March 21, 2026Updated 9:14 am EDT
The Athletic has live coverage of the second round of 2026 Men’s March Madness.
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s & women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.
A chalky first round of the NCAA Tournament continued on Friday, with every single favorite winning on the day. That makes High Point the only team seeded from 12 through 16 to capture a first-round victory.
That means our rankings have very little change. The same 16 teams remain, including Tennessee, which was a controversial inclusion after Selection Sunday. Alabama and Vanderbilt have better seeds out of the SEC, but the Vols’ path opened up on Friday. Tennessee’s No. 3 seed, Virginia, barely survived an upset against Wright State, and the No. 2 seed in the region, Iowa State, may have lost its best player (Joshua Jefferson) to an ankle injury.
Wisconsin was arguably the most surprising loser of the first round, as a team that had posted multiple huge road wins in the Big Ten. The Badgers had immense upside, but their downside showed up in the most jarring way on Thursday afternoon.
The weekend provides more opportunities for shakeups. Injuries affecting top teams — Duke’s Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson — could open up the door for underdogs, but those players’ status remains in question.
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The Wildcats immediately exerted their physical dominance against LIU, building up a 20-point lead and never looking back. They coasted through the second half to set up a matchup with Utah State on Sunday and did not show anything that would knock them off the top spot.
The Wolverines hit triple-digits in their blowout win over Howard, displaying lethal offensive efficiency (1.42 points per possession) against the overmatched Bison. Michigan’s defense has been the story most of the year, but when the offense is clicking like it was on Thursday, this team looks invincible. The Wolverines will be tested against Saint Louis, which obliterated Georgia in the first round.
In typical Houston fashion, the Cougars suffocated Idaho on Thursday night, holding the Vandals to just 47 points on 28.6 percent shooting from the floor. Kelvin Sampson’s squad now gets in-state foe Texas A&M for the right to play in Houston in the Sweet 16. The two teams played an instant classic in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, with Houston prevailing over the Aggies 100-95 in overtime.
Florida destroyed First Four winner Prairie View A&M on Friday night, jumping out to a 39-point lead at halftime and coasting to the second-largest margin of victory in tournament history. The Gators displayed their championship upside, tallying 1.64 points per possession. Todd Golden’s team has emerged as a legitimate back-to-back national title threat, but Sunday will bring a stiffer test from a crawling Iowa squad led by Bennett Stirtz.
No. 16 Prairie View A&M
114-55
Duke could probably stand to fall even further in these rankings after a harrowing victory over No. 16 seed Siena in the first round. The Blue Devils looked like a team missing two key starters, and Pat Ngongba’s status is crucial as Duke faces a tough, physical TCU squad on Saturday. Caleb Foster remains out, but getting Ngongba back would be a massive boost in the paint.
Purdue had no issue with Queens on Friday, scoring triple-digits while point guard Braden Smith set the NCAA’s career assist record. Smith and fellow senior Trey Kaufman-Renn combined for 51 of the team’s 104 points. Purdue now has a matchup with Miami (Fla.) in St. Louis for a shot at the program’s third straight Sweet 16.
UConn survived a late charge from Furman on Friday night, grinding out a win against the SoCon champs. Huskies guard Silas Demary was a surprise scratch due to an ankle injury suffered in the Big East tournament; he has arguably been the Huskies’ best player all season, a steadying presence on the ball and a sharp defender. Dan Hurley’s squad has a massive test in Round 2 against a scorching-hot UCLA squad.
Illinois took care of business against Penn, sinking 15 triples and only turning the ball over three times in a masterful offensive performance. Brad Underwood’s team had a much easier first-round outing than second-round opponent VCU, which needed a wild comeback and overtime to squeak out a win against North Carolina.
The Cyclones dominated Tennessee State on Friday, leaping out to a 30-point lead in the first half. The problem: Star forward Joshua Jefferson suffered a concerning sprained ankle early in the game and did not return. He could not put any weight on his left leg and was on crutches during the game. That damages Iowa State’s ceiling, as he was their clear leader and most pivotal player.
No. 15 Tennessee State
108-74
The Bulldogs were far from convincing against Kennesaw State on Thursday, though they were also not truly threatened in the final five minutes. As it had been all season, the Zags’ defense was outstanding, and Graham Ike (19 points) and Davis Fogle (17 points) did enough offensively to get them through to the second round. Texas will present a steeper challenge.
No. 14 Kennesaw State
73-64
The Razorbacks’ elite offense was on full display on Thursday, when they poured in 54 first-half points en route to a blowout of Hawaii, with freshman star Darius Acuff (24 points, seven assists) fully living up to his All-American status. Expect a shootout in the second round against upset winner High Point. Both teams love to get up and down the court, and Arkansas will be plenty comfortable in that type of game.
St. John’s mauled Northern Iowa on Friday, getting up 20-4 and never looking back against a popular upset selection. Considering how vulnerable their region’s No. 1 seed, Duke, looked on Thursday, the Red Storm’s upside for a long postseason run is clear. Before they would face the Blue Devils, though, they must get past Kansas on Sunday.
No. 12 Northern Iowa
79-53
The Spartans dominated North Dakota State from the opening tip on Thursday, leading by 20 at halftime. They controlled the glass and shot 10-of-20 from beyond the arc. The former is Michigan State’s bread and butter; the latter is more of a rarity and elevates its chances of title contention. Tom Izzo’s squad now gets Louisville on Saturday for a shot at the Sweet 16, and the Cardinals’ Mikel Brown Jr. could be out again with his back injury.
No. 14 North Dakota State
92-67
The Cavaliers beat Wright State by nine on Friday, but it was not a convincing victory. The 14th-seeded Raiders had an upset in their sights when they held a 70-69 lead with five minutes left. Virginia has yet to defeat a top-25 KenPom team this year, which gives pause to the idea that Ryan Odom’s team can win a title. The Hoos now face Tennessee, which just smashed the Miami (Ohio) underdog story.
Things got a little too close for comfort in San Diego when the Jayhawks let a 20-point halftime lead get whittled down to as little as six, but Kansas can console itself with the knowledge that Darryn Peterson has turned it on for March Madness, scoring 28 points and playing 37 minutes in his tournament debut. Now, it’s on to the second-round showdown with St. John’s that everyone circled when the bracket came out.
The Volunteers dispatched Miami (Ohio) on Friday, leading the upstart RedHawks by 20-plus for most of the second half. They were a controversial inclusion in our first edition of these rankings, but their path — vulnerable Virginia, injured Iowa State — has suddenly made Tennessee’s path to a deep postseason run extremely viable.
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Mar 21, 2026
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