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11h ago

Top Seeds Dominate Opening Rounds as Michigan State Reaches Sweet 16 and Virginia Women Upset Georgia

Analysts cite NIL-driven payouts alongside looser transfer rules as concentrating veteran talent at power programs.

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With numerous women's basketball banners hanging in the rafters at at Carmichael Arena, North Carolina guard Indya Nivar, right, puts up a shot against the Western Illinois during the first round of the Women's NCAA Tournament on March 20, 2026.

Overview

  • Michigan State beat Louisville 77-69 to reach the Sweet 16, with Coen Carr posting 21 points and 10 rebounds and Jeremy Fears Jr. setting a program NCAA Tournament single-game mark with 16 assists.
  • The men’s bracket opened with unusually lopsided results as the top four seeds went 16-0, the average first-round margin hit 17.4 points and a record number of games were decided by 20 or more.
  • Friday produced the first 16-0 day for favorites since 1992, and No. 1 Florida set multiple single-game tournament records in a 114-55 win over Prairie View A&M.
  • In the women’s tournament, No. 10 Virginia became the first lower seed to win this season by defeating No. 7 Georgia 82-73 in overtime behind 28 points from Kymora Johnson and a 23-point, 11-rebound game from Sa’Myah Smith.
  • Iowa is hosting first-weekend women’s games as a No. 2 seed, while Fairleigh Dickinson arrived on a 22-game winning streak with one of the nation’s stingiest defenses.