We have finally reached Selection Sunday. By the end of the night, we’ll know the fields of 68 for both the men’s and women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments for 2026. We’ll also know North Carolina’s place within them. We already know the women have made it, as they were selected as one of the hosts for the first two rounds, which also means they’ll be at least a #4 seed. Baring completely unforeseen circumstances, the men will also be in the field, although we know less about that at the moment.
At
this point in time, there’s not much either team can do to change their position. There are still some conference championship games that could change things, but neither UNC team is playing in them. At this point, their fate is firmly in the selection committees’ hands. Right now, we can only have hopes about what may be on the horizon.
With that in mind, that’s exactly what today’s question of the day is about. What are your hopes — for UNC, or the rest of college basketball in general — for today’s Selection Sunday bracket reveals?
One of my biggest hopes actually came true yesterday with the reveal that the Tar Heel women will be a host team for the NCAA Tournament. They came on strong late — including a regular season-ending victory over Duke — after it seemed like they would be traveling in the first two rounds. Hosting the first two games is not a guarantee that you’ll advance through to the Sweet 16, although it’s always an advantage.
For the UNC men, I have one hope that actually might be contrary to what others have. I kinda hope the Tar Heels end up on the #6 seed line instead of the #5. If UNC ends up a #5, that will match them up against #12 seed, which would most likely come from a mid-major or one-bid league. Meanwhile, a #6 seed gets them an #11, and more likely a matchup against a First Four team or one of the other last teams in the field. Personally, I like UNC’s chances against a meh team from a power conference, whom the #11 seeds are most likely to be, than I would against the champions of a one-bid league. Those teams will almost certainly have a good bit of experience and will be battle-tested. Those qualities against this year’s UNC team would worry me.
Meanwhile, as far as the rest of the college basketball world goes, I just really want Miami (Ohio) to make it. I don’t care about their strength of schedule or anything else, they went 31-1. Even if they lose handily in the very first game they play in the NCAA Tournament, they are still so much more deserving to me than a power conference team that has double digit losses.
That’s me, but what about you? What are your hopes for the brackets when they’re unveiled later today?
