The picks for the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament Bracket include UMBC over Howard, Texas over NC State, Miami (OH) over SMU, Lehigh over Prairie View, and a rematch between NC State and Longhorns. Other notable games include a regular-season rematch of NC State vs Texas, where NC State scored 199 combined points in the Maui Invitational. Meanwhile, SMU is projected to win 86-79 over Miami (Ohio), while SMU's BJ Edwards is expected to miss several games due to a recent injury. Other picks include a potential upset against SMU and a potential surprise upset against Louisville. Dominique Daniels Jr. is predicted to perform well in a stunning upset of Kansas, while C.J. McCollum's lead guard for Lehigh is predicted for the first time in the NCAA tournament since 2012. Other top picks include national player of the year Cameron Boozer, who could guide Kansas to the Elite Eight with a strong performance against St. John's and Duke.