2026 NCAA Sweet 16 Ballislife Writer’s Picks

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is down to 16 teams after a frenetic weekend that saw a majority of the top seeds advance for the second consecutive season.

Our Ballislife resident experts give our audience a quick rundown of what they got right, and what went down unexpectedly with their pre-tourney predictions in each region.

The NCAA transfer portal opens on April 7 for a 15-day window and there already has been a dizzying amount of movement with players announcing their intentions to move on to “greener” pastures. The coaching carousel is also in full effect.

The NCAA Men’s tourney is reportedly averaging 10.1 million viewers (across the four network television stations) through the first two rounds, up from 9.4 million last year.

Despite a lack of “Cinderellas” and the ever-changing landscape, fans love their college hoops as much as ever.

More NCAA: East Region Preview | South Region Preview | Midwest Region Preview | West Region Preview | Ballislife Writer’s picks

(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

NCAA East Region (Washington D.C.) March 27-29

Duke (1) vs. St. John’s (5), 7:10 pm ET (CBS)
UConn (2) vs. Michigan St. (3), 9:45 pm ET (CBS)

Pre-Tourney Ballislife South Region Final Four Tally: Duke 4/7, Michigan St. 1/7, St. John’s 2/7, UCONN 1/7

Grant Afseth, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: My expectation remains that Duke will make it out of the region, but there will be no shortage of tough teams, including the Blue Devils’ next opponent in St. John’s. In a region with Michigan State and UConn, it’s going to take some great basketball to make it through. I picked Duke initially and still see that working out.

What I Missed On: Speaking of St. John’s… It’s tough to say that was a significant upset, but I did expect Darryn Peterson and Kansas to pull out the win. That has been the only surprise so far in the East. Winning it at the buzzer the way they did was remarkable. Can they keep it rolling against Duke?

Will Despart, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: St. John’s run of 19 wins in 20 games entering the tournament wasn’t just a product of an easy Big East conference, the Johnnies are really like that and are a live dog against No. 1 overall seed Duke on Friday.

What I Missed On: I had South Florida knocking off Louisville in the first round on the basis that Brian Hodgson turned down the Syracuse job, so he must have been focused on the Bulls’ Round of 64 game. The fact he took the Providence job the day after South Florida lost shows he still had one foot out the door, just for a different program.

Ronnie Flores, Ballislife Editor
What I Nailed: I had Duke vs. Michigan St. meeting in the regional final and I will stand on that going into the Sweet 16. I think Tom Izzo is the best coach in the NCAA, by far, and this region is loaded with legendary coaches. What matchups we have with John Scheyer vs. Rick Pitino and Danny Hurley vs. Izzo. Like I’ve said a million times, it’s hard for me to bet against Sparty.

What I Missed On: I knew Pitino had his boys playing hard and together, but I didn’t think St. John’s was as good as they are. They have a real chance for an upset of Duke; the Johnny’s can cover but they don’t shoot well enough to win. Nothing else surprises me in this region.

Sara Jane Gamelli, Ballislife Managing Editor
What I Nailed: Things were a little shaky for a while with Duke. They’ve made it to the Sweet 16, but were almost upset by Siena in the first-round. Able to overcome a 71-65 victory over Gerry McNamara and company, the Blue Devils easily cruised to a second-round 81-58 win over TCU. I was right in the sense that they need Patrick Ngongba back, who recorded just four points in 13 minutes last game. And also, Duke shot 55% from the field, while holding TCU to just 23-of-69 (33%) from the floor and 7-of-24 (29%) from beyond the arc. While losing Caleb Foster was tough, Cameron Boozer has arguably been the premier player in the tournament.

What I Missed On: I guess I underestimated Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies. Their 82-71 first-round victory wasn’t all that impressive, and they were missing multiple players. Defeating UCLA 73-57 in the second-round, UConn will face Tom Izzo and Michigan State in the Sweet 16.

Geoff Magliocchetti, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Chalk was beast in the East … except, ironically enough, when it came down to the final seconds for the Kansas Jayhawks, who fell in the most heartbreaking of fashions to St. John’s. Fortunately, I had that portion highlighted on my bracket, accounting for what essentially stood as one of the bigger “upsets” in this region. It’ll take a better effort from the Red Storm to keep that streak going–I do have the Johnnies’ dropping Duke and making it to the Final Four–but things are clean for the time being.

What I Missed On: My lone misfire in the region to date was picking South Florida over Louisville. The Cardinals defied my upset bid and survived without Mikel Brown Jr. just long enough to scramble that mini-bout of perfection.

Isabelle McCarthy, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: One of the rare matchups I actually hit on was St. John’s and Duke clashing in the Sweet Sixteen. I’m excited to see Rick Pitino’s game plan for the Blue Devils, as they have a real shot at an “upset” over Duke. I don’t think I have the same amount of confidence in Duke though. Tom Izzo and his Spartans are going to have a tough matchup against Dan Hurley and the Huskies, but what I can’t wait to see is just good old basketball here. This is a region with coaches who fill out the “stat sheet” when it comes to coaching records, awards, and achievements. Expect a great coaching performance from these four.

What I Missed On: I didn’t exactly touch on UConn at first for a reason, but the Huskies are starting to make me doubt. I had full confidence in Duke to take the Region but now it’s anybody’s game. I shouldn’t be shocked about Michigan State, but Louisville at first did give them a run for their money.

Ani Umana, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: St. John’s making it this far. Their rough and tough play style but also how well they’ve been playing leading up to the tournament, led me to have confidence on getting to the second weekend. I still believe UCONN could win the East Region, especially how Alex Karaban has been shooting and if Braylon Mullins can string together a few more efficient shooting outings.

What I Missed On: I did think UCF was going to beat UCLA but outside of that I was accurate on the results in this region.

NCAA South Region (Houston) March 26-28

Houston (2) vs. Illinois (3), 10:05 pm (TBS)
Nebraska (4) vs. Iowa (9), 7:30 pm (TBS)

Pre-Tourney Ballislife South Region Final Four Tally: Florida 2/7, Houston 4/7, Illinois 2/7

Grant Afseth, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Houston and Illinois were fully expected to make it this far. However, neither were my picks to win it all. Florida was my pick. At this point, I expect Houston to win this region.

What I Missed On: Iowa… I didn’t see that one coming! The win against Florida was very impressive, but I just don’t expect the run to continue. I had some doubts about North Carolina, but I didn’t pick against them early. That was a mistake. Regardless, Iowa alone certainly made my bracket not worth the paper it was digitally printed on.

Will Despart, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: VCU. I had the Rams upsetting North Carolina and wrote it off with the rest of the world when they were down 19, but I forgot blown leads in March were kind of Hubert Davis’ thing.

What I Missed On: I had Florida not just in my Final Four, but in my national title game. The Gators reverted back to the team we saw start the regular season 9-5 instead of the team we saw finish it with 16 wins in the final 17 games.

Ronnie Flores, Ballislife Editor
What I Nailed: I said Florida wouldn’t survive and I was right on that. The Gators backcourt wasn’t strong enough to make a return trip to the Final Four. I said Illinois would survive this region, but I’m wavering a bit and think Houston can make a return trip to the Final Four. It doesn’t hurt that the games are in Houston. Whoever wins the Illini-Houston game is going to roll in the Elite 8.

What I Missed On: I didn’t think Nebraska would recover as well from its late-season slump. Yes, it barely survived Vanderbilt but Fred Hoiberg has one hell of a team. This is the first time the program has made the Sweet 16 and this is a Big Ten rubber match vs. Iowa with each team winning on its home court. I think Pryce Sandfort will make a difference for the Huskers.

Sara Jane Gamelli, Ballislife Managing Editor
What I Nailed: Houston was my pick, and it is very much still alive. No. 1 Florida was the favorite, but were upset by No. 9 Iowa, 73-72, in the Round of 32. Cruising to a 78-47 first-round victory over No. 15 Idaho, the Cougars defense led the way, holding the Vandals to just 47 points. Not only did they limit them to 29% shooting from the field, Houston had eight steals alone. Looking crisp on the offensive end, Kingston Flemings, Milos Uzan, and Emanuel Sharp have risen to the occasion. This team didn’t lose a step, defeating No. 10 Texas A&M 88-67 in the Round of 32. Not only is the offense firing on all cylinders, but the defense is sensational. They’ve been one of the best teams all year round, and while Illinois will be a tough matchup, I’m relying on the defense.

What I Missed On: Like everyone else, I did not have Florida getting upset in the Round of 32. The Gators are the reigning champions for a reason, but fell flat against Iowa. I also did not see Nebraska defeating Vanderbilt, even though the Commodores controlled the second-half. The Cornerhuskers pulled it off late in the second-half, thanks to Braden Frager.

Geoff Magliocchetti, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: The spirit of March Madness temporarily lived on through the example of Virginia Commonwealth and I earned temporary relief through the Rams’ comeback. Things got a little dicier from there, but I do still have my Final Four contender in Houston: like St. John’s, anger should continue to fuel the Cougars, even if their national championship vanquishers from Gainesville are off the bracket.

What I Missed On: Speaking of which, the Gators’ chomp at the hands of Iowa didn’t go my way in the slightest, as I was denied an Elite Eight team at the close of the weekend. Heartbreak, in a way, came for me earlier in the weekend: I couldn’t even give Iowa, Florida’s neutralizers, the dignity of a first-round win, and I also had a bit too optimistic of an outlook for the end of the Randy Bennett era at St. Mary’s. I did give the courtesy to Nebraska, but I anticipated an SEC showdown in the Sweet 16 between Florida and the Cornhuskers’ more recent victim, Vanderbilt. Upsets … apparently, they just mean more.

Isabelle McCarthy, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Well I think the only thing going for me for the South Region is the fact Houston is still alive. This was already going to be tough for Florida to survive, with them out, Houston’s real competition is Illinois. I did say though, if the guards aren’t hot, not even Todd Golden could make adjustments to save the game. Looking at box scores, it doesn’t even paint half the picture of how much guards were a non-factor (minus Xavien Lee) against Iowa.

What I Missed On: Well to start, I absolutely missed Florida winning the South Region. As well, there was even a possibility of a Vanderbilt and Florida rematch. My biggest shock isn’t even Florida losing, it’s Vanderbilt losing early. The Commodores had a great fight and nearly an amazing buzzer beater, but somebody has to lose.

Ani Umana, Ballislife Writer

What I Nailed: Houston still surviving and advancing. Dominant win vs. Texas A&M has them in the Sweet 16. I do believe the Cougars have the advantage over Illinois due to their physicality and toughness. Illinois will have to make shots from deep, but if Houston’s key pieces stay out of foul trouble, I see them winning and then defeating the winner of Nebraska and Iowa

What I Missed On: Florida losing to Iowa wasn’t expected at all from me. Ben McCollum is a helluva ball coach and it showed. That was one I just didn’t expect at all but it’s March Madness!

Note: The East and South Region champs will meet in the NCAA Final Four semifinals on April 4 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.

NCAA Midwest Region (Chicago, Ill.) March 27-29

Michigan (1) vs. Alabama (4), 7:35 pm (TBS)
Iowa St. (2) vs. Tennessee (6), 10:10 pm (TBS)

Pre-Tourney Ballislife Midwest Region Final Four Tally: Michigan 6/7, Iowa State 1/7

Grant Afseth, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Michigan has it rolling after consecutive blowout victories, going into a matchup against Alabama. I picked the Wolverines to win this region. That doesn’t change at this point. Iowa State has a lot of momentum going right now and could challenge Michigan. The size the Wovlerines have on the perimeter should pose problems to most teams until the very end.

What I Missed On: Virginia was among my top picks to win this region. The Cavs lost to Tennessee, and I can’t say I expected that. It’s difficult to see Iowa State dropping the game against the Volunteers, but they’ve certainly caught my attention.

Will Despart, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Like most of America, I predicted this region would run through Michigan and Iowa State. Besides that, I can’t say I nailed on much of anything on this corner of the bracket.

What I Missed On: I thought Hofstra had enough firepower to give Alabama a run for its money before the Aden Holloway incident. Instead of crumbling, the Crimson Tide rallied around each other and pulled a hard fought win over the Fightin’ Speedy Claxtons.

Ronnie Flores, Ballislife Editor
What I Nailed: I specifically said seeds No. 2-5 were weak and I think standing on that will do me good here. Alabama, literally, has an outside chance to knock off the Wolverines, but it won’t shoot well enough to defeat Big Blue. Keep in mind, Michigan has not covered in six of its last seven games.

What I Missed On: I thought Alabama would miss Aden Holloway a bit more than it has. They are responding well without the talented guard who won’t be returning. No. 3 seed Virginia left the door open for Tennessee, which I didn’t think would make it this far. Can Rick Barnes get over the hump? Michigan is looking too strong for any of the other three teams.

Sara Jane Gamelli, Ballislife Managing Editor
What I Nailed: Iowa State. I know this is technically Michigan’s region to lose, and it is very much alive. But, so is Iowa State. I was the lone person to take the Cyclones to reach the Final Four, and they culminated in two victories over Tennessee State and Kentucky. Defeating both by double-digits, the Cyclones look as strong as ever. This team may not be considered in the top three with Arizona, Michigan, and Duke, but they’ve been playing elite basketball. Not to mention, Tamin Lipsey has a career-high 26 points and 10 dimes against the Wildcats. This team will need Joshua Jefferson to return in order to compete with Michigan or Alabama. If healthy, this team has the perfect mix of offense and defense to overcome any team.

What I Missed On: I didn’t honestly have Alabama making it this far or even dominating like they have. A 90-70 victory over Hofstra in the first-round was expected, but what happened to Texas Tech? Sure, the Red Raiders were missing JT Toppin, and Alabama, Aden Holloway. Beating Texas Tech, 90-75, not only is Alabama still in this, but Latrell Wreightsell had the game of his life with 24 points. The bench produced 28 points, and the Crimson Tide assisted on 25-of-30 made shots. Looking aligned on both sides of the ball, four players stepped up with points in double figures. I do believe their run will end against Michigan in the Sweet 16.

Geoff Magliocchetti, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: I’ll continue to Hail the Victors, who remain pegged as my national champion. While they had some early struggles against Howard and Saint Louis, it feels like they’’ll still stand as a formidable foe. Chalk walked the rest of the way, with Alabama being a pleasant surprise by playing respectably well despite the unexpected departure of Aden Holloway. Whether that luck presses forward against the might Wolverines, who will be far from as forgiving, remains to be seen, but it should make for a sensational Sweet 16 showing.

What I Missed On: I too bought into the Miami magic … stemming from Ohio … and had them defeating Tennessee after their First Four triumph. While I could’ve gotten over that … as well as a little too much faith in Akron to take down shorthanded Texas Tech in the famed 12 over 5 slot … but Virginia failed to avenge the MACtion against Tennessee. SEC upsets have come back to bite me in both ways, alas.

Isabelle McCarthy, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Michigan is still thriving, and that’s really all I had regarding this region. There were just too many teams that were 50/50, like Virginia losing to Tennessee. I stand on my take that this is one of the easiest paths, especially for Michigan. I still think Iowa State isn’t a team the Wolverines should worry about.

What I Missed On: The biggest shocker for me is Alabama making it this far. I didn’t think the Crimson Tide would be the same without Aden Holloway, but they are actually thriving. Tennessee making it this far is quite surprising, as they are an underwhelming team. Time will tell though.

Ani Umana, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: I was right about Michigan and Iowa State advancing to the second weekend. Their style of play is hard to overcome in March. Michigan is looking like a title contending team as their frontline is a real problem, coupled with steady two-way guard play.

What I Missed On: Couple misses here. I thought Texas Tech would beat Alabama. Also had Virginia winning the region but I knew I messed up after watching their first round game vs Wright State. Had Santa Clara for the upset vs Kentucky and I was close but a half court shot by Otega Oweh ruined that.

NCAA West Region (San Jose, Calif.) March 26-28

Purdue (2) vs. Texas (11), 7:10 pm (CBS)
Arizona (1) vs. Arkansas (4), 9:45 pm (CBS)

Pre-Tourney Ballislife West Region Final Four Tally: Arizona 6/7, Arkansas 1/7

Grant Afseth, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Arizona was my pick to break through the West Region. The Cats will have their hands full against Darius Acuff and Arkansas in their next game. I expected this matchup and envision the winner representing the West, even if it’s not Arizona.

What I Missed On: How about the Texas Longhorns? I didn’t see them beating BYU. I definitely didn’t see them beating Gonzaga. The Zags were one of my top expected teams to make it to the Elite Eight at least. Surely there are many busted brackets in this region. High Point in taking down Wisconsin by one as well. This group has kept the parody dream alive.

Will Despart, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: Purdue’s run to the Big Ten title gave me a lot of faith that the Boilermakers had put their late season slump behind them and would be a force to be reckoned with in the tournament. One thing’s for certain, no one wants to run into Braden Smith and company right now.

What I Missed On: I thought AJ Dybantsa would be able to score enough to will BYU to at least one or two tournament wins, but it turns out losing Richie Saunders for the season was a blow the Cougs just couldn’t overcome.

Ronnie Flores, Ballislife Editor
What I Nailed: I predicted Purdue would meet Arizona in the Elite 8 (way to go out on a limb) and I think that will still happen, even though Purdue has picked up its game. A team still hasn’t found a way to exploit Purdue’s lack of foot speed because the Boilermakers are so experienced, play for each other and are physical. Arizona has a bit more talented pieces, but will the Wildcats stay together in crunch time vs. Purdue like the more veteran, savvy team will? It will be intriguing.

What I Missed On: I thought Arkansas was a bit more hype than substance, but the Hogs know their roles and Darius Acuff Jr. is quickly turning into that guy. Maleek Thomas all-around game has made a difference, too. If Acuff has a monster game vs. Arizona, he’ll be a legend in the making, but I think Arizona will advance because of Brayden Burries, who most felt was a better prospect than Acuff coming out of high school. Texas has played well to get to this point, but a win over Purdue would be a massive upset.

Sara Jane Gamelli, Ballislife Managing Editor
What I Nailed: I’m safe so far, and so is Arizona. While the Wildcats cruised to a 92-58 first-round victory over Long Island, the Arizona Iced Tea memes are long gone. Jaden Bradley lead with 18 points, although their 78-66 victory over No. 9 Utah State brought on a few heart palpitations. Arizona once led by 18 points, and the Aggies cut it to four points in the second-half. If it wasn’t for Bradley scoring 12 second-half points, would the Wildcats be moving on? It wasn’t their best performance, and they will have to limit turnovers. However, I still think Arizona beats Arkansas on Thursday. The talent is too elite to fade this team.

What I Missed On: Like most, I did not have High Point upsetting Wisconsin on my bingo card, and I also didn’t have them losing to a top Arkansas team by just six points. Another surprise was a First Four team, Texas, who upset not only AJ Dybantsa and BYU, but Gonzaga. Never did I think Dybantsa’s possible last collegiate game would end before the Sweet 16.

Geoff Magliocchetti, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: A bracket without a 12 over 5 upset is like Christmas without a tree, Thanksgiving without turkey, Halloween without candy. Fortunately on my end, I had the High….Point, which upset Wisconsin in this region’s designated slot. Trust in tenured coaches like Tommy Lloyd, Matt Painter, and John Calipari also paved the way to success here, but it was definitely nice to have some semblance of the old March Madness still stick around.

What I Missed On: Texas is back and it let me know: I trusted the acronyms in Provo a little too much and, while AJ Dybantsa fulfilled the hype, BYU as a whole did not. Ironically enough, Texas’ following victory, the Round of 32 triumph over Gonzaga, might’ve provided assistance in the grander scheme of things. Cats of all kinds proved unreliable for me in this region, as my only two blemishes were putting BYU in the Sweet 16 and having Villanova defeat Utah State. (Fellow felines Arizona remain alive).

Isabelle McCarthy, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: The West might be the best. Arizona is thriving, Purdue is actually looking better, and there were a ton of fun games in the first two rounds. Texas making a run was fun to see, knocking off Gonzaga was the more surprising outcome. I was right on Arkansas making a case, Coach Calipari has the Razorbacks on a roll. It’ll be fun to see how Calipari faces this challenge as Arkansas has been challenged all season.

What I Missed On: I did not see Gonzaga losing to Texas. However, this is March! Madness everywhere. There isn’t much else, the West is going pretty straightforward, but this week will be interesting to see. I think it would be great to see a Texas Cinderella run if it beats Purdue, but the Boilermakers have been getting better each game in the tournament so far.

Ani Umana, Ballislife Writer
What I Nailed: I had High Point defeating Wisconsin. Saw a decent amount of High Point games and if they are playing fast and making shots, they are a real problem. I was right about Arizona and still feel the Wildcats will win the national title. Legit size in the front-court and also in the backcourt. Can beat you in a variety of ways.

What I Missed On: Texas making it this far. I felt they would beat BYU because they had more depth and front-court size but the Gonzaga game I didn’t see. Gonzaga’s lack of perimeter shooting hurt them and Texas played freely and made timely shots.

Note: The Midwest and West Region champs will meet in the NCAA Final Four semifinals on April 4 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.

More NCAA: East Region Preview | South Region Preview | Midwest Region Preview | West Region Preview | Ballislife Writer’s picks