SI College Basketball: The Bracket Is Back

Duke captures another ACC title as it rolls into March Madness, while many teams are sweating entrance into the Big Dance.

Selection Sunday is here! And if it is March, it must be that Duke is looking to upset its haters as it enters the men's NCAA Tournament as the favorite to take the national title. Bryan Fischer was there as the Blue Devils secured back-to-back ACC tournament titles with a win over Virginia. At the Big East title game, St. John's also secured its second straight tournament title after defeating UConn. Zach Koons writes that the Huskies' last week of play raises many concerns heading into the national tournament. Plus: Bubble watch intensifies heading into Sunday evening's selection shows. Editor's note: Be sure to read this newsletter every day for daily coverage of the men's and women's NCAA tournament until the champions cut the nets. Forward to a friend. Onto the newsletter. America's Favorite Villain Is Back: Duke Enters March Madness as the Team to Beat Fueled by Cameron Boozer and battle-tested by last season's heartbreak, the ACC champions shrugged off injuries to enter the NCAA tournament playing their best basketball of the season. Bob Donnan/Imagn Images By Bryan Fischer Bow down to your overlords, ACC. The question now: Is the rest of the nation ready to do the same? It is March and wouldn't you know it, America's favorite team to root against is back in the NCAA men's tournament and primed to win it all. Better than ever?  The next three weeks will ultimately determine that. As it stands right now, in the wake of a 74–70 thriller over a Top 10 Virginia team to capture the ACC tournament championship, the case is being made. Loudly. Clearly. Directly. READ FULL STORY ON SI.COM UConn's Week of Collapses Raises March Madness Questions The Huskies let the Big East regular-season title slip away and were run off the floor by St. John's—leaving Dan Hurley likening the experience to "Chernobyl." Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images By Zach Koons In a matter of a week, the UConn men's basketball team lost two titles.  Key word: lost.  That's not to say St. John's, the first program to repeat as both regular-season Big East champions and winners of the same season's conference tournament, didn't earn its way back to being the new league standard under Rick Pitino. The Johnnies and their physical brand of basketball overwhelmed the Huskies in a 72–52 blowout at Madison Square Garden, winning the season's rubber match between the two rival programs fewer than three weeks after losing by 32 points to the same team in Hartford, Conn.  READ FULL STORY ON SI.COM 📅 March Madness Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images Men's Bubble Watch Automatic Bids Last Four In Miami (Ohio) Missouri SMU Texas READ FULL STORY  BID TRACKER Women's Bubble Watch Automatic Bids Last Four In Virginia  Syracuse Nebraska Clemson READ FULL STORY  BID TRACKER • Michael McDaniel: March Madness: Five Questions Ahead of Men's Bracket Reveal on Selection Sunday Kevin Hoffman/Imagn Images Ten Great March Madness Cinderella Stories You May Have Forgotten 📺 SI TV SI TV goes marching into the NCAA Tournament with a five-part docuseries that chronicles the journey of Coach Pat Kelsey and the Louisville men's basketball program. Subscribe to SI's college sports show, Others Receiving Votes, for new episodes each week on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Or watch weekly on SI TV. Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE! Join Verducci's View Newsletter Tom Verducci delivers a mix of expert commentary, inside angles and thoughtful perspectives on baseball's biggest storylines. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI College Basketball newsletter. You can unsubscribe here  . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI College Basketball newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM. Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.