Last year’s NCAA men’s tournament saw four No. 1 seeds advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2008. There’s definitely a chance that happens again this year because the top teams are really, really good. Find the complete 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament bracket here.
It would take a huge upset to beat the Michigan Wolverines, Duke Blue Devils, Arizona Wildcats or Florida Gators before the national semifinals. All four of these teams entered March Madness ranked in the top 7 of 365 DI teams in defensive efficiency. They both have outstanding frontcourts filled with future NBA talent. Six losses at Michigan, Duke and Arizona merged All season long. Florida State is off to a slow start but has lost just one game since Jan. 25. Anything can happen in the single-elimination tournament, but the top seeds will cast a long shadow over their region.
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The 2026 men’s NCAA tournament brackets have been released. Let’s preview each top seed.
Midwest: Michigan Wolverines
Michigan State turned into a powerhouse before our eyes, beating three good teams — San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga — by a combined 110 points on three consecutive days in November, and it’s been rolling ever since. The Wolverines established their No. 1 seed through the transfer portal, adding forward Axel Lundenburg from the University of Alabama, big man Moretz Johnson from Illinois and center Aday Mara from UCLA. These three players should all be first-round picks in this year’s NBA draft. All three players are huge players, and the three players are highly complementary. Lundborg, a 23-year-old with a burly frame and a 7-foot-4 wingspan, has transformed from Michigan’s midfield scoring star into a two-way complementary player capable of disrupting games. Mara is 7 feet 3 inches tall and has excellent rim protection and exit passing ability. Johnson is an interior bully who is long and strong, can defend all positions, and is slowly improving his three-point shooting. Michigan’s frontcourt has historically been great, but their guards need to step up to win it all.
The Wolverines lost a key player to injury when backup point guard L.J. Carson was lost for the season. That means starter Elliott Caddo, a North Carolina transfer, will lead them to glory. Cardo is a talented playmaker but can be turnover-prone, but his improvement as a 3-point shooter provides a critical release valve for the big man. Freshman Trey McKinney is an important three-down back, and seniors Roddy Gale and Nemari Burnett also play important roles on the wings. The Wolverines feel like a tournament favorite, but it’s hard to fully trust a team without outstanding guard play.
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East: Duke Blue Devils
Duke was very close to an undefeated season, entering the tournament with two losses and a total of four points. Their neutral-site victory over Michigan in February made them the front-runner for the national championship. Duke’s success starts with Cameron Boozer, who is not only the best freshman in the country, but also the best player in the country. Boozer is a chess master of the highest order, creating efficient offensive situations for his team every time he touches the ball. He’s won it all at every level and should be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft despite some athletic concerns. Boozer has a star teammate in center Patrick Ngongba, who is playing like an NBA lottery pick in his own right. Ngomba missed the ACC tournament with foot soreness. He is an excellent defensive paint protector with high-level passing ability and soft scorer’s touch. Isaiah Evans has to light up Duke from the outside to be at his best. Starting guard Caleb Foster was recently sidelined for the season with a broken foot, and not having a starting guard will make Evans’ scoring even more important.
Duke needs other players on the team to replace Boozer. His twin brother, point guard Caiden Boozer, is one candidate and he’s been playing better lately. Italian freshman winger Dame Sarr has the length and athleticism the team covets, but his offense is inconsistent. Veteran center Malik Brown is one of the team’s most valuable interior defenders. With everything centered around Cam Boozer, Duke will be happy to have the best player in the tournament.
West: Arizona Wildcats
Arizona got off to a 23-0 start, losing back-to-back games to Texas Tech and Kansas in February before beating them all again. Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas is a monster, a 7-foot-2, 260-pound center who can defend the rim and crush offensive rebounds while also shooting nearly 80 percent from the free throw line. Point guard Jaden Bradley leads the offense and just hit a signature buzzer-beater in the Big 12 Championship game. Bradley is surrounded by weapons, including two likely one-and-done NBA draft picks: shooting guard Brayden Burries and forward Koa Peat. The third freshman, 6-foot-7 wing Ivan Kharchenkov, is a solid defensive player who rebounds all over the floor and is starting to become more comfortable offensively.
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Arizona’s fatal flaw may be its lack of shooting, ranking 362nd out of 365 teams in 3-point field goal percentage. The Wildcats shot 36 percent from 3-point range, but it was so low that you wonder if they can erase the deficit in the tournament. Ultimately, this team relies on defense, rebounding and the free throw line, which has been the secret to winning against a tough schedule all season long.
South: Florida Gators
Florida State won the national championship last season but lost some of the NBA’s key players on the perimeter, including Most Outstanding Player Walter Clayton Jr. Fortunately, the Gators retained their elite frontcourt, which kept the team afloat until the new backs started to find their feet. Florida’s success started with the Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu twin towers. Chinyelu has a case to be the best defensive center in the country, and he’s paired with a 7-footer in Condon who can pass and run like a wing. Thomas Haugh is the team’s top NBA prospect, a 6-foot-9 wing who can stretch the floor, finish well in the paint and adds another quality defender.
The ceiling drops down onto the guard. Xaivian Lee, a transfer from Princeton, is having some of his best basketball of late after struggling to adjust to the high intensity early in the season. Boogie Fland, a transfer from Arkansas, is a great shot creator but had a terrible three-point shooting season. Florida won back-to-back national championships in 2006-2007 under Billy Donovan, and they have the talent to do it again.
