NCAA Baseball and Basketball Tournament Selections, Coaching Changes, and First-Round Results

2026 NCAA Baseball & Basketball: Selection Drama, Tournament Thrills & Coaching Shakeups

Across the college sports landscape, Selection Monday for baseball coincided with the crescendo of March Madness. While the diamond saw surprising seeding and notable omissions, the hardwood delivered a thrilling Elite Eight and a preview of the Final Four, all while the coaching carousel began to spin.

Baseball Tournament Selections

The NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament field for 2026 was announced on Selection Monday, March 24.

• UCLA will host a regional featuring Virginia Tech (two-seed), Cal Poly, and Saint Mary's.
• Georgia Tech will host a regional featuring Oklahoma, The Citadel, and UIC.
• Nebraska, as a host, drew a regional including Arizona State, Ole Miss, and Northeastern.
• North Carolina, a top-eight national seed, drew a regional including Tennessee, East Carolina, and VCU.
• Jacksonville State, a team with a 46-win record and a top-25 RPI, received a three-seed.

• Mercer was excluded from the field. Committee chair Michael Alford cited strength of schedule as a factor in the decision.
• Troy was included in the field.
• NC State received an at-large bid.
• Kentucky made the tournament despite losing eight of its final nine weekend series.
• Several mid-major programs, including Mercer and UTSA, were either excluded or received lower seeding.

Selection Monday produced discussions about seeding, omissions, and committee decision-making. Some programs reportedly canceled late-season midweek games to protect their RPI. The committee issued a memo regarding this practice.

College Basketball Tournaments: Selection & Early Rounds

Miami (Ohio) completed a 31-0 regular season, the first instance since Gonzaga in 2021. The team then lost in the first round of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament to UMass (NET ranking: 204). Miami (Ohio)'s schedule included no Quad 1 opponents and 26 games against Quad 3 and 4 teams. The selection committee's decision on Miami (Ohio)'s tournament bid became a topic of discussion. Coaches Steve Prohm, Bryce Drew, and Josh Schertz commented on the pressures faced by mid-major programs.

• TCU 66, Ohio State 64: TCU secured its first NCAA Tournament win since 2023, overcoming a 15-point halftime deficit. Xavier Edmonds scored the game-winning layup.
• Nebraska 76, Troy 47: Nebraska achieved its first NCAA Tournament win as a Power 5 school.

• No. 7 Kentucky 89, No. 10 Santa Clara 84 (OT): The game was tied at 73-73 on a 3-pointer by Otega Oweh as time expired. Kentucky won in overtime, with Oweh scoring 35 points.
• No. 5 Texas Tech 91, No. 12 Akron 71: Texas Tech led throughout the game. Five Texas Tech players scored at least 14 points. Akron's Amani Lyles scored 26 points.
• No. 1 Arizona 92, No. 16 LIU 58: Arizona established a significant early lead.
• No. 3 Virginia 82, No. 14 Wright State 73: Virginia overcame an early deficit for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2019. Jacari White scored 26 points.
• No. 4 Alabama 90, No. 13 Hofstra 70: Labaron Philon Jr. scored 29 points.
• No. 2 Iowa State 108, No. 15 Tennessee State 74: Iowa State won despite Joshua Jefferson sustaining a sprained ankle early in the game.
• No. 7 Miami (FL) vs. No. 10 Missouri: Game scheduled for Friday evening.

• No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa
• No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF
• No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 California Baptist

College Basketball: Key Matchups Analysis

Analysis identified several high seeds with potential challenges in the early rounds.

• Nebraska (No. 4 seed, South Region): Nebraska had not won an NCAA Tournament game. The team started 20-0 but finished 6-6 in its final 12 games.
• Alabama (No. 4 seed, Midwest Region): Alabama's defense was ranked 67th nationally by KenPom, the lowest among top-four seeds. Guard Aden Holloway was unlikely to participate due to a felony arrest.
• Virginia (No. 3 seed, Midwest Region): Virginia, under first-year coach Ryan Odom, faced a potential matchup with Wright State, a team known for its guard play.
• UConn (No. 2 seed, East Region): UConn had turnover issues and point guard Silas Demary Jr. sustained an ankle injury late in the Big East title game.
• Michigan (No. 1 seed, Midwest Region): Michigan was identified as a No. 1 seed with a potentially challenging first weekend, including a potential second-round game against Saint Louis.

Analysis identified teams with potential to make deep tournament runs.

• Kansas: Inconsistent performance throughout the season, alternating between strong displays and unexpected losses.
• Kentucky: The roster has underperformed expectations this season.
• Miami (Ohio): Ranked 340th in strength of schedule but excels in 3-point shooting (8th in Division I).
• Gonzaga: Entering the tournament with less attention, partly due to injuries, but ranked ninth nationally in defense by KenPom.
• BYU: Started the season strongly but experienced a decline in seeding following Big 12 performances.

Coaching Carousel

• Kansas State
• San Diego
• Air Force
• Tarleton State
• Cal State Bakersfield
• North Florida

• Adrian Autry (Syracuse): The team has not reached the NCAA tournament in three seasons.
• Jeff Capel (Pittsburgh): Pittsburgh is currently 10-17 and has made one NCAA tournament appearance in eight years.
• Kim English (Providence): The team experienced multiple overtime and home conference losses.
• Earl Grant (Boston College): The team is projected for its highest loss total of his tenure.
• Bobby Hurley (Arizona State): Coaching in the final year of his contract, the team is 14-13.
• Matt McMahon (LSU): Holds a 16-52 record in SEC games over four years.
• Wes Miller (Cincinnati): After a 3-7 start in Big 12 play, the team won four consecutive games.
• Porter Moser (Oklahoma): Has not achieved a .500 or better record in SEC play over five years.
• Damon Stoudamire (Georgia Tech): The team has not won since January 17th.

• Jake Diebler (Ohio State): The team is on the NCAA tournament bubble.
• Steve Forbes (Wake Forest): The program is likely to miss the NCAA tournament for a sixth consecutive season.
• Penny Hardaway (Memphis): The team is 12-15, 7-7 in AAC play.
• Thad Matta (Butler): The team is 15-13 after a six-game losing streak.

• Dana Altman (Oregon): His streak of 20-win seasons will conclude.
• Rick Barnes (Tennessee): The 72-year-old coach continues to lead the program at a high level.
• Tad Boyle (Colorado): The team's transition to the Big 12 has been challenging.
• Mark Few (Gonzaga): Consistent retirement speculation continues.
• Tom Izzo (Michigan State): At 71, he shows no indication of slowing down.
• Bill Self (Kansas): Appears re-energized and is anticipated to return for at least another season.

Coaching Candidates

• Josh Schertz (Saint Louis): Recognized for his tactical abilities, considered a candidate for elite jobs.
• Jerrod Calhoun (Utah State): Known for offensive strategies and effective use of the transfer portal.
• Casey Alexander (Belmont): Has achieved over 20 wins in ten consecutive seasons.
• Bryan Hodgson (South Florida): Formerly a top recruiter for Nate Oats at Alabama.
• Joe Gallo (Merrimack): Has guided Merrimack through its transition from Division II.
• Eric Olen (New Mexico): In his first year, is contending for an NCAA tournament bid.
• Travis Steele (Miami, Ohio): Leading Miami (Ohio) to a 29-0 season.
• Takayo Siddle (UNC Wilmington): Has established a consistent winning program at UNC Wilmington.
• Tony Skinn (George Mason): Has led George Mason to three straight 20-win seasons.
• James Jones (Yale): Has led Yale to consecutive NCAA tournaments.

• Luke Murray (UConn): Considered a candidate for a high-major head coaching role.
• JR Blount (Iowa State): Expected to be a candidate for jobs in the Midwest.
• Carlin Hartman (Florida): Recognized for developing frontcourt talent.
• Mike Boynton (Michigan): Expected to have opportunities for another high-major role.
• Emanuel Dildy (Duke): Has extensive Chicago ties.
• Jeff Linder (Texas Tech): Recognized as an offensive coach with a track record in talent evaluation.
• Justin Gainey (Tennessee): Expected to attract interest for positions throughout the Southeast.

Big Ten and Conference Tournament Previews

In 2024 and 2025, discussion emerged regarding the potential impact of the House v. NCAA settlement's revenue sharing on the Big East Conference. The premise suggested that football-centric schools would allocate most of their $20.5 million revenue share to football, creating a competitive advantage for basketball-focused schools. In the initial year of the Revenue Share Era (2026), the Big East Conference is projected to be a three-bid NCAA tournament league.

Several conference tournaments were scheduled for early March.

Division II Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale attempted to win its 100th consecutive home game on Tuesday, March 4, against Rollins in the Sunshine State Conference tournament quarterfinals. The streak is believed to be the second-longest home winning streak in men's college basketball history, trailing only Kentucky's 129 straight wins from 1943 to 1955. No current player on the Sharks roster has experienced a home loss, with the last defeat in Rick Case Arena occurring on Feb. 15, 2020.

Women's NCAA Basketball

UConn and UCLA both advanced to the women's NCAA Final Four for the second consecutive year after winning their Elite Eight matchups on Sunday, March 30.

• No. 1 UConn (38-0) defeated No. 6 Notre Dame 70-52. This victory marks UConn's 17th Final Four appearance in 18 seasons and extends their winning streak to 54 games.
• No. 1 UCLA defeated No. 3 Duke 70-58, extending its winning streak to 29 games. Duke's loss means the team has not reached a Final Four since 2006 and has lost six consecutive Elite Eight games.

The women's Final Four will feature four No. 1 seeds:

• No. 1 UConn vs. No. 1 South Carolina
• No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 1 Texas

Final Four Preview

• Location: Indianapolis
• Game Date: April 4
• Arizona: Defeated Purdue 79-64 in the Elite Eight. Key contributors included freshman forward Koa Peat (20 points, seven rebounds), wing Ivan Kharchenkov (18 points, eight rebounds), and guard Brayden Burries (14 points, six rebounds).
• Michigan: Defeated Tennessee 95-62. Yaxel Lendeborg contributed 27 points. Michigan's defense limited Tennessee to 38 percent shooting inside the arc.
• Common Opponents: Both teams were No. 1 seeds this season.

• Location: Indianapolis
• Game Date: April 4
• Illinois: Defeated Iowa 71-59 in the Elite Eight. Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points, and Andrej Stojakovic added 17 points.
• UConn: Defeated Duke 73-72 on a game-winning shot by Braylon Mullins. This marks UConn's third Final Four appearance in the last four seasons.
• Prior Meeting: UConn defeated Illinois 74-61 in November. Key players Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins have seen increased roles since that game.

Analysis provided predictions for the Final Four matchups:

• Illinois vs. UConn: A prediction suggested Illinois would advance with a score of 73-68.
• Michigan vs. Arizona: A prediction suggested Michigan would win 82-72, noting Michigan's three-point shooting (44% during the tournament) against Arizona's paint-focused offense.

Elite Eight Matchups

The Elite Eight field was confirmed following the Sweet 16 games, which concluded on March 28.

• No. 1 Duke advanced after defeating No. 5 St. John's 80-75. Isaiah Evans scored 25 points, Cam Boozer scored 22 points, and Caleb Foster contributed 11 points off the bench.
• No. 2 UConn advanced after defeating No. 3 Michigan State 67-63. Alex Karaban made a deep three-pointer with 1:39 remaining.

• No. 1 Michigan advanced after defeating No. 4 Alabama 90-77. Michigan utilized its physicality after trailing at halftime.
• No. 6 Tennessee advanced after defeating No. 2 Iowa State 76-62. Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 16 points and Nate Ament scored 18 points. Tennessee outrebounded Iowa State 43-22.

• No. 3 Illinois advanced after defeating No. 2 Houston 65-55. Their defense held Houston to 31 points in the first 30 minutes.
• No. 9 Iowa advanced after defeating No. 4 Nebraska 77-71. Iowa did not hold a lead until a Bennett Stirtz three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining. This is Iowa's first Elite Eight appearance since 1987.

• No. 1 Arizona advanced after defeating No. 4 Arkansas 109-88, scoring 60 points in the paint.
• No. 2 Purdue advanced after defeating No. 11 Texas 79-77, secured by a tip-in with 0.7 seconds remaining.

Second Round Results

Results from the second round of the men's NCAA tournament:

• Michigan 95, Saint Louis 72: Michigan recorded nine blocks in the game, with Aday Mara contributing four. Saint Louis's center, Robbie Avila, finished 0-for-3 from 2-point range against Michigan's defense.
• Illinois 76, VCU 55: Illinois's roster includes a deep lineup of players with diverse skill sets, including two 7-footers and multiple wing scorers.
• Iowa defeated Florida: Despite being undersized, Iowa matched Florida in rebounding and outscored them in the paint (32-30). Iowa secured the victory with a go-ahead 3-pointer from Alvaro Folgueiras.
• St. John's eliminated Kansas: St. John's won on a buzzer-beating layup by Dylan Darling. This marks the fourth consecutive season Kansas has not advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament.
• Arkansas defeated High Point: Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 36 points.

Sweet 16 Reseeding

Following the first weekend of the tournament, teams were reseeded based on performance: