Selection Sunday for the 2026 Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament is now just under three weeks away. The stretch run is here, and the best in the country are playing like it (well, except for one). It was an exhilarating week of basketball, capped by the Duke Blue Devils beating the Michigan Wolverines in Washington D.C.. This week is sure to be no different, and it starts off hot on Monday, too. But before we get there, we have business to handle.
Prospect of the week: Cam Boozer (F, Duke)
There have been some fantastic performances by all
of these prospects this year. But, given the team he was up against and the style of fight we got, the game that Cam Boozer put together Saturday night against Michigan was pound for pound my favorite from anyone this year.
Michigan’s front court is composed of grown men. Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson and Aday Mara will all likely be top 35 picks in the draft here in five months. None of them had anything for Boozer, as he calmly dropped 18 points, 10 boards and seven assists. It was a performance that Duke desperately needed, and as Boozer has done time and again this year, he delivered the goods.
Boozer has caught some flack for not doing anything spectacularly. However, performances like this show just how well Boozer regulates the game. There are some athletic concerns, most of the time popping up defensively. But this is a cerebral player, deserving of every bit of the hype he has received.
Games of the week
February 23rd
Louisville at North Carolina – 6:00p.m. CT (ESPN)
Houston at Kansas – 8:00 p.m. CT (ESPN)
Two potential targets for the Mavericks are on display Monday night, with both Mikel Brown Jr. and Kingston Flemings headed to hostile environments. The early game will not feature Caleb Wilson for Carolina, but Mikel Brown Jr. is still going to face a stern test in Chapel Hill. Brown Jr. has been really good as of late, inserting himself back into the discussion for being the first guard taken after Darryn Peterson.
The late game might be the most fascinating game we see this week. There’s a lot of trends that are at play here, and one side will see theirs break.
Desperation meets desperation. Will meets will. Speaking of will, will Darryn Peterson play a full game here? The situation continues to be uncomfortable, and Houston thrives on uncomfortable. If he goes, Peterson better be ready for it.
February 25th
St. John’s at UConn – 6:00 p.m. CT (Peacock)
UConn has a double revenge spot here. They lost at home to a bad Creighton team on Saturday, and they also lost to these Johnnies last time they saw them in Madison Square Garden. Braylon Mullins has seen his shot come around, which was to be expected. Is it enough to launch him back into the lottery? For St. John’s, will Zuby Ejiofor work his way into late first round discussions? Both are uniquely talented, and watching these teams face off is a treat.
February 26th
Michigan State at Purdue – 7:00 p.m. CT (Peacock)
If you are looking for second round guards, this is the game for you. Both Jeremy Fears (MSU) and Braden Smith (Purdue) are elite vets in the college game, and both will likely not be selected in the first 40 picks. However, these guys are destined to run second units in the NBA and will be a fun counter for each other on Thursday.
February 27th
Michigan at Illinois – 7:00 p.m. CT (FOX)
What a fun game this will be. Both teams saw themselves lose tight contests last Saturday, as Michigan lost to Duke, while Illinois blew a 23 point lead in route to losing at UCLA. Illinois will be stewing on that loss all week, while Michigan sees Minnesota early in the week. This will be a big test for Keaton Wagler, as he will be contending with an elite back line for Michigan. It will likely require another elite shot making game from him for Illinois to come out on top.
February 28th
Virginia at Duke – 11:00 a.m. CT (ESPN)
Kansas at Arizona – 3:00 p.m. CT (ESPN)
Texas Tech at Iowa State – 3:00 p.m. CT (CBS)
Alabama at Tennessee – 5:00 p.m. CT (ESPN)
Arkansas at Florida – 7:00 p.m. CT (ESPN)
What a fun Saturday we will have! Virginia will be a tough test for Duke, as their pace and offense give defenses fits. The 3:00 p.m. window will have the Big 12 taking center stage. Kansas at Arizona will feature Darryn Peterson, hopefully playing a full game, against a very gritty and tough Arizona team. Also at three, a short handed Texas Tech team heads to Ames to face off with Iowa State. Without JT Toppin, who tore his ACL last week, it will be the Christian Anderson show against one of the best defenses in the Big 12.
The SEC heads to the forefront at night, with potentially four first round players facing off. Labaron Philon and the Tide will face off against the red hot Nate Ament and the Tennessee Vols. Shot making will be abundant between those two. At night, Darius Acuff will face a stern test against a very good Florida team. Acuff scored 49 points last week at Alabama, and we know he will get his offensively. Florida will likely look to target Acuff all night defensively, so if he can hold up here it will be a very good sign.
