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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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Warriors' Al Horford co-signs Luke Kornet's Atlanta Hawks ‘Magic City' plea originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors center Al Horford showed support for former Boston Celtics teammate Luke Kornet.

Kornet, now with the San Antonio Spurs, posted an article on his personal Medium blog on Monday titled ‘Concerning the Atlanta Hawks,’ where he criticized Atlanta’s “Magic City Monday” promotional night on March 16, which is a “special one-night collaboration to celebrate the city’s iconic cultural institution Magic City,” which is an Atlanta-based adult entertainment venue.

“The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world,” Kornet wrote. “We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.

“Allowing this night to go forward without protest would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”

“Regardless of how a woman finds her way into the adult entertainment industry, many in this space experience abuse, harassment, and violence to which they should never be subjected.

“I’d like to encourage the league, its owners, employees and fans to hold the Atlanta Hawks to a higher standard of what they find worthy of promoting.”

Magic City widely is regarded by locals as a significant cultural institution in Atlanta and is deeply connected to the city’s music and nightlife scene, with many locals believing it serves as much more than just an adult entertainment venue.

Horford, who was teammates with Korent for three-plus seasons in Boston, co-signed the fellow big man’s message.

The Hawks, at the time of this writing, have not responded publicly to Kornet’s plea.

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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.

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.”

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

After suffering its first loss of the season, No. 20 Miami (Ohio) is now at the center of the NCAA Tournament debate.

There are no more undefeated teams in men's college basketball after the RedHawks lost to Massachusetts in the opening round of the MAC tournament. At 31-1, while their record indicates they should be a shoo-in for March Madness, that may not be the case without the MAC's automatic bid.

Opinion Don't be fooled by Miami Ohio record. It's built on cupcakes

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

While Pearl and Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele eventually squashed their beef, it did set the discourse for why Miami should and shouldn't be in the NCAA Tournament. It could have made all of this moot by heading into Selection Sunday as the MAC tournament champions, but now its time to breakdown the RedHawks' at-large case.

Why Miami Ohio should be in NCAA Tournament

To start, Miami (Ohio) finished the regular season undefeated. It became the fifth program in the 21st century — Saint Joseph's (2004), Wichita State (2014), Kentucky (2015) and Gonzaga (2021) — to enter the conference tournament undefeated. The 31 wins are the most in Division I.

The RedHawks have the best shooting percentage at 52.6% and are ninth in 3-point percentage at 39.3%. They average 90.9 points per game, second in the country behind Alabama, an win by an average of 16 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.

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. 54 in the NET rankings, high for an at-large team. It's still possible, as San Diego State was No. 52 when it made the First Four last season.

A deeper look reveals Miami doesn't have any Quad 1 games, and just two Quad 2 victories. A majority of the wins are Quad 4 with a 15-0 record that doesn't include the three victories against non-Division I teams. It doesn't help the loss to UMass qualifies as a Quad 4 loss.

The lack of quality opponents really hurts other metrics. The strength of schedule ranks 256th and Miami has a KenPom rating of 93, 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 269th, and a the nonconference rating is fifth-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.

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