Category: NBA

How do you approach your March Madness bracket?

Does history guide your pen? Are you haunted by ghosts of flops from years past?

If so, you’re naturally wary of the Arizona Wildcats. They’re a persistent March fizzler.

Can Arizona win it all? Why these 11 teams could dominate March Madness

Bracketology: March Madness projection has changes on bubble

Never mind their 28-2 record or their No. 2 national ranking or the fact they just donned championship shirts after winning the nation’s toughest conference, a Big 12 that absorbed the exits of Texas and Oklahoma a few years ago and rebuilt its basketball product into a beast, thanks to the addition of schools like Arizona.

Never mind the Wildcats just suffocated No. 7 Iowa State, 73-57, a fine team in its own right, good for Arizona’s 14th victory against a Quad 1 opponent.

“I’m super proud of these guys,” coach Tommy Lloyd said on ESPN after the win. “They’ve been on a mission all year.”

Mission accomplished so far, but teams are remembered for what they do after all the regular-season hardware gets awarded.

Lute Olson’s 2001 Wildcats remain the last Arizona team to make the Final Four.

The stats and the achievements of these Wildcats are all very impressive, worthy of a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed no matter what happens in the Big 12 Tournament. You’ll find no team more battle-tested, but you don’t need an elephant’s memory to remember Arizona has ventured down this path before without it ending in a Final Four.

Can Arizona shake March Madness history of past quarter-century?

Eleven times in the previous 24 seasons, Arizona earned a No. 4 seed or better in the NCAA Tournament. None of those teams reached the Final Four.

If flashbacks of those burnouts loom in your mind, you’ll understandably approach these Wildcats cautiously when it’s time to put pen to paper on your bracket in a couple of weeks.

And yet if you shove all that history out of your mind, you’ll see a coach who’s ascending, and a team that plays as tough of defense as anyone this side of Duke and Michigan.

You’ll see a squad more balanced than the Dukies, who’re fueled by the sensational Cameron Boozer but whose scoring punch doesn’t go nearly so deep as Arizona’s. Either Boozer or sidekick Isaiah Evans has led Duke in scoring in each of the past 24 games.

Star power of Boozer’s magnitude is a feature, not a bug, in March Madness. Still, how can you not be drawn to an Arizona team so balanced it got 10 points and 15 rebounds from sixth man Tobe Awaka against Iowa State? You get to Awaka after a starting five that each averages in double-digits scoring.

Arizona 'going to be scary' in NCAA Tournament

To hear Arizona's Jaden Bradley tell it after this destruction of Iowa State, the Wildcats are “going to be scary” at the season’s crescendo.

Yeah, sure, but we all still remember those 2022 Wildcats who earned a No. 1 seed and then bowed out in the Sweet 16.

Well, that team didn’t have a veteran point guard as good as Bradley. Old guards win in March, or did you forget Walter Clayton Jr.?

Bradley kept cooking with 17 points against Iowa State. He’s right, the Wildcats are plenty scary, especially when they defend like they did against the Cyclones.

Iowa State’s season-best scorers Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic will be ready to face anyone but Arizona in the NCAA Tournament. They combined for 4-of-25 shooting, a byproduct of Arizona's nasty defense.

As ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla put it afterward, Lloyd “wants to pulverize you.”

Well, he’s got the squad to do just that.

Two days after pulverizing Kansas, the Wildcats punished Iowa State.

These aren’t chump opponents, either. Kansas and Iowa State are the caliber of teams Arizona might face in the Sweet 16, the round where the Wildcats got booted in three of the past four seasons.

Now, here's Arizona, marching toward another lofty seed, looking like just the type of team you’d confidently mark into the Final Four in your office bracket pool, if you weren’t so haunted by past brackets busted.

 “This team," Lloyd said, "has a chance to do something special."

Past Arizona teams had that chance, too, and failed to deliver. Those teams weren’t quite so balanced, so proven, so “scary” as this one. So scary, in fact, you might just want to cast history aside and start writing down Arizona when that bracket comes out.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona March Madness history is scary. Wildcats may break Final Four drought

Dave DeBusscherre is an underappreciated great of the game.

Born in 1940 in Detroit, DeBusscherre was a talented basketball and baseball player. He attended the University of Detroit (now Detroit Mercy). Like Danny Ainge and Duke legend Dick Groat, DeBusscherre played professionally in both sports.

Amazingly, in 1964-65, at the tender age of 24, he was named player-coach of the Detroit Pistons. His greatest fame came after he was traded to the New York Knicks and became a key part of two championship teams there.

DeBusscherre was famous for intensity, defense, and hustle. When you watch this video, you’ll see just how much his teammates thought of him. He was really the final piece of a great team.

He retired in 1974, and after working for the ABA’s New York Nets for a year, became the final commissioner of the ABA, helping to organize the 1976 merger.

After that, he went back to the Knicks and ultimately got to draft Patrick Ewing in 1985.

Sadly, DeBusscherre died of a heart attack on a Manhattan street in 2003.

He was a tremendous player though and his ability to accept and perfect his role with the Knicks was a key to their brilliant post-Celtics dynasty run.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions | Drop us a line

March has arrived in men's college basketball, and the Madness has already begun.

Over the weekend, several teams that were in the mix with Connecticut for the final 1-seed saw some crushing losses that have them out of contention, while other teams made some positive headway with their projected NCAA tournament seedings, such as Florida annihilating No. 19 Arkansas by 34 points to jump in the mix for that 1-seed.

That is just the tip of the iceberg, though.

REQUIRED READING: Five most undervalued teams heading into conference tournaments

The bubble remains congested and work in progress heading into the final week of the regular season for the sports' power five conferences and some mid-major conferences. Auburn finds itself sitting on the outside after a Quad 3 loss to Mississippi dropped them to 1-7 in their last eight games.

Several other Power 5 conference teams — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Big East — that look to be "locks" for March Madness have hit a few roadblocks that can knock them down a seed line if they aren't able to rebound in the final week of the regular season or if they can't get can't a win (or two) at their respective conference tournaments.

Here’s a look at the latest NCAA tournament bracket projection, which takes into account games played through Monday, March 2:

March Madness bracket predictions

Last Four In

• Santa Clara **
• New Mexico **
• TCU **
• Indiana **

First Four Out

• Auburn
• Virginia Commonwealth
• San Diego State
• Seton Hall

MARCH MADNESS BRACKET: Teams rising, falling in projected NCAA field

No. 1 Seeds

• Duke (AQ — ACC)
• Arizona (AQ — Big 12)
• Michigan (AQ — Big Ten)
• UConn (AQ — Big East)

There is no change at the 1-seed line since the last projection. It's UConn vs. the likes of Florida/Illinois/Houston for that final 1-seed spot. The Huskies handled business last week to separate themselves from the 2-seed line a bit with their eighth Quad 1 win of the season against St. John's and a gutsy win over Seton Hall.

No. 2 Seeds

• Florida (AQ — SEC)
• Illinois
• Houston
• Michigan State

Florida is beginning to come into the mix and knock on the door of a 1-seed following its 34-point win over No. 19 Arkansas over the weekend, where it got 23 points from Thomas Haugh. The Gators are 18-2 since their less-than-ideal 5-4 start to the season, where they were unable to lock up a signature Quad 1 win in non-conference play.

Michigan State bumps up to the 2-seed line after a 2-0 week on the road with wins at No. 14 Purdue and Indiana. The Spartans have a big one coming up against Michigan to end the regular season before heading to the Big Ten tournament in Chicago.

No. 3 Seeds

• Iowa State
• Purdue
• Kansas
• Gonzaga (AQ — West Coast Conference)

Iowa State and Purdue are both losing some steam heading into the final week of the regular season. The Cyclones lost out on an opportunity to keep themselves in the mix for the 1-seed vs. Texas Tech going into Monday's loss at Arizona, as the path to the No. 2 seed had opened up for them a bit before their game vs. the Red Raiders with Houston's three-game losing skid and the Boilermakers' loss to Michigan State.

For the Boilermakers, Matt Painter's squad is 5-6 in their last 11 games, and has lost three of their last four. In addition to its loss to Michigan State last Thursday at Mackey Arena, Purdue followed that up with a loss at Ohio State, a then-bubble team. Gonzaga hangs onto the 3-seed heading into the West Coast Conference tournament. It's a big March coming up for Mark Few's squad before they head to the reorganized Pac-12 next year.

REQUIRED READING: Five most undervalued teams heading into conference tournaments

No. 4 Seeds

• Alabama
• Virginia
• Nebraska
• Texas Tech

Alabama stole one on the road at Tennessee to continue its quiet rise up to the 4-seed line. The Crimson Tide has now won eight straight and has eight Quad 1 wins going into Tuesday's road game at Georgia, the latter of which is tied for the fifth most in the country.

No. 5 Seeds

• Tennessee
• Arkansas
• St. John's
• Vanderbilt

St. John's bounced back from a 32-point loss at UConn with its own 32-point win over Villanova. Arkansas ended a rather strong month of February, during which it went 5-2, but ending in ugly fashion with its loss to Florida.

No. 6 Seeds

• North Carolina
• Louisville
• Kentucky
• Brigham Young

BYU might be "safe" to make the NCAA tournament, but the Cougars' chances of having a six-seed or higher are now in question. Since starting 16-1 on the season, BYU has lost eight of its last 12 games, which includes two bad back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

Kentucky has been a tough team to get a read on for most of the season, and it's why the Wildcats have moved around a ton in bracket projections and top 25 rankings. Mark Pope's squad takes a two-game winning streak, which features a top-25 win over Vanderbilt, into its road game at Texas A&M on Tuesday.

Louisville fell out of the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll following back-to-back losses to North Carolina and Clemson. The Cardinals are 1-3 in their last four games.

REQUIRED READING: Ranking top 10 players in college basketball for conference tournaments

No. 7 Seeds

• Wisconsin
• Villanova
• Saint Mary's
• North Carolina State

Villanova drops down a seed line following a no-show performance at Madison Square Garden against St. John's over the weekend. The Wildcats will have to find a way to fill the loss of Matt Hodge with their 3-point shooting in their final two games (at DePaul, vs. Xavier) before heading back up to The Garden next week for the Big East tournament.

No. 8 Seeds

• Saint Louis (AQ — Atlantic 10)
• Utah State (AQ — Mountain West)
• Miami
• Iowa

The Atlantic 10 continues to look like a one-bid conference with Saint Louis, but the Billikens' loss to Dayton has opened the possibility that there could be a different representative from the conference after next week's tournament in Washington D.C. ... perhaps Virginia Commonwealth under first-year head coach Phil Martelli Jr.?

A loss to last-place Penn State could not have come at a worse time for Iowa. The Hawkeyes hang on to an 8-seed for now, though they've now lost four of their last six.

No. 9 seeds

• Texas
• Georgia
• Texas A&M
• Clemson

Clemson picked up a much-needed win over Louisville over the weekend to snap a four-game losing skid. The Tigers have a Quad 1 opportunity on Tuesday at North Carolina awaiting them, where a win could really boost their "okay" 6-5 Quad 1 record before the ACC tournament. Texas A&M is slowly moving its way down to the 10-seed line, as the Aggies have dropped six of their past eight games.

No. 10 seeds

• Central Florida
• UCLA
• Ohio State
• Missouri

Ohio State, you can exhale for a second. The Buckeyes' win over Purdue on Sunday bumps Jake Diebler's squad up to the 10-seed line heading. Ohio State still needs a win or two to feel "safe," but the Buckeyes hopes of making the cutline and snapping their three-year drought of not making the tournament look a lot better now than before the ball tipped against Purdue.

No. 11 Seeds

• Miami (Ohio) (AQ — Mid-American)
• Southern Methodist
• Santa Clara **
• New Mexico **
• TCU **
• Indiana **

From the eye-test, Indiana shouldn't be making the field — even as a First Four team — given the fact that the Hoosiers have lost five of their last seven games and are nine games back of first place in the Big Ten standings. It's their top-50 NET ranking (No. 41) that keeps them in Dayton for now.

TCU is an interesting team on the bubble. The Horned Frogs' metrics are the "best," as they are No. 45 in the NET and No. 49 on KenPom with a 4-6 Quad 1 record, but they've been able to turn around their season in the Big 12 rather nicely in the last month to give them a shot at their fourth March Madness appearance in the last five years. Since starting 3-6 in Big 12 play, TCU is 6-1 with two games against Texas Tech and Cincinnati to go in the regular season.

New Mexico went 1-1 last week and has two games this week against Colorado State and Utah State before heading to the Mountain West tournament, where the Lobos are currently projected to be the 2-seed in the field. Santa Clara earned the No. 3 seed and a bye to the quarterfinals in the WCC tournament.

No. 12 Seeds

• South Florida (AQ — American)
• Belmont (AQ — Missouri Valley)
• Yale (AQ — Ivy League)
• Stephen F. Austin (AQ — Southland)

No. 13 Seeds

• High Point (AQ — Big South)
• Hawaii (AQ — Big West)
• UNC Wilmington (AQ — Colonial Athletic Association)
• Liberty (AQ — Conference USA)

No. 14 Seeds

• East Tennessee State (AQ — Southern)
• North Dakota State (AQ — Summit League)
• Central Arkansas (AQ — Atlantic Sun)
• Utah Valley (AQ — Western Athletic)

MARCH MADNESS: Ranking top 20 teams based on odds

No. 15 Seeds

• Portland State (AQ — Big Sky)
• Navy (AQ — Patriot League)
• Merrimack (AQ — Metro Atlantic Athletic)
• Wright State (AQ — Horizon)

No. 16 Seeds

• Troy (AQ — Sun Belt)
• LIU (AQ — Northeast)
• Bethune-Cookman (AQ — Southwestern Atlantic) **
• Morehead State (AQ — Ohio Valley) **
• Howard (AQ — Mid-Eastern Athletic) **
• UMBC (AQ — America East) **

** Denotes playing in First Four game

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracket predictions: Who's in, out of NCAA tournament?

With Selection Sunday now less than two weeks away, the likely top seeds in the NCAA men's tournament field appear to be separating themselves from the pack.

Three of our projected No. 1 seeds were involved in highly-anticipated contests against highly-ranked opponents over the weekend. Duke, Arizona and Michigan all won those matchups in impressive fashion, solidifying their place on the first line of the bracket. The fourth No. 1 is also unchanged, though Connecticut might be challenged in the next couple of weeks by a hard-charging Florida squad. For now, the Gators hold steady as the leaders on the No. 2 line along with Houston, Iowa State and Nebraska.

Toppmeyer: Arizona is 'scary' good, but can it outrun history of March Madness flops?

But while there is clarity near the top of the bracket, there’s a lot of chaos around the bubble. The team that did the most to help its case this weekend was Ohio State, now in much safer territory thanks to a win against Purdue.

Auburn remains in freefall, barely clinging to a spot in the First Four after going just 1-7 since Jan. 31. New Mexico nudges back into the field with a key Mountain West win, while Indiana, California and San Diego State find themselves on the outside.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

UCLA, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Auburn.

March Madness first four out

Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, California, San Diego State.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: SEC (11), Big Ten (9), ACC (8), Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Bracketology forecast for NCAA Tournament

1. Hugo Gonzalez Career Night

After Neemias Queta had a career night against the 76ers the night before, Hugo Gonzalez decided it was his turn to have the best game of his young career on the second night of a back-to-back in a commanding 108-81 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In his third career start, Gonzalez finished with career highs of 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 steals while tying his career high with 2 blocks on 7-15 shooting from the field and 3-8 from three. He is the first Celtics rookie to have a stat line like this since Larry Bird on November 14th, 1979 against the Detroit Pistons.

Hugo Gonzalez is only the 2nd Celtic rookie to have at least 18 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a game.

The other? Larry Bird against Detroit (23-19-3-2 on 11/14/79)

— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) March 3, 2026

After making the first basket of the game for the Celtics, there was a chance Gonzalez could have a good offensive night but I don’t think anyone expected him to put up this type of performance. He drove to the basket with force, made some great hustle plays on put-backs, and was able to shoot the three ball comfortably.

Hugo made the Bucks work on every possession, flying around the court on defense for his rebounds, blocks and steals. He did an incredible job when it came to locking down his offensive matchup and did solid when it came to guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo on a few possessions. His hustle and ability to be in the right place at the right time was absolutely huge for the Celtics and without Gonzalez, there is a chance Boston loses this game.

2. Great Defensive Stand

In a game where Jaylen Brown (illness) and Neemias Queta (rest) were ruled OUT, Boston was still able to hold the Bucks to only 81 points, their second lowest scoring output of the season only behind the 79 point performance that the Celtics held them to on February 1st in TD Garden.

Boston held Milwaukee to 27-74 (37%) shooting from the field and 13-36 (36%) from three point range. They forced 16 turnovers on the Bucks while also getting 7 steals and 6 blocks. Without two key defensive stoppers in the front court, the Celtics were able to once again dominate the Bucks.

3. Dominance in the Paint

Boston absolutely owned the paint against Milwaukee in this matchup. In the rebounding department, the Celtics crushed the Bucks on the boards 54-32. Out of the 54 rebounds, 19 of them resulted in offensive rebounds and usually ended in a basket on the second-chance opportunity.

When it came to the points in the paint battle I assumed that Milwaukee would have the edge given they got Giannis back but that wasn’t the case. The Celtics outscored them 34-22 when it came to points in the paint. This was a result of Boston’s elite rebounding and Milwaukee’s overall lack of interest when it came to wanting to play defense.

Boston DOMINATED Milwaukee in the Paint tonight:
54 Rebounds (19 Offensive)
34 Points in the Paint
55% shooting in the painted area pic.twitter.com/TZ2djw5fcz

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) March 3, 2026

4. Payton Pritchard Bounce Back

Coming off a game against the 76ers where Payton Pritchard scored 0 Points, he was able to bounce back in a big way against the Bucks, finishing with 25 points and 9 assists on 10-23 shooting from the field and 5-10 from three. This was a much needed game for Pritchard who had scored in the single-digits in 3 of his last 4 games.

He started the game out kind of slow, but once he hit a midrange almost buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter, Pritchard turned it on in the fourth quarter. Payton scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and turned into the Celtics closer, icing the game.

5. Derrick White Steadied the Ship

Derrick White didn’t have the best shooting night in this game, going 5-18 from the field and 4-12 from three, but watching the game it felt like he was the stabilizer for the Celtics offense. He finished with 18 points and 9 assists, continuing his great stretch of facilitating. Dating back to February 3rd, White is averaging 7.1 assists since Pritchard starting coming off the bench.

Against the Bucks this season, the on/off numbers show that the Celtics are a +65 when White is on the court in 95 minutes versus a -25 when he has been off the court in 49 minutes. He has been the perfect connector for this team and with a lot of young guys playing for the Celtics, he is the veteran that can keep them afloat.

DERRICK WHITE VS. BUCKS – 2025-26

On court: 95 minutes, Celtics +65
Off court: 49 minutes, Celtics -25

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) March 3, 2026

6. Sam Hauser Homecoming

Growing up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sam Hauser grew up a Milwaukee Bucks fan as a kid and has had some special performances against them in the past. The game on December 11th of this season was not one of those good games, finishing with 0 points on 0-10 shooting in a 116-101 Celtics loss.

This game was a different story for Sam, finishing with 14 points on 5-9 shooting from the field and 4-8 from three. He torched the Bucks from beyond the arc and his shoot looked smooth all night long. This was some fitting redemption for Hauser, being able to take the win against his hometown team.

7. Luka Garza Steps Up

Ever since the Celtics traded for Nikola Vucevic, Luka Garza has found himself slowly falling out of the rotation. Before this game against the Bucks, the last time Garza got real meaningful minutes in a game was on February 8th against the New York Knicks when he played 15 minutes.

However, with Queta out and Vucevic in the starting lineup, Garza was able to be the backup center in this game and he stayed ready. He finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds on 3-6 shooting in 20 minutes of play. He was a big reason as to why the Celtics were able to dominate Milwaukee on the glass and in the paint, using his physicality to get underneath the basket with ease. My favorite play of the night was his turnaround hook shot after bodying Myles Turner.

8. Nikola Vucevic First Celtics Start

For the first time in his Celtics career, Nikola Vucevic was named as a starter with Brown and Queta out. This is a role he was familiar with over the course of his NBA career, and he played a pretty solid game, finishing with 10 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds on 5-12 shooting. He was the primary defender on Giannis for most of the night and did a great job of controlling Antetokounmpo in the paint, even getting a block on him.

His passing was the biggest story for me in this game. Vucevic did a great job with handoffs when he set a screen and also made a few nice cross-court passes. I have been incredibly surprised with his passing ability since he’s come to Boston and he continues to show it off in games like tonight.

9. C’s Spoil Giannis Return

After weeks of trade rumors, flip-flopping emotions, and prediction market partnerships, Giannis Antetokounmpo suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time since January 23rd. In a game where Boston was missing two key players, you would think Giannis would be able to wild against the Celtics but that wasn’t necessarily the case.

He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds on 7-18 shooting from the field and 0-2 shooting from three while missing his final 7 shots in a row. He was able to get his typical baskets from time to time by ramming his way to the basket but the Celtics did an incredible job building the wall and making every shot a difficult look. Out of any team in the NBA, I would say the Celtics have historically done the best job when defending Giannis and even with different and depleted personnel, they still found a way to get the job done.

10. Coaching Masterclass

What more can you say about the brilliance of Joe Mazzulla. This game was a perfect representation of why he needs to win Coach of the Year. He ran a starting lineup of White-Gonzalez-Scheierman-Hauser-Vucevic, a lineup that had never seen the floor together and dominated Milwaukee on the road. This was the 7th time the Celtics have won a game on the road by 20+ points and the 13th time this season.

Tonight marked Boston's 7th road win by 20+ points and its 13th such win overall this season.

— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) March 3, 2026

This game is a testament to Joe Mazzulla and the entire coaching staff spending tons of hours in Celtics University drilling the players heads with information, it is a testament to Brad Stevens and the front office for identifying these players for the system, and it is a testament to the Celtics players as a whole for always being ready to play their roles when called upon. This game was another great team win a season full of incredible team wins.

The Houston Rockets built up a big lead against the Washington Wizards, and then they had hold on towards the end and a fourth-quarter rally by the Wiz, finishing the game with a 123-118 victory.

The Rockets were led by Alperen Sengun, who finished witgh 32 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and a block, but he did turn the ball over 8 times. Sengun shot 12-for-20 from the field. Houston also got 30 from Kevin Durant, who also had 7 rebounds, but he also racked up 6 turnover, making 14 between KD and Alpie out of the Rockets 20 total turnovers. .

And this was with good play by a point guard. Reed Sheppard had his first career double-double. He played 42 minutes, finishing with 19 points on 7-for-18 from the floor, 4-for-11 from deep, to go with 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks for a monster stat line for Reed. Of course, in the post game, coach Ime Udoka mentioned that he expects Jabari Smith Jr. to be back soon and Reed to head back to the bench, but that’s a convo for another day.

Amne Thompson also pitched in 22 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists on 10-for-15 shooting, to round things out for the Rockets.

The Wizards were led by Bilal Coulibali, who finished with 23 points, and Sharife Cooper who had 21. Trae Young was also ejected from the Wizards bench, while Tari Eason was ejected for the Rockets. That gave Dorian Finney-Smith for Houston 27 minutes of playing time.

The Rockets move to 38-22 on the season and still sit in third place in the Western Conference, while the Wizards fall to 16-44 on the year. The Rockets are now off until Thursday, when they will return to action against their arch nemesis the Golden State Warriors.

Minutes after his team lost to Michigan last month, Purdue coach Matt Painter offered a mildly spicy prediction that almost could be interpreted as a national championship pick.

“They ain't losing four games,” Painter said of Michigan.

Maybe not, but days later, Michigan lost its second game to fellow frontrunner Duke and surrendered the No. 1 ranking.

Toppmeyer: Arizona is 'scary' good, but can it outrun history of March Madness flops?

March Madness power rankings: Ranking top 20 teams based on odds

The point here is not to question the Wolverines’ excellence, but only to say that even the most robust college basketball teams are not immune to defeat. It only takes one off night or one great performance from an opponent to get bounced from March Madness.

Undefeated mid-major Miami (Ohio) is the nation’s only team without at least two losses.

As we sit one week away from the major conference tournaments tipping off, four teams have established themselves as national championship frontrunners: Michigan, Duke, Arizona and Florida. And still, the list of national championship contenders runs deeper than that.

Here are two teams from each of the five major conferences that could contend for the national championship, plus one familiar wild card from outside the power leagues.

Note: This is not a complete list of national championship contenders, because some conferences (the Big 12, in particular), have more than two teams that could play into April.

ACC

Best bet: Duke

Duke just smoked Virginia, the ACC's second-place team, by 26 points. The Blue Devils’ wall of pelts includes Michigan, Florida and Michigan State. The big question: Will youth prevail? Freshman Cameron Boozer and sophomores Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba II power Duke. They must challenge the theory old teams win in March.

One more to consider: North Carolina

The Tar Heels recovered well after a rough January. They own wins against Duke and Virginia. Caleb Wilson is a member of a sensational freshman class across the nation. He can go for 20-plus points on any given night.

Big East

Best bet: UConn

If you subscribe to the basketball belief of “get old, stay old,” then you’ll love UConn. Alex Karaban has started 140 games, all for UConn, a throwback in this portal era. Add in Solo Ball, Tarris Reed Jr. and Silas Demary Jr., and you get a veteran lineup full double-digit scorers. Oh, one more thing: Dan Hurley is 15-5 in NCAA Tournament games.

One more to consider: St. John’s

The Big East isn’t very deep, and including Rick Pitino’s team among championship contenders is a stretch. But, the Red Storm are hot, winners of 14 of their past 15, and Zuby Ejiofor is a fabulous stat-stuffer.

Big Ten

Best bet: Michigan

Dusty May can flat-out coach, and his Wolverines can ball. To build an all-transfer team, you wouldn’t need to look much beyond Michigan. Yaxel Lendeborg, a sixth-year senior by way of UAB, shines brightest on this team that's forged from the portal. Michigan’s dominant resume points to a team with a real chance to end the Big Ten’s national championship drought, ongoing since 2000 Michigan State.

One more to consider: Illinois

Call them the "Balkan Boys," and Brad Underwood’s Euro-Illini score with the best of them. They've reached 90 points in eight games. Of course, they lost two of those games, which says something of their streaky defense. The Illini won 12 straight during a midseason hot streak. It’s possible they peaked too soon.

Big 12

Best bet: Arizona

Arizona has a reputation for being something of a March Madness bust. Despite persistent lofty seeds, it last reached the Final Four in 2001 under Lute Olson. Put history aside, and you’ll see a team with tremendous balance and a deep list of marquee victories. Arizona shines amid the nation’s toughest conference. No team is more battle-tested.

One more to consider: Houston

Kelvin Sampson ranks among the best active coaches to never win a national championship. He almost changed that last season. Houston stands out within a deep Big 12 for its mix of veterans who’ve been through March Madness fires (Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan and Joseph Tugler), plus freshman dynamo Kingston Flemings.

SEC

Best bet: Florida

The Gators are scalding hot and full of swamp swagger. It’s past time to take seriously their repeat potential. They’re blowing out their SEC competition, and although they lost to Arizona, Duke and UConn in nonconference play, those were down-to-the-wire games. Led by Thomas Haugh, Florida has six guys who can go off for double digits.

One more to consider:Alabama

A funny thing happened after a judge decided former pro basketball player Charles Bediako couldn’t keep playing for Alabama: The Tide stopped losing. Never mind ex-pros, Alabama will go as far as 20-year-old Labaron Philon Jr. takes it. The Tide are streaky and a bit deficient on the interior, but when they get hot, this team can blow past 100 points.

Non-power conference wild card

Best bet: Gonzaga

Mark Few joins Sampson from Houston on a Mount Rushmore of best coaches without a national championship. Veteran big man Graham Ike fuels the engine. Truthfully, Gonzaga profiles more as a Sweet 16 team than a top-shelf national championship contender. But, hey, this is March, and the Zags need no introduction to the bracket-buster role.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness national title contenders don't stop at Duke, Michigan

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, March 3rd. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 38-24 and host the Detroit Pistons tonight. They’ll be without Donovan Mitchell again, who has missed the previous three games with a groin injury. Let’s hope he’ll be back next week, as the Cavs have four days off after this game.

Cleveland’s rematch with the Pistons tonight should be entertaining. Their last meeting was full of everything (including numerous missed calls) and went into overtime. The Cavs lost that one and would probably like to have it back. Thankfully, they now have a chance to make it right on their homefloor.

Today’s Game of the Day

• Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons – 7 PM,

Okay, we’re biased. But this is genuinely the best matchup on the schedule today. So, let’s talk a little bit more about it.

Detroit has emerged as the best team in the conference. There’s little chance anyone can catch them in the standings, though it’s not impossible. Yet even with that advantage, the Cavs are looking to make a statement against their potential playoff roadblock. They nearly beat this team last week despite various injuries. Setting the score straight with a big win tonight is worth something, even if it’s only a moral boost.

The rest of the NBA schedule

• Dallas Mavericks at Charlotte Hornets – 7 PM
• Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic – 7 PM
• Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat – 7:30 PM
• New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM
• San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers – 8 PM
• Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8 PM
• Oklahoma City Thunder at Chicago Bulls – 8 PM
• New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers – 10:30 PM
• Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings – 11 PM

Plenty of games to choose from tonight.

Cavs links of the day

• Why the Cavs will win the East – The Ringer
• How James Harden renewed the Cavs’ faith – ESPN

NBA links

• 2026 NBA Mock Draft: Absurdly deep class is why every team is tanking – New York Times

Hugo González played only 13 minutes on Sunday night, less than 24 hours before Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla needed the rookie to start.

That didn’t matter, though.

González logged his third career start, and his first since Jan. 10, with starters Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta both sidelined on the second night of a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks. On the other end stood two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in his first game back since January 3rd. But González, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound wing, embraced the David-and-Goliath challenge posed by the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Antetokounmpo head-on.

In his mind, he had no other choice, as González explained after Boston’s 108-81 win at Fiserv Forum.

“We got our standard, and we just want to maintain it every single game,” González told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin postgame. “We don’t like to (make) excuses. Obviously, we’ve got some really, really important players — starting, important players — that were (out with) illness or resting, and I think we’ve got a really good spirit and took a difficult win after two games in 20 hours.”

Before arriving in Milwaukee, González watched Queta shine with a career-best 27-point, 17-rebound double-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night. González stood tall on the bench, rushed to Queta during timeouts, and celebrated Neemi at every opportunity. Now it was his turn to take full advantage of starting for Boston on short notice, and he was ready.

In return for the opportunity, González delivered the most impressive start of his young NBA career, scoring 18 points, grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds, and adding three blocks and two steals — setting new career highs in every category. That made him the first Celtics rookie to record a stat line as such since Larry Bird.

González secured his second career double-double by doing what he does best. Relentlessly shadowing Milwaukee’s ball handlers, he anticipated every move before jumping into action. His intensity repeatedly disrupted coach Doc Rivers’ offense, allowing González to propel the Celtics with a two-way impact that gave the Bucks — now losers of their last three — more problems than they could manage. All season, González has honed his preparation, leading to his biggest test yet: guarding Antetokounmpo.

González helped defend the 10-time All-Star on five possessions, in which Antetokounmpo went 1-for-5.

Whenever González guarded him one-on-one, he battled. When other Celtics defenders took on the task, and González was nearby, he rushed over to help make scoring as difficult as possible for Antetokounmpo. Of course, no single player can handle that defensive assignment for every possession throughout a night, and González experienced firsthand why that is.

“With those types of players, you can’t guard him with one person because they are some of the best players in the world,” González told Chin. “Giannis is an amazing player, and you can’t guard him with one person. You need a team effort. That’s what we try to follow the game plan, and today we succeeded in that.”

Antetokounmpo, returning after a 15-game absence with a calf injury, wasn’t in his usual league-MVP candidate form. He scored 19 points with 11 rebounds, shooting 11-of-18 from the field in a Milwaukee loss that became the next — and biggest — step in González’s development as a key role player in Boston’s second unit.

So far, González’s versatility has been one of the biggest surprises of this Celtics season — and the latest home-run draft selection from president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.

In Stevens’ eyes, González was deemed NBA-ready following his three-year run with Spain’s Real Madrid in the Liga ACB. Playing alongside several former NBA players in Spain as a teenage prospect, González grew accustomed to fighting for minutes, always prepared not to miss a beat when his number was called. Now, that experience is translating — and benefiting the Celtics.

It’s become clear that González has fallen into a right-place, right-time situation in Boston this season.

“One of the strengths of the locker room has always been being able to win games when guys have been out,” Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “We’ve sat guys over the last three, four years and still have been able to win games. That’s just kind of the DNA of the locker room, and you’re continuing to see that.”

The last undefeated team in men's college basketball is at the center of the NCAA Tournament debate.

No. 20 Miami (Ohio) remains perfect going into the final week of the regular season, at 29-0 with two games left before the MAC tournament.

And while their record indicates the RedHawks should be a shoo-in for March Madness, that may not be the case. And there's no certainty Miami wins the MAC's automatic bid either.

'Flat out wrong.' Miami Ohio AD fires back at Bruce Pearl over March Madness bid

March Madness bracket: Teams rising, falling in projected NCAA field

The RedHawks have had plenty of close calls, and second-place Akron is no pushover. The Zips are 24-5 (15-1 in MAC), with their lone league loss to Miami by three points back on Jan. 3.

So what happens if Miami doesn't leave Cleveland with an automatic bid?

Miami's resume and season has perplexed the hoops world as it reignites the age-old postseason debate of best vs. deserving. The discussion intensified when former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said the RedHawks aren't worthy of an at-large spot.

"If we're selecting the 68 best teams, then Miami (Ohio) is going to have to win their tournament to qualify as a champion, because as an at-large, they are not one of the best teams in the country, and that's going to be a difficult choice for the committee," he said.

Miami's athletic director David Sayler wasn't too impressed with Pearl's analysis, firing back on Monday via social media.

"(You) are flat out wrong about (Miami Ohio basketball) when (you) say we would finish last in the Big East," Sayler posted. "The disrespect is awful and (you) should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when (you) show your true colors! Even slipped in a 'we' when talking about Auburn, nice work!"

There are several reasons Miami should and shouldn't be in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, it can make all of this moot by heading into Selection Sunday if it still hasn't lost. But let's breakdown the RedHawks' at-large case, just in case.

Why Miami Ohio should be in NCAA Tournament

To start, it's March and they are the only one of 365 teams that haven't lost. Miami (Ohio) is just the fourth team in the 21st century — Wichita State (2014), Kentucky (2015) and Gonzaga (2021) — to enter March undefeated. The 29 wins are the most in Division I.

The RedHawks have the best shooting percentage at 52.7% and are eighth in 3-point percentage at 39.2%. They average 90.9 points per game, second in the country behind Alabama, an win by an average of 17 points a game, a margin that's seventh-best in Division I.

Some models back the success. The strength of record is 21st in the country, and in the RPI, the old model used to select NCAA Tournament teams before the NET rankings, the RedHawks are No. 28.

History certainly favors Miami. No team with more than 28 wins has ever missed out on March Madness since it expanded in 1985, and the NCAA Tournament selection committee never left out a team with less than four losses. Even if the RedHawks lost the remainder of their games, they'd only have three defeats.

Why Miami Ohio shouldn't be in NCAA Tournament

It's the quality of resume the tournament selection primarily uses that doesn't work in Miami's favor.

While undefeated, the RedHawks are ranked No. 52 in the NET rankings, high for an at-large team. It's still possible, as San Diego State was that exact ranking when it made the First Four last season.

A deeper look reveals Miami doesn't have any Quad 1 games, and just one Quad 2 victory. A majority of the wins are Quad 4 with a 16-0 record that doesn't include the three victories against non-Division I teams. It doesn't help at the moment, it will not get a chance to earn a Quad 1 win by the end of the MAC title game.

The lack of quality opponents really hurts other metrics. The strength of schedule ranks 256th and Miami has a KenPom rating of 87, surrounded by teams that are virtually out of the running for an at-large spot. In KenPom, the RedHawks have a strength of schedule ranking of 285th, and a the nonconference rating is sixth-worst in Division I.

All of the variables make for one of the most polarizing bubble contenders in recent memory. Miami deserves credit for playing its schedule perfectly and should be rewarded for the amount of wins, yet it's understandable to see why there's a chance they can end up being left out of the tournament — no matter how unfair it is.

Miami Ohio basketball remaining schedule

• Tuesday, March 3: vs. Toledo, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+
• Friday, March 6: at Ohio, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
• Thursday, March 12: MAC tournament first round (vs. TBA)
• Friday, March 13: MAC tournament semifinal (vs. TBA) *if advance
• Saturday, March 14: MAC tournament championship (vs. TBA) *if advance

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Miami Ohio a March Madness lock? RedHawks' case for, against at-large bid

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said he "did not play well" on his return from injury but the two-time NBA MVP was just "happy" to be back on the court.

The 31-year-old made his comeback after missing six weeks of action with a calf strain in a 108-81 defeat against the Boston Celtics.

He put up 19 points, 11 rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes in a defeat that left the 2021 champion Bucks 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-34 record.

Antetokounmpo said "we've got 24 games left - it's 24 fights" when asked about the Bucks' battle to reach the post-season.

"Obviously I did not play well, but at the end of the day, I'm just happy that I'm out there being able to help my team-mates in any way that I can and just do what I love, which is play basketball," he added.

"I'm just happy that I'm on the court. It doesn't matter if I play 18 minutes, 20 minutes, 22, whatever, I'm just happy that I'm out there."

Antetokounmpo missed 15 games through injury and says he has "got to be smarter moving forward because things that I was able to do in the past, maybe I'm not able to do now".

Rivers on Antetokounmpo return

Antetokounmpo's injury in January came shortly before the NBA trade deadline.

The deadline passed with him still a Bucks player, despite heavy speculation that he could leave.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game against the Celtics that he would ease Antetokounmpo back into action.

"I'm not going to overdo it," he explained. "It's not like we had a big practice or a shootaround on Monday morning, so it's not the ideal way of bringing him back.

"But the fact that he's available, you put him in and you figure it out."

• 'It was a relief' - Bucks on keeping Antetokounmpo
• Antetokounmpo expects to miss up to six weeks

While the San Antonio Spurs were amassing one of the greatest months in franchise history, the Spurs Organization was over the pond in Paris, France building on the relationship launched last season.

Per a Spurs press release:

The San Antonio Spurs and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) held two sports leadership events as part of the ongoing “Spurs Week Paris” initiative. The Spurs and PSG hosted an executive learning session for their leadership teams, followed by the second iteration of Spurs Community Leadership Institute (SCLI) Paris, serving a diverse group of French women leaders in sport. This transformative collaboration is the result of the deep relationship that has grown between the two clubs, both known as leaders in the globalization of sport, which tipped off in 2025 with the Spurs competing in the NBA Paris Games.

The Spurs x PSG Executive Learning Session brought both organizations together offering a leadership development program with expert panels and hands-on workshops.

The Spurs Community Leadership Institute hosted a one-day leadership summit involving 50 women leaders in sports, government officials and community. The event centered on advancing women in sports, leadership development and leveraging sports as a catalyst for social impact.

Patricia Mejia, chief impact & inclusion officer for the San Antonio Spurs shared,

“From day one, our relationship with Paris-Saint Germain has been driven by innovative thinking, collaborative conversations and a shared commitment to community impact. Through innovative initiatives like these, in collaboration with highly regarded organizations like PSG, the Spurs will continue to build lasting relationships in France and inspire the next generation of leaders and changemakers in the global sports industry.”

Spurs Week Paris, a week-long in-person fan engagement activation across the city, continued to expand its presence in France on and off the court.

The Spurs commitment to growing the game of basketball globally involved a full week including a Spurs Skills Challenge Clinic, exclusive retail experiences, a newly renovated basketball court in Nanterre, and a public game watch party.

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