Madness of March

Number of Tournament Games Remaining: 0

It's all over

Tournament Status: Concluded

Michigan

Breaks the 25-year drought for Big Ten

From marchmadman

Updated 04/07/26, 1:00am

Michigan took care of business, beating UConn, 69-63, in Monday's Championship game.

Michigan was only picked by 26 brackets (16%) in our Bracket Pool to win the National Championship.

But the top 3 finishers, including 11 of the top 15, picked Michigan to win it.

Which seems to indicate you need to pick the Champion if you want to be the Champion. At least in the Bracket Pool.

In the Hat Pool, there seemed to be an unusual number of repeat winners between the four pools (or at least multiple people within the same family).

If you won more than once, please let me go in on a lottery ticket with you.

Interesting note for the Hat Pool: Michigan won by 6 points. The spread was UConn +6.5.

So, if you came into the Championship game with UConn, you won the Hat Pool even though your team lost.

Sometimes losers even win.

So, I must be next.

In the time of chimpanzees, I was a monkey

Soy un perdedor.

Time for the lamest part of this

The One Shining Moment montage

From marchmadman

Updated 04/06/26, 1:00pm

The NCAA Championship game is tonight.

NOT on CBS. It's on tbs/TNT/truTV again.

There are less and less people that still have a chance to win. And if you are reading this, you are probably one of them.

So, good luck to you. And thank you again for taking my money and my time away from my family. (I never win ANYTHING!)

If you win, you will be rewarded with money, not that hackneyed song montage that they play before the network turns the page from college basketball to golf.

The "One Shining Moment" montage is great! That is if you watch with the sound muted.

A brief history of that song and its tie to March Madness:

1986 David Barrett, a 31-year-old dive bar musician in Michigan, writes some lyrics on a napkin after watching Larry Bird on the bar TV the night before. Barrett happens to be friendly with a Sports Illustrated writer, who tells him he should record it. Barrett records it, gives it to said friend, who knows someone with CBS TV. TV hears it, lets Barrett know they love the song and want to use it for the Super Bowl. That was set to happen, but the Super Bowl coverage ran long with no time for the song. CBS then decided to use it for March Madness, debuting in 1987, and used ever since.

"One Shining Moment" has been performed by four different singers, including Barrett and Teddy Pendergrass. But the version you hear now is by Luther Vandross, his last professional recording.

What a legacy for Barrett, a man you never heard of before, but now you know.

Luther, he has a legacy that is untarnished by this song.

For more in-depth history of the song, check out Ryan McGee's article on ESPN.com:

Inside the origin of 'One Shining Moment' -- the highlight of March Madness.

To hear the original Barrett version along with Luther's version, go to the One Shining Moment webpage (yes, there is a dedicated webpage):

https://www.oneshiningmoment.com/the-song/

Feel the beat of your heart

feel the wind in your face

it's more than a contest

it's more than a race

We are inside. What wind?

And it's not a race.

David Barrett today

photo from David Barrett Facebook page

https://www.davidbarrett.com

https://www.oneshiningmoment.com/

https://www.facebook.com/OneShiningMomentSong/

Luther Vandross

"Never Too Much"

1981, Luther's debut single

GOOD STUFF

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TOURNAMENT NEWS

Headlines

Stat(s) of the Day (cont.)

Quote(s) of the Day

Updated 04/07/26, 1:00am

ESPN.com

Michigan holds off UConn to win 2nd hoops title

Sources: UNC to hire Malone as new hoops coach

Sources: Michigan's May not pursuing other jobs

NC State freshman Able to enter draft, portal

Oklahoma hires Clemson's McKay as hoops GM

Badgers' Blackwell to hit portal, test draft process

Buzzer beater gives Mary Washington D-III title

Coaching carousel tracker: All the latest intel

Stat(s) of the Day (most from ESPN Research)

Updated 04/07/26, 1:00am

The Big Ten now has won the NCAA men's basketball championship (Michigan), women's championship (UCLA), and football championship (Indiana). That is only 2nd time all 3 have been won by one conference. The other was SEC in 2006-07.

Michigan scored 61 of its 69 points from the paint or free throw line in the win over UConn.

Updated 04/06/26, 1:00pm

UConn has won 19 straight games in the Sweet 16 or later.

All 6 of UConn's national championships have been since 1999.

UConn is tied with North Carolina for third-most titles in history (6), trailing only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (8).

Michigan has 1 national championship (1989).

Worst 1v1 losses in Tournament history (18 points)

2026 Michigan over Illinois

2008 Kansas over UNC

1985 Georgetown over Saint John's

Updated 04/04/26, 11:55pm

Michigan's 18 point victory over Arizona is tied for the largest in an NCAA tournament game between 1-seeds since seeding began in 1979.

With their win over Illinois, UConn's record over the last four tournaments is now 18-1. Their lone loss was to the 2025 Florida Gators, who went on to win the championship.

UConn is looking for third title in four years.

UConn is 6-0 in championship games.

Updated 04/03/26, 9:00pm

In 1989, Michigan defeated Seton Hall 80-79 in OT to win Michigan's first and only men's basketball national championship. Glen Rice scored 31 points and scored an all-time single-tournament record 184 points.

Updated 03/28/26, 11:40pm

There are 364 DI basketball programs. There are only 22 seniors who never left the team they started at.

Updated 03/28/26, 3:30pm

1997: the last time a team from the West won a Natty, that was Arizona, and they did so in Indy same location of Championship this year.

Updated 03/26/26, 11:00am

UConn is in its third Sweet 16 under Dan Hurley. The first two ended in national championship appearances.

9 of this year's Sweet 16 teams were there last year: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Duke, Houston, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and Tennessee.

Updated 03/26/26, 11:00am

6 of the 9 Big Ten teams made it to the Sweet 16, including the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes, who finished ninth in the conference at 10-10. The Big Ten has not won a national championship since Michigan State in 2000. Current Big Ten member Maryland won the championship in 2002 as a member of the ACC. There is a possible all-Big-Ten Final Four which would be a first for any conference.

Updated 04/07/26, 1:00am

UConn coach Dan Hurley after their championship loss:

"A lot of people talk about 'You're better off losing in the first game in the Final Four than losing in the championship.' That is the biggest bunch of crap of all. It is such bull. It is. It's like, this is where you wanted to be. It hasn't set in yet. On the flight tomorrow, it'll set in, on the bus ride back."

Updated 04/06/26, 1:00pm

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd after his team's Final Four loss:

"The first thing that popped to my head was like, one Final Four? Why don't we go five times in 10 years?, I mean, that's where my mind's at. You know, I'm going to do it day by day. But that's my big dream. I mean, who knows? Maybe you guys will use that against me saying that some day, but I'm going to dream big, and I'm going to work my ass off to try to make it happen."

CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle after UConn easily beat Illinois to go to their third national championship game in four years: "They are the bluest of bloods in college basketball right now."

Updated 04/04/26, 11:55pm

UConn's Dan Hurley after his team's Final 4 victory:

"We're a tough program. We're a group of fighters. It's not appealing to everyone. I'm sure there's some people in here that it's off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We've got incredible will. We go into these games, we're ready for battle. Again, for us, it's not a game that we're just kind of running around in uniforms, throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That's not what we're doing out there. We're fighting. It's a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship."

Updated 04/04/26, 9:30am

UConn's Dan Hurley about his on-court behavior during games:

"The way I view what we're going into, in the game, when some people view it as a game, just my family, how I was raised in the sport, where I'm from in Jersey, we look at it more like a battle."

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

SELECTION COMMITTEE SEED LIST

Updated 04/04/26, 11:55pm

2026 Conference Tournament Champions
CONFERENCE	CHAMPIONSHIP (TV) / CHAMPION
America East	UMBC Retrievers (24-8)
American	South Florida Bulls (25-8)
Atlantic 10	VCU Rams (27-7)
ACC	Duke Blue Devils (32-2)
ASUN	Queens Royals (21-13)
Big 12	Arizona Wildcats (32-2)
Big East	St. John's Red Storm (28-6)
Big Sky	Idaho Vandals (21-14)
Big South	High Point Panthers (30-4)
Big Ten	Purdue Boilermakers (27-8)
Big West	Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (24-8)
CAA	Hofstra Pride (24-10)
Conference USA	Kennesaw State Owls (21-13)
Horizon League	Wright State Raiders (23-11)
Ivy League	Pennsylvania Quakers (18-11)
MAAC	Siena Saints (23-11)
MAC	Akron Zips (29-5)
MEAC	Howard Bison (23-10)
Missouri Valley	Northern Iowa Panthers (23-12)
Mountain West	Utah State Aggies (28-6)
Northeast	Long Island Sharks (24-10)
Ohio Valley	Tennessee State Tigers (23-9)
Patriot League	Lehigh Mountain Hawks (18-16)
SEC	Arkansas Razorbacks (26-8)
SoCon	Furman Paladins (22-12)
Southland	McNeese Cowboys (28-5)
SWAC	Prairie View A&M Panthers (18-17)
Summit League	North Dakota State Bison (27-7)
Sun Belt	Troy Trojans (22-11)
West Coast	Gonzaga Bulldogs (30-3)
WAC	California Baptist Lancers (25-8)

Record of Conference Champions in this year's Tournament

First Four: 2-2 (almost always the case)

First Round: 9-20

Second Round: 2-3

Sweet 16: 3-2

Elite 8: 1-2

Final 4: 0-1

Record of At-Large Bids in this year's Tournament

First Four: 2-2 (almost always the case)

First Round: 23-12

Second Round: 6-5

Sweet 16: 5-6

Elite 8: 3-2

Final 4: 2-1

After First Round, only 9 out of 31 Conference Champions are still alive

while 23 At-Large Bids are still alive.

After Second Round, only 5 out of 31 Conference Champions are still alive

while 11 At-Large Bids are still alive.

After Sweet 16, 3 out of 31 Conference Champions are still alive

while 5 At-Large Bids are still alive.

After Elite 8, 1 out of 31 Conference Champions is still alive

while 3 At-Large Bids are still alive.

After Final 4, 0 out of 31 Conference Champions are still alive

while 2 At-Large Bids are still alive.

Updated 04/07/26, 1:00am

2026 Selection Committee Seed List

Rk	Team	Record	Rk	Team	Record
1	Duke	32-2	33	Utah St.	28-6
2	Arizona	32-2	34	TCU	22-11
3	Michigan	31-3	35	Saint Louis	28-5
4	Florida	26-7	36	Iowa	21-12
5	Houston	28-6	37	Santa Clara	26-8
6	UConn	29-5	38	UCF	21-11
7	Iowa St.	27-7	39	Missouri	20-12
8	Purdue	27-8	40	Texas A&M	21-11
9	Michigan St	25-7	41	NC State	20-13
10	Illinois	24-8	42	Texas	18-14
11	Gonzaga	30-3	43	SMU	20-13
12	Virginia	29-5	44	Miami (OH)	31-1
13	Nebraska	26-6	45	VCU	27-7
14	Alabama	23-9	46	South Florida	25-8
15	Kansas	23-10	47	McNeese	28-5
16	Arkansas	26-8	48	Akron	29-5
17	Vanderbilt	26-8	49	UNI	23-12
18	St. John's	28-6	50	High Point	30-4
19	Texas Tech	22-10	51	California Baptist	25-8
20	Wisconsin	24-10	52	Hofstra	24-10
21	Tennessee	22-11	53	Troy	22-11
22	North Carolina	24-8	54	Hawaii	24-8
23	Louisville	23-10	55	North Dakota St	27-7
24	BYU	23-11	56	Penn	18-11
25	Kentucky	21-13	57	Wright St	23-11
26	Saint Mary's	27-5	58	Kennesaw St	21-13
27	Miami (FL)	25-8	59	Tennessee St	23-9
28	UCLA	23-11	60	Idaho	21-14
29	Clemson	24-10	61	Furman	22-12
30	Villanova	24-8	62	Queens (NC)	21-13
31	Ohio St	21-12	63	Siena	23-11
32	Georgia	22-10	64	LIU	24-10
			65	Howard	23-10
			66	UMBC	24-8
			67	Lehigh	18-16
			68	Prairie View	18-17

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

WOMEN'S SCHEDULE

Updated 04/07/26, 1:00am

GAMES	Time (ET)	TV
National Championship: Monday, April 6
(1) Michigan vs. (2) UConn	8:50 PM	tbs/TNT/truTV

Michigan won their second NCAA Championship (37 years)

Updated 04/06/26, 9:30pm

GAMES	Time (ET)	TV
National Championship: Sunday, April 5
(1) South Carolina vs. (1) UCLA	3:30 PM	ABC

UCLA won their first NCAA Championship

2026 TEAM PROFILES

High Point Panthers

This university really is top-notch. It's regularly rated top in the country in campus beauty, campus facilities, and campus dining. They even chartered a plane to fly 200 students to Oregon to watch their First Round game.

Yeah! No kidding!

Cal Baptist Lancers

This is not de ja vu.

Their colors are almost identical to Queens.

They have something else in common too.

Queens Royals

This is their first NCAA Tournament in their first year they are eligible.

But come next year, they might go the way of the dodo bird.

LIU Sharks

Fins up!

Cuz when I think of Long Island, I immediately think of Sharks.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks

Their official colors are Brown and White.

They have over a century of playing mediocre basketball.

But I bet you remember that one thing they did well

Howard Bison

This team was in the Tournament in 2023 and 2024 and two other times prior to that. No wins though.

I completely forgot about those teams.

Most will forget about this team too.

2026 MM ARTICLES

Get your kielbo

Updated 04/05/26

Final Four night was a letdown. The Women's Final should be worth watching between your rounds of Easter egss and kielbo.

You are (all) NOT #1

Updated 04/04/26

Not all 1-seeds, but still should be worth watching. Just don't tune to CBS. It's on AMC, or MTV, or who knows.

You are (all) #1

Updated 04/03/26

All of the Women's Final Four teams are 1-seeds.

That actually does not happen that often even in the Women's game.

Oh, he hit it

Updated 04/03/26

Maybe the greatest shot since Laettner (not in Duke's eyes).

Back on CBS

Updated 03/29/26

Only 5 teams remain, and only 3 days of games.

Don't give up just yet.

Games back no CBS.

Adjusting your antenna won't work

Updated 03/28/26

Saturday's Elite 8 games are not on a major broadcast network. They're on cable. Don't worry Duke fans. Your game on Sunday is back on the network. Adjust those rabbit ears.

You're living in the past, man!

Updated 03/27/26

DC had some notoriously good teams and coaches. But the notorious coach getting all the bad press was not there he was getting outta Raleigh as fast as he can.

Get your coffee

Updated 03/26/26

The NCAA or CBS or both hate the East Coast. These games won't end until after midnight for most of the US.

You Californians can go sit in traffic!

Hawkeyes' crushing win

Updated 03/22/26

No. 9 seed Iowa had the biggest upset of the Tournament thus far when they beat No.1 seed Florida. Only 10 out of 164 brackets correctly picked Iowa to advance to the Sweet 16.

Don't mess with Texas

Updated 03/22/26

No. 11 seed Texas became the first team in five years to go from the NCAA Tournament's First Four to the Sweet 16 causing a Bracket Pool shakeup.

Nobody is perfect

Updated 03/21/26

Only 244 perfect brackets remain across the country, and yours ain't one of them.

Sit back and enjoy

Updated 03/19/26

We are underway. Enjoy the games. Do not worry about your brackets. You did not win.

We're gonna be winners!

Updated 03/19/26

And most important, don't get caught up thinking about winning or losing If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the [standings] say at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners!

Going Greyhound

Updated 03/18/26

You might think being close to home for your first game is a benefit. But close is a relative term. Would you rather a 4-hour bus ride or a 4-hour plane ride and you are probably close to 7 feet tall.