By the time Selection Sunday arrives, there will have been plenty of movement in the projected field of 68 for the 2026 NCAA tournament regarding the teams that are in, as well as those looking to get in.
While our Tuesday and Friday Bracketology updates allow us to look at the race to March Madness holistically in a week, results every day matter and can affect teams — whether they’re playing or not.
Men’s Bracketologist Joe Lunardi is tracking every relevant game every night — and why shouldn’t you?
Here, we provide an inside look at the headlines and upcoming matchups that inform Joey Brackets’ calculations on any given night, as he projects the teams that could have their names called on Selection Sunday (March 15).
A couple of housekeeping things: This page will update every day around lunchtime, between Tuesday and Saturday to start — with a few exceptions. Games are listed in order of importance to the bracket changes. A team’s projection on that day is listed in parentheses if not otherwise noted.
Scores available here. All times Eastern
Projected field of 68 |NCAA tournament details
Thursday, Jan. 29
TOP HEADLINES
State of the top seeds: Florida was the big mover on Wednesday, blasting South Carolina on the road to grab a 3-seed in place of Texas Tech.
State of the bubble: Miami took its bubble showdown with Stanford to move up from Last Four In to Last Four byes. Ohio State gets bumped down in the process.
Other notable results: Important home wins for Seton Hall and Santa Clara, both among the First Four Out, were unfortunately not enough to move them up ahead of narrow road losers USC and Texas; the latter two remain among the Last Four In.
How the ACC “West” looks: California and Stanford both missed chances to move up, falling at Florida State and Miami, respectively.
What’s up with the Atlantic 10: Saint Louis is the best of the A-10 by a wide margin, but George Mason checks in at 19-2 after a win over Davidson, and joins the Next Four Out group.
GAMES THAT COULD AFFECT THE BRACKET
Colorado at (2) Iowa State. A loss at home, and the Cyclones would slide to a 3-seed. 7 p.m., FS1
UMBC at (16) Vermont: A winner-take-all for the America East AQ in Friday’s bracket. 7 p.m., ESPN+
Florida Atlantic at Memphis. FAU sits in a four-way tie atop the American, but would claim the conference’s Automatic Qualifier designation, and a spot in Friday’s bracket, with a road win over the preseason favorite. 8 p.m., ESPN2
(13) Hawai’i at UC Irvine. The co-leaders of the Big West square off for the second time in Orange County, California, with the winner making the Friday bracket. (Hawai’i won the first meeting in Honolulu.) 11 p.m., ESPNU
