Final Bracketology: 3/15/26

 Happy Selection Sunday!

Here's a final bracketology - a few comments on things happening today below that.

BHG Bracket Predictions Final Bracketology

1.) I assume Arkansas defeats Vandy today. If they don't, expect Vandy to stay at a 3 seed and Arkansas could switch with Kansas to be a 5. 

2.) VCU would be in with a loss today to Dayton - SMU is under the guillotine, so to speak. 

3.) Yale loss brings Cal Baptist to a 12 seed, Hawaii to a 13, Kennesaw St to a 14, and makes Penn a 15.

4.) USF is out with a loss to Wichita State today - however, they would be my fourth/fifth team out, just above Auburn. 13 losses in quad one will not cover that 3rd SOS rank. 

Other pertinent seeding info:

1.) BYU is the top 6 seed, so they can go to a Thursday site with no qualms. 

2.) Enjoy Duke - UK in round 2, along with a possible Cyhawk.

3.) Louisville has Eight quad 1 wins, but nearly all of them except the away win at Miami - FL and home win against UK - are rather weak. It's entirely possible Miami - FL or UCLA jumps them for the final 6 spot, but an unblemished outside Q1 record with a lot of losses not having Mikel Brown will give them the spot in this projection. 

4.) Unlike most years, the final 16 seed is a good debate this year - Queens, Howard, Siena, and UMBC all have similar resumes and any could be the 15 - Siena's record and two quad 3 wins have given them the nod however to avoid a 1 seed in the first round. Another of these teams will likely join LIU, Prairie View A&M, and Lehigh in Dayton this week.

5.) A two week's late nod of approval to LeKendrick Morris for making first team all SLIAC at Spalding this year, despite being a freshman. With some shooting development, the kid could easily be a quality player for a mid-major in future years. 

Seed list edit at 5:30 PM EST 3/15/26 to account for Penn winning the Ivy League. I was wrong, I have them at a 14.

Full seed list:

(1.) Duke

(1.) Arizona

(1.) Michigan

(1.) Florida

(2.) Houston

(2.) Iowa State

(2.) UConn

(2.) Purdue

(3.) Michigan State

(3.) Gonzaga

(3.) Vanderbilt

(3.) Illinois

(4.) Virginia

(4.) Nebraska

(4.) Arkansas

(4.) St. John's

(5.) Kansas

(5.) Alabama

(5.) Texas Tech

(5.) Wisconsin

(6.) BYU

(6.) Tennessee

(6.) North Carolina

(6.) Louisville

(7.) Miami - FL

(7.) UCLA

(7.) Clemson

(7.) Georgia

(8.) Saint Mary's

(8.) Kentucky

(8.) Utah State

(8.) TCU

(9.) Villanova

(9.) NC State

(9.) Saint Louis

(9.) Ohio State

(10.) Iowa

(10.) UCF

(10.) Texas A&M

(10.) Texas

(11.) Santa Clara (First Four)

(11.) Missouri      (First Four)

(11.) VCU

(11.) Miami - OH (First Four)

(11.) SMU (First Four)

(11.) South Florida

(12.) McNeese State (12.) Akron (12.) Northern Iowa (12.) Cal Baptist (13.) High Point (13.) Hofstra (13.) Troy (13.) Hawaii (14.) NDSU (14.) Wright State (14.) Penn (14.) Tennessee State (15.) Kennesaw State (15.) Idaho (15.) Furman (15.) Siena (16.) UMBC (16.) Howard (16.) Queens NC (First Four) (16.) Long Island (First Four) (16.) Lehigh (First Four) (16.) PVAMU (First Four)

First Four Out (assuming USF wins):

San Diego State

Oklahoma

New Mexico

Auburn

A moment of silence for the Mountain West, please. Should USF lose, they would be the fourth team out.

Next Four Out:

West Virginia

Cincinnati

Florida State

Arizona State

Eight Honorable Mentions that were slightly considered for the bubble, in no particular order:

Grand Canyon

Belmont

California

Stanford

Indiana

Virginia Tech

Seton Hall

Dayton

[Edit: Dayton has lost].