Final Four predictions for 2026 national championship in Indianapolis

It’s tough times in the Triangle.

N.C. State basketball lost in the final seconds against Texas in the First Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament. Duke and UNC blew 19-point leads in March Madness, bowing out in dramatic fashion.

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Will Wade left Raleigh for a reunion with LSU, Hubert Davis got fired after five seasons in Chapel Hill and Jon Scheyer has seen consecutive all-time collapses in the Big Dance.

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The Wolfpack is bringing one of its own back home in Justin Gainey, but the search continues at UNC for a hire beyond the family tree. And with the Blue Devils’ stunning loss to UConn, North Carolina won’t have a team at the Final Four, snapping a streak of back-to-back berths (N.C. State in 2024, Duke in 2025).

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But the show goes on in Indianapolis, with the Huskies aiming for a third NCAA championship in four years. Arizona and Michigan are hoping to secure their second titles in program history, with the Wildcats trying to lift the trophy for the first time since 1997 and the Wolverines hoping to cut down the nets for the first time since 1989.

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Look at our photo gallery of Duke basketball reaction to stunning loss to UConn

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Nikolas Khamenia #14 of the Duke Blue Devils walks off the court after being defeated by the UConn Huskies 73-72 in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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Look at our photo gallery of Duke basketball reaction to stunning loss to UConn

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Nikolas Khamenia #14 of the Duke Blue Devils walks off the court after being defeated by the UConn Huskies 73-72 in the Elite Eight…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/final-four-predictions-2026-national-100209758.html

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Publish date : 2026-03-31 10:02:00

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