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BRACKET BREAKDOWN: March 13

This is March.

Between now and Selection Sunday, every day I’ll give a “BRACKET BREAKDOWN” with my 68 projected teams for the 2026 NCAA Tournament along with my Top 16 seeds as well as emerging trends.

The team who’s currently in first place in their respective league will be listed as that league’s “automatic qualifier”.

Teams that have already clinched an automatic berth will be listed in BOLD.

The Current Field

America East (1)
UMBC (AQ)
American Conference (1)
South Florida (AQ)
ASUN (1)
Queens (AQ)
Atlantic 10 (2)
Saint Louis (AQ), VCU
ACC (8)
Duke (AQ), Louisville, North Carolina, Clemson, SMU, Virginia, Miami, NC State
Big 12 (8)
Arizona (AQ), BYU, Texas Tech, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, UCF, TCU
Big East (3)
St. John’s (AQ), UConn, Villanova
Big Sky (1)
Idaho (AQ)
Big South (1)
High Point (AQ)
Big Ten (9)
Michigan (AQ), Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin, UCLA, Ohio State
Big West (1)
UC Irvine (AQ)
CAA (1)
Hofstra (AQ)
Conference-USA (1)
Sam Houston (AQ)
Horizon League (1)
Wright State (AQ)
Ivy League (1)
Yale (AQ)
MAAC (1)
Siena (AQ)
MAC (2)
Akron (AQ), Miami (OH)
MEAC (1)
Howard (AQ)
Missouri Valley (1)
Northern Iowa (AQ)
Mountain West (1)
Utah State (1)
NEC (1)
LIU (AQ)
OVC (1)
Tennessee State (AQ)
Patriot League (1)
Lehigh (AQ)
SEC (10)
Florida (AQ), Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Kentucky,Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas A&M, Texas, Missouri
Southern (1)
Furman (AQ)
Southland (1)
McNeese (AQ)
SWAC (1)
Alabama A&M (AQ)
Summit (1)
North Dakota State (AQ)
Sun Belt (1)
Troy (AQ)
WCC (3)
Gonzaga (AQ), Santa Clara, Saint Mary’s
WAC (1)
Utah Valley (AQ)

First Four Out

Oklahoma, Auburn, New Mexico, Indiana

Top 16 Seeds

1: Duke (No. 1 overall seed), Michigan, Arizona, Florida
2: UConn, Houston, Michigan State, Illinois
3: Iowa State, Nebraska, Alabama, Purdue
4: Gonzaga, Virginia, Kansas, Texas Tech

Five Things To Know

  • Today’s Big 12 Tournament semifinals in Kansas City — Arizona/Iowa State and Houston/Kansas — could be the Final Four in a few weeks and not a single person would complain.
  • Oklahoma will take a six-game winning streak into tonight’s SEC Tournament matchup against Arkansas. This feels like a “win and in” type game for the Sooners.
  • No team in the history of the NCAA Tournament has ever earned an at-large bid with 16 losses. Auburn is 17-16.
  • Gonzaga’s Braden Huff (knee) is now jogging and shooting, but remains doubtful for the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Mark Few told College Hoops Today on Thursday. The 6-10 Huff has not played since Jan. 8th and averages 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds.
  • John Groce is two wins away from taking Akron to four NCAA Tournaments in the past five seasons.

Leftovers