The first round of the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament has featured upsets and big performances.
VCU’s Overtime Thriller
VCU completed a comeback, erasing a 19-point second-half deficit to defeat North Carolina in overtime. Terrence Hill Jr. made five of VCU’s last six baskets, including a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in extra time. Hill finished with 34 points, five assists and five rebounds.
The Tar Heels missed their final nine shots and a pair of free throws in overtime. After leading by 19 with 14:58 to play, they connected on just seven of 25 shots. The Rams’ 19-point comeback is tied for the largest in the round of 64 since the tournament expanded in 1985.
VCU’s second-round opponent is Illinois.
How VCU Can Advance
Phil Martelli Jr.’s squad can advance past Illinois if Terrence Hill Jr. has another big game and his teammates show the same resilience they demonstrated against the Tar Heels. They’ll have to do it for 40 minutes against Illinois. The Rams scored at a clip of 138 points per 100 possessions in the second half before they forced overtime against the Tar Heels.
They’ll also need Lazar Djokovic (15 points, 2 blocks) to put up big numbers as they attempt to stall the Illinois offensive machine.
Duke’s Victory Over Siena
No. 1 overall seed Duke advances to the round of 32. Siena made things interesting, taking the Blue Devils to the limit before falling 71-65. The Saints led by 11 at the half and didn’t surrender the lead until the 5:08 mark.
Siena’s starters played without a substitution until the final 90 seconds of action. Siena shot just 8-of-34 from the floor over the final 20 minutes, allowing the Blue Devils to claw their way back into the game. Cameron Boozer had 22 points and 13 boards to lead the Blue Devils, while his brother Cayden added 19.
Duke’s second-round opponent is TCU.
Looking Ahead
Check out some of the best highlights from TCU and Duke ahead of their round of 32 matchup in the NCAA tournament.