The 2026 NCAA Tournament bubble is weak, with teams like Texas getting a pass despite late-season struggles. The Longhorns are still in the race for an at-large bid despite recent losses.
Texas’ Tournament Hopes Despite SEC Loss
Texas lost to Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The Longhorns fell 76-66 against a Rebels team. Texas will arrive at Selection Sunday as an 18-14 team after dropping five of its last six games.
Despite the loss, the Longhorns will remain in the CBS Sports Bracketology field of 68 for now. This is largely because no one has risen to take their spot.
Texas entered the day at No. 44 in Wins Above Bubble (WAB). SMU, Indiana, Oklahoma State and Cal also lost on Wednesday.
Auburn’s Win Keeps Them in the Running
A win over Mississippi State wasn’t exactly a resume-enhancer for Auburn. The win kept the Tigers’ at-large hopes alive. A Thursday showdown with Tennessee in the SEC Tournament’s second round will be massive for the Tigers, who crept into the last spot in the field in CBS Sports Bracketology on Wednesday night.
NC State’s Victory
NC State’s 98-88 win over Pitt in the ACC Tournament may be all the Wolfpack need to solidify themselves in the field of 68. Unless there is a surge of bid thieves and a sudden wave of surprises from the dwindling bubble contingent, Will Wade’s club should be dancing.
Chris Beard’s Perspective on Texas
Texas’ early exit from the SEC Tournament came against former coach Chris Beard. Beard led the Longhorns to a No. 6 seed in the 2022 Big Dance.
“I think the resume speaks for itself in the SEC,” Beard said of the Longhorns, who owns six Quad 1 wins. “My confidence is they could have a nice NCAA Tournament. Sean (Miller) knows what he’s doing. He’s done it with multiple teams, and I think they’ve got really good players. The NCAA Tournament, in my opinion, it comes down to matchups, and I think Texas has players that can lead them to the second weekend.”
A terrible Tuesday saw Stanford and Virginia Tech lose in their first round ACC Tournament games. They slid from realistic at-large consideration to territory that should be unpalatable for inclusion.