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Christmas Day for college hoops junkies is Selection Sunday.
For 68 teams, the gift of being a part of this year’s March Madness is one they’ll never forget.
Some NCAA Tournament teams were presented with easier paths to the Final Four than others.
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MORE: Predicting the winner of March Madness 2026
The cream of the crop rose to the top in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Every No. 1 seed advanced to the Final Four. It’s just the second time that’s happened. The year before that, three of the Final Four squads were top seeds.
So, does that mean that the big dreams of Cinderella teams have come to an end? Will there ever be another underdog who gives us a fairy tale ride? One that’s worth rooting for against the mighty giants?
With NIL money and all kinds of player movement this past year, ya never know. It’s possible, of course, but so is completing a perfect bracket (uh-huh, riiight).
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As we prepare for the First Four games on Tuesday, let’s look at four lower-seeded teams that could sneak into the Sweet 16. We’re talking teams seeded No. 8 or below, one from each region.
I don’t see any of these teams making it past that. Just surviving the first weekend would be a remarkable accomplishment.
EAST REGION (No. 8 Ohio State)
Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) reacts after making a 3-pointer against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Don’t let the Buckeyes’ 21-12 record fool you. OSU is a top-25 team according to both KenPom and Barttorvik, the two most respected statistical sites utilized during March Madness.
I find it odd that oddsmakers have Ohio State as a mere 2.5-point favorite over 22-11 TCU (43rd at Ken Pom; 49th at Barttorvik).
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Their records are nearly identical, but over the past five weeks, the Buckeyes have beaten a surging Purdue squad, taken down Iowa, and narrowly lost to Michigan in the Big 10 conference…
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Publish date : 2026-03-16 23:00:00
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