Jason Burgos
The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, AKA March Madness, has arrived. On Thursday, the biggest and best tournament in American sports kicks off with the first set of round of 64 matchups. But who are the true best of the best, and potential Cinderellas heading into this year’s event?
We look to answer that question with our rankings of all 64 teams in this month’s NCAA Tournament.
64. Siena
The Siena Saints earned their way into the NCAA Tournament by winning the MAAC Conference tourney. They are a solid team led by sophomore Gavin Doty (17.9 PPG) and a defense that is giving up the 15th fewest points in the country (65.7 PPG).
63. Long Island University
Former NBA star Rod Strickland leads Long Island University into the tournament for the first time since 2018. The NEC regular season and conference champions have played well over the last couple of weeks and are led by a solid scoring duo in Jamal Fuller (16.4 PPG) and Malachi Davis (14.4 PPG).
62. Howard
MEAC champions Howard had to play their way into March Madness this week by beating UMBC. Yet, while they are a low seed, they can’t be slept on. They have a rock-solid giving up just 67.8 points a night, and a pair of veteran players (Bryce Harris and Cedric Taylor III) combining for over 34 points a game.
61. Prairie View A&M or Lehigh
Lehigh had a very inconsistent season, but they got hot when it mattered most and earned a First Four spot by winning six straight and the Patriot League tourney to end the season. Guard Nasir Whitlock will be a handful and is averaging 21 points a night.
Similar to their First Four foe, Prairie View A&M had an up-and-down season but righted the ship at the perfect time. Reeling off seven straight wins and winning the SWAC title to end the season. They also have a pair of talented scorers, including Dontae Horne (20.2 PPG).
60. Idaho
Although they finished seventh in the Big Sky conference during the regular season, Idaho caught fire late in the year and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a whopping 26 years by winning the conference tournament last week.
59. Queens
Queens University just joined a Division I conference four years ago. However, head coach Grant Leonard has turned the program into a force in the ASUN, and they punched their ticket to the Big Dance by winning the conference tourney. The Royals are a Cinderella contender in 2026 due to an offense that is scoring the 19th most points in the nation (84.9 PPG).
58. Tennessee State
Tennessee State has been the top team in the OVC all year after winning the regular season title and then the conference tournament last week. Conference Player of the Year Aaron Nkrumah is posting over 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, and will be a handful in the opening round.
57. Furman
After winning the SoCon tournament, Furman head coach Bob Richey has his team back in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four years. The trio of Alex Wilkins, Cooper Bowser, and Asa Thomas is posting over 43 points and 13 boards, and makes the Paladins a team to respect.
56. North Dakota State
North Dakota State has been the Summit Conference’s team all year and proved it once again last week by winning the league’s year-end tournament. Their tourney win gets them back to the Big Dance for the first time in nearly a decade.
55. Penn
In his first season overseeing Penn’s basketball program, Fran McCaffery has the Quakers back in the big dance for the first time since 2018. The Ivy League conference champions have won nine of their last 10 and are led by the formidable scoring duo of Ethan Roberts and TJ Power. The pair combines for over 33 points a night.
54. Kennesaw State
After an up-and-down season, Kennesaw State punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Conference USA tourney last week. Under Antoine Pettway, the Owls have steadily improved in all three of his seasons and are led in 2026 by dangerous scorer Simeon Cottle. The senior is posting 20.2 points per game.
53. Wright State
Wright State has been the cream of the crop in the Horizon Conference all season, and finished the regular season with a 23-11 record and a conference tourney title. After a 15-win season last year, coach Clint Sargent has led a big turnaround in his second year overseeing the program.
52. Cal Baptist
After joining the WAC in 2018, coach Rick Croy and his staff’s hard work has paid off because they have Cal Baptist in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. A key reason they’ll get to dance this week is the play of senior Dominique Daniels Jr. His 23.2 PPG is fifth best in the nation.
51. Troy
Scott Cross has turned Troy into the Sun Belt Conference’s top team by leading the Trojans to the Big Dance for a second straight season. It is the first time in program history that they have gotten back-to-back births to the NCAA Tournament. Troy is a team to watch out for due to an offense that has four different players posting 12 or more points a night, including double-double machine Thomas Dowd (14.8 points and 10.1 rebounds a night).
50. Hofstra
After taking over as head coach five years ago, Hofstra legend Speedy Claxton has the Pride in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. A major reason why the CAA champions ended a 25-year Big Dance drought is the play of conference POTY Cruz Davis. The junior is posting 20.2 points and 4.6 assists a night.
49. Hawai’i
Hawai’i’s basketball program has not been to the Big Dance in a decade. However, coach Eran Ganot’s drought finally came to an end this year when the Rainbow posted their most victories (24) since they won 27 in 2001-2002 and took home the Big West Conference tourney title. Hawaii’s best team in decades is sure to put up a fight in their Round 1 game against Arkansas.
48. Northern Iowa
While coach Ben Jacobson has guided Northern Iowa to the NCAA Tournament four times before this season, the last came 10 years ago. However, after catching fire over the last two weeks, the Panthers ended the dry spell when they earned a Big Dance invite by winning the MVC conference tournament.
47. McNeese
Despite changing coaches for a third straight season, McNeese earned a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament after winning 14 of their last 15, including the Southland Conference title. The Cowboys have several players that can’t be underestimated, including guard Larry Johnson (17.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG).
46. High Point
Alan Huss turned High Point into a Big South powerhouse the last two seasons. Yet, despite his exit, his replacement, Flynn Claymann, has maintained that high standard in 2025-26. The Panthers have had their best season in school history (30-4), and a major reason why the Big South champs have Cinderella potential is an offense that is scoring the third most points in the nation (90.0 PPG).
45. Akron
John Groce has become the best coach in Akron history after leading the program to a fourth NCAA Tournament birth in the last five years. The 2025-26 Zips have been great en route to putting up a 29-5 record and winning the MAC Championship. They will be a handful in Round 1 because of an offense that is posting 88.4 points a night — seventh best in the nation.
44. South Florida
South Florida has struggled for over a decade to find a coach who could get them back to consistently competitive play. Well, they may have found their man in Bryan Hodgson. The former Arkansas State coach guided them to a strong 25-8 finish and an American Conference title in 2026. Being the eighth-best-scoring team in the country (87.7 PPG) is a major reason why.
43. VCU
There were concerns that when Ryan Odom left to be the head coach at Virginia, VCU would fall off in 2025-26. However, his replacement, Phil Martelli, maintained the standard and actually improved their scoring. It is a major reason why they stormed to the A-10 title last week and earned a third trip to the dance over the last four years.
42. Texas
At the midway point of February, Texas seemed like a shoo-in to reach the tournament as they owned an 18-9 record. However, losing five of their last six is why they needed to play their way into March Madness. However, the team scoring 83.8 points a night earned its spot with a First Four win over NC State.
41. Miami (OH) or SMU
Miami (Ohio) enters its First Four matchup on Wednesday as the No. 2 scoring team in the nation (90.7) and has seven players posting 10 or more points a night. However, the 31-1 team’s lone loss came to Massachusetts in the MAC tourney and pushed them into being a bubble team.
SMU gets a shot at playing its way into March Madness despite losing six of its last nine. However, they are a formidable scoring team posting 84.2 points a night and have five players averaging 10 or more a night. If they can beat Miami in their First Four game, they deserve their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
40. Santa Clara
In year 10 as head coach, Herb Sendek has finally gotten Santa Clara to the NCAA Tournament. The WCC runners-up are scoring just under 83 points a game and have several impact players, including sophomore Christian Hammond, who is posting 15.8 points a night.
39. Texas A&M
Texas A&M is back in March Madness for a fourth straight season because of an offense that is scoring 87.7 points a game — ninth-best in the country. The group has six different players scoring 10 or more points a night and is led by USC transfer Rashaun Agee (14.7 PPG).
38. UCF
While UCF struggled in the final weeks of the season, the Knights are a team that can’t be overlooked, with four different players posting 11 or more points a night. They won 21 games in a stacked Big 12 and landed a good matchup with UCLA in Round 1 of March Madness.
37. Missouri
Missouri stumbles into the 2026 edition of March Madness after losing three straight. However, they have three wins over ranked schools this season, including Florida, and nearly beat the eventual SEC champs, Arkansas, last week. The team is led by former Duke recruit Mark Mitchell, who leads the team in scoring with 18.3 PPG.
36. TCU
After a down season in 2024-25, Jamie Dixon has TCU back in the Big Dance for the fourth time in the last five years. A key reason is a rock-solid defense that is holding teams to 72.1 points a night and some great recent play from their top scorer, David Punch.
35. Iowa
While they have been lost in the shadow of Iowa State this year, Iowa has had a rock-solid showing in 2025-26 and is back in the Big Dance for the first time in three years. The main reason why is a defense that is giving up just 66.0 points to opponents. That’s 17th-best in the country.
34. Utah State
Jerrod Calhoun has continued Utah State’s competitive play over the last few years by guiding the Aggies to a fourth straight trip to the big dance in 2026. Utah State has been a top team in the Mountain West all season and put a period on that fact with a conference tournament win last week. They have a rock-solid offense and defense and are led by the backcourt duo of MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev.
33. St. Louis
Saint Louis had one of the program’s best seasons in 2025-26. Posting a 28-5 record as they won the regular season title in the A-10. While the Billikens didn’t win the conference tourney, star big man Robbie Avila leads the ninth-best offense in the nation (87.2) into March Madness this week.
32. Georgia
Since arriving in 2022, coach Michael White has helped return Georgia’s basketball program to prominence in the SEC. The Bulldogs posted 22 wins this season and a couple of nice Ws in the conference tourney before falling to Ole Miss. They can make some real noise in March Madness because of an offense that is scoring 89.8 points a night — fifth-best in the nation.
31. Clemson
Coach Brad Brownell has turned Clemson into a formidable program in the ACC. They are headed to March Madness for a third straight year, and it’s thanks to a defense that is giving up just 66.7 points a night. It’s a major reason why they have wins over three ranked schools this season, including North Carolina.
30. Ohio State
Despite being an elite school in football, Ohio State basketball has struggled to return to the Big Dance over the last few years. However, program great Bruce Thornton (20.2 PPG) helped to end the four-year drought this month with a strong finish to the season. This included a big win over eventual conference champs Purdue and a close clash with Michigan in the Big Ten tourney.
29. Villanova
While Villanova is one of the legendary program’s in the Big East, the team has had trouble maintaining the high standard after Jay Wright departed in 2022. However, new coach Kevin Willard has returned the Wildcats to their previous form by guiding them to a 24-8 season and a return to March Madness for the first time in four years.
28. UCLA
UCLA has had a rock-solid season in a tough Big Ten. Posting 23 wins in 2025-26, including victories over four ranked teams. Senior Tyler Bilodeau (17.6 PPG) leads a team that has more than enough talent to win a game or two in March Madness.
27. Kentucky
Coach Mark Pope has been able to maintain the high standard set by John Calipari and has Kentucky back in the NCAA Tournament for a fifth straight year. This year’s team is far from a vintage Wildcats group, but they do have some solid talent in 2026, including senior guard Otega Oweh (18.2 points and 4.6 rebounds a night).
26. BYU
Led by potential No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa (25.3 PPG), BYU was a top-10 level team early in the season. However, in the new year they struggled mightily and tumbled out of our most recent college basketball rankings. Nevertheless, when you have one of the elite players in the country, the Cougars can’t be underestimated.
25. Miami
Jai Lucas was handed a difficult situation in having to turn Miami basketball around after a disastrous 7-24 season from his predecessor in 2024-25. However, in his first season as a head coach, he has the 25-8 Hurricanes in position to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years.
Their big bounce-back season is due to some strong years from transfers Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau. The duo is combining for over 35 points and 9 rebounds a night for a Miami team that could win a game or two in the NCAA Tournament.
24. Tennessee
Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is proving why he is a notable prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft. He is second on the team in points (17.5) and leads in rebounds (6.6). The combo of him and senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is why the Vols are an SEC team that can never be underestimated.
For much of the season, Tennessee has been an inconsistent group and already has more losses than it did last year. The 22-11 won just one game in the SEC tourney.
23. Saint Mary’s
Legendary Saint Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett has been on a roll over the last few years, and he has his team positioned to make a record fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament this month.
Their strong showing in 2025-26 is due, in large part, to the play of Lithuanian big man Paulius Murauska (18.8 PPG and 7.7 RPG) and a defense that is giving up the seventh fewest points in the nation (64.6). Nevertheless, they aren’t a sure thing to make the NCAA tourney after an upset loss to Santa Clara this week.
22. North Carolina
Hubert Davis’ North Carolina team has held on to a spot in our college basketball rankings all year due to the outstanding performance of potential lottery pick Caleb Wilson. The freshman leads the Tar Heels in points (19.8), rebounds (9.4), assists (2.7), and steals (1.5).
Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, their top star will miss the rest of the season due to a hand injury. They will need a big next few weeks from veterans Henri Veesaar (16.7 points and 8.7 rebounds) and Seth Trimble (14.0 points) if they hope to make any noise in the NCAA Tournament next week.
21. Louisville
Louisville owns a solid 23-10 record due to the strong play of its trio of talented guards. Mikel Brown Jr. could be a top15 pick in June (18.2 points and 4.7 assists), senior Ryan Conwell has been just as good (18.7 points and 4.8 rebounds), and Cardinals veteran Isaac McKneely is as reliable as ever.
The trio is not easy to defend — when they are all available — and it has shown in wins over Kentucky and Indiana earlier this season. However, they have had an inconsistent last few weeks, going 4-4 in their last eight.
20. Wisconsin
This has been an up-and-down season for coach Greg Gard and Wisconsin. While they have gotten good seasons from guards Nick Boyd (20.6 PPG) and John Blackwell (19.0 PPG), it hasn’t stopped them from racking up losses to ranked and unranked teams during their current campaign.
However, despite their inconsistent play in 2025-26, they have built a little momentum over the last couple of weeks, winning five straight, including a W over Purdue and Illinois before falling to Michigan in the Big Ten tourney.
19. Texas Tech
Texas Tech has progressed a lot during Grant McCasland’s first two seasons overseeing the program. And the formidable duo of JT Toppin and Christian Anderson (18.9 PPG) made Tech look like a team that can be a real problem in March.
However, the news that Toppin — one of the top scorers in the nation (21.8 PPG) — is out for the season put a dark cloud over their campaign. They head into Selection Sunday losing three straight and look like a team that could be ousted from the tournament quickly.
18. Nebraska
Fred Hoiberg’s 2026 team looks to be his best yet at Nebraska. The school heads into Selection Sunday with a 26-6 record and is fronted by former Bradley recruit Rienk Mast. The Dutch senior is second on his team in points (13.5 PG) and first in rebounds (5.8). He is part of a formidable combo with junior Pryce Sandfort, who leads in scoring with 17.8 PPG.
Nebraska emerged as a serious problem in the Big Ten after starting the year 20-0, including victories over Illinois and Michigan State. However, they have been up-and-down since the end of January, losing six of their last 12, including surprising setbacks to Iowa and UCLA.
17. Alabama
Alabama can be a problem for any team in the nation on any night. The Crimson Tide has the best scoring offense in college basketball (91.7 PPG), and it is led by future NBA draft pick Labaron Philon Jr — his 21.7 PPG 12th-best in the nation.
Yet, despite their offensive firepower, they had a tough go of it in January. Going 4-3 in the month. However, since Feb. 4, they have been better and posted Ws in nine of their last 11.
16. Michigan State
Legendary coach Tom Izzo has another good Michigan State team on his hands in 2026. This year’s group has four players averaging 10 or more points and is led by star guard Jeremy Fears Jr. There is no better proof of their top 25 worthiness than owning wins over five ranked teams this season.
If they are focused and playing up to potential, Michigan State can make noise in March Madness. However, in recent weeks, they haven’t given reason to believe they can be that team in the tournament.
15. Kansas
Kansas was a frustratingly inconsistent group for much of this season. You just never truly knew what you would get from week to week. However, the Jayhawks and top star Darryn Peterson (19.8 PPG when he is on the court) got hot at the midway point of the season and reeled off eight straight Ws, half against ranked teams.
However, they have gotten back to their inconsistent ways over the last few weeks. Going 4-5 in their last nine, including a Big 12 tourney blowout to Houston.
14. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt’s backcourt duo of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles leads a Commodores offense that is scoring 86.7 PPG — which is 13th best in the nation. It’s why they head into Selection Sunday with a 26-7 record.
After starting the year 16-0, Vanderbilt has been up and down. Going 8-7 ahead of the SEC conference tourney. However, they showed they can make serious noise in the tournament by making an impressive run to the SEC conference final last week.
13. Illinois
Brad Underwood has turned Illinois into a force in the Big Ten and a consistent tournament participant. A key reason why they are in our updated college basketball rankings is freshman guard Keaton Wagler. The breakout star leads the Fighting Illini in scoring (17.9) and assists (4.4).
Illinois’ rise into a top team in the conference came after a 12-game win streak that included Ws over three ranked rivals. Unfortunately, they have cooled off in recent weeks, losing five of their last nine.
12. Virginia
Head coach Ryan Odom had a rough go of it in his first year overseeing Virginia. However, year two has been far better due to the strong play of Belgian big man Thijs de Ridder. The freshman forward leads in points (15.5) and rebounds (6.2) for the 29-5 team.
The only thing that has stopped the Cavaliers from closing in on the top 10 is limited wins against ranked schools. Nevertheless, they head into Selection Sunday with a good bit of momentum after winning 13 of their last 15, with both their losses to Duke.
11. UConn
It’s another season in college basketball, and UConn is once again among the elite programs in the country. Although they took a step back last season, they retooled in the summer by adding stud recruit Braylon Mullins and are back to being a title contender in 2026.
Senior big man Tarris Reed Jr. (13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds) and junior guard Solo Ball (13.5 PPG) lead the way for a team that is not just a group to respect on offense, but is a handful on defense (65.1 opponents PPG). However, they are stumbling their way into the tournament and were blown out by St. John’s in the Big East final.
10. Arkansas
Arkansas has an impressive all-freshman backcourt in Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. However, Acuff — the SEC POTY — has emerged as the best of the pair, and the Razorbacks’ star continues to generate serious NBA Draft buzz by leading the team in scoring (22.7 PPG) and assists (6.4 PPG).
In year two with legendary head coach John Calipari, Arkansas has played rock-solid ball. Scoring big wins over four ranked teams. However, they showed they have the potential to make a deep run in the tourney by storming their way to an SEC conference title last month.
9. Purdue
Purdue has something most elite schools lack: Top players with a boatload of experience. Seniors Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith lead the way for the Boilermakers in 2026 and are combining for close to 30 points a night. Smith is also adding just under nine assists a game.
Purdue began the season with an impressive 17-1 record. However, since Jan. 20, they have been an inconsistent group. The school that was near the top of the college basketball rankings has split its 14 games before the conference tourney. However, a fantastic run to the Big Ten conference title has given them serious momentum heading into the Big Dance.
8. St. John’s
There were huge expectations for St. John’s this season after a breakthrough year in 2024-25. However, over the first two months of the season, they were inconsistent and struggled against ranked schools.
But since the calendar hit 2026, the team led by Big East POTY Zuby Ejiofor (16.3 PPG) and Bryce Hopkins (13.5 PPG) has been on a tear. Since Jan. 6, they are 19-1 and have two wins over UConn, including smashing the Huskies in the Big East conference final.
7. Gonzaga
Mark Few’s Gonzaga squad heads into Selection Sunday with an impressive 30-3 record because of what their veteran front court of Braden Huff and WCC POTY Graham Ike gives them each night. The duo is averaging nearly 40 points and 15 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs this season.
Following a bad loss to Michigan in November, Gonzaga caught fire and reeled off 15 straight wins. While they’ve suffered a pair of surprise setbacks to Portland and Saint Mary’s in recent weeks, the WCC Champs are still playing well ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
6. Florida
The first couple of months of the season for defending champs Florida were rough as they lost four of their first nine games. However, after back-to-back defeats to Duke and UConn, the Gators have played like a team ready for another deep run in March. Since Dec. 13, they are 21-3 and have Ws over six ranked schools.
Juniors Alex Condon (15.0 PPG) and Thomas Haugh (17.1 PPG) have led the way during their resurgence. However, Rueben Chinyelu has been the X-factor because the center is having a breakout season. Posting 11.2 points and 11.5 rebounds a night. While they came up short of reaching the SEC finals, they are a dangerous team heading into the NCAA Tournament.
5. Iowa State
In his final season at Iowa State, Joshua Jefferson is creating serious NBA Draft buzz by being among the team leaders in points, rebounds, and assists. But the Cyclones have also gotten strong seasons from guard Tamin Lipsey and top scorer Milan Momcilovic (17.1).
They are 27-7 ahead of Selection Sunday due to those three and a formidable defense that is giving up 65.1 points a night. They have been up and down over the last two weeks and were eliminated in the semi of the Big 12 tourney by Arizona.
4. Michigan
After 33 games, Michigan has shown that head coach Dusty May has a team that can win the program’s first championship in close to 40 years this month. Big Ten POTY Yaxel Lendeborg (14.4 PPG and 7.0 RPG) leads a dominant front court that has the Wolverines among the 10 best scoring teams in the country (87.3 PPG).
Their rise to elite status in 2026 features wins over eight ranked teams. However, a surprising loss to Purdue in the Big Ten finals has some wondering if they truly have enough to go all the way this month.
3. Houston
Kelvin Sampson’s Houston squad is again among the top teams in the nation. Senior Emanuel Sharp (15.3 PPG) has been as important as ever, but if they win the program’s first national championship this month, it will be because of freshman Kingston Flemings (16.4 points and 5.4 assists a night), who is emerging as a potential top-five pick in June.
Beyond Sharp and Flemings, the Cougars own a 28-6 record due to an elite defense that is limiting opponents to just 62.9 points a night — second-best in the nation. After a three-game losing skid at the end of February, they got hot late in the season before a Big 12 tourney final loss to Arizona.
2. Arizona
Arizona has been impressive throughout the 2025-26 regular season. Led by fantastic play from freshman Brayden Burries (15.9 points and 4.7 rebounds) and Big 12 players of the year Jaden Bradley (13.3 points and 4.6 assists), the Wildcats have posted wins over 12 top-25 teams this season.
Their performance has been led by an offense averaging 86.1 PPG (14th-best in the nation). After a pair of tough losses to Kansas and Texas Tech in February, Arizona caught fire and roared into the NCAA Tournament as the Big 12 champs after big wins over Iowa State and Houston this week.
1. Duke
Duke had a vintage Blue Devils regular season because of the outstanding performance of ACC POTY Cameron Boozer. The freshman, who stepped in to replace Cooper Flagg, leads the team in points (22.5) — which is also ninth best in the nation — rebounds (10.2), and assists (4.2).
Beyond the superb play of Boozer, Duke is also getting big minutes from sophomores Isaiah Evans (14.9 PPG) and Patrick Ngongba II (10.7 PPG and 6.0 RPG). The trio and the team’s elite defense (63.1 PPG) are why the 32-2 team won another ACC title this week.
