Well, it was a fun first weekend. What other crazy things can happen in the second one?
There are 16 teams remaining in the men’s NCAA Tournament, and by the end of the weekend, four of those teams will remain to head to Indianapolis. March Madness 2026 has arrived with a bang. There is good reason to believe this trend will continue in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
Some of the bold predictions made at the start of the tournament didn’t come true, but a few did. So it’s time to think again and share some bold predictions for what will happen in the final push to the Final Four.
Arizona vs. Arkansas, Michigan vs. Alabama illuminated scoreboards
Get ready to watch incredible offenses play against each other and score tons of points.
Four of the remaining 16 teams are in the top 13 in points, and even better, they will be playing each other. Alabama, which boasts the nation’s top offensive line (91.6 points), will face the University of Michigan, which ranks ninth (87.4 points). Both teams have scored at least 90 points in their first two games and will surely surpass that mark.
In the West, the second-highest scoring team in the state of Arkansas (90.2 points per game) will face Arizona State (86.1 points per game), which ranks No. 13 in the nation. The Wildcats will score at will, considering the Razorbacks’ scoring defense ranks 331st out of 365 teams, and Arkansas has the talent to match. As a result, there are two games in which both teams pass the century mark.
Try not to blink when these two match up. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on a ton of points.
Another No. 1 seed falls.
An all-No chance. The No. 1 seed for the Final Four is gone. There are 3 left. Expect the other one to get knocked out.
Arizona and Michigan looked nearly perfect, but they will have to deal with high-powered offenses that could clearly be overwhelming. Duke also has to face a red-hot St. John’s team. A storm is brewing for one of the top seeds, resulting in only a maximum of two people participating.
What’s more, the Blue Devils will be the first team to be bounced, but there are clearly some holes that will be exposed by the Red Storm and Elite Eight opponents, further widening John Scheyer’s quest for his first championship as coach.
Dan Hurley hurt the team.
You know the court gets hot when Hurley is on the sideline, but he could make it too hot for the team to survive.
Connecticut will be playing a classic game against Michigan State, and the final minutes will decide the outcome of the game. Whether it’s a foul call or a non-call, something will happen that will make Hurley furious with the officials. During the postseason, referees try to be lenient, but with coaches going too far and getting technical fouls and, in some cases, double-T, giving the Spartans crucial free throws, it will be very difficult for the Huskies to overcome the margin.
Michigan State advanced, but the question after that will be whether Hurley was to blame for the loss. Check out the memorable press conference.
Houston to Final 4
No team is more favored to tie with Indianapolis than Houston. Not only will the Cougars get an advantageous path to play Illinois against either Nebraska or Iowa State, but they will also be able to play in their own city. Things don’t get much better for Kelvin Sampson’s side, who have looked completely dominant so far.
With momentum and a great matchup, Houston not only won, but easily won with double-digit wins in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. The blowout win marked one of the most impressive advances to the Final Four in the fight for a return to title contention.
Last season finally saw Houston break through its second weekend struggles after losing for three straight seasons before finally returning to the Final Four. This is the first time the Cougars have made back-to-back appearances since Phi Slama Jama shocked the world.
Rick Pitino makes more history
No matter where he goes, success always comes with Pitino. Now, in 2026, he has further cemented his name as one of the greatest coaches of all time.
St. John’s flipped the script from the start of the season, playing with the swagger needed at this time of year and looking like a legitimate title contender. Not only did the Red Storm defeat top overall seed Duke, they advanced to the Elite Eight and reached the Final Four for the first time since 1985. With this accomplishment, Pitino became the first coach with four programs to advance to the semifinals.
The road to his first national championship will be tough, but it will cap off a remarkable comeback in New York City.
