NCAA Men's Tournament 2026

[NDPhilly]

Both Indiana and Michigan won with a bunch of veteran mercenaries. Just gross.

 

[slick7410]

Man I hate Michigan

He’s an elite coach and had great vision to put together that team, which was clearly the best team.

For a general college basketball fan - that team doesn’t seem to have much to do with the University of Michigan. A mercenary team of transfers and feels more AAU - but to get them to play and bond that cohesively is a skill.

 

[Dale]

Both Indiana and Michigan won with a bunch of veteran mercenaries. Just gross.

I don’t have a problem with Michigan’s team assembly as whole besides Yaxel. Year 6 in CBB. It simply cannot be allowed to happen.

 

[MPClinton22]

Cadeau is one of my least favorite players I’ve watched in a long time. Gives me Grayson Allen vibes but a worse scorer. Constantly sneakily doing borderline dirty crap

 

[Cpnd1]

Fuck despise them. Thankfully we will be better than them come this fall, just need to win it all for the love of god

 

[Irish#1]

Both Indiana and Michigan won with a bunch of veteran mercenaries. Just gross.

Will it be gross when we win a Natty with a bunch of mercenaries? lol

College sports has changed.

 

[Irish2155]

Not a bad tournament although my bracket lost when AZ did. After last night’s win (had UConn +6.5) takes the total tournament winnings to $470.

Time to put the betting ap away now until football season…

 

[bkess8]

Gonna take some heat but I like both of the coaches. May and Hurley both love their teams and are great at their jobs. This is what college sports has become… spending money wisely and on the right players wins championships quickly!

 

[Dale]

Will it be gross when we win a Natty with a bunch of mercenaries? lol

College sports has changed.

Basketball and football are different but I would say it is unlikely ND wins a Natty in football due to every starter being a transfer including one that is in Year 6 after 3 years at JUCO.

Philly will have to eat crow if so.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Strangely, I felt Michigan won despite Lengenborg being only about the #6 influence for them in the final four.

The point guard was super-influential and their MVP (like him or not.) I used to play a lot of pickup ball and there was usually some borderline dishonest guy there, filled with street-cred basketball, and he'd win almost every game (keeping the court.) Frustrating as hell sometimes but not when he was on your team.

Their second MVP was the big power forward (Johnson?). He warriors it out 100%. Mara was next. The two "subs", McKenny and Gayle were next. Amazing how that bunch beat Arizona (a great college team) without Lengenborg. Michigan limped vs UCONN when the guard had to sit so long in the first half. But back in, and they were "pressed" by a really good UCONN team (and coach) but, they became again the better team.

The whole thing was very entertaining for this very old BBaller and part-time coach.

 

[Dale]

Cadeau is one of my least favorite players I’ve watched in a long time. Gives me Grayson Allen vibes but a worse scorer. Constantly sneakily doing borderline dirty crap

Definitely got a generous whistle. Not sure you can say one thing changed the game, UCONN really just needed to shoot better from 3 in the 2H, but if you had to pin something I would say Cadeau’s whistle was it in Michigan’s favor. Rare case of being rewarded for being small. Got away with some blatant hacks on D, barrels recklessly on O and drew whistles. Clever enough where some calls fell short of flagrant and so review doesn’t matter (ex. The shove in the back).

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The two teams combined to go 42-123 from the floor.

And this sport lacks for "pageantry" the way college football does.

 

[MPClinton22]

Definitely got a generous whistle. Not sure you can say one thing changed the game, UCONN really just needed to shoot better from 3 in the 2H, but if you had to pin something I would say Cadeau’s whistle was it in Michigan’s favor. Rare case of being rewarded for being small. Got away with some blatant hacks on D, barrels recklessly on O and drew whistles. Clever enough where some calls fell short of flagrant and so review doesn’t matter (ex. The shove in the back).

Admittedly as a UConn bball fan (I grew up here and moved back after college) I definitely was frustrated with the whistle, specifically the one Cadeau got. But 100% UConn needed to just not start 2H 0-11 from 3 and they likely win. They got their chances and just didn’t capitalize.

But there being several instances of Cadeau giving obvious 2 hand shoves in the back to UConn players with not a single one getting whistled will always piss me off.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I don’t have a problem with Michigan’s team assembly as whole besides Yaxel. Year 6 in CBB. It simply cannot be allowed to happen.

This is the one part of this new age I don't like. The Portal, NIL, I'm totally fine with. The players having control and being able to do what they want compared to the past obviously bothers people to an extent and varying degrees, and that's fine, but there should not be guys lingering around in college sports in their 6th or more years.

You have to play one year of college ball before you can enter the NBA Draft. You have to wait three years to enter the NFL Draft. I say put a cap on college eligibility at 5 years. The end.

 

[Dale]

Yaxel got a 5th year based off COVID in 2020 but then got a 6th year based off JUCO not being governed by the NCAA and therefore not counting against eligibility rules. Even though it was an NCAA mandate to give him the 5th year, which he spent in JUCO.

It doesn’t make any sense and could only fly in a period in time with zero oversight.

 

[ACamp1900]

Will it be gross when we win a Natty with a bunch of mercenaries? lol

College sports has changed.

It will be gross, all the time, always,…. UNTIL we win one lol