March Madness Brackets Set: Duke, UConn Top Seeds
Duke earns the No.1 men’s seed while unbeaten UConn is the No.1 women’s overall seed; Miami (Ohio) squeaks into men’s First Four despite a weak schedule.
The GuardianMarch Madness: Duke and UConn named top men’s and women’s seeds as Miami (Ohio) squeak in
CBS NewsMarch Madness bracket set as Duke nabs top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament
USA TODAYMarch Madness winners, losers: Miami Ohio gets in, St. John's gets hosed
FOX News2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament selections revealed
Overview
Duke received the top overall seed in the men’s tournament while UConn was awarded the No. 1 overall seed in the women’s tournament.
Michigan dropped to the men’s No. 3 seed after losing to Purdue, tournament selection chair Keith Gill said.
Miami (Ohio) earned an 11 seed at 31-1 despite a 339th-ranked strength of schedule and will face SMU in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio.
The SEC placed 10 teams in the men’s field, the Big Ten placed nine, and the ACC and Big 12 placed eight apiece, while San Diego State, Indiana, Oklahoma and Auburn were left out.
The men’s national champion will be crowned at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 6, and the women’s Final Four will be in Phoenix on April 3 with the championship game two days later.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this as straightforward event coverage, focusing on facts, stats, and committee explanation rather than editorializing. They use game records, seed assignments, and a direct quote from the selection chair, while giving balanced space to men's and women's storylines (Duke, Miami (OH), UConn, freshmen) without ideological framing.
FAQ
Duke received the top overall seed primarily due to their impressive strength of schedule and quality wins. Duke accumulated 13 Quad 1 wins, which significantly outpaced Michigan's nine Quad 1 wins. Additionally, Duke's 74-70 ACC Tournament championship victory over Virginia on Saturday demonstrated their performance under pressure. While Michigan maintained a higher ranking in the NET, KenPom, and Wins Above Bubble metrics, the selection committee valued Duke's superior quality of competition and recent tournament success when separating these closely-matched teams.
Miami (Ohio) earned an 11 seed in the men's tournament despite having a 339th-ranked strength of schedule because they compiled a 31-1 record, which impressed the selection committee. Selection committee chair Keith Gill noted that while Miami (Ohio) had the lowest ranking among at-large teams selected, they had not been the last team selected into the tournament. Their near-perfect record outweighed concerns about their schedule weakness, though they must now win a First Four play-in game against SMU to advance to the Round of 64.
UConn will enter the NCAA women's tournament undefeated for the first time since 2018, earning them the No. 1 overall seed. The Huskies have ambitions of repeating as national champions, indicating they won the previous year's title. Their undefeated status and previous championship experience position them as the top seed heading into the tournament, which concludes with the championship game on April 5 in Phoenix.
The SEC led all conferences by placing 10 teams in the men's field. The Big Ten placed nine teams, while the ACC and Big 12 each placed eight teams. Notable exclusions included San Diego State, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Auburn, which were among the top teams left out of the tournament despite having competitive resumes.
The men's national championship game will be held on April 6 in Indianapolis as part of the Final Four. The women's Final Four will take place in Phoenix on April 3, with the championship game scheduled for April 5.
