Men's March Madness 2026: Ranking the remaining eight teams

Five months into the 2025-26 season, only eight teams remain. Each team has a chance to go to Indianapolis to play in the Final Four, provided it survives one more game.

At the start of the campaign, many would have believed all of these programs had a chance to play in the penultimate weekend of the season — with the exception of 9-seed Iowa. But it might have been difficult to believe the way they’d all get here.

Duke had to play through major injuries to survive until the Elite Eight. Arizona is here without a singular star, just a team full of selfless standouts who can all lead the Wildcats in scoring on any night. Michigan has three players who are 6-foot-9 or taller in the starting rotation — a contrast to the small-ball era so many within the game have touted. Illinois is led by a freshman who was overlooked on the recruiting circuit, and a bunch of European talents.

Then, there are those Hawkeyes — a team that was 3-7 entering the NCAA tournament but has reached the Elite Eight for the first time in 39 years.

The truth, however, is that there’s a lot of chalk among the last eight teams. A ton of resilience, too. Let’s rank the teams in the Elite Eight.

All times Eastern

How the regional finals were set

1. Arizona Wildcats
Original seed: No. 1 (West)
Tournament results: Def. No. 16 Long Island 92-58 (first round); def. No. 9 Utah State 78-66 (round of 32); def. No. 4 Arkansas 109-88 (Sweet 16)

Arizona has been chasing greatness all season. The Wildcats not only handed John Calipari the worst loss of his career in Thursday’s lopsided Sweet 16 win over Arkansas, it was also the first time a team (Arizona) had 60 paint points and 30 free throws in a single NCAA tournament game since 2000, per ESPN Research. But that dominant effort against the SEC tournament champion is only new if you haven’t been watching college basketball. The Wildcats shot 50% from inside the arc in their season-opening win over Florida. They beat Alabama — one of the best offensive teams in America — by 21 points in December, with the Tide recording just 99 points per 100 possessions. There was a 23-point win over Kansas in February, a 16-point win over Iowa State days later. The Wildcats have made a lot of statements to support the case that they’re the team to beat, the team that could be the last team standing because of their ability to play a complete game: They’re fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency and third in adjusted defensive efficiency. It’s also difficult for opponents to know who to target because of the depth on this roster. Veteran Jaden Bradley? Freshman star Brayden Burries? Other freshman star Koa Peat — who, after a strong start to the season, faced a rough patch but is now averaging 16.6 points through three NCAA tournament games?

Up next: vs. Purdue (Saturday, 8:49 p.m., TBS/truTV)

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2. Michigan Wolverines
Original seed: No. 1 (Midwest)
Tournament results: Def. No. 16 Howard 101-80 (first round); def. No. 9 Saint Louis 95-72 (round of 32); def. No. 4 Alabama 90-77 (Sweet 16)

Three years ago, Dusty May didn’t want to leave Florida Atlantic because life was easy in Boca Raton. He lived a few miles from campus and rode his bike to work every day. But the opportunity to lead a Big Ten powerhouse was too much to pass up, and he accepted the Michigan job in 2024. Even then, he didn’t leave it all behind. There’s a tie between the 2022-23 Owls that made a run to the Final Four, and this year’s Wolverines, who are a win away from the school’s first run to the Final Four since 2018: interior defense. May’s FAU squad held opponents to a 46.6% clip in the paint, one of the top marks in America that season, per Synergy Sports. His Michigan team this season is clocking in at 48.9% in that metric, also elite. In Friday’s Sweet 16 win, it held opponent Alabama — which entered the game ranked top-three in offensive efficiency — to attempting just 31 shots, 23 of which were 3-pointers. That’s a byproduct of May’s suffocating interior defense, a staple of his best teams. And it’s proof the Wolverines aren’t just tough around the rim on defense; they make opponents think twice about trying to score in the post in the first place.

Up next: vs. Tennessee (Sunday, 2:15 p.m., CBS)

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3. Illinois Fighting Illini
Original seed: No. 3 (South)
Tournament results: Def. No. 14 Penn 105-70 (first round); def. No. 11 VCU 76-55 (round of 32); def. No. 2 Houston 65-55 (Sweet 16)

Illinois proved with Thursday’s Sweet 16 win against Houston that it can reach a level on offense even the best defenses in America can’t stop. A 17-0 run early in the second half created separation between the two teams, with the Cougars spending the rest of the game trying to close the gap. David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler became the first freshman teammates to both record double-doubles in the NCAA tournament since freshmen became eligible for to play in the postseason in the 1972-73 season, per ESPN Research. But while Illinois’ offensive strength has been its most appealing quality, Brad Underwood’s team is a true national title contender because of its ability to stall opposing teams. Since the start of the Big Ten tournament, the Illini have been a top-25 defensive team nationally, per BartTorvik. They’re also eighth in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency and seventh in adjusted offensive efficiency since the start of the NCAA tournament. Those are important metrics to consider. Eight of the last 10 national champions were ranked top-11 in both categories. If balance is the ticket to a title, Illinois is in a good spot.

Up next: vs. Iowa (Saturday, 6:09 p.m., TBS/truTV)

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4. Duke Blue Devils
Original seed: No. 1 overall (East)
Tournament results: Def. No. 16 Siena 71-65 (first round); def. No. 9 TCU 81-58 (round of 32); def. No. 5 St. John’s 80-75 (Sweet 16)

The close call against St. John’s wasn’t anything the Blue Devils hadn’t experienced before: Remember the clutch effort late in a one-point win over Florida? Being tied with Michigan State near the two-minute mark not long after that? They had two tougher-than-expected games against Florida State in the regular season and in the ACC tournament. There was the battle with Michigan in Washington, D.C, too. Free throws needed to seal a win over Virginia in the ACC tournament title game. A first-round tussle with 16-seed Siena and a slow start against TCU in the second. The one constant through all of these tough games has been Cameron Boozer. He dominated the court at the high school, AAU, and now the collegiate levels. He provides his team with confidence in the most desperate situations, and has the Blue Devils equipped to get through tough times — even if it’s someone else stepping up. Against the Johnnie’s in Friday’s Sweet 16 game, Caleb Foster somehow thrived (11 points on 5-for-7 shooting after halftime), despite having suffered a broken foot 20 days ago. Isaiah Evans (25 points) was brilliant. Maliq Brown (four blocks) did more to disrupt this game defensively than he’ll get credit for. And Cameron Boozer (22 points, 10 rebounds, three assists) was just Cameron Boozer. Nobody gets scared on this team when adversity hits.

Up next: vs. UConn (Sunday, 5:05 p.m., CBS)

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5. Purdue Boilermakers
Original seed: No. 2 (West)
Tournament results: Def. No. 15 Queens University 104-71 (first round); def. No. 7 Miami 79-69 (round of 32); def. No. 11 Texas 79-77 (Sweet 16)

Few coaches in college basketball have suffered the amount of basketball heartbreak that Matt Painter has endured. In 2009-10, star Robbie Hummel suffered a season-ending injury late in the season that cost the Boilermakers a chance to compete for a national title. In 2019, former Purdue star Carsen Edwards scored 42 points and still couldn’t beat eventual champion Virginia in overtime. Painter once again reached the national title game in 2024 with Wooden Award winner Zach Edey — but ran into the bulldozer known as UConn, on its way to its second straight national title. None of those Purdue squads, however, were as hot as this current crew. During the Boilermakers’ seven-game winning streak, Braden Smith is averaging 9.5 assists and Trey Kaufman-Renn looks like an All-American again while averaging 17.8 points. The group is second in adjusted offensive efficiency (60% from inside the arc, 38% from the 3-point line) during this stretch. And now Painter will have another shot at getting over the hump.

Up next: vs. Arizona (Saturday, 8:49 p.m., TBS/truTV)

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6. UConn Huskies
Original seed: No. 2 (East)
Tournament results: Def. No. 15 Furman 82-71 (first round); def. No. 7 UCLA 73-57 (round of 32); def. No. 3 Michigan State 67-63 (Sweet 16)

Men’s college basketball has had a multitude of legendary coaches over the 60-plus years since John Wooden led UCLA in the 1960s and 70s. Mike Krzyzewski won five national titles. Roy Williams retired with three. Rick Pitino has two rings with two different teams. Bill Self and Billy Donovan have a pair of championships. Hurley has a real chance to win his third national title in four years, which would be an unprecedented feat in the modern history of the sport, and a greater challenge than anything Wooden ever faced during his time. Because Hurley’s chasing this third title with a third different roster. The team that held off Michigan State on Friday night in the Sweet 16 does not resemble the teams he had in 2023 or 2024. Alex Karaban is the only holdover from those back-to-back title teams. There’s still a significant similarity between all three groups: they were all better when they played a free-flowing style, executed great defense, ran up-and-down the floor and pushed the pace. It’s how the 2026 Huskies achieved an early double-digit lead over the Spartans and overcame a sloppy stretch in the second half. They also proved that, even with their recent lack of efficiency (they entered Friday ranked 74th in adjusted offensive efficiency since March 1), they can outlast and attack any opponent to advance.

Up next: vs. Duke (Sunday, 5:05 p.m., CBS)

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7. Tennessee Volunteers
Original seed: No. 6 (Midwest)
Tournament results: Def. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) 78-56 (first round); def. No. 3 Virginia 79-72 (round of 32); def. No. 2 Iowa State 76-62 (Sweet 16)

It’s no secret Texas decided Rick Barnes hadn’t kept up with the times and that the game had left him behind when the school fired him in 2015. His dismissal came after a string of first-weekend exits and a seven-year gap between his Elite Eight appearances. But when he accepted the Tennessee job that same year, Barnes — who’s been a head coach since 1987 — didn’t change his philosophy. He’s always believed smart shots, suffocating defense at every spot on the floor and a bruising approach to rebounding were the keys to victory and long-term success. He’s coupled that attitude with a recognition that playmakers win games at the highest level. He found Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier in the transfer portal in back-to-back years. This year, his Vols are the top offensive rebounding team in America. Nate Ament is a projected lottery pick. Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie has been Barnes’ most reliable addition. The formula has resulted in Tennessee’s third consecutive Elite Eight appearance.

Up next: vs. Michigan (Sunday, 2:15 p.m., CBS)

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8. Iowa Hawkeyes
Original seed: No. 9 (South)
Tournament results: Def. No. 8 Clemson 67-61 (first round); def. No. 1 Florida 73-72 (round of 32); def. No. 4 Nebraska 77-71 (Sweet 16)

The 3-point line was introduced to D-I men’s basketball in the 1986-87 season by the NCAA’s committee. It was a wild idea at the time, from Ed Steitz, a member of the committee whose research suggested it could revolutionize the game. That season, the Iowa Hawkeyes attempted 382 3-pointers — and made 39% of them. They went 5 for 11 from beyond the arc in their 93-91 Sweet 16 victory against Oklahoma that season. Thirty-nine years later, they’re back in the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history because they rediscovered the power of the 3. Ben McCollum’s group has already taken 818 shots from beyond the arc this season. Since March 11, nearly 50% of its field goal attempts have been 3s. It’s made 37.4%, a top-40 mark nationally. Yes, the Sweet 16 win over Nebraska on Thursday was the result of the Hawkeyes’ resilience and second-half defense. But, really, the only way they stayed close in the game was because of those 3s (13-for-30, 43%) — the same way the last Iowa team won this round.

Up next: vs. Illinois (Saturday, 6:09 p.m., TBS/truTV)