For college basketball fans, this month means absolutely everything.
Welcome to March Madness.
From dominant showings from blue bloods to miracle runs for Cinderellas, the month of March is jam-packed with the thrill of dominant victory and the heartbreaking pain of impossible upsets. It doesn’t matter if you watch to support your team, chase the perfect bracket, or rally around the team with the best mascot—what matters is that you’re watching.
At 6 p.m. EST on March 15, the 68 teams will be revealed for the 87th edition of the NCAA Tournament, which will crown a champion April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. While 37 teams will have to wait to see their names called Sunday evening, 31 programs will only have to wait to see what seed they receive after winning their conference tournament to secure an automatic bid.
Let’s meet your 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball automatic bids.
All projected seeds will be based off Bracket Matrix.
Atlantic Sun Conference
Champion (Record): Queens (NC) (21-13, 13-5 ASUN)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 3 seed, upset No. 1 seed Central Arkansas 98-93 in overtime of ASUN Championship Game
Projected seed: 16
The Royals, in their first season of eligibility, will make their first NCAA Tournament appearance. This is the third time in the past four seasons that the ASUN will send a first-time participant to the NCAA Tournament. Queens made the College Basketball Invitational last season, advancing to the quarterfinals. Queens went 0-5 against Quad 1 opponents, facing teams such as Virginia, Villanova, and Arkansas.
Nasir Mann and Yoav Berman led the Royals offensively, averaging 13.4 and 12.6 points respectively, to rank among the top 20 in the Atlantic Sun. However, it was Chris Ashby’s 34 points that propelled Queens to the ASUN Championship.
Big South Conference
Champion (Record): High Point (30-4, 15-1 Big South)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed Winthrop 91-76 in Big South Championship Game
Projected seed: 12
Two seasons, two head coaches, same result. Alan Huss led the Panthers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance last season, falling to Purdue in the first round. After Huss left to return to his alma mater, Creighton, as an assistant coach, Flynn Clayman took over the program and led it back to the big dance. The Panthers’ best victory was a Quad 3 neutral-site victory over Illinois-Chicago in November.
Terry Anderson leads the Panthers offensively, averaging 16 points per game. However, senior guard Chase Johnston has created headlines, with all of his made field goals coming from beyond the 3-point line (48.5%). Many media outlets are comparing him to Oakland’s Jack Gohlke, who hit 137 of his 141 field goals from 3-point range en route to an upset of Kentucky in 2024.
Missouri Valley Conference
Champion (Record): Northern Iowa (23-12, 11-9 MVC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 6 seed, defeated No. 5 seed Illinois-Chicago 84-69 in MVC Championship Game
Projected seed: 13
Northern Iowa earned its first conference championship since 2016, the last time the school made the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers have earned at least one victory in their past three appearances in March Madness, including upsetting Kansas in 2010.
Trey Campbell leads Northern Iowa’s offensive attack, averaging 13.7 points per game. That includes 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting in the MVC championship game against Illinois-Chicago. Tristian Smith, while only averaging 9.1 points, added eight rebounds and seven assists against UIC to help seal the victory.
Northeast Conference
Champion (Record): Long Island (23-10, 15-3 NEC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, advanced to the tournament due to NEC Championship Game opponent Mercyhurst being ineligible (transition from Division II); Long Island defeated Mercyhurst 79-70
Projected seed: 16
This is the first appearance in March Madness by Long Island since the merger between LIU Brooklyn and LIU Post in 2019 and the program’s eighth overall. Then known as the Blackbirds, Long Island last made the tournament in 2018 and has been within five points once, losing 90-87 to Northeastern in a preliminary round in 1984. The Sharks played four power-conference teams this season, losing all four by an averages of 20 points.
The Sharks had one of the most balanced offenses in the NEC, with three players averaging 14 or more points per game. This trio was led by Jamal Fuller, who recorded just his second double-double of the season in the NEC championship game with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Ohio Valley Conference
Champion (Record): Tennessee State (23-9, 15-5 OVC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed Morehead State 93-67 in OVC Championship Game
Projected seed: 15
The last time Tennessee State appeared in the NCAA Tournament, “The Sign” by Ace of Base was the No. 1 song in the United States and Cleveland announced that smoking would not be allowed in its new baseball stadium. The year was 1994, and the Tigers defeated Murray State 73-72 to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
Tennessee State had two of the top three scorers in the Ohio Valley Conference in Aaron Nkrumah (17.6 ppg) and Travis Harper II (17.3). While both had strong showings in the OVC championship game, it was Antoine Lorick III who had with a game-high 18 points. That was his fourth double-digit scoring performance in his last five games.
Southern Conference
Champion (Record): Furman (22-12, 10-8 SoCon)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 6 seed, upset No. 1 seed East Tennessee State 76-61 in SoCon Championship Game
Projected seed: 15
Furman upset two of the top three seeds to win the Southern Conference for the first time since 2023. That 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance saw the Paladins upset Virginia 68-67 in the first round, marking the school’s first tournament victory since 1974.
While many teams had several players leading the offensive charge, Furman was led by freshman Alex Wilkins. The Mattapan, Massachusetts, native averaged 17.7 points and 4.7 assists per game. However, it was Cooper Bowser who dominated the SoCon championship game, scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds. Since returning from injury on Feb. 1, he has averaged 14.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.
Summit League
Champion (Record): North Dakota State (27-7, 14-2 Summit)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 3 seed North Dakota 70-62 in Summit League Championship Game
Projected seed: 14
North Dakota State will make its fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2019. The Bison have only won one game in the main bracket, upsetting Oklahoma in overtime in 2014.
North Dakota State has had a balanced offense for most of the season, with four players ranking among the top 20 in the Summit League in scoring. Damari Wheeler-Thomas leads the pack, as the junior guard averaged 14.4 points. He also led the Bison in scoring against North Dakota, with 19 points. Trevian Carson, who averages 12 points per game, ranks third in the conference in rebounds with 6.4.
Sun Belt Conference
Champion (Record): Troy (22-11, 12-6 SBC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 10 seed Georgia Southern 77-61 in SBC Championship Game
Projected seed: 14
The Sun Belt changed their conference tournament in 2025 to a stepladder format to help the top seed earn an “easier” path to the NCAA Tournament. After top-seeded South Alabama lost in the semifinals last year, Troy to advantage to win the tournament, becoming the first back-to-back winner since Georgia State in 2018-19. The Trojans, unlike many low-majors, recorded a Quad 1 victory this season, defeating San Diego State on the road in November.
Troy did not dominate from a scoring standpoint, with Victor Valdes and Thomas Dowd each averaging 14.8 points per game. However, it is the defensive end that has kept the Trojans in the game. Dowd leads the conference with 10.1 rebounds per game, ranking 15th in the nation.
Coastal Athletic Association
Champion (Record): Hofstra (24-10, 12-6 CAA)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 4 seed Monmouth 75-69 in CAA Championship Game
Projected seed: 13
For the first time since winning back-to-back America East titles in 2000 and 2001, Hofstra is heading to the NCAA Tournament. While “Stutter” by Joe featuring Mystikal was dominating the radio airwaves, the Pride were preparing for a first-round match-up against UCLA under then-head coach Jay Wright. The next season, Hofstra was one of four teams to join the CAA to offset the losses of schools such as Richmond and East Carolina, and Wright left for Villanova.
Speedy Claxton, the fifth year head coach, was a player on those 2000 and 2001 tournament teams. Cruz Davis leads Hofstra’s offensive attack, topping the CAA with an average of 20.2 points per game. Davis has led the Pride to their first NCAA Tournament since 2001.
Horizon League
Champion (Record): Wright State (23-11, 15-5 Horizon)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 3 seed Detroit Mercy 66-63 in Horizon League Championship Game
Projected seed: 14
Wright State dominated its way through the Horizon League, winning the regular-season title by two games. Only Detroit Mercy, in the championship game, stayed within 10 points of Raiders. Second-year head coach Clint Sargent is looking to lead Wright State to its first victory in the main bracket of the NCAA Tournament. The school’s lone NCAA Tournament win came in the First Four in 2022 against Bryant.
Freshman guard Michael Cooper leads the team offensively with 13.4 points per game, ranking just outside the top 20 in the Horizon League. Defensively, Michael Imariagbe ranks fifth in the conference with seven rebounds per game.
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Champion (Record): Siena (23-11, 13-7 MAAC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 1 seed Merrimack 64-54 in the MAAC Championship Game
Projected seed: 15
For longtime March Madness fans, the name Gerry McNamara is familiar. The four-year starter at Syracuse helped the then-Orangemen win the school’s first title in three tries in 2003. After going 14-18 in his first season, he lead the Saints to their first 20-win season since 2019-20. Siena has a history of upsets in the tournament, notching three victories over higher-seeded teams, most recently as a No. 9 seed upsetting Ohio State in 2009.
Gavin Doty has been a dominating force offensively for the Saints, averaging 17.9 points per game to rank second in the MAAC. Doty scored a game-high 23 points in their MAAC finals victory over Merrimack.
West Coast Conference
Champion (Record): Gonzaga (30-3, 16-2 WCC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 3 seed Santa Clara 79-68 in the WCC Championship Game
Projected seed: 3
In a sentence that has appeared in print 22 times since the 1999 postseason, Gonzaga has won the West Coast Conference tournament championship. However, this will be the final time that sentence will be written, as the Bulldogs will be moving to the Pac-12 next season. Since the school’s miracle run to the Elite Eight in 1999, Gonzaga has advance to the second weekend 14 times. Last season, a second-round loss to Houston ended a nine-tournament streak of advancing to the second weekend.
Graham Ike is the conductor of Gonzaga’s offensive, leading the WCC with 19.7 points per game. The senior forward also ranks second with 8.2 rebounds per game. If the school earns the projected No. 3 seed, history suggests a mixed outcome: Gonzaga made the Elite Eight as a three seed in 2023, while falling to No. 6 Texas Tech in 2005.
Southland Conference
Champion (Record): McNeese (28-5, 19-3 SLC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 1 seed SF Austin 76-59 in the Southland Championship Game
Projected seed: 12
For the third time in as many years, McNeese State is putting on its dancing shoes following the Cowboys’ dominant win over SF Austin in the Southland Conference Championship Game. After Will Wade revived the program and brought McNeese its first two conference championships since 2002, first-year head coach Bill Armstrong keeps the momentum and secured the Cowboys’ third-straight March Madness berth.
Freshman sensation Larry Johnson has been the guy for McNeese, leading the team in both points (17.5 PPG) and rebounds (5.5 REB). Javohn Garcia was the hero in the SLC Championship Game, dropping 31 points (25 in the first half) to go along with five rebounds, two blocks, and a trio of steals. Garcia is heating up at the right time, and McNeese is no longer a stranger to the modern March Madness bracket. You could be looking at one of the almost-guaranteed 12-over-5 upsets in the Cowboys.
Patriot League
Champion (Record): Lehigh (18-16, 11-7 Patriot)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 4 seed Boston University 74-60 in the Patriot League Championship Game
Projected seed: 16
The Patriot League was dominated this season by Navy, who finished with a 17-1 conference record (26-7 overall) to secure the 1-seed in the conference tournament. But a shocking upset by 4-seed Boston University in the semifinals ended Navy’s season, leaving the door open for Lehigh University to win its fourth Patriot League Championship (first since 2012).
The Mountain Hawks, in their last appearance in March Madness, secured their first tournament victory by upsetting No. 2 seed Duke inside the Greensboro Coliseum. Nasir Whitlock leads Lehigh offensively, averaging 21.1 points per game. Against Boston University, Whitlock led an balanced offensive attack with 18 points, one of four players scoring in double figures.
Big Sky Conference
Champion (Record): Idaho (21-14, 9-9 Big Sky)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 7 seed, defeated No. 4 seed Montana 77-66 in the Big Sky Championship Game
Projected seed: 15
Montana was able to take a 1-point lead into halftime of the Big Sky Championship Game, but the Idaho Vandals held on in a closely-contested second half to secure the fifth conference championship in program history. It is the first Big Sky title and NCAA Tournament appearance for the Vandals in 36 years—what a time to be alive in Moscow, Idaho. Both the men and women’s basketball teams are headed to the big dance.
The Vandals made first-round exits in both of their last two appearances in March Madness (1989 and 1990), but Idaho made a Sweet Sixteen run back in ’82 under Don Monson. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had Montana winning the Big Sky autobid and heading to the First Four in Dayton, which is likely where the Vandals will end up. Keep an eye on Jackson Rasmussen, a 6-7 forward who leads the team in scoring (14.2 PPG), but don’t overlook senior Isaiah Brickner coming off of a 23-point double-double to help secure the Big Sky title.
America East Conference
Champion (Record): Maryland-Baltimore County (24-8, 14-2 America East)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed Vermont 74-59 in the America East Championship Game
Projected seed: 16
When Josh Odunowa hit the second of two free throws with under 40 seconds left to clinch UMBC’s third conference title, its sent a ripple effect that will have teams vying for No. 1 seeds experiencing sleepless nights over the next few days. In the Retrievers’ last appearance in March Madness in 2018, they made history as the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed, earning a 74-54 victory over Virginia.
DJ Armstrong Jr. led all scorers with 33 points against Vermont, going 7-of-9 from beyond the arc. While Jahlikai King leads the team offensively with 14.3 points per game, he was held scoreless Saturday. On the defensive end, both Odunowa and Jose Roberto Tanchyn lead the team in rebounds, averaging 5.3 and 5.6 respectively.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Champion (Record): Howard (23-10, 11-3 MEAC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 3 seed NC Central 70-63 in the MEAC Championship Game
Projected seed: 16
There will be no bid-stealers from the MEAC this season. Howard University won the regular season crown with an 11-3 record and then ran through the MEAC bracket to win its third MEAC Championship in four years, earning the fifth trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history. The Bison are 0-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament (and 0-5 in postseason play altogether), but with a defense that allows less than 68 PPG—and wins in 11 of its last 12—Howard has its eyes set on its first postseason win.
Bryce Harris is the man to watch for this Bison squad. The 6-4 guard leads Howard in scoring (17.2 PPG), rebounding (6.8 REB), and rim-protecting (1.1 BLK), securing a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double in the MEAC Championship Game. Cedric Taylor III is scoring at a similar rate through 21 appearances (17.3 PPG), and guard Cam Gillus is the perfect complement to these two (4.7 AST, 1.8 STL).
Mountain West Conference
Champion (Record): Utah State (28-6, 15-5 MWC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed San Diego State 73-62 in the Mountain West Championship Game
Projected seed: 8
The final Mountain West tournament to feature some of its founding members saw the top seeded Utah State win the conference tournament for the third time since 2019. The Aggies, since making the Elite Eight in 1970, have only won two tournament games. Their last victory was in 2024 in a victory over TCU.
MJ Collins Jr. led Utah State with 20 points against the Aztecs. The senior guard leads the Aggies with 17.5 points per game, one of two players to average over 10 points on the season. Mason Falslev, who averaged 16.1 points per game, also leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game. Next season, Utah State will be one of several teams that would join the rebuilt Pac-12.
Big 12 Conference
Champion (Record): Arizona (32-2, 16-2 Big 12)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed Houston 79-74 in the Big 12 Championship Game
Projected seed: 1
Arizona, for the first time since joining the Big 12 in 2024, won the conference tournament and the program’s tenth tournament title. Koa Peat scored a game-high 21 points, keeping Houston from overcoming a eight-point first-half deficit. Since 2009, the Wildcats have made the second weekend in every appearance except three, with the last occurrence being in 2023.
Brayden Burries is one of five Arizona players to average over 10 points per game, leading the Wildcats with 15.8 points. On the defensive side of things, Tobe Awaka led the squad with 9.6 rebounds, while Motiejus Krivas added 8.1 rebounds.
Big East Conference
Champion (Record): St. John’s (28-6, 18-2 Big East)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed Connecticut 72-52 in the Big East Championship Game
Projected seed: 5
St. John’s, for the second straight season, won the Big East Tournament in dominant fashion. This time, the Red Storm dominated the sixth-ranked UConn Huskies. Zuby Ejiofor had a dominating game on both ends of the court. Offensively, he scored 18 points while adding seven blocks, nine rebounds and three steals on the defensive end.
Looking like it will be a top-five seed, St. John’s enters March Madness with history working against it. The Red Storm has not advanced past the second round since reaching the Elite Eight in 1999. The last time the program made the Final Four was in 1985, when it was one of three Big East teams to advance.
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Champion (Record): Prairie View A&M (18-17,9-9 SWAC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 8 seed, upset No. 3 seed Southern 72-66 in the SWAC Championship Game
Projected seed: 16
Prairie View A&M is making just its third appearance in March Madness and its first since 2019 after notching three upsets in the SWAC Tournament. Lance Williams led the Panthers with 18 points, while Dontae Horne — who leads the team in scoring at 20.4 points per game — added 15 points.
The SWAC has not traditionally had much success in the NCAA Tournament, and Prairie View A&M reflects that trend. In fact, the last time the Panthers won a postseason contest was when they captured the 1962 NAIA national championship.
Mid-American Conference
Champion (Record): Akron (29-5, 17-1 MAC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 4 seed Toledo 79-76 in the MAC Championship Game
Projected seed: 12
Shammah Scott, playing 33 minutes off the bench, hit the game-winning 3-pointer with six seconds left to give Akron the MAC championship and their third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Zips are seeking the school’s first March Madness victory. Their only loss in the tournament decided by fewer than 10 points was a 57-53 defeat to UCLA in 2022.
Amani Lyles dominated in both ends of the court, recording a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Tavari Johnson, who leads Akron with an average of 20.3 points per game, also scored 15 points. While Toledo controlled the first half, Akron outscored the Rockets 49-34 in the second half to secure the MAC title and send the Zips to the NCAA Tournament.
Conference USA
Champion (Record): Kennesaw State (21-13, 10-10 C-USA)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 6 seed, upset No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech 71-60 in the Conference USA Championship Game
Projected seed: 14
After a close first half, Kennesaw State dominated the second half to earn its second NCAA Tournament berth. Jaden Harris came off the bench to lead the Owls with 18 points. The senior guard scored more than 15 points for just the third time this season.
In the Owls’ first NCAA appearance, they nearly upset Xavier before falling 72-67. While in Division II, Kennesaw State won the national championship in 2004, defeating Southern Indiana 84-59.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Champion (Record): Duke (32-2, 17-1 ACC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 1 seed, defeated No. 2 seed Virginia 74-70 in the ACC Championship Game
Projected seed: 1
Isaiah Evans continued to carry Duke, scoring 20 points to help the Blue Devils win their second straight ACC Tournament championship under coach Jon Scheyer. Neither team led by more than seven points, with Cameron Boozer sealing the game with two free throws with 3.9 seconds left. The victory appears to clinch the No. 1 overall seed.
The Blue Devils, who were less than a minute away from the national championship game last season, are looking to add their sixth national championship banner inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. All five of their previous titles came under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski. Duke has recorded at least one victory in each of its last nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
Big West Conference
Champion (Record): Hawaii (24-8, 14-6 Big West)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 2 seed, upset No. 1 seed UC Irvine 71-64 in the Big West Championship Game
Projected seed: 13
Hawaii, in the school’s final Big West tournament before becoming a full member of the Mountain West next season, won its fifth conference tournament title and first since 2016. The Rainbow Warriors hope history repeats itself. In their last appearance in March Madness, Hawaii earned its first tournament victory, defeating California 77-66.
Isaac Johnson leads Hawaii in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game. His offensive skills were on display in the Big West championship game, where he scored a game-high 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field. Harry Rouhliadeff added a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, sending the Rainbow Warriors to the NCAA Tournament.
Western Athletic Conference
Champion (Record): California Baptist (25-8, 13-5 WAC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 2 seed, upset No. 1 seed Utah Valley 63-61 in the WAC Championship Game
Projected seed: 13
The first WAC tournament was held in 1984, when then-No. 9 UTEP defeated New Mexico 44-38. 42 years later, Dominique Daniels Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to give California Baptist its first conference tournament title at the Division I level and its first since winning the Division II Pacific West Conference in 2016.
Utah Valley, whose participation was questionable just one day before to the start of the tournament, had one final chance to make their own history. Isaac Davis missed a dunk in the closing seconds that sent the Lancers to their first postseason tournament since falling to Middle Tennessee in the first round of the 2022 College Basketball Invitational.
Ivy League
Champion (Record): Pennsylvania (18-11, 9-5)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 3 seed, upset No. 1 seed Yale 88-84 in overtime in the Ivy League Championship Game
Projected seed: 14
For the first time since the conference began holding its tournament in 2017, neither of the top two seeds won the automatic bid. Pennsylvania captured its first conference championship since 2018 by defeating top-seeded Yale in overtime. TJ Power dominated offensively for the Quakers, scoring 44 points and adding 14 rebounds. The 44 points marked a career high for the junior forward, surpassing his previous high of 38 set in late February.
Since being a footnote in the famous 1979 Final Four — which ended with Magic Johnson facing Larry Bird in the championship game — Penn has recorded only two NCAA Tournament victories. While the Quakers last appeared in the tournament 2018, their most recent March Madness victory came in 1994 against Nebraska.
Southeastern Conference
Champion (Record): Arkansas (26-8, 13-5 SEC)
Path to automatic bid: As the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 86-75 in the SEC Championship Game
Projected seed: 5
Since joining the SEC in 1991, success in the conference tournament has been few and far between for Arkansas. Before this season, the Razorbacks had won only one SEC tournament title, in 2000. In just its second season under Hall of Fame coach John Calipari, Arkansas reached the Sweet 16 and captured the SEC Tournament title.
Darius Acuff Jr. led all scorers with 30 points and added 11 assists against Vanderbilt, a school making just its third appearance in the championship game (1951 and 2012). Since losing in the first round in four straight appearances from 2000 to 2007, the Razorbacks have notched at least one victory in seven of their last eight appearances. That stretch includes four straight trips to the second weekend.
About The Author
