Jay Bilas has shared his predictions for the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament, following the tradition of ESPN analysts revealing their picks. Bilas, along with Jay Williams, Seth Greenberg, and Rece Davis, participated in the bracket reveal. They had less than five minutes to make their selections.
Bilas noted that this season differs from the last, suggesting that the top teams aren’t significantly better than the rest of the field. He anticipates more surprises in the tournament.
Bilas’s Strategy for Picking Upsets
Bilas advises a strategic approach to picking upsets. He suggests only picking upsets that you feel strongly about. He also suggests ensuring that the predicted winner will lose in the subsequent game. This strategy aims to maximise the upside of early upsets while limiting the downside later in the tournament.
First Round Predictions
Bilas predicts No. 1 Duke will defeat No. 16 Siena. He notes that while 1 vs. 16 matchups have seen upsets, the odds favour the No. 1 seed. He highlights that both Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Siena’s Gerry McNamara have won national championships as players, but Duke has Cameron Boozer.
In the 8 vs. 9 matchup, Bilas is taking TCU over Ohio State. He acknowledges that these matchups are often a coin flip. Bilas points out that TCU has David Punch, who scored 26 points against Oklahoma State, and that TCU beat Florida early in the season.
Bilas expects No. 5 St. John’s to beat No. 12 Northern Iowa. He believes St. John’s is underseeded and that Rick Pitino rarely loses first-round games.
Kansas vs. California Baptist
Bilas also predicts No. 4 Kansas will face No. 13 California Baptist, but no specific prediction was given for that game.
Bilas encourages everyone to use their best judgment when making their own picks. He reminds everyone that filling out a bracket is supposed to be fun.