March Madness first round winners and losers: Key wins for Nebraska and Kentucky

While No. 1 Duke, No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Connecticut faced unexpected tests in the first round of the Men’s NCAA Tournament, the upsets on Thursday and Friday happened down the bracket, with teams from the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 being upended by double-digit seeds.

In one of the most dramatic moments of the opening round, No. 12 High Point knocked off No. 5 Wisconsin, 83-82, on a last-second layup. In another upset, No. 11 VCU pulled off a furious comeback to beat No. 6 North Carolina, 82-78, in overtime.

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Duke made history as the only No. 1 seed to ever trail a No. 16 seed by double digits at halftime before getting back on track for a 71-65 win against Siena.

Michigan led No. 16 Howard 50-46 at halftime before its potent offense took over, turning a nailbiter into a 100-81 win. Connecticut went cold from deep in the first half against No. 15 Furman but steadied things in the second half to win 82-71.

Overall, teams on the top four lines went 16-0 in the first round with an average margin of victory of 24.5 points. Of this group, 12 won by at least 20 points, led by No. 1 Florida’s 114-55 win against No. 16 Prairie View A&M.

Let’s break down what’s happened and get ready for the weekend by examining the biggest winners and losers from the first round:

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See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

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See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

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See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.

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Publish date : 2026-03-21 05:25:00

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