March Madness '26

[Neutral Corner]

The college basketball thread is so far down it has disappeared, so I figured I'd start this one.

 

[Shelbyville Manhattan]

If the old RPI were used, Auburn would be No. 54 and this wouldn't even be a discussion.

RPI (Live) - 2026 Men's College Basketball | WarrenNolan.com

Also, teams 27-28-29 are, in order, Santa Clara, Yale (!) and Miami (Ohio). And it has USF at 32, VCU at 33 and Akron at 36. RPI, we forgive you. This would yield a far more fascinating field than the one we're likely about to get.

 

[UNCGrad]

Duke's not losing again this year.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

That next four out is just dreck other than maybe Seton Hall, which ran into some bad luck in the Big East. But if I wasn't smack dab in the middle of Big East territory, I wouldn't know that and wouldn't give a ****.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Bad news for those future national championship bets those sickos @TheSportsPredictor and @Cosmo made on IU-Indy!

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

I would never have taken IU Indy in that game. They were giving points! They were 1-4 ATS and suuuuuuuuure the 1 was against Cleveland State. But it was at home!

 

[Pickleballgolds]

All is well. The Selection Committee is saving a place in its bracket for the MEAC winner, most likely Howard (ranked 199 in KenPom) or Morgan State (342). Yeah, we need expansion and more of this.

 

[Cosmo]

The college basketball thread is literally the thread below this one.

 

[FileNotFound]

We break out postseason threads for baseball and NBA playoffs. No reason to not have a separate March Madness thread.

 

[Cosmo]

Not arguing against it, but he said the college hoops thread was buried when it was indeed right underneath his nose.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

@Bubbler made him start this.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Men's Bracketology: Miami (Ohio) or Auburn? Sorry, Bruce Pearl -- it's the RedHawks

No great fan of Lundardi. But I love him telling Bruce Pearl to STFU.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

It's been three years at St. John's for Rick Pitino, so the honeymoon has been over for a while as he begins wondering if the grass is greener somewhere else, even at 73. A thoroughly insane and miserable man who is also better at coaching basketball than just about anyone who has ever lived.

Rick Pitino calls for St. John's to retire player jerseys

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Men's Bracketology: Miami (Ohio) or Auburn? Sorry, Bruce Pearl -- it's the RedHawks

No great fan of Lundardi. But I love him telling Bruce Pearl to STFU.

Lunardi ... long walk, short pier. But I hear you on this one ...

 

[Here me roar]

Lunardi ... long walk, short pier. But I hear you on this one ...

I think middling power conference teams are the absolute worst teams in the NCAA tournament year in and year out.

 

[waterytart]

I think middling power conference teams are the absolute worst teams in the NCAA tournament year in and year out.

It’s been a long time since 1983 and 1985, but they were glorious.

 

[micropolitan guy]

It’s been a long time since 1983 and 1985, but they were glorious.

NCSU took fourth in the ACC in 1983; Villanova tied for 3rd in the Big East in 1985. Both teams also played the hardest teams in their league twice. They were a far cry from the 10th-place SEC or Big Ten teams that will probably make the field this year.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I think middling power conference teams are the absolute worst teams in the NCAA tournament year in and year out.

Except for those years when that jackass Jim Boeheim made the Final Four as a no. 10 seed b/c he somehow drew four straight opponents who'd never seen a zone in their lives.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Miami OH barely won again tonight. They'll have to be in under any circumstances, but it's possible that the committee's most scrutinized decision will be where to seed the Red Hawks. If they're, say, a 12 seed, the knee-jerk reaction will include pitchforks and torches, but better to be 12th than eighth or ninth and in Michigan's region.
Interesting team, to say the least. Six MAC wins by exactly two points or in OT.
They're the most polarizing team in the analytics world. They began Tuesday at 52 in the NET and 86 in KenPom; 29 in RPI, 48 in KPI, 78 by Torvik and 86 in BPI.
Ultimately, they're 30-0. Bruce Pearl, hardly an objective observer, can **** off. He has been spending the past two weeks disparaging Miami because his kid's klan can't beat anybody and he's desperate to find some team to pull off the board. Really shocking he was interviewed by Barstool the other day.

 

[Della9250]

Miami OH barely won again tonight. They'll have to be in under any circumstances, but it's possible that the committee's most scrutinized decision will be where to seed the Red Hawks. If they're, say, a 12 seed, the knee-jerk reaction will include pitchforks and torches, but better to be 12th than eighth or ninth and in Michigan's region.
Interesting team, to say the least. Six MAC wins by exactly two points or in OT.
They're the most polarizing team in the analytics world. They began Tuesday at 52 in the NET and 86 in KenPom; 29 in RPI, 48 in KPI, 78 by Torvik and 86 in BPI.
Ultimately, they're 30-0. Bruce Pearl, hardly an objective observer, can **** off. He has been spending the past two weeks disparaging Miami because his kid's klan can't beat anybody and he's desperate to find some team to pull off the board. Really shocking he was interviewed by Barstool the other day.

Based on projections and mock brackets if they lose in the conference tournament I'm afraid they are going to end up in Dayton as an at large.

If they are undefeated I'd make them a 10. They deserve to be above the flotsam and jetsam that are the last teams in for what's looking like a crappy bubble anyway and have a chance to make a run. Although the committee screwing them in an 8/9 seed sounds about right