The Madness Has Begun

The 2026 NCAA Tournament kicked off with a bang on Thursday, March 19, and brackets across America are already in flames. Ohio State fell to TCU in a stunning first-round upset, while Nebraska won its first-ever men's NCAA Tournament game in program history against Troy.

The Bracket-Busting Storylines

This year's tournament is loaded with drama from the start:

  • Duke is the #1 overall seed, led by Cameron Boozer, widely considered the best player in college basketball.
  • Florida is defending its title and trying to become just the second school to win back-to-back championships multiple times.
  • South Florida, an 11-seed on an 11-game winning streak, is this year's trendy Cinderella pick against Louisville.
  • VCU has won 16 of its last 17 games and could upset North Carolina, which is without star freshman Caleb Wilson.

The Upset Watch

Experts are eyeing several potential bracket busters. The 5-12 matchup is always dangerous — at least one 12-seed has won in five of the last six tournaments. This year, Akron in the Midwest Region is the popular dark horse pick.

Fill out your brackets wisely — and expect the unexpected.