The first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament concluded on Friday, March 20, with a slate of games that delivered significant upsets and dominant performances. The most notable result was a historic victory by 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson University over top-seeded Purdue, marking only the third time a 16-seed has defeated a 1-seed in tournament history. Other major upsets included 12-seed UC Irvine defeating 5-seed Gonzaga and 11-seed St. John's taking down 6-seed Tennessee.
Key factors in the advancing teams' victories included strong perimeter defense and efficient three-point shooting. For instance, Fairleigh Dickinson held Purdue to under 30% shooting from beyond the arc. Several higher seeds, including defending champion UConn (2-seed) and Houston (1-seed), advanced comfortably with double-digit wins, relying on their trademark defensive intensity and balanced scoring.
Looking ahead to the second round, the surviving underdogs will need to replicate their defensive focus and shot-making to advance further. The victories have already ensured a chaotic and unpredictable bracket, with several traditional powerhouses eliminated early. The tournament continues on Saturday with the remaining second-round matchups.
