The Duke Blue Devils have secured the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, setting the stage for an exciting March Madness. With a stellar 32-2 record, Duke is set to face Siena (23-11) on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina, as part of the East Region showdown.
Assuming they advance past the Saints, the Blue Devils will take on the winner of the No. 8 seed Ohio State and No. 9 seed TCU matchup on Saturday. Joining Duke as No. 1 seeds are Arizona, Michigan, and Florida, each eyeing a deep tournament run.
Duke's recent triumph over Virginia clinched their second straight ACC championship and third in four years under the guidance of head coach Jon Scheyer. "We’re not done yet," Scheyer confidently stated post-game, signaling the team's hunger for more success.
Riding an impressive 11-game winning streak into the tournament, Duke's last loss came on February 7 against North Carolina, with their only other defeat occurring on December 20, 2025, against Texas Tech.
Injury concerns loom, however, as center Patrick Ngongba remains day-to-day after missing the regular-season finale and the entire ACC Tournament. "It's a day-by-day thing," Scheyer noted, expressing optimism about Ngongba's progress but remaining cautious about his readiness.
The Blue Devils will also be without starting point guard Caleb Foster, sidelined with a right foot fracture for the early rounds of the tournament. Despite these setbacks, NCAA selection committee chair Keith Gill expressed confidence that Duke will be closer to full strength as the tournament progresses.
Scheyer has consistently propelled Duke deeper into the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Final Four last season, the Elite Eight in 2024, and the round of 32 in 2023.
Meanwhile, NC State (20-13) is gearing up to face Texas (18-14) in a First Four clash on Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio. Both teams are 11 seeds in the West Region, with the winner set to challenge No. 6 seed BYU and their standout freshman AJ Dybantsa in the first round on Thursday in Portland, Oregon.
The victor of that matchup will then face either Gonzaga (30-3) or Kennesaw State (21-13) on Saturday. NC State was among the last four teams to secure a spot in the tournament, alongside Texas, SMU, and Miami (Ohio). The selection committee had to adjust their usual guidelines due to the high number of SEC and ACC teams making the cut.
In other action, No. 6 seed North Carolina (24-8) takes on No. 11 seed VCU (27-7) on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina, as part of the South Region. The winner will advance to face either Illinois or Penn on Saturday.
The Tar Heels enter the tournament on a two-game skid, having lost to Duke in their regular-season finale and falling to Clemson in the ACC quarterfinals. They’ll be without All-ACC first-teamer Caleb Wilson, who is out for the season with a thumb injury. Despite these challenges, the committee carefully weighed Wilson's absence when evaluating UNC's seeding.
With so much at stake, the 2026 NCAA Tournament promises to deliver unforgettable moments and fierce competition. Let the madness begin!