The ultimate college basketball spectacle has arrived, promising an abundance of thrills and compelling narratives. Will underdog “Cinderellas” defy expectations with stunning upsets, or will the perennial powerhouses maintain their dominance throughout the tournament? Recognizing the crucial role of a steady connection for any successful postseason journey, we are dedicated to ensuring you remain informed of every must-read headline and unforgettable play from each round.
The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament officially kicks off Wednesday evening with the final pair of First Four matchups. The victors from these contests will advance to the tournament’s first round on Friday.
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Below is essential information for both games, which will be broadcast on TruTV.
[Enter Yahoo Bracket Mayhem for shot at 50K | Printable bracket]
No. 16 Lehigh (18-16) vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M (18-17)
5:40 p.m. ET | Lehigh favored by 3.5 | Over/Under: 142.5 | Winner advances to face No. 1 Florida
The Mountain Hawks are making their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2012. That year, a squad led by CJ McCollum famously upset No. 2 Duke in the opening round with a 75-70 victory.
This marks Lehigh’s first season finishing above .500 since 2023, having secured the Patriot League title with a 74-60 triumph over Boston University. After a 23-point loss to Navy on February 18, which left them at 12-16, the Mountain Hawks have compiled an impressive six-game winning streak.
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Junior guard Nasir Whitlock leads the team with an average of 21 points per game, hitting nearly 45% of his attempts from beyond the arc. Opponents typically attempt only 19 3-pointers when playing against Lehigh.
Prairie View A&M enters the NCAA tournament as the lowest-ranked squad in the field, according to KenPom’s metrics. Positioned at No. 287, the Panthers are three spots below Lehigh. The next closest team in KenPom’s rankings is LIU at No. 216.
Similar to Lehigh, Prairie View also ended its season on a strong note. The Panthers were 11-17 overall and 6-9 in conference play after losing to Arkansas Pine-Bluff on February 21. They concluded the regular season with three consecutive wins and then triumphed in four games in the SWAC tournament, including a 71-67 victory over top seed Bethune-Cookman.
Guard Dontae Horne averages 20 points per game, while guard Tai’reon Joseph contributes 18 points per contest. However, neither player shoots better than 32% from three-point range. With an average of 18.5 attempts per game, Prairie View is among the nation’s least frequent teams from beyond the arc.
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No. 11 SMU (20-13) vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) (31-1)
9:15 p.m. ET | SMU favored by 7.5 | Over/Under: 163.5 | Winner advances to face No. 6 Tennessee
The Mustangs managed to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament field despite a rather disappointing close to their season. SMU slid to 11th place in the ACC after dropping their final four regular-season games. Only one of these losses was remotely close; SMU suffered a 20-point defeat at Stanford, an eight-point loss at home to Miami, and a 13-point loss at Florida State.
SMU defeated Syracuse in their opening ACC tournament game but subsequently fell 62-58 to Louisville in the second round.
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The high total for this game reflects both teams ranking within the top 25 for points per game. SMU averages 84 points per game, with Kevin Miller scoring 19.2 points per game and Jaron Pierre adding 17.6.
Miami (Ohio) boasts the second-highest scoring offense in the country, trailing only Alabama, with 90.2 points per game. The RedHawks were the sole team to remain undefeated during the regular season but were defeated by UMass in the first round of the MAC tournament. This outcome allowed the MAC to send two teams to the tournament, as Akron claimed the automatic bid by winning the conference tournament.
Nevertheless, the RedHawks still earned a tournament invitation, thanks in part to a non-conference schedule that, while not featuring any power conference opponents, was reportedly not due to a lack of effort by the athletic department. Miami maintained its perfect record by the slimmest of margins late in the regular season, winning its final three games by a combined six points before their four-point loss to the Minutemen.
Six different players contribute at least 10 points per game. Senior guard Peter Suder leads the RedHawks with 14.6 points, and as a team, Miami shoots 39% from beyond the 3-point line.