On Selection Sunday, March 15th, the 2026 edition of NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, commonly known as March Madness, begins with the announcement of the 68-team bracket. The First Four will take place at University of Dayton Arena, where eight teams compete for a spot in the main bracket on Tuesday, March 17th, and Wednesday, March 18th. The round of 64 begins Thursday, March 19th, followed by the round of 32 on Saturday, March 21st. Games will be hosted across several cities, including Buffalo, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.. Since the tournament’s founding in 1939, the event has become one of the most anticipated traditions in college sports as teams compete for a national championship.
Several teams are considered strong contenders this year, including the Duke Blue Devils, the Michigan Wolverines, the Arizona Wildcats, the UConn Huskies, and the defending champions, the Florida Gators. Other programs also aiming to make a deep run in the tournament include the St. John’s Red Storm, led by head coach Rick Pitino, who recently just defeated the UConn Huskies by 20 points to be crowned Big East Tournament Champions for the second year in a row. Key players include Zuby Ejiofor, the conference’s Player of the Year, who provides strong scoring and defensive presence, along with guard Ian Jackson.
Another team to watch are the Wisconsin Badgers, who rallied from a 15-point deficit in the Big Ten Conference quarterfinals to defeat the Illinois Fighting Illini 91–88, setting up a matchup with the Michigan Wolverines. The Michigan State Spartans also enter the postseason with a strong résumé. Head coach Tom Izzo, now in his 31st season leading the program, has high hopes for his team. Despite recent losses to the UCLA Bruins and the Michigan Wolverines, the Spartans rely heavily on forward Jaxon Kohler and junior guard Jeremy Fears Jr.
As a native New Jerseyan, I am disappointed to see the Seton Hall Pirates fall short once again in the Big East Conference. Despite a strong start to the season with a 10–1 non-conference record, which included a notable win over the NC State Wolfpack, the team has struggled against conference opponents. Close losses to programs like the Villanova Wildcats and the St. John’s Red Storm, often by margins of around 10 points, have made it difficult for the Pirates to stay competitive in the standings. The team, led by former Merrimack Warriors transfer Adam “Budd” Clark and freshman Najai Hines, have shown flashes of potential. However, Seton Hall has frequently appeared as either a strong first-half or second-half team rather than maintaining consistency throughout the full game. That inconsistency on both ends of the court has ultimately hurt the Pirates as the conference season has ended.Â
For the sixth consecutive year, I’ve filled out multiple brackets with my family, friends from home, and friends at College of the Holy Cross. I enjoy the friendly competition, especially since a few winners usually walk away with a small cash prize. Creating multiple brackets also allows me to experiment with different predictions. I typically pick a mix of underdog teams, programs led by coaches that I admire, highly ranked teams, and even a few schools I’ve never heard of but think deserve a chance. Every year, I look forward to watching the wide variety of games throughout the week and seeing how long my bracket survives. The excitement and competition make March Madness something I continue to follow closely each year. Let the Madness begin!