Rainmaker — Front-Runner Bracket 2026

First Four

Mar 17-18

Round of 64

Mar 19-20

Round of 32

Mar 21-22

Sweet 16

Mar 26-27

Elite Eight

Mar 28-29

Final Four

Apr 4

Championship

Apr 6

East

1Duke

16Siena

8Ohio State

9TCU

5St. John's

12Northern Iowa

4Kansas

13Cal Baptist

6Louisville

11South Florida

3Michigan St.

14N. Dakota St.

7UCLA

10UCF

2UConn

15Furman

Round of 32

1Duke

9TCU

5St. John's

4Kansas

6Louisville

3Michigan St.

7UCLA

2UConn

Sweet 16

1Duke

4Kansas

3Michigan St.

2UConn

Elite Eight

1Duke

2UConn

Final Four

1Duke

2Iowa State

National Champion

DUKE

(1) East Region

Duke 76 - Arizona 71

1Arizona

2Houston

Championship Total

147

Elite Eight

1Arizona

2Purdue

Sweet 16

1Arizona

4Arkansas

3Gonzaga

2Purdue

Round of 32

1Arizona

8Villanova

5Wisconsin

4Arkansas

6BYU

3Gonzaga

7Miami

2Purdue

West

1Arizona

16Long Island

8Villanova

9Utah State

5Wisconsin

12High Point

4Arkansas

13Hawai'i

6BYU

11FF Winner

3Gonzaga

14Kennesaw St.

7Miami

10Missouri

2Purdue

15Queens

South

1Florida

16Lehigh/PV

8Clemson

9Iowa

5Vanderbilt

12McNeese

4Nebraska

13Troy

6North Carolina

11VCU

3Illinois

14Penn

7Saint Mary's

10Texas A&M

2Houston

15Idaho

Round of 32

1Florida

9Iowa

5Vanderbilt

4Nebraska

6North Carolina

3Illinois

7Saint Mary's

2Houston

Sweet 16

1Florida

5Vanderbilt

3Illinois

2Houston

Elite Eight

1Florida

2Houston

KEY STATS

          Duke AdjDE: 89.1 (#1)

          Duke eFG%: 56.8% (#1)

          Arizona AdjEM: 37.6 (#3)

          Houston DTO%: 21.0% (#1)

          Iowa St. DTO%: 22.4% (#1)

          Izzo: 54 tourney wins

          Hurley: 2 titles

          Self: 52 tourney wins

Elite Eight

1Michigan

2Iowa State

Sweet 16

1Michigan

4Alabama

3Virginia

2Iowa State

Round of 32

1Michigan

8Georgia

5Texas Tech

4Alabama

6Tennessee

3Virginia

7Kentucky

2Iowa State

Midwest

1Michigan

16Howard/UMBC

8Georgia

9Saint Louis

5Texas Tech

12Akron

4Alabama

13Hofstra

6Tennessee

11FF Winner

3Virginia

14Wright State

7Kentucky

10Santa Clara

2Iowa State

15Tennessee St.