The first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is wrapped up, and there were several data points to suggest that the era of first round upsets may be a thing of the past with NIL and the transfer portal such a prominent part of college basketball. The gap between the top and the bottom of March Madness has arguably never been bigger.
1. NCAA Tournament Blowouts
There have never been more games decided by 20+ points in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, including Houston’s victory over Idaho out of the Big 12.
2. March Madness Margin of Victory
And it wasn’t just the blowouts, but it was the average margin of victory across the board that made the first round of the NCAA Tournament, especially on Friday, which set a March Madness record.
Arizona blasting Long Island on Friday was one of those blowout games that added to the big margin of victory average. Leading the Wildcats (33-2) with 18 points, Brayden Burries 6 of 10 from the floor with four triples and five rebounds.
Iowa State also had a 34-point win in its first-round match up with Tennessee State, even without Joshua Jefferson, who left the game with an ankle injury.
3. No Double-Digit Seeds Win on Friday
There were no double-digit seeds to win games during Friday’s NCAA Tournament games.
You’d have to go back 34 years to the last time there was a day of the NCAA Tournament with no double-digit seeds winning a game in the Big Dance.
4. 13 to 16 Seeds Go WInless
For the second-straight NCAA Tournament, the 13 to 16 seeds went winless in the NCAA Tournament.
The first round was always defined by the Cinderella story and the double-digit upset. Who would pick the crazy upset and look like a genius in their bracket with their buddies? That was always part of the charm of the Tournament. And it’s been lost.
Now, this has still made for elite match ups as the Tournament progresses. The Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final 4 are still strong products that perform well with strong ratings. But, as the transfer portal keeps changing the game, it’s clear that the Cinderella story will become less frequent, much to the detriment of the first two days of the NCAA Tournament.
