March Madness 2026: Region-by-region predictions, Cinderellas, expert picks, odds, schedule and more

With the 2026 NCAA tournament upon us, here’s everything you need to know about all four regions.

More regional breakdowns: West | Midwest | South

East region

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Duke is the No. 1 overall seed after a 32-2 campaign that featured a 17-1 record in ACC play and a win over fellow No. 1 seed Michigan on a neutral court. UConn had a shot at securing a No. 1 seed, but settled for a 2 seed after losing to St. John’s in the Big East tournament championship. No. 4 seed Kansas is actually a betting favorite over No. 3 seed Michigan State (+5000), thanks largely to the presence of potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson in its backcourt.

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When will the No. 1 seed go down?

Duke rightfully earned the No. 1 after largely steamrolling the ACC. Its only conference loss arrived via a last-second buzzer beater on the road against rival North Carolina. Duke’s only non-conference loss was an 82-81 defeat to Texas Tech in December.

The Blue Devils posted a 12-2 record against ranked teams that includes a win over then-No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 21. They survived tough games against Florida State and Virginia to claim the ACC tournament championship.

But they are vulnerable. Duke suffered significant setbacks when starting point guard Caleb Foster and starting center Patrick Ngongba both sustained foot injuries late in the season. Both were in walking boots and missed the ACC tournament.

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Ngongba is working toward a return and could potentially be ready to play this week. But his playing status and return date is unclear. Foster’s injury is more serious, and he’s only projected to make a return late in the tournament if at all. For a Duke team that runs a tight rotation, this is a lot to overcome in a single-elimination tournament. An upset loss in a tough regional final is very much on the board.

Who is the Cinderella of the region?

Cinderella is going to have a tough time in the East. Outside of…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/article/march-madness-2026-region-by-region-predictions-cinderellas-expert-picks-odds-schedule-and-more-204524913.html

Author : Jason Owens,Nick Bromberg

Publish date : 2026-03-17 20:45:00

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