, Final Four and national championship game
- Chris Webber (Indianapolis) – Final Four
Broadcast assignments
- Ian Eagle/Bill Raftery/Grant Hill/Tracy Wolfson – First and Second rounds in Greenville, South Carolina; East Regional at Washington, D.C.; Final Four and National Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Brian Anderson or Jason Benetti/Jim Jackson/Allie LaForce – First and Second rounds in Buffalo, New York; West Regional at San Jose, California
- Benetti called the First Round, while Anderson called the Second Round and the West Regional.[28]
- Kevin Harlan/Robbie Hummel/Stan Van Gundy/Lauren Shehadi – First and Second rounds in San Diego, California; South Regional at Houston, Texas
- Andrew Catalon/Steve Lappas/Evan Washburn – First and Second rounds in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Midwest Regional at Chicago, Illinois
- Brad Nessler/Wally Szczerbiak/Jared Greenberg – First and Second rounds in Portland, Oregon
- Spero Dedes/Jim Spanarkel/Jon Rothstein – First and Second rounds in St. Louis, Missouri
- Brandon Gaudin/Chris Webber/Andy Katz – First and Second Rounds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Tom McCarthy/Candace Parker/Dan Bonner/AJ Ross – First and Second rounds in Tampa, Florida
- Jordan Kent/Jim Spanarkel/Jenny Dell – First Four first game during Tuesday session and both games during Wednesday session in Dayton, Ohio
- Brian Anderson/Charles Barkley/Dick Vitale/Jenny Dell – First Four second game during Tuesday session in Dayton, Ohio
Radio
Westwood One will have exclusive coverage of the entire tournament.
First Four
First and Second rounds
|
Regional semifinals and finals
National semifinals and finals
|
Television ratings
Most watched tournament games
(#) Tournament seedings and region in parentheses.
| Rank | Round | Date and time (ET) | Matchup | Network | Viewers (millions) | TV rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Championship Game | April 6, 8:50 p.m. | (1 MW) Michigan | 69–62 | (2 E) UConn | TNT | 18.3 | |
| 2 | Final Four Semifinals | April 4, 9:19 p.m. | (1 W) Arizona | 73–91 | (1 MW) Michigan | TBS | 14.29 | |
| 3 | April 4, 6:09 p.m. | (2 E) UConn | 71–62 | (3 S) Illinois | 14.16 | |||
| 4 | Elite 8 | March 29, 5:15 p.m. | (1 E) Duke | 72–73 | (2 E) UConn | CBS | 13.4 | |
| 5 | Second Round | March 22, 5:15 p.m. | (4 E) Kansas | 65–67 | (5 E) St. John's | 10.58 | ||
| 6 | Elite 8 | March 28, 5:15 p.m. | (1 W) Arizona | 79–64 | (2 W) Purdue | TBS | 10.1 | |
| 7 | Second Round | March 22, 2:45 p.m. | (2 MW) Iowa State | 82–63 | (7 MW) Kentucky | CBS | 9.79 | |
| 8 | March 21, 5:15 p.m. | (1 E) Duke | 81–58 | (9 E) TCU | 9.55 | |||
| 9 | Sweet 16 | March 27, 7:10 p.m. | (1 E) Duke | 80–75 | (5 E) St. John's | 9.37 | ||
| 10 | Second Round | March 21, 2:45 p.m. | (3 E) Michigan State | 77–69 | (6 E) Louisville | 8.47 | ||
See also
Notes
- Hofstra had received an automatic bid to the 2020 tournament for winning that year's CAA tournament before the former was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.