Men’s March Madness 2026: Ranking the final four teams
The four teams left standing had been all seen as fringe nationwide title contenders earlier than the season — however provided that every little thing got here collectively. There had been no ensures — solely UConn was ranked in the prime four of the AP preseason ballot. Michigan (seventh), Arizona (thirteenth) and Illinois (seventeenth) had been all exterior the top-five.
Yet, they’re all on their method to Indianapolis as a result of all of them proved they had been the finest in a selected class connected to their run.
If this had been an awards present, Arizona would win the honor of “Most Balanced Team.” The Wildcats are top-10 in offensive and defensive effectivity. In Saturday’s Elite Eight win over Purdue, eight Wildcats scored.
Michigan would win the award for “Best Defense.” Led by a frontcourt that includes three 6-foot-9 standouts and a 7-3 middle, the Wolverines are presently ranked first in adjusted defensive effectivity. In Sunday’s Elite Eight win over Tennessee, they outscored the Vols by 23 factors in the final 10 minutes of the first half.
Illinois would take the “Best Offensive Engine” award. The Illini have been No. 1 in adjusted offensive effectivity for the bulk of the season. They’ve made 59% of their pictures inside the arc since March 1.
Connecticut would earn the “Best Coach” honor. At one level in the first half of the Elite Eight win over Duke on Sunday, Dan Hurley’s Huskies had missed 13 of 15 pictures. Yet, they clawed again in the second, giving Hurley an opportunity to make historical past as the first coach since John Wooden to win three nationwide titles in four years.
The backside line is, each crew in the final weekend of the season needed to combat to get right here. There is not any debate about that. They’re all deserving of this shot at historical past.
All instances Eastern
1. Michigan Wolverines
Original seeds: No. 1 (Midwest)
Tournament outcomes: 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); def. No. 6 Tennessee 95-62 (Elite Eight)
The Wolverines consider they are often the finest crew in Michigan historical past — however they’re going to should win Saturday towards Arizona to even have an argument, as a result of they’ve some critical competitors:
At the prime of the listing is the 1998-89 crew that gained the faculty’s solely nationwide championship. That group was led by future NBA all-star Glen Rice.
Then there’s the 1964-65 crew, which misplaced in the nationwide title sport — that had Cazzie Russell, extensively seen as the best participant at school historical past.
The 1975-76 squad had All-American Rickey Green and three different future NBA gamers when it misplaced in the nationwide title sport.
And, in fact, there are the Fab Five teams that reached the nationwide championship video games in each 1992 and 1993. Those two teams had three future NBA standouts — Chris Webber, Juwan Howard and Jalen Rose — main the manner.
Trey Burke was the nationwide participant of the yr when he led Michigan to the nationwide title sport in 2013.
But this 2026 group has Yaxel Lendeborgwho completed with 27 factors and 7 rebounds in Sunday’s Elite Eight win over Tennessee and is one among three NBA prospects on the roster. These Wolverines have the expertise to win all of it.
Dusty May might also have made the case for placing collectively the best teaching effort at school historical past. Those different iconic Michigan teams had the luxurious of time to construct these rosters. May did not even know, final March, who can be taking part in for him this season — four of his starters had been at different colleges at the time. But, in lower than a yr, he is right here, making a run to the Final Four. So, yeah, this crew is making a case to be one among the best Michigan teams. But May — who’s additionally in the Final Four for the second time in three years — may, at some point, even be thought of one among his best coaches.
Up subsequent: vs. Arizona (Saturday, following Illinois-UConn, TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
2. Arizona Wildcats
Original seeds: No. 1 (West)
Tournament outcomes: 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); def. No. 2 Purdue 79-64 (Elite Eight)
It is perhaps finest to debate Arizona’s dominance underneath Tommy Lloyd not by way of the place he’s now or the place he may go — this run will not do something to quiet the North Carolina teaching rumors. No, it is perhaps higher to have a look at what he left behind at Gonzaga when he took this publish.
Lloyd was Mark Few’s prime assistant when the Zags went to the Final Four in 2021. They had not solely turned Gonzaga right into a revered powerhouse, that they had additionally made the Bulldogs the West Coast’s preeminent program. Lloyd has now snatched that latter title from the fingers of his former mentor, with these Wildcats.
Over the previous 5 years, Few has gained 143 video games. In that very same span, Arizona has gained 148 — and counting — underneath Lloyd.
How have you ever accomplished it? It hasn’t been with 3-point capturing: Only 26.4% of the crew’s discipline objective makes an attempt this season have been from deep — 363rd out of 365 teams. Lloyd is old-fashioned. He’s assembled a crew that is filled with expertise, together with projected first-round draft picks Motiejus Krivas, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. He has the Big 12 participant of the yr, Jaden Bradley. He additionally has a supporting solid no different crew remaining on this match can match.
Lloyd’s philosophy is straightforward. The Wildcats play nice protection — they entered Sunday ranked first in adjusted defensive effectivity — they usually dare opponents to outhustle them. And he believes his prime eight guys are higher than the prime eight guys of any opponent, regardless of the type they play. That’s how he believes his crew can win. And thus far, he has been proper.
Up subsequent: vs. Michigan (Saturday, (Saturday, following Illinois-UConn, TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
3. UConn Huskies
Original seeds: No. 2 (East)
Tournament outcomes: 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); def. No. 1 Duke 73-72 (Elite Eight)
Dan Hurley might construct a statue of Alex Karaban — who hit a 3-pointer that minimize UConn’s result in one then made the help to Braylon Mullins on the game-winning 3 in Sunday’s Elite Eight win over Duke — himself if the faculty does not find yourself doing it. Karaban guarded Cameron Boozer all through Sunday’s sport, whereas Tarris Reed Jr.. dominated in the paint as a Huskies squad that was down as a lot as 19 factors got here again in the final seconds to win.
It’s no secret Hurley does not have a roster that may match the expertise of the different teams in the discipline. Michigan has three projected first-round picks they usually’re all giants. Arizona has extra depth than anybody — and in addition three projected first-round picks. Illinois’ smallest starter is 6-2 Kylan Boswellwhlie 6-5 guard Keaton Wagler is perhaps the finest remaining participant in the discipline.
Although Hurley turned to the switch portal the previous two years to construct his rosters, he has a continuity that is uncommon at this stage. Three Huskies starters have performed at the least two years in Hurley’s system. Illinois is the solely different crew in the Final Four that may make the identical declare. The distinction is, no crew in Indianapolis has Karaban, or the expertise of successful at the highest degree — keep in mind, he is a holdover from the UConn squads that gained back-to-back nationwide titles in 2023 and 2024. No different crew in the discipline has a participant who is aware of what it takes to win a nationwide title. Against Duke on Sunday, the Huskies might not have been the most gifted group, however their expertise gave them an edge towards a squad filled with freshmen that appeared to crumble when it squandered a giant lead.
Karaban, who’d averaged 22 factors in three NCAA match video games, wasn’t nice. But he did not should be. His contribution was the calm that comes from taking part in in a bunch of video games precisely like this one. In Indianapolis, he’ll be in a league of his personal.
Up subsequent: vs. Illinois (Saturday, 6:09 p.m., TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
4. Illinois Fighting Illini
Original seeds: No. 3 (South)
Tournament outcomes: 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); def. No. 9 Iowa 71-59 (Elite Eight)
Brad Underwood’s roster options gamers from 5 totally different international locations: Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece and the United States. The worldwide taste has been all the buzz this season — together with Underwood’s discovery of freshman Keaton Waglerwho did not get a scholarship supply from his residence state faculty Kansas however is now pushing for a top-10 spot in the 2026 NBA draft after a shocking season. Tomislav Ivisic is a 7-foot-1 drive in the paint. Andrej Stojakovic is a two-way risk who helped corral Iowa star Bennett Stirtz in Saturday’s Elite Eight win. David Mirkovic is a 6-9 ahead who shot 40% from 3 in league play.
You’d assume Underwood’s success with worldwide gamers would encourage the notion that any coach can go over to Europe and recruit elite expertise. Right?
Wrong. There is not a fitness center in Europe filled with elite gamers school coaches can simply stroll into and recruit out of. Mining the worldwide panorama for expertise is laborious. And it is solely half the battle. Because Underwood’s actual energy is not his knack for figuring out worldwide stars. Rather, it is his capacity to know precisely the place these gamers match into his system. He’s constructed a bunch that is possessed the finest offense in America for many of this season and has additionally performed top-25 protection for the previous month. Their wins over Houston and Iowa in the second weekend of the NCAA match had been a byproduct of the dimension they’ve used to guard the rim, in addition to the strain they’ve utilized to opposing backcourts.
Illinois is a selfless crew filled with gamers who fulfill their roles, and had been put in the proper place by Underwood. He is aware of himself, and he is aware of his system. Above all, he is aware of what gamers he wants for it to all work.
Up subsequent: vs. UConn (Saturday, 6:09 p.m., TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
