Day 2 of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will go down as one of the chalkiest in recent memory.
After Siena’s near-upset of Duke and High Point’s win over Wisconsin, expectations were high for more surprises. Instead, higher seeds went 14-2, with the only upsets coming from the two No. 9 seeds, Utah State and Iowa.
As the tournament moves into the second round, the only true mid-major conference left is the Big South, represented by High Point. Of the 32 teams remaining, only four come from outside the Power 5. For those who prefer the big names, the rest of the tournament will deliver plenty of them.
Here’s a look back at key takeaways from Day 2 of the NCAA tournament.
Top Seeds Stand Tall
It wasn’t just that there were no upsets on Friday. It was that nobody seriously threatened to pull one off. The closest calls were Wright State pushing Virginia for much of the second half and Furman doing the same against Connecticut.
But neither the Cavaliers nor the Huskies ever truly looked in danger. Both had to work for it, but each still won by at least nine points. Cal Baptist finished within eight of Kansas, but the outcome never felt in doubt..
The would-be Cinderellas in Akron and Hofstra didn’t materialize. Texas Tech showed it could win without JT Toppin, and Alabama did the same without Aden Holloway. Both teams entered the game with concerns, but each found another gear and pulled away comfortably.
Maybe it was a lesson learned from Duke’s scare against Siena on Thursday. Maybe it was something else. Either way, the upsets never came on Friday.
Kevin Willard Wins No Friends
Friday wasn’t a very good day to be Villanova coach Kevin Willard. Not only did the Wildcats blow a lead to Utah State and become one of the few higher seeds to lose, but Willard also drew criticism for joking about firing his entire staff after Villanova failed to defend Utah State’s out-of-bounds plays.
Willard later clarified it was a joke, and on one hand, it’s easy to understand the context. He comes from the Rick Pitino coaching tree, where “firing” assistants is more of a running outlet for frustration than anything literal. Pitino has been known to do it frequently, and no one is actually shown the door. Willard appears to operate in a similar way.
The difference is that Pitino kept those moments behind closed doors, with stories surfacing well after the fact. Willard said it on national television during a halftime interview. While that also raises questions about the value of in-game interviews, it ultimately falls on Willard to keep that kind of message inside the locker room.
His lack of composure in that moment mirrored his team’s inability to control the game, and he needs to be better.
ACC Looks Shaky
The ACC was considered back this year after earning eight bids to the NCAA tournament. But half of those teams are already out.
Clemson joined North Carolina, NC State, and SMU on the sidelines with a loss to Iowa, marking the Tigers’ second straight first-round exit. Of the four teams still standing (Duke, Virginia, Louisville, and Miami) the Hurricanes have looked the most impressive.
Miami faced what appeared to be the toughest first-round matchup: an underrated Missouri team in St. Louis. The Canes pulled away late, outscoring the Tigers 24-12 over the final eight minutes. Meanwhile, Duke and Louisville both survived close calls, while Virginia didn’t create separation until the final media timeout.
The ACC could struggle to send teams to the second weekend, as all four remaining programs now face power-conference opponents.
Santa Clara Falls in Friday’s Wildest Finish
There weren’t many true upsets on Friday, but the No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara matchup in St. Louis was as close as it got and easily the most entertaining game of the day.
It’s a tough ending for Santa Clara, which looked like the better team for long stretches. The Broncos took a three-point lead with under three seconds remaining, only to see it disappear when Otega Oweh banked in a desperation three to force overtime.
The controversy came just before that shot. Herb Sendek was clearly trying to call a timeout after Santa Clara’s go-ahead basket, looking to set his defense and likely instruct his team to foul as soon as Kentucky crossed halfcourt. The officials didn’t see it, leaving the Broncos to scramble in a moment where organization was critical.
Sendek had every right to be frustrated. In a situation like that, recognizing a timeout request is essential, especially with the game on the line.
At the same time, Sendek is a veteran coach with more than three decades of experience. That kind of late-game scenario should already be understood by his team. Whether through preparation or communication, the Broncos needed to be ready to foul without relying on a stoppage.
Instead, the moment slipped away. It’s a brutal result for Santa Clara, but it delivered one of the best games of the tournament so far, with one of the sport’s bluebloods surviving to play another day.
Late Night With Dan Hurley
The NCAA came up with some puzzling tip times for Friday, including scheduling Connecticut vs. Furman as the final game of the day. The game ended around 12:45 a.m. Eastern, despite being played in the easternmost subregional. Friday’s slate featured games in Philadelphia, Tampa, St. Louis, and San Diego, yet Philadelphia somehow hosted the latest tip in the final window.
And the NCAA hasn’t adjusted. On Sunday, Connecticut is again slated as the last game to tip, starting nearly an hour after Arizona and Utah State in San Diego. That could create a real disadvantage for the Huskies, who now face UCLA, a team that will be far more comfortable playing at 5:45 p.m. Pacific against an opponent on Eastern time.
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