With Selection Sunday just a week away, the race for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket remains wide open as conference tournaments begin and teams make final pushes to secure favorable seeds.
Three teams — Duke, Michigan, and Arizona — have separated themselves from the field and appear firmly in line for No. 1 seeds. Duke currently holds the inside track for the overall top seed with a 29-2 record and strong performance in key statistical metrics used by the selection committee. Michigan and Arizona remain close behind as the final week of conference play approaches.
Florida has surged into position for the final No. 1 seed after adding another quality win, including a recent victory at Kentucky. The Gators have edged past UConn in key resume metrics, though the Huskies could regain the spot with a strong run through the Big East Tournament combined with a Florida stumble.
Conference tournament week could dramatically reshape the bracket. Teams currently slotted around the No. 2 through No. 5 seed lines — including Purdue and Iowa State — still have opportunities to climb or fall depending on their postseason performances. Kentucky is another team facing uncertainty as it attempts to avoid landing in a difficult 8–9 first-round matchup that could lead to a second-round meeting with a top seed.
The NCAA Tournament bubble also remains unsettled. Several teams battling for the final at-large spots suffered losses over the weekend, leaving Stanford currently holding the final projected position in the field of 68. Conference tournaments in leagues such as the Mid-American Conference, Mountain West and Atlantic 10 could produce surprise champions, creating so-called “bid thieves” that shrink the number of available at-large spots.
The Southeastern Conference currently leads all leagues with 10 projected tournament teams, followed closely by the Big Ten and ACC with nine each and the Big 12 with eight.
Attention now turns to international baseball tonight with a highly anticipated World Baseball Classic matchup between the United States and Mexico.
Both teams enter the game undefeated at 2-0 in Pool B after dominant victories over Brazil. The United States opened with a 15-5 win, while Mexico followed with a 16-0 rout.
The matchup carries added intrigue after Mexico defeated the United States 11-5 during pool play in the 2023 tournament. That event eventually saw Team USA fall just short of the championship, losing to Japan in the final.
Tonight’s contest, scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern, is expected to feature Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes on the mound for the United States as the two rivals renew one of the tournament’s most compelling matchups.
In the NBA, the Toronto Raptors rolled past the Dallas Mavericks 122-92, while the Orlando Magic routed the Milwaukee Bucks 130-91. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Chicago Bulls 126-110 and the Miami Heat topped the Detroit Pistons 121-110.
The San Antonio Spurs erupted for one of the night’s biggest offensive performances in a 145-120 victory over the Houston Rockets, while the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98.
Elsewhere, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Washington Wizards 138-118, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 110-97, the Portland Trail Blazers topped the Indiana Pacers 131-111 and the Phoenix Suns handled the Charlotte Hornets 111-99.
In the NHL, several games required extra time as playoff races tightened. The Colorado Avalanche edged the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in a shootout, while the Dallas Stars defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime. The Pittsburgh Penguins outlasted the Boston Bruins 5-4 in overtime.
The Detroit Red Wings shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0, the St. Louis Blues blanked the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 and the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. In a high-scoring game, the Buffalo Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-7.
Source: CBS, The Athletic, nba.com, nhl.com