2026 March Madness Thread

[kskenyon4]

Feels like its becoming very clear that beating UCF simply isn't enough to jump 2-5 teams (who knows where the committee has us). However, beating Arizona certainly leap frogs you...

Still need SMU/Ind/Auburn etc to not go and rattle off a run to their semis or finals

[Carthage World]

• NC State is likely in but not a sure thing if they lose -- favored by 9.5 points
• SMU is likely comfortable with a win, but uncomfortable without -- 6.5 point underdogs
• Auburn still alive with a win, but probably done with a loss that would move them to 16-16 -- 7.5 point favorites
• IU is either barely in or barely out coming into today's game -- 4.5 point favorites but recently lost at home to Northwestern
• Don't have a good sense on Texas, but probably similar to NC State -- 6.5 point favorites
• UC is favored by 2.5 against UCF -- the Knights could potentially solidify an at-large bid with a win but will be sweating with an L to the Bearcats
• UC probably needs more than just wins over Utah yesterday and UCF today but they are very much in the conversation with a W today

For what it is worth, Lunardi has:

LAST FOUR BYES - NC State, Texas, Santa Clara (lost in WCC finals yesterday), Missouri
LAST FOUR IN - UCF, VCU, SMU, Indiana
FIRST FOUR OUT - Auburn, Stanford (lost in ACC opener yesterday), New Mexico, Cincinnati
NEXT FOUR OUT - San Diego State, Virginia Tech (lost in ACC opener yesterday, Oklahoma, Cal

(Cal plays FSU at 7 p.m., Oklahoma plays South Carolina at 9:30 p.m.)

New Mexico and San Diego St would face off in the Mountain West Semi-Finals should they both win their Quarterfinal match-ups on Thursday. You'd have to think that the loser of that game would be sweating quite a bit on Sunday. Both teams should be challenged in their Quarterfinal match-up should the higher seeds (#6 Boise St and #7 Colorado St) win tonight.

[swilsonsp4]

• NC State is likely in but not a sure thing if they lose -- favored by 9.5 points
• SMU is likely comfortable with a win, but uncomfortable without -- 6.5 point underdogs
• Auburn still alive with a win, but probably done with a loss that would move them to 16-16 -- 7.5 point favorites
• IU is either barely in or barely out coming into today's game -- 4.5 point favorites but recently lost at home to Northwestern
• Don't have a good sense on Texas, but probably similar to NC State -- 6.5 point favorites
• UC is favored by 2.5 against UCF -- the Knights could potentially solidify an at-large bid with a win but will be sweating with an L to the Bearcats
• UC probably needs more than just wins over Utah yesterday and UCF today but they are very much in the conversation with a W today

For what it is worth, Lunardi has:

LAST FOUR BYES - NC State, Texas, Santa Clara (lost in WCC finals yesterday), Missouri
LAST FOUR IN - UCF, VCU, SMU, Indiana
FIRST FOUR OUT - Auburn, Stanford (lost in ACC opener yesterday), New Mexico, Cincinnati
NEXT FOUR OUT - San Diego State, Virginia Tech (lost in ACC opener yesterday, Oklahoma, Cal

(Cal plays FSU at 7 p.m., Oklahoma plays South Carolina at 9:30 p.m.)

NC State just wrapped up a win over Pitt, 98-88.

[GoBearcats31]

Bubble team SMU is underway versus Louisville

Remember when U of L seemed like a legit top 10 team earlier this season / a potential Final Four contender? Right now they are 6 seed-ish in the NCAA Tournament, a year after being supposedly underseeded as an 8 (and losing first round) -- seemed like Kelsey was building something special but seems he has the Cards back in solid standing but nothing spectacular. That said, I'd take UC back as a perennial tourney team and fringe ranked squad.

[GoBearcats31]

Bubble team SMU is underway versus Louisville

Remember when U of L seemed like a legit top 10 team earlier this season / a potential Final Four contender? Right now they are 6 seed-ish in the NCAA Tournament, a year after being supposedly underseeded as an 8 (and losing first round) -- seemed like Kelsey was building something special but seems he has the Cards back in solid standing but nothing spectacular. That said, I'd take UC back as a perennial tourney team and fringe ranked squad.

Another ACC bubble team goes down -- SMU falls to Louisville 62-58.

Perennial UC nemesis Ryan Conwell hit a go-ahead 3 with about 75 seconds to go and added another bucket late for the Cards.

[GoBearcats31]

Auburn beats Mississippi State, moves to 17-15

[London 'Cat]

It seemed every bubble team ahead of UC lost yesterday. UC sealed it own fate by blowing the late lead against UCF. Though I am confident they wouldn’t have got an at large bid either way.

[GoBearcats31]

UC will NOT play in the Crown, reports Scott Springer

[BearKatz]

Utah State 9 vs 8 Villanova.. Let's see how are UCs potential new HC does against a Big East Team.

[zykarious]

Utah State 9 vs 8 Villanova.. Let's see how are UCs potential new HC does against a Big East Team.

Round 2 against Arizona, if USU makes it that far. Give him a taste of the Big 12.

[bearcatbret]

Round 2 against Arizona, if USU makes it that far. Give him a taste of the Big 12.

I am guessing that Utah State will beat Nova. Let's just see how badly Arizona beats them in round two.

[SKell82155]

I am guessing that Utah State will beat Nova. Let's just see how badly Arizona beats them in round two.

Nice, possibly give Az advanced scouting of
Calhoun before he even gets here. Not that need it
lol. But guess it works both ways.

[GoBearcats31]

Third highest Ken Pom team to miss the dance

[GoBearcats31]

Third highest Ken Pom team to miss the dance

[bearcatbret]

Third highest Ken Pom team to miss the dance

If you are talking about UC, all they had to do is beat WVU at home (and away), beat Eastern Michigan, beat any of the Louisville, X, Georgia, Clemson, UCF at UCF and beat UCF in the Big 12 tournament and they would have been in. There were so many wins to be had and they all ended in losses due to bad play and bad coaching. All of those games listed were potential wins.