# March Madness 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** basketball-nba\ **Created:** [March 10, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341 "2026-03-10T16:38:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/1 "2026-03-10T16:38:39Z")
March Madness, the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments, are coming soon. So let’s talk about them. A few days ago in men’s basketball, the Miami (OH) RedHawks of the Mid-American Conference defeated the Ohio Bobcats to finish their regular season at an astonishing 31-0. Despite that, they may _still_ need to win the conference tournament to guarantee themselves a spot at the Big Dance. They became the first MAC team to ever have an undefeated regular season, and the 11th overall. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2026, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/2 "2026-03-11T19:15:54Z")
The defending champion FLORIDA GATORS have crept up into the #1 seed line according to many projections. They struggled earlier in the season against a tough schedule but have been blowing everyone away during their current 11-game win streak.🐊🐊🐊🐊 🎶Ain’t no stoppin’ us now, we’ve got the groove!🎵 ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/3 "2026-03-12T17:09:46Z")
Oh, my God, UMass ended the RedHawks’ undefeated season in the first round of the MAC Tournament. MACtion, baby. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/4 "2026-03-12T18:17:25Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > UMass ended the RedHawks’ undefeated season in the first round of the MAC Tournament. It would be a travesty, IMO, if Miami didn’t make the tourney. And they shouldn’t be in one of the First Four games, either. I know their SOS is over 300, but they beat everybody they played. They should be an 12 seed and could be one of the 12s that always beat a 5 seed. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/5 "2026-03-12T18:21:14Z")
If the NCAA doesn’t invite two MAC teams to the tournament this year, they should just build their _own_ station, with blackjack, and hookers! ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/6 "2026-03-12T22:02:38Z")
HEADS UP! Buffalo was down by 10 only a couple of minutes ago against #2 Akron and has quickly cut it to within three with clutch long-range shooting and defense! Game is on ESPN+. DON’T SLEEP ON THE BUFFALO BULLS. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/7 "2026-03-12T22:47:01Z")
Bulls lost but only by 3. The MAC Tournament games have all been very close in the first round. The largest margin of victory has been 7. The other two games were decided by one possession. Kent State vs. Ohio for the nightcap. I love Kent State. You can’t _drag_ me out of this room. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/8 "2026-03-12T23:48:38Z")
Here’s an article that says Miami (OH) will be a bubble team despite only losing one game all year. They _tried_ to schedule better opponents. No one bit. > **[Miami of Ohio went undefeated in college basketball’s regular season. They’re...](https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/12/sport/miami-ohio-college-basketball)** > > Cinderella is a funny girl when her glass slippers are Nike issued. We are amused by her as a lead-up to the ball, love her if earns a party-crashing admittance and then goes on to trash the place in the first weekend. But not everyone is so eager to... ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2026, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/9 "2026-03-13T01:36:23Z")
Kent State advances and will face arch-rival Akron in the MAC semifinals. The two campuses in Ohio are about 12 minutes apart. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/10 "2026-03-15T21:40:03Z")
USF has just won the AAC tournament, so there are no more games to be played. Brackets will be revealed in the Selection Show at 6:00 pm ET. #1 seeds will probably be Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida, even though the latter two did not win their conference tournaments. Duke will certainly be the #1 overall seed. Looking forward to another great tourney! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/11 "2026-03-15T22:27:09Z")
We had a tournament-bracket competition last year. Is someone hosting one for us this year? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/12 "2026-03-15T22:32:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > We had a tournament-bracket competition last year. I just looked, and it was @Shoeless who hosted it on the ESPN app last year. Paging Shoeless! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/13 "2026-03-15T22:37:26Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I just looked, and it was @Shoeless who hosted it on the ESPN app last year. Thanks, hope to get one for this year. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/14 "2026-03-15T23:46:54Z")
The group name on the ESPN app is **SDMB Bracketeers** and _I think_ the password is cecil123 but I need to find my notes (or a thread) from previous years to confirm. Should I start a separate thread for the tournament pool or do we just do it all here? ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/15 "2026-03-15T23:54:09Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > The group name on the ESPN app is **SDMB Bracketeers** and _I think_ the password is cecil123 From your initial post last year: > [@2025 College Basketball Tournament Pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/1): > > Group name: **SDMB Bracketeers** > Password: **cecil123** I think you should create a separate thread, but that’s just my $.02 worth. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/16 "2026-03-16T00:11:16Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Should I start a separate thread for the tournament pool or do we just do it all here? Start a new one, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/17 "2026-03-16T00:41:53Z")
Done! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/18 "2026-03-16T01:02:35Z")
Just let us know when the bracket is live. Thanks for doing this, @Shoeless! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2026, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/19 "2026-03-29T22:20:51Z")
Charles Barkley weighs in on the immigration debate. > **[Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/awfulannouncing.bsky.social/post/3mi7zhxtope22)** > > "The way some of these other immigrants are getting treated in our country right now is a travesty and a disgrace... I think what’s going on in our country — what we’re doing to some of these amazing immigrants, is really unfortunate and it’s really... ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2026, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341/20 "2026-03-29T23:33:41Z")
What an incredible ending for UConn vs Duke. UConn nails the almost half-court shot to win. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/march-madness-2026/1028341.md?page=2)