The 2026 men's NCAA tournament bracket is set for the first game, with Auburn, Vanderbilt, St. John's, and others who were overlooked for the No. 5 seed line. The selection committee made decisions based on Auburn's 16-loss resume and Texas's 18-14 record. Despite these losses, the committee was cool with Texas' losses to Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Arizona State. Illinois ended up at No. 10 overall on the selection committee's seed list, while Illinois had to travel to Greenville, potentially facing North Carolina in the second round. Despite this, there are concerns about the potential for Florida to be overlooked as a No. 1 seed, needing a road game against Houston if they both survive their first three games.