Now that the second round of March Madness has arrived, what will fans get on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22? We saw a couple of No. 1 seeds tested in the opening round, while the others cruised to victory.
We also saw some injuries in the first two days that could impact the rest of the tournament. Could Otega Oweh's first-round performance give Kentucky a shot in the arm to make a deep tournament run?
With four double-digit seeds in action in the Round of 32, could we see one of them squeeze their way into the Sweet 16? Here’s a look at the five most likely upsets for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
1. No. 7 Kentucky over No. 2 Iowa State
Why it could happen: Four words. Two players. Otega Oweh. Joshua Jefferson. Oweh is coming off a career-high performance with 35 points, while Jefferson suffered an ankle sprain minutes into the Cyclones' win over Tennessee State. If Jefferson is our hindered, who will step up for the second-leading scorer and leading rebounder?
Why it won't happen: Kentucky has proven to be inconsistent this season. The way the Wildcats won against Santa Clara could be the spark for the team to make a run. Or it's just another blip on the radar for a team that's spent a lot on its roster for inconsistent play.
2. No. 7 UCLA over No. 2 UConn
Why it could happen: If not for a heroic effort from Tarris Reed Jr. (31 points, 27 rebounds), UConn would have been knocked out in the opening round by No. 15 Furman. Couple that with losses to Marquette and St. John's in the final four games, and the Huskies look vulnerable. The Bruins looked dominant against UCF, until the final minutes.
Why it won't happen: UConn is UConn and Dan Hurley gives them a shot. As does Reed, who was one of USA TODAY's potential breakout players to watch ahead of the NCAA Tournament. The question is, do the Bruins have an answer for him? We'll have to find out.
3. No. 11 Texas over No. 3 Gonzaga
Why it could happen: Gonzaga struggled putting Kennesaw State away on Thursday, and looks susceptible to a potential upset. Texas, meanwhile, seemed to cruise to victory over No. 6 BYU and talented freshman AJ Dybantsa. Could the Longhorns have found their footing?
Why it won't happen: Texas lost five of its last six games heading into the NCAA Tournament, while Gonzaga lost three games all season. Yes, the NCAA Tournament is a reset, but the regular season matters, too.
4. No. 9 Saint Louis over No. 1 Michigan
Why it could happen: Saint Louis arguably had the most impressive win of the first round, beating Georgia 102-77, which is not even indicative of the 40-point lead it once held. With Yaxel Lendeborg dealing with an ankle issue, the Billikens can apply pressure early and potentially have a shot to knock out a No. 1 seed.
Why it won't happen: Michigan is elite. The regular season proved that, and Dusty May has brought his program very far in just two years of leading it. Lendeborg, if healthy, is the best player on the court, and that helps in March when the pressure begins to build.
5. No. 9 Iowa over No. 1 Florida
Why it could happen: Florida's Achilles' heel could be its guard play. The Gators were exposed a little by Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament. Iowa is led by AP All-American Honorable Mention Bennett Stirtz, who could cause problems for Boogie Fland and Xavien Lee to defend. The Hawkeyes play slow and can win if they dictate the pace.
Why it won't happen: The Gators are coming off one of the most dominant wins in NCAA Tournament history. Iowa cannot match up with Florida's big men, giving the Gators the opportunity for several second-chance plays. Ultimately, Florida is more talented and deeper than Iowa.
The Los Angeles Lakers have won eight straight games, but the Orlando Magic will look to snap that streak and get back in the win column tonight at Kia Center.
Austin Reaves’ injury and a tightly compacted schedule give the visiting team a disadvantage, and my Lakers vs. Magic predictions call for an upset victory by the home team.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this cross-conference matchup on Saturday, March 21.
Lakers vs Magic prediction
Lakers vs Magic best bet: Magic moneyline (+125)
The Orlando Magic have dropped three straight games after winning seven in a row, and they can earn a much-needed victory tonight.
Over the last 10 games, the Los Angeles Lakers and Magic both rank in the top-11 in offensive and defensive efficiency, and despite LA’s recent surge, the Magic can hang with them.
The Lakers will play their fourth road game in six days, and Austin Reaves could sit this one out. LA sports a +3.4 net rating with Reaves, but that falls to -1.5 without him. Look for a rested and motivated Magic team to get the dub.
Lakers vs Magic same-game parlay
The Lakers sport a 120.9 offensive rating across the last 10 games, and the Magic aren't far behind at 118.5.
Even if Reaves is sidelined, the Lakers have a 116.3 offensive rating without him. The Lakers have hit the Over in five of their last eight, and the Magic have gone Over in six of seven.
Jalen Suggs is averaging 5.2 assists on the season, and he's dished 6+ dimes in 14 of 26 games at home. He's reached at least that many helpers in four of his last five outings.
Lakers vs Magic SGP
Magic moneyline
Over 233
Jalen Suggs Over 5.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Magic Tricks
Paolo Banchero has aveeraged 25.1 points across his last 10 games, going for 23+ six times in that span. He scored 36 in his first tilt with LA this season.
Desmond Bane has also hit the Over on his scoring line in six of his last 10, and he's reached that mark in 21 of 35 home games. He scored 22 against the Lakers in his first matchup.
Jevon Carter has gone for 8+ points in nine of 16 games since joining Orlando, including each of his last three.
Lakers vs Magic SGP
Jalen Suggs Over 5.5 assists
Paolo Banchero Over 23.5 points
Desmond Bane Over 21.5 points
Jevon Carter Over 7.5 points
Lakers vs Magic odds
Spread: Los Angeles +3 (-110) | Orlando -3 (-110)
Moneyline: Los Angeles -150 | Orlando +125
Over/Under: Over 233 (-110) | Under 233 (-110)
Lakers vs Magic betting trend to know
The Orlando Magic have hit the 4Q Game Total Over in 27 of their last 40 games at home (+12.10 Units / 26% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Magic.
How to watch Lakers vs Magic
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
SPECSN, FDSN-FL
Lakers vs Magic latest injuries
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If you listened to Mashburn’s postgame studio monologue, you would have thought Kentucky lost to Santa Clara. It didn’t. Thanks to Oweh’s 35 points, including a buzzer-beating bucket to send the game to overtime, the Wildcats prevailed against the 10th-seeded Broncos. But, Mashburn spoke for Big Blue Nation when he said Kentucky is supposed to beat Santa Clara, especially with its pricey roster. Merely advancing to the second round won’t be enough to meet Kentucky’s standard.
“It's not an expectation to get to the tournament,” Mashburn said in the TNT studio. “It's about Final Fours and championships.”
The ‘Cats survived a first-round upset in a tournament filled with chalk, but now they’ll have their hands full with No. 2 Iowa State.
If the officials had granted Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek the timeout he wanted, this game might have ended differently. Up three points with a couple of seconds remaining, Sendek probably would have instructed his team to foul Kentucky to prevent a 3-point shot.
But, the officials didn’t see Sendek signaling timeout, Santa Clara didn’t foul, and Oweh banked in a bomb to stave off an upset.
Meanwhile, Pope’s predecessor John Calipari cruised into the second round with a red-hot Arkansas team. Pope’s not going to get that Final Four Mashburn talked about, but better go as far as Cal’s Hogs go, or face the heat.
“Coach (Rick) Pitino often refers to Kentucky as Camelot, and there’s a lot of truth to that,” Sendek said. “It is not like that everywhere else, you know. … I assure you, Big Blue Nation is one of a kind.”
By one of a kind, he means they’re more demanding than any other fan base in college basketball.
No wonder Calipari looks like he’s got the weight of the world off his shoulders.
Cinderella snoozes in 2026 NCAA Tournament
Blame NIL and the transfer portal if you must, or perhaps the Cinderellas are just enjoying a brief hibernation, but for the second straight year, the underdog napped in the first round of the tournament.
Tradition dictates we get a 12 vs. 5 upset, and so High Point delivered. Siena put a scare into Duke, but the Blue Devils rallied to fend off embarrassment. Otherwise, the biggest upsets were a pair of 11-seeds knocking out a couple of 6-seeds. That doesn’t count for madness, especially when you consider No. 6 North Carolina was playing without its best player, Caleb Wilson, and No. 6 Brigham Young was without one of its top scorers, Richie Saunders.
The good news about so much chalk prevailing? It heightens the chance for some epic Sweet 16, Elite Eight and Final Four matchups.
Final Four still intact
Before the tournament, I uncorked a Final Four of Michigan State, Houston, Arizona and Michigan. No reason to modify those picks. All four cruised in Round 1, while No. 1 overall seed Duke threatened to join Virginia and Purdue in the Hall of Shame.
Head to the Missouri Valley
If you’re in need of a new coach, you might try the Missouri Valley Conference. A couple of ex-Valley coaches are wearing their promotion well.
Josh Schertz has Saint Louis in the second round after the Billikens trounced Georgia. Two years ago, Schertz took Indiana State to the NIT finals. At Iowa, Ben McCollum passed the test in Year 1 after getting a call-up from Drake. McCollum’s Hawkeyes beat Clemson in the first round.
NCAA Tournament expansion? Please, no
The first round won’t kill off tournament expansion dialogue, but it should. Did anyone watch those first-round games and think, “You know what we need? We need the 69th-best team in the bracket!”
The bubble was as weak as ever, and the favorites served a barrage of blowouts in Round 1. Please, leave the field at 68. Nothing about this first round made a worthy argument for tournament expansion.
March Madness second-round upsets
Who’s on upset alert in the second round? Here are three to watch:
∎ Few gave Tennessee much chance to reach the Sweet 16 before the tournament began, but the Vols looked better in the first round than No. 3 Virginia did against Wright State. Tennessee plays the type of nasty defense that Rick Barnes loves, and a Vols team that beat Houston and Louisville is good enough to topple Virginia, which would be a fourth straight Sweet 16 for Tennessee.
∎ Miami aced its hire of 37-year-old Jai Lucas. The Hurricanes torched Missouri in St. Louis, and they’re good enough to threaten No. 2 Purdue in the second round. Three of the four 7-seeds won in the first round. If you judge Miami by the way it played against Missouri, it should have been a 6- or even a 5-seed.
∎ Now, for my boldest second-round upset: Kentucky can beat Iowa State if the Cyclones are without Joshua Jefferson, who injured his ankle in the first round. Never mind Mashburn's groaning, a second straight Sweet 16 for Pope would alleviate some heat. Just get the ball into Oweh’s hands, and let him cook.
We have 10 games scheduled across the Association this evening. My NBA player props for all the action will include Luka Doncic, Evan Mobley, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The reigning MVP is doing his thing again this season for the defending NBA champions, averaging 31.5 PPG. That ranks second in the Association behind only Doncic. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has cashed the Over in points in three of his last five.
SGA dropped 40 on Tuesday against Orlando, and he’s up against the lowly Wizards tonight, one of the worst teams around. He’s hit the Over in two of his last three road contests, and Gilgeous-Alexander averages 31.6 PPG on the road.
After scoring only 20 points on Wednesday, expect the well-rested SGA to come in and show out here.
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN OK, MNMT
Prop #2: Evan Mobley Over 19.5 points
-125 at bet365
Evan Mobley is having a nice campaign for the title-chasing Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 18.3 points per night. The big man is killing the competition lately, hitting the Over in three of his last four. Mobley just scored 26 against the Bulls, and 27 against the Bucks.
Both of those games were on the road, and the Cavs are in the Big Easy tonight to take on the Pelicans. The Pels are one of the worst teams in the league, and they’re allowing 22.6 PPG to centers.
Mobley will keep it rolling at Smoothie King Center.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN OH, GCSEN
Prop #3: Luka Doncic Over 33.5 points
-105 at bet365
Luka Doncic has been the talk of the NBA this season, and he looks set to potentially win MVP. The Lakers superstar leads the league in scoring with 33.4 PPG, and he’s been on a different level lately.
The Slovenian just scored 100 points across his last two games. Dropping 40 against the Rockets before pouring in 60 against the Heat. He also scored 36 against Houston last weekend.
Doncic is averaging 37.2 points per contest in March, and he’s cashed the Over in three straight road outings. The Lakers visit the Magic tonight.
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No, not because his team was handed the second-largest defeat in NCAA Tournament history at the hands of No. 1 Florida on Friday, March 20. Rather, it was a moment near the end of the game that made Diallo's reaction go viral.
With under two minutes left in the game, Florida redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux entered the game with the Gators ahead by 62 points. With the Panthers on offense, Diallo — who is listed at 6-8 on the PVAM roster — stood next to the 7-9 center for Florida and could not believe how tall the tallest player in NCAA basketball history was.
With his appearance in Friday's game, Rioux became the tallest player to ever appear in an NCAA Tournament game. Of course, setting records is nothing new for Rioux, who was 7-7 when he was 16, making him the Guinness World Record holder for the world's tallest teenager.
On Nov. 6, 2025, Rioux entered Florida's game against North Florida to become the tallest player to ever play in an NCAA basketball game, beating out Manut Bol, who was 7-7 and played at Division II Bridgeport.
Fifteen days later, Rioux became the tallest player to ever score a point when he made a free throw against Merrimack. On Dec. 17, he made a dunk to become the tallest player to ever score a basket.
He finished the game with two points on 1-of-3 shooting to go along with two offensive rebounds and an assist. He hardly had to get off the floor to complete his dunk for his lone score.
After earning a No. 9 seed in March Madness, the Billikens not only won their first tournament game since 2014, but also did it in style. Saint Louis led No. 8 Georgia wire-to-wire in a 102-77 drubbing, leading by as many as 40 points at one time.
Now, the Billikens are tasked with taking on No. 1 Michigan at 12:15 p.m. ET Saturday, March 21, from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, with a chance to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1957.
But that may still leave college basketball fans unfamiliar with the program asking, "What exactly is a Billiken?" Here's the history of Saint Louis' nickname for its athletic programs ahead of the second round matchup with Michigan in the NCAA Tournament:
What is a Billiken?
According to the Saint Louis University website, the Billiken was a national sensation in the 1900s. The mythical creature was used as the face of items produced, such as dolls, marshmallow candies, belt buckles, and other items.
The Billiken represents "things as they ought to be." According to legends, "To buy a Billiken gives the purchaser luck, but to have one given to you is better luck."
Florence Pretz — a Missouri art teacher and illustrator — is credited with the creation of the figure. In 1908, she patented her "design for an image" of the Billiken while working at Kansas City’s Manual Training School.
The belief is that Pretz found the name in a Bliss Carman poem and bestowed it upon her creation.
"I concluded if there is a chance that we shape our own lives, and my clay was mine to fashion as I would, I might as well make an image, which embodied hope and happiness to sort of live up to," Pretz said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Why is Saint Louis named the Billikens?
The school website is unsure of when the Billiken first became associated with the university. However, the mascot brings a sense of community to campus.
"Saint Louis University’s unique mascot brings more than team spirit. The Billiken is a mythical figure representing “things as they ought to be” — on campus and wherever he’s found.
According to one story, John Bender — a law student and the coach of the 1910 football team — resembled the good-luck symbol. Legend has it that a cartoonist drew a caricature of Bender and placed it in the window of the local drugstore.
After that, the team became known as the "Bender's Billikens." The rest is legend.
Of course, that's not the only origin story. Another version of the story says that local drugstore owner Billy Gunn was the one who linked the Billiken to SLU. According to a 1946 obituary, "Coach Bender walked into Mr. Gunn's drugstore one afternoon and was greeted by the proprietor with: 'Bender, you're a real Billiken!'
St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter William O'Connor was present when this exchange happened and first used "Billiken" in print when talking about the football team. Eventually, the nickname spread to all the athletic teams.
Other uses of the Billiken in popular culture
While Saint Louis is the only school to use the Billiken as a mascot, it can still be found in different places. Eskimos in Alaska render Billiken carvings as good luck charms, while a wooden statue of a Billiken sits in Tsutenkaku Tower for visitors to rub its feet for good luck.
In Chicago's South Side, the school year starts with the annual Bud Billiken Parade.
Saint Louis' mascot?
The mascot for Saint Louis athletics is simply known as "The Billiken." It has taken on the form of the mythical figure created by Pretz, while donning a blue shirt with the SLU initials on it.
Outside of the university’s basketball arena — Chaifetz Arena — sits the "Golden Billiken," where fans entering the game, or students preparing for final exams, rub its belly for good luck.
Fans will surely be rubbing its belly ahead of the game on Saturday against Michigan.
On the bench: Robert Guillaume (actor, “Sports Night”)
Director of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise, Gunn also wrote and directed the 2025 version of “Superman”… The one-armed man in “The Fugitive”, Katsulas was also known for his role in sci-fi shows “Babylon 5” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation”… Ed Harris portrayed Kranz in “Apollo 13”, which told the story of how Kranz led Misson Control’s efforts to return the crew home safely after a failed mission. He also led the Apollo 11 mission, the first lunar landing with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.,, A comic book writer and editor, O’Neil is known for his work with Green Lantern and Batman. O’Neil’s version of Batman was darker and the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s version in his Batman films… McBride was a two-time All-American soccer player at SLU and played 96 times for the U.S. national team, including at three World Cups, and scored 30 goals for USMNT.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 20: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts after a three point basket in the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at Toyota Center on March 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets came into this one in need of a get-right after too ugly losses to the Los Angeles Lakers, and get right they did, leading for the vast majority of the game, shooting 52 percent from the field, 47 percent from deep and holding the Hawks to 41 percent shooting on their way to a 117-95 victory.
The Rockets had a balanced attack for once, with all five starters finishing in double figures, led by Kevin Durant’s 25 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steal and 2 blocks to go along with 9-for-15 shooting and 3-for-5 from deep. He also had zero turnovers.
Jabari Smith Jr. had another strong game and has been one of the few Rockets playing relatively well in recent weeks. He had 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 3-for-8 from deep.
Houston also got a neat triple-double from Alperen Sengun, who finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists, while Amen Thompson had 14 points and so did Reed Sheppard, who also shot 4-for-7 from deep.
The Hawks were led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who finished with 21, and CJ McCollum, who had 17.
The Rockets move to 42-27 on the year and sit in fourth place just barely in the Western Conference, where they are bunched up with the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. They will be back in action again tonight, when they take on the Miami Heat at the Toyota Center at 7pm CST.
BUFFALO, NY — The connection between Michigan and Saint Louis starts with coaches Dusty May and Josh Schertz, who once met up in Boca Raton, Florida, with plans to quickly watch film but ended up spending 10 hours talking shop inside May’s former office at Florida Atlantic.
“He's an absolute basketball junkie,” May said. “He's a savant. I've learned so much from him.”
They are coaches cut from a similar cloth: May and Schertz are film-chewing basketball devotees who started as head coaches on lower levels — FAU for May and Lincoln Memorial and Indiana State for Schertz — before ascending to Saturday’s second-round matchup in the Midwest region between the No. 1 Wolverines and No. 9 Billikens.
And they have constructed two teams built in similar ways, with similar styles and a desire to set the pace with fast-tempo offensive playbooks designed to push the score up, up and up.
“They kind of play like us, to be honest with you,” Michigan guard Roddy Gayle Jr. said. “Very similar to us. Honestly, I look at it like, how do we guard ourselves?”
Added forward Yaxel Lendeborg, “We really run the exact same way. I feel like that’s a blessing and a curse for us.”
There is almost no doubt that Saturday’s matchup will be among the most frantic and high scoring in this year’s tournament. Look for fireworks when Michigan meets Saint Louis, and look for each team to chase the 100-point mark in deciding which will advance out of Buffalo and into the second weekend.
“We have a lot of things in common,” said Michigan center Aday Mada. “We both know what kind of shots we want. We have a good efficiency on offense. We play at a high pace. I think we are pretty similar teams.”
The numbers tell the story:
Saint Louis ranks eight nationally with 87.7 points per game. Michigan ranks 10th at 87.2 points.
The Billikens and Wolverines were two of the three teams to score 100 points in Thursday’s tournament action, along with No. 3 Illinois against Pennsylvania.
The Billikens rank fifth in field goal percentage (51.2%) and Michigan ranks sixth (51%).
Michigan is fourth in assists per game (18.7) and Saint Louis is seventh (18.6).
The Billikens rank 19th in the country in adjusted tempo, according to KenPom.com, while Michigan ranks 22nd.
Both offenses love to attack the rim. Saint Louis scored 66 points in the paint in routing No. 8 Georgia 102-77, while Michigan dropped 52 points in the paint in a 101-80 win against No. 16 Howard.
But the teams are not quite the same, and it’s in these differences — and in how each responds to the other’s subtle advantages — that the matchup will be decided.
Saint Louis is far more adept from 3-point range, and much more willing to let things fly from deep. The Billikens are second nationally in 3-point percentage (39.8%) and 12th in long-range makes per game (10.9). On the other hand, Michigan are 114th in attempts (25.1) and 85th in 3-pointers made per game (9.1).
The Billikens are also even more effective in transition than the Wolverines. Saint Louis averages 16.9 fastbreak points per game, sixth in the country, while Michigan ranks 78th at 12.4 points per game on the break.
“If it gets to a game where it’s like a shootout, then we might not get the edge on that,” Lendeborg said. “Because that’s what they like to do. So we’re going to have to do the best we can to run them off the 3-point line and make them finish over our size.”
That’s easier said than done — just ask Georgia, which wilted early in its blowout loss and was looking for the exits before the end of the first half.
But the Wolverines do have two built-in advantages. One is the team’s obvious edge in talent, with former top-ranked recruits such as point guard Elliott Cadeau and two potential NBA draft lottery picks in Lendeborg and forward Morez Johnson Jr., who had a team-leading 21 points against Howard.
Another is experience with facing an up-tempo offense: Michigan defends its own scheme every day in practice, at minimum giving the Wolverines the stamina to handle the Billikens’ frenetic pace.
“It’s going to be easier for us because we’re going to defend things that we’re used to defense every day in practice,” Mada said. “But it’s going to be a tough game, because they’re really, really good and really talented.”
That goes both ways, though, since Saint Louis practices against the same style. And there’s no doubting the Billikens’ confidence after rebounding from a 4-4 close to the regular season.
“We’re so talented offensively, we can play with anybody,” Saint Louis forward Brady Dunlap said.
Michigan players pinpointed the “extremely important” key, said Gayle, of setting the tone early and getting off to a strong start. Saint Louis never trailed against Georgia and led by 14 points with seven minutes left in the first half, eventually pushing that edge to 17 points at the break and as much as 40 points in the second half.
On the other hand, the Wolverines were unable to put down Howard until about six minutes into the second half. The Bison made 10 3-pointers in the first half, and trailed 50-48 after the first possession out of the locker room.
Controlling the flow of this potential shootout would play into the Wolverines’ most discernable advantage: a defense that ranks among the best in the country. Michigan is second in field goal defense (38.5%), third in blocks per game (5.9) and sixth in defensive rebounds per game (29.0).
In the end, Michigan will do its thing on offense, and so will Saint Louis. Given that neither team is likely to be budged off its preferred style, whether the Wolverines advance back to the Sweet 16 might come down to whether they can get the key stops that will mean the difference in a game destined to be among the most explosive in this year’s bracket.
“We’ve got to lead with our defense,” Lendeborg said. “We’ve got to be disruptive. We’ve got to do the best that we can to kind of knock them down a little bit and play in transition like we always do. If we can do that, then we should be set.”
Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: Do you believe the Suns are essentially locked into the 7th seed in the Western Conference standings?
Diamondhacks: Locks are for canals and filing cabinets, but I’ve assumed for a while now that 7 was our most likely slot. We lack top-ready talent and availability to durably compete with WC top 6, but still have a competitive-looking meritocracy in place that elicits motivated performance.
Ashton: Anything can happen, but these last two months do not look good. 9-11 (right? Anybody call that?) since the beginning of February. I do not mind the recent three-game skid as it involved the Celtics and the Wolves, on the road, in a B2B.
So, I am going to say yes, the 7th seed is the ceiling. I am not sure when Brooks can even drive to MMC with a broken hand and a broken driver’s license. Mark Williams finally felt his injury concerns. I just do not see immediate help coming soon.
OldAz: Pretty much. 5 games up on the Clippers with very few left to play, and while they are only 2-3 back of 3,4, or 5, they also are missing 3 starting-level players. 7 seems like a lock, and we need to win game 1 of the Play-In to avoid an elimination game. I also think the Clippers are not hard for the sixth spot because the only difference between 6 & 7 is home court in a single, non-elimination game. Better for them to focus on being healthy for that game.
Rod: I believe it’s more of being locked out of the 6th seed than it is being locked into the 7th. Getting higher in the standings is impossible without a good deal of help (losses) from the teams currently ranked above us but slipping even further back, into the 8th, 9th, or even 10th seed isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The Suns’ remaining schedule is much more difficult than that of the three teams trailing us, and an extended losing streak by the Suns could lead to an even worse position in the play-in games.
Q2: What’s your opinion of where the Suns would be in the Western Conference standings if Jalen Green had remained healthy for most of the season?
Diamondhacks: I suspect we’d have been somewhat worse had Jalen been healthy, and that’s not based on his injury-riddled 2026, where basic holistic stats like VORP (Value Over Replacement) and Win Shares suggest that he’s been our worst performer on the entire roster.
It’s based more on his career best 2024-25, when he still missed the second-most field goals in the NBA. He mitigated that with great athleticism, and was ‘okay’ overall, but still likely a downgrade from our other guards (Gillespie and Booker certainly, probably Allen and Goodwin as well) – from whom he’d presumably grab most of his minutes.
Ashton: I have continually asked for a larger sample size from Green over the season in the Sun’s system, and we have it. He runs hot and cold, just like in Houston. This is not someone that I would trust as a playmaker, and some of the silly midcourt shots state he really does not know his role. Well, this sounds familiar over the last couple of years.
I think he is inconsistent. But I am still willing to say that the Suns would be at least +2 in the win column and maybe more.
OldAz: This is a great question that I really don’t have an answer for. We have seen moments where the Book and Green backcourt looks incredible, but it also has Ott playing too much small ball. That could also just be because of the front-court injuries. Green being healthy all year may also have stunted the emergence of Gillespie. I think they are likely about the same place, but that’s not saying much when 3-6 are only separated by a few games. I believe they would have gone through these current growing pains earlier, but would still be somewhere among this same group.
Rod: Jalen’s had his ups and downs but overall I see him as a positive for the team. As such, I really believe the Suns would at least be fighting to hang on to the 6th seed if he had not spent so much time out injured, and at best the Suns might be in the fight for the 3rd seed at this point. Just having the extra time to figure out how to best utilize his talents earlier in the season would likely have made the team better overall by this time and probably would have added a few more wins…which is currently the difference between the Suns fighting to stay in the 7th spot or battling for one of the 3rd through 6th positions in the standings.
Q3: Should the Suns continue playing with their current starting 5 of Gillespie, Book, Green, O’Neale, and Oso while Brooks and Williams are sidelined?
Diamondhacks: If fans had any idea how much evidence based analysis is brought to bear on lineups, along with internal and external considerations, there’d be a lot less criticism of coaches. At least one would think so…lol. But for someone like me, who just watches the games and loves basketball, to pretend I’m as informed as – or more insightful than – this particular coach is about his players and team dynamics seems a bit like killing a mockingbird.
Ashton: Let’s just roll with it. There are very few options outside of starting Fleming, and any one of them can really heat up at any given time. It would be nice to see three of them heat up at the same time for consistency, but these fourth quarter collapses are disturbing.
That is my short answer. I have some college games to watch, and maybe the Suns turn out to be the NBA Cinderella in the postseason.
OldAz: No. This lineup is simply too small and gets killed by any NBA starting-level center and even marginal power forwards. I don’t mind Oso starting, but I would move Gillespie to the bench to maximize his bench minutes when Oso is no longer available. I would also replace O’Neale with more size. Allen is passable at the wing when he is back, but I believe Fleming needs to be at the PF spot at least until Brooks is back. Williams being back in place of Oso does not change this logic either. Until Dillon Brooks returns, they simply need more size at PF. I would actually go with Dunn and Fleming and rely on Oso to facilitate and Book and Green to carry the offense against other starting lineups.
Rod: At this point, I’d really just move Gillespie to the second unit, put Fleming into the PF spot, and bump O’Neale over to SF. This would increase the starting unit’s size and put Gillespie in a better position to score rather than playing him alongside Book and Green. I know some would prefer Khaman over Oso in the starting 5, but I don’t think he’s ready for that yet. Size has been an issue for the Suns all season long, and I think Fleming has reached the point of at least getting an opportunity to start a few games while the team is dealing with all its injury issues.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“We’ve just got to learn how to win together. Still a first-year group that’s dealt with injuries and not much time to go through these stretches earlier in the season together and figure out what works.” – Devin Booker
“It’s the cost of doing business sometimes when you’re trying to play physical defense, you’re going to get some ticky tack fouls, but got to find that balance and make smart fouls. Just make it as hard as you possibly can without fouling.” – Haywood Highsmith
“Win, lose, or draw, I’m 100% committed to the grind. We all are. We have the right group to continue to get better, and we’ll do that.” – Devin Booker
“It felt good. I didn’t feel the need to shy away from the ball. If I’m in that situation again, I’ll be ready to shoot them again. I’m not shying away from the ball.” – Rasheer Fleming on the Spurs game
Suns Trivia/History
On March 23, 2017, in a game against the Brooklyn Nets, the Suns had the youngest starting lineup in NBA history with 21-year-old Tyler Ulis, 20-year-olds Devin Booker and Derrick Jones Jr., 19-year-old Marquese Chriss, and 23-year-old Alex Len. The five had a combined average age of 21 years, 14 days. The Suns lost to the Nets 126-98.
On March 24, 2017, in Boston, Devin Booker (20 years old) became the youngest NBA player to score 70 points in a game in a 130-120 loss to the Celtics. By the end of the game, the Celtics’ home crowd realized they were witnessing something special and cheered whenever Booker scored. During this game, Booker also tied Michael Jordan’s record for most free throws made in a half (20) that had stood since Dec. 30, 1992.
On March 26, 1996, Phoenix’s A.C. Green played in his 800th consecutive NBA game – then the third-longest streak in NBA history – scoring seven points and grabbing nine rebounds during the Suns’ 102-98 win over visiting Sacramento.
On March 29, 1970, in just their second season, the Suns upset the Lakers 114-101 in Los Angeles for the franchise’s first-ever playoff win in Game 2, which evened the series 1-1. They would go on to win games 3 and 4 at home on April 2nd and 4th to take a 3-1 series advantage. Unfortunately, the Suns couldn’t get the 4th victory they needed to win the series and progress to the next round of the playoffs as the Lakers won the next 3 games. It was during this playoff series that Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn gave the Suns’ home, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the nickname “Madhouse on McDowell.”
This Week’s Game Schedule
Saturday, March 21 – Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks (7:00 pm) NBATV Sunday, March 22 – Suns vs Toronto Raptors (6:00 pm) Tuesday, March 24 – Suns vs Denver Nuggets (8:00 pm) Peacock
This Week’s Valley Suns Game Schedule
Saturday, March 21 – Valley Suns vs San Diego Clippers (7:00 pm) Tuesday, March 24 – Valley Suns vs Mexico City Capitanes (7:00 pm) ESPN+ Wednesday, March 25 – Valley Suns vs Mexico City Capitanes (7:00 pm) ESPN+
Important Future Dates
March 28 – NBA G League Regular Season ends March 31 – 2026 NBA G League Playoffs begin April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play) April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET) April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin
The Spurs recently announced the addition of Native American Heritage Night to their promotional events calendar.
The San Antonio Spurs announced plans for their Native American Heritage Night game, in collaboration with American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM), the Lindy Waters III Foundation and Nike N7 on Monday, April 6 when the Spurs host the Philadelphia 76ers. The night will include special in-game performances from Native artists, the awarding of a grant to local community leaders and many more elements that purposefully celebrate and honor the Native community in South Texas and beyond. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at Spurs.com/Tickets.
Spurs shooting guard Lindy Waters III is an enrolled citizen of the Kiowa tribe is also of Cherokee Nation descent. The Lindy Waters III Foundation’s mission “enhances and supports Native American Indigenous communities through sports, health, and wellness, and leadership programs.”
Lindy Waters III shared,
“As a Kiowa and Cherokee person playing in the NBA, I’m honored to be a part of the Spurs Native American Heritage Night. Events like this honor our ancestors and create visibility for our people. Seeing our cultures celebrated in this arena gives young Native kids the confidence to pursue their dreams and reminds all of us that our voices belong in every space.”
American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions curated the evening’s theme “Sacred Like Me,” with planned cultural storytelling, interactive experiences, and in-arena programming.
Activations include:
Land Acknowledgment Ceremony: Before tipoff, fans are invited to the ULTRA Club at 6:30 p.m. for a land acknowledgment led by a representative from AIT-SCM recognizing Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of this land. The space will also feature a vendor fair with information tables and interactive activities where fans can learn about Native history, culture, and community in San Antonio and discover ways to support Native-led organizations.
National Anthem Performance: Spurs play-by-play analyst Jacob Tobey will give a special performance of the National Anthem to open up the night. A proud member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Tobey became one of the first Native American broadcasters in the NBA when he joined the Spurs in 2024 and has used his platform to promote visibility and appreciation for the Native community.
In-Game Performances: Throughout the evening, fans will experience cultural performances curated in collaboration with AIT-SCM, highlighting the diversity and vitality of Native traditions through dance, music, and storytelling during pregame, halftime, and select in-game moments.
Exclusive Jersey: Fans can purchase a custom Native American Heritage jersey, designed by AIT-SCM, at the Spurs Fan Shop during the game. The jersey is available while supplies last, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Native organizations through Spurs Give.
Leaders & Legacies Grant: The Spurs will distribute a $5,000 grant to AIT-SCM in honor of Linda Ximenes, Tribal Council Member and Former Board President of AIT-SCM. The grant recognizes Ximenes and AIT-SCM for their work in providing access, opportunity, education and health programming for Native American communities across Texas. In partnership with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Ximenes will also be honored during the in-game Leaders & Legacies tributes.
For information regarding Native American Heritage Night and other promotional games head to Spurs.com/Promotions or text PROMOTIONS to 210-444-5940.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on March 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Expectations are the quickest path to disappointment. The Cleveland Cavaliers have learned that lesson the hard way.
Evan Mobley entered the 2025-26 NBA season with a bar that might have been too high to clear. Offseason buzz and previous success led to Mobley becoming a dark-horse contender for MVP. An award that’s exclusively won by the very best in the league.
It turns out Mobley is not that caliber of player. At least not yet. He’s nowhere near the MVP race and won’t even repeat as an All-NBA member this season. Projecting him to make that astronomical leap has backfired — and perhaps dampened what has otherwise been another season of steady progression from the 24-year-old star.
Look at it this way. Mobley is but a decimal point away from averaging career highs in both points and assists this season. Yet, the primary discussion revolves around whether he has taken a step backward in his development. What player flirts with personal bests while also trending in the wrong direction?
That logic doesn’t track.
The reason Mobley’s season has been framed as a disappointment is because of the expectations he rightfully set for himself. That extends to the prediction that Cleveland would once again trample the East following their 64-win season a year ago. The best-case scenario would have seen Mobley leading the MVP race while capping off consecutive campaigns at the top of the conference.
That didn’t happen. Mobely’s numbers have hardly changed while the Cavs are on pace to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference. There’s no denying that this outcome is one of the more disappointing ones.
But does it mean Mobley has actually regressed? Is failing to meet expectations the same thing as actually backsliding in development? I don’t think so. And Mobley has proven there’s still some evolution happening within his game.
Ups and Downs
While bold at the time, the prediction that Mobley could make a superstar leap was not entirely crazy. He had dominated as the third option on a historic offense last year. With injuries plaguing the roster in October, the path was cleared for Mobley to increase his usage and become Cleveland’s hero.
This led to Mobley attempting shots at a career-high rate. His team was force-feeding him the ball early and often, tossing him into the water to see if he would sink or swim. The early results leaned towards the former, with Mobley stumbling out of the gates to shoot just 46.1% from the floor in October.
Gradually, Mobley’s role was shrunk back to where he was before. He took 14.8 field goals per game in October, which decreased to 13.5 attempts in November, then finally down to 12.8 attempts in December — the exact number of shots he averaged last season. The experiment failed, and the Cavs had decided to pull the plug on Mobley taking another step forward.
Or so it seemed.
Would you believe that Mobley’s usage has not only returned, but has actually surpassed where he was in October? Mobley is now averaging 14.9 shot attempts in March, shooting nearly 60% from the floor while averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 blocks.
That type of production is more in line with what we hoped to see this season.
Evan Mobley is officially attempting more FGAs per game in March than he did in October – back when the Cavs were first experimenting with increasing his usage
“Evan, I think post All-Star, his numbers are just through the roof,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Not just the raw numbers but the process numbers: paint shots, drive percentage, close-out efficiency. All the stuff we’re emphasizing, it’s great to confirm that he’s trending in the right direction.”
Of course, there are loads of context to go around.
Mobley was attempting twice as many three-pointers (5.8 per game) in October as he is in March (2.9). That shot diet is more in tune with his strengths. He doesn’t need to be Kevin Durant — just be Evan Mobley. Shifting his focus back to being a play-finisher in the paint has brought out the best in him.
He’s also playing next to a more traditional point guard in James Harden than he was during the early portion of the season when Darius Garland was injured, and Donovan Mitchell was running the show. That’s naturally led to easier and more efficient opportunities for Mobley.
Finally, Mobley is enjoying the benefit of playing at center now that Jarrett Allen is on the sidelines. This has granted him more space to operate and has given him the bulk of Harden’s attention in the pick-and-roll. Harden dished out five assists to Mobley in their previous win over the Chicago Bulls. Four of those came in the pick-and-roll.
All of this skews in Mobley’s favor. Yet unlike in October when he was thrown off the diving board — Mobley is actually taking this opportunity in stride. He’s swimming to his strongest stretch of the season and delivering an encouraging sign of life. This is the most Cleveland has leaned on Mobley offensively, and the best he’s responded to that additional weight.
This isn’t to say things are perfect. Mobley’s free-throw shooting has plummeted to 50% in March and a career-low 60.6% this season. He has some soul-searching to do at the line and still has to prove the rest of his success can last more than a few weeks.
But when taking nearly an entire season of work into account, it’s important not to get lost in your preseason expectations. Those are gone now. What’s left is the production on the court. Mobley has course-corrected from a slow start and gotten himself back to one of the better months of his career. That’s the furthest thing from regression.
The ultimate test will come in the playoffs, where Mobley’s performance will give us our conclusion as to whether or not he’s grown. Until then, let’s avoid lazy narratives and continue to monitor his development.
LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon will use video review technology for the first time at this year's tournament, the All England Club announced Saturday.
The oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament will have the technology available on Centre Court, No. 1 Court — the club's second-biggest stadium — plus four other show courts.
Players will be allowed to review specific calls made by the chair umpire — such as double bounces.
Video review made its Grand Slam tennis debut at the 2023 U.S. Open. The Australian Open also uses the technology.
Centre Court and No. 1 Court will have video review available throughout the tournament, which starts on June 29, and the technology will be used on No. 2 Court, No. 3 Court, Court 12 and Court 18 for singles matches.
Players will not be limited in the number of reviews they can request.
Video review is separate from the electronic line-calling used for ruling balls in or out.
Last year, Wimbledon replaced line judges with electronic line-calling, though it wasn't without hiccups.
The grass-court major is also adding visual indicators for electronic line-calling on scoreboards showing ‘out’ and ‘fault’ calls.
“This enhancement has been made as a result of feedback following the adoption of live electronic line-calling last year,” the All England Club said in Saturday's announcement.
With March Madness starting, Nets fans are going to be watching a lot of basketball on split screen.
One eye on the Nets, and the other on the NCAA Tournament.
One on their team tanking for lottery odds, the other on the potential franchise-changer(s) they hope all this losing buys them.
Nets fans will be paying special attention to the three stars at the top: Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa.
The Nets came into Friday with the third-worst record in the NBA, and having a 40.1 percent chance of landing one of those coveted top three picks in the draft.
Peterson made his NCAA Tournament debut while Brooklyn was hosting the Knicks on Friday, while Boozer made his Thursday afternoon. Dybantsa put on an all-time performance in BYU’s loss to Texas, looking like a potential No. 1 overall pick.
“He’s going to be a great player. People talk about comparisons to [Kevin Durant], Jayson Tatum, and it does look like it to me,” Nets rookie Egor Dëmin told The Post of his BYU successor. “It’s a lot of midrange, really aggressive driver, slasher, the transition game, physicality, crazy athlete. He’s got everything to be able to play on the highest level.”
Dybantsa was spectacular, albeit in defeat. He put the full package on display Thursday, attacking the rim, putting on a midrange show, making a couple of questionable decisions against a defense bent on crowding the paint to stop him.
They couldn’t. His 35 points were the most ever by a freshman in an NCAA Tournament debut, with none even topping 30 in an opener since Stephen Curry in 2007.
AJ Dybantsa scored 35 in BYU’s loss to to Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2026. Getty Images
Dybantsa’s 894 points this season are the third-most by a freshman, behind only Chris Jackson’s 965 in 1988-89 and Kevin Durant’s 903 in 2006-07.
On the TNT broadcast, Bruce Pearl and former All-Star forward Jamal Mashburn gushed over the wing.
“This is the kid I would take with the No. 1 pick in the draft just because of the intangibles. Plus, the other thing you just can’t teach — that size and length,” Pearl said. “He’s got a chance to be a mismatch, even at the next level.”
Cameron Boozer looks to lead Duke past TCU in their second-round matchup on March 21, 2026. Getty Images
Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Durant, whose Big 12 tourney scoring record he broke. And Mashburn was full of praise for the phenom.
“He’s going to be special,” Mashburn said before the Nets’ heart-breaking 93-92 loss to the Knicks on Friday night at Barclays Center. “He’s going to learn. The kid’s only 18, 19 years old. He’s going to be something. He’s a generational [talent], a franchise-changer for somebody.”
Boozer was middling in his debut, with 22 points and 13 rebounds in Duke’s unconvincing first-round win over Siena.
Peterson debuted in Kansas’ opener Friday against California Baptist. With questions about his health after constant cramping cost him 11 games and forced him out of others, he can help himself the most of the trio in this Big Dance.
“I’m super excited. This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid. To be a part of it this year is huge for me and my family,” Peterson said. “No [cramp] concerns anymore. The last I don’t know how many games in a row I’ve been getting through without any issues. I feel like the cramps are behind me. I’ve been fine.”
Still, the first statement game of the Nets lottery targets was from Dybantsa, with ESPN analyst Sean Farnham saying the BYU star staked his claim to be the No. 1 pick.
“He’s been No. 1 all season for me. How do you watch him and not immediately close your eyes and believe that he’s going to be a star at the next level? Sure there’s holes in his game that he has to improve, but he’s accomplished everything you could ask,” Farnham said. “He’s as elite as you will find in a draft that has a lot of elite players.
“It’s loaded. But the energy AJ Dybantsa has played with this year separates him a little bit more, especially when you talk to NBA scouts. You talk to general managers, a lot of people you talked to down the stretch of the seasons, just the more they fell in love with his ability to draw fouls, lift defensive players; and they feel with the more open space of the NBA that he’s going to have a lot more success even at that next level.”
After weeks of anticipation, the most exciting two days in American sports have drawn to a close.
The first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is a beautiful symphony of chaos, with 32 games crammed into a 36-hour window. Those highlight reels of buzzer-beaters, massive upsets and emotionally charged moments that air throughout March and into early April? A solid chunk of them take place in those first two full days of action, when millions of people across the country are skirting personal and professional obligations to soak in all the madness that March has to offer.
As it does almost every year, the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament delivered. There were surprising results in thrilling games, with High Point knocking off Wisconsin in the time-honored 12-over-5 upset. There were furious comebacks, with VCU rebounding from a 19-point deficit to beat North Carolina. There were buzzer-beaters, with Kentucky’s Otega Oweh burying a prayer of a shot to get the Wildcats to overtime against Santa Clara. And whether it was High Point’s Flynn Clayman or VCU’s Phil Martelli Jr., there were post-game interviews that immediately went viral.
What stood out the most from an eventful couple of days? What teams, players and coaches were the most impressive in the win-or-go-home crucible of March?
Here are the 12 most impressive performances from the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
March Madness first round biggest winners
Saint Louis
In 2024, a 28-6 Indiana State team that had captivated much of the country with its best season since Larry Bird was on campus ended up being one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA tournament. Two years later, at a different blue-and-white school in the midwest, the coach and star player from that team showed us all what we missed with the Sycamores’ exclusion.
No team turned in a more impressive first-round performance than Saint Louis, which continued its breakthrough 2025-26 season under coach Josh Schertz and stellar big man Robbie Avila. In a 102-77 dismantling of Georgia, the Billikens shot 58% from the field, had 27 assists on 42 made baskets, had eight players score at least nine points and persistently embarrassed a power-conference foe which had wins over the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas this season. In the process, they became just the second team in tournament history to be seeded ninth or worse to score at least 100 points in a game and win by at least 25, joining the famous 1989-90 Loyola Marymount team.
After winning 24 of its first 25 games this season, Saint Louis limped into the tournament, going just 4-4 in its final eight regular-season games. If the win against the Bulldogs is any indication, it’s moved way past whatever was ailing it.
High Point…and its coach
In an event that has a wonderful habit of making once-anonymous coaches, players and schools national celebrities overnight, it took only the fourth game of the first full day of action to get our first Cinderella story.
No. 12 seed High Point entered its game against No. 5 seed Wisconsin as a 10-point underdog, trailed for 34 of 40 minutes, never led by more than three and was down by four with 56 seconds remaining, but was able to pull off the upset after getting a fast-break layup from Chase Johnston with 11 seconds remaining for an 83-82 win. The result was only a small part of the Panthers’ charm. Johnston’s winning basket was his first made 2-pointer of the season, as each of his 68 previous made shots were from 3-point range. Immediately after the win, first-year head coach Flynn Clayman gave one of the most memorable post-game interviews in years, sticking up for mid-majors like his own that have difficulty scheduling non-conference games against teams from the sport’s major conferences.
“It looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors during the season,” Clayman said. “They said we ain’t played nobody — we played somebody now.”
"Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn't play nobody. We played somebody now."
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 19, 2026
High Point doesn’t perfectly fit the bill as a plucky little upstart. The Panthers’ roster is reportedly worth more than the rest of the Big South Conference combined and the university itself is perhaps most famous on social media for having a steakhouse on campus. But on one afternoon, High Point reminded us all why we love March Madness underdogs so much.
VCU
With 15 minutes remaining in regulation in its first-round game on March 19, VCU trailed North Carolina by 19. The Rams were a popular 11-over-6 upset pick, but in that moment, the Atlantic 10 tournament champions looked to be just about finished. Then, in an instant, everything changed. VCU outscored the Tar Heels 19-4 in the final 6:11 of regulation, forcing overtime and ultimately pulling out an improbable 82-78 victory.
Though much of the attention after the game has focused on North Carolina’s collapse, and what it might mean for coach Hubert Davis’ future, the Rams deserve more than a sizable share of credit for the result. Terrence Hill Jr. was brilliant, scoring a career-high 34 points while making 13 of his 23 shots, including seven of his 10 3s. Twenty-three of those points came in the second half and overtime. The Rams continued their giant-killing ways, knocking off North Carolina as a No. 11 seed after having done the same to Duke and Kansas earlier this century. Then, after the game, first-year VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. took a moment to heap praise on the student reporters who have been covering his team throughout the season.
Really cool moment tonight postgame after VCU upset UNC. VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. made a point to shoutout the student reporters that made the trip.
Lots of great stuff this time of year, but this was a really awesome, genuine exchange. pic.twitter.com/9NiDQHfz63
Kentucky’s All-SEC guard saved his team’s season on more than one occasion on Friday, scoring a career-high 35 points along with eight rebounds and seven assists in the Wildcats’ 89-84 victory against Santa Clara. He provided what’s likely the highlight of the tournament thus far with a 32-foot 3-poiner that banked off the glass as time expired to send the game to overtime, a shot that came less than three seconds after Santa Clara took a 73-70 lead.
Heading into its second-round game Sunday against No. 2 seed Iowa State, Kentucky has been one of the bigger disappointments in the sport this season, with a 22-13 record despite having a $22 million roster. But with the Wildcats’ season on the line, Oweh did everything he could to make sure it kept going.
Tarris Reed Jr.
The most eye-popping numbers of the first round came in its final game, when the UConn senior had 31 points and 27 (27!!) rebounds in the Huskies' 82-71 victory against Furman on Friday. Reed was efficient on the offensive end, making 12 of his 15 shots. On the glass, he was a different kind of monster, outrebounding the Paladins by himself.
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 21, 2026
Just how impressive was the Michigan transfer? Reed became the first player in NCAA tournament history with at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in a game while shooting at least 80% from the field.
Nebraska
The Cornhuskers notoriously were the only program from one of college basketball’s five major conferences that had never won an NCAA tournament game. All those years of misery came to a halt on one cathartic afternoon, with Nebraska blowing out Troy 76-47 on Thursday. The win continued a magical season for coach Fred Hoiberg’s team, which got the season off to a 20-0 start and has now won a program-record 27 games.
Now, with that ignominious historical qualifier behind it, the Huskers can focus on another first heading into its matchup Saturday against No. 5 seed Vanderbilt: a first-ever trip to the Sweet 16.
Braden Smith
Heading into his team's first-round game against Queens on Friday, the Purdue All-American point guard needed only two assists to break Bobby Hurley's NCAA career record. He managed to do much more than that, dishing out eight dimes to move to 1,083 for his exemplary career.
For good measure, he also scored a game-high 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
Texas Tech
With All-American forward JT Toppin sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Red Raiders were on the receiving end of a popular upset pick in their 5-versus-12 matchup against Akron. By the time they were done with the Zips, they made those predictions of an early exit from the tournament look foolish.
Even without its best player, Texas Tech shot 64% from the field, 55% from 3 and had five players finish with at least 14 points in a 91-71 rout on Friday. Coach Grant McCasland has built one of the toughest programs in the country, one that has enough talent and wherewithal to withstand losing one of the country’s most productive stars. After their first-round showing, and given that they’re playing an Alabama team likely without its No. 2 scorer, the Red Raiders look poised to make it to the tournament’s second week for a second-consecutive season.
David Mirkovic
Though Keaton Wagler has deservedly gotten much of the attention for Illinois this season, his fellow Fighting Illini freshman was the brightest star during their 105-70 rout of Penn and former Big Ten foe Fran McCaffery on Thursday. The 6-foot-9 Montenegro native turned in arguably the most impressive individual performance of the first round, scoring a game-high 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting, along with 17 rebounds. It continued a late-season surge for Mirkovic, who is averaging 21.5 points per game over Illinois’ past four contests.
Siena
The Saints weren’t able to pull off the third-ever 16-over-1 upset in NCAA men’s basketball tournament history, but for the vast majority of their game against Duke on Thursday, it looked like a distinct possibility. They led for 71% of the game against the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed and were up by as many as 13 before the Blue Devils eventually pulled away for a 71-65 victory.
Siena did all of that while coach Gerry McNamara channeled his inner Norman Dale and played only five players, with each of his starters logging a full 40 minutes. After the game, Duke coach Jon Scheyer said that McNamara out-coached him, believing the Saints were “way more ready to play” than the Blue Devils. If McNamara ends up leaving after this season to take over at Syracuse, his alma mater, his brief Siena tenure ended on a high note…even in a loss.
Jacari White
With a Virginia program used to NCAA tournament heartbreak on the ropes against Wright State in a 3-versus-14 matchup Friday, the North Dakota State transfer came up huge for the Cavaliers, coming off the bench to score a game-high 26 points in an 82-73 victory. White sank 10 of his 12 shots, including six of his eight 3s. He scored 15 points in the final 13:20, helping the Hoos outscore the Raiders 32-23 during that time.
Florida
Listen, when you win a game by 59 points, the second-largest margin of victory in NCAA tournament history, you’re going to make this list.
While High Point fans are enjoying the ride after the Panthers upset No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the first round to earn the first NCAA Tournament win in program history, others like North Carolina are left searching for answers after blowing a 19-point lead to No. 11 VCU.
Here's a look at our five worst moments from the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
North Carolina collapses
The most obvious loser of the NCAA Tournament's first round is North Carolina, which has gone one-and-done in March Madness for the second consecutive seasons.
It's been a rough for years for the Tar Heels, one of, if not college basketball's most iconic brand. Davis led North Carolina to an unlikely national championship runner-up finish as a first-year coach in 2021-22, and has since declined an NIT invite, made the Sweet 16 once and been knocked off in the first round twice.
To make matters worse, North Carolina was in the driver's seat against No. 11 seed VCU on March 19. It blew a 19-point lead, the sixth largest in NCAA Tournament history and the biggest since Nevada's comeback against Cincinnati in 2022.
UNC was playing without star freshman Caleb Wilson, a likely top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but the excuses are starting to run out, especially for the Tar Heels' national-championship-or-bust standards.
AJ Dybantsa's career comes to an end
College basketball fans were robbed of freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa making a run at the 2026 NCAA Tournament after No. 6 seed BYU was upset Texas 79-71 in the first round, with his college career likely ending as a result.
Dybantsa played his best ball of the season as the Cougars limped into March Madness following the loss of Richie Saunders to a season-ending injury. The projected No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft scored 35 points against the Longhorns, which succeeding a 26-point performance vs. Houston in the Big 12 tournament and a pair of 27- and 40-point showings against West Virginia and Kansas State, respectively.
BYU lost eight of its last 12 regular season games, despite Dybantsa leading the country averaging 25.5 points per game. His career is likely over, and Cougars coach Kevin Young said postgame it's pretty clear he's a bit different than others on the floor.
"There were moments in tonight's game where he just looked like that Portland Trailblazer floor should have been down there,” Young said. “Just look like an NBA player, the stuff he's able to do on the court.”
Joshua Jefferson leaves Iowa State game with injury
Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson, a second-team All-American this season, only played three minutes in the Cyclones' huge 108-74 win over East Tennessee State in the first round due to injury.
It's unclear the severity, but losing Jefferson would be a huge loss for Iowa State, a team capable of making a Final Four run. Coach T.J. Otzelberger said he sprained his ankle and that x-rays were negative but added he was unsure of his status for the second round against Kentucky.
"We'll continue to reevaluate over the next day or two and just see where things are when we get to Sunday and we figure out what time we play," Otzelberger said.
Wisconsin exits in first weekend again
For the third consecutive season, Wisconsin failed to advance past the first weekend despite being the higher seed in all three of its losses.
The Badgers lost to No. 12 seed High Point in the first round on March 19, which marks its second loss to a No. 12 seed in three seasons after falling to James Madison in 2024. Wisconsin won its first-round game over No. 14 seed Montana last season, before falling to No. 6 seed BYU in the second round.
It's an unfortunate series of trips to the NCAA Tournament for longtime coach Greg Gard and Co. Gard hasn't led Wisconsin to a Sweet 16 appearance since his first two seasons at the helm in 2016 and 2017, despite having made the NCAA Tournament, despite reaching the big dance in six of his eight eligible seasons since.
Kevin Willard's "jokes"
Kevin Willard joked he was going to fire his coaching staff after Villanova's slow start against No. 9 seed Utah State on March 20 during an in-game interview with TNT's Lauren Shehadi.
After Villanova's eventual loss to the Aggies, he made the joke again in his postgame press conference but had to clarify he was joking after his intentions were a bit unclear originally.
"It's a joke, god bless," Willard said after the game. "I don't care. Welcome to my life. It's a joke."
It was an odd sequence for the first-year Villanova coach, who led the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since reaching the Final Four in 2022.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Evan Mobley
Luka Doncic
