It’s been a Murphy’s Law couple of days for teams at the edge of the men’s NCAA tournament field. And it’s made the task of selecting the bracket’s 36 at-large teams all the more difficult.
Washington
Analysis | NCAA tournament bracketology: Selection Sunday has finally arrived
There were the outright bid snatchers, North Carolina State and Oregon. The Wolfpack won its fifth game in five days, dispatching North Carolina for the program’s first ACC tournament title since 1987. Oregon picked off UCLA, Arizona and Colorado in a three-day span to claim the last Pac-12 title.
There was Florida Atlantic, failing to do the rest of the field a favor and falling to Temple in the American Athletic semifinals. Paired with Dayton’s loss in the Atlantic 10 tournament Thursday, there was no help coming from teams that could turn their conferences into one-bid leagues.
Even the borderline tournament team in action couldn’t finish the job. Texas A&M fell to Florida, and the Aggies must wait for the committee’s verdict. That hasn’t been a good thing for Buzz Williams’s team the past two years; in 2022, Texas A&M was left out after a late push. Last year, it was arguably the most underseeded team in the field based on the numbers (though not on its subsequent first-round exit).
Among the other possible losers because of the tumult: Oklahoma and Virginia, two teams that didn’t do much wrong but have limited top-end success; Providence, Seton Hall and St. John’s, a parade of Big East teams with their own résumé limitations; and Indiana State, which last Sunday afternoon was a wild card and might now be an afterthought.
(Or it might not. Indiana State is a hard-to-evaluate variable, because its profile doesn’t look much like the power conference teams it is being compared with).
The one thing all of these teams have in common, whether they receive a reprieve or not, is they could have won more. Virginia could have made free throws. Oklahoma could have beaten someone better than Iowa or Kansas State away from home. Indiana State could have won Arch Madness. Pitt could have played a better nonconference schedule. Texas A&M could have avoided silly losses.
There will be caterwauling Sunday night from many schools, but the confluence of events tightened the field and might lead to a play-in game occupying the No. 10 seed line. It’s anyone’s guess whether the tournament will be a classic, but the week leading up to it already is unusual even by the standards of March.
Sunday’s games to watch
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Ivy League final (New York): No. 2 Yale vs. No. 4 Brown, noon (ESPN2)
Brown (13-17) knocked out top-seeded Princeton in the first of Saturday’s Ivy semifinals, setting off day-long carnage for top seeds. The Bears can earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 1986, and third ever, with a defeat of Yale (21-9), which just lost at home to Brown on March 9.
Bracket impact: One-bid territory, though Yale has a much higher seeding territory than Brown.
SEC final (Nashville): No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 6 Florida, 1 (ESPN)
Auburn (26-7) faces a path to an SEC title that goes through the No. 7 (South Carolina), No. 9 (Mississippi State) and No. 6 (Florida) seeds. Those are three NCAA tournament teams so it isn’t a clear path, but it didn’t include Tennessee or Kentucky, either. The Gators (24-10) ended Texas A&M’s run yesterday and have quietly stitched together a 13-4 mark since Jan. 20.
Bracket impact: Both are safely in the field, so maybe there are some seeding stakes here. Auburn can make a case for a No. 3 seed if it wins, and Florida might have a case to climb as high as the No. 5 line.
Atlantic 10 final (Brooklyn): No. 5 VCU vs. No. 6 Duquesne, 1 (CBS)
VCU (22-12) has hired six coaches this century. If the Rams win today, all of them will have led the program to an NCAA tournament within their first two years, with Ryan Odom doing it with a season to spare. Duquesne (23-11) is aiming for its first NCAA berth since 1977.
Bracket impact: Only one of these two is getting in, and both would be right around the No. 12 line.
American Athletic final (Fort Worth): No. 4 UAB vs. No. 11 Temple, 3:15 (ESPN)
UAB (22-11) bounced top-seeded South Florida in the semifinals, while Temple (16-19) won its fourth game in four days by stunning Florida Atlantic. The Owls had won only four games in the 75 days leading up to the American tournament.
Bracket impact: Only one of these two gets in. UAB has the profile of a No. 13 or No. 14 seed, while Temple would be a genuinely difficult team to evaluate. Here’s guessing the Owls would be a No. 15 seed if they complete the five-wins-in-five-days marathon.
Big Ten final (Minneapolis): No. 2 Illinois vs. No. 5 Wisconsin, approx. 3:30 (CBS)
The traditional final game before the selection show pits the Fighting Illini (25-8) and the Badgers (22-12) in a matchup of two teams already in the field.
Bracket impact: It’s always fair to wonder whether the Big Ten final impacts the field unless a bid snatcher is involved. Illinois is going to be a No. 3 or No. 4 seed, while Wisconsin is going to land right around a No. 5 seed.
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Last four included: Florida Atlantic, Michigan State, Texas A&M, Virginia
First four on the outside: Oklahoma, Providence, Pitt, St. John’s
Next four on the outside: Indiana State, Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Ohio State
Moving in: Long Beach State, N.C. State, Saint Peter’s, Oregon, Yale
Moving out: Fairfield, Oklahoma, Princeton, Providence, UC Davis
Conference call: Big 12 (8), Southeastern (8), Big Ten (6), Mountain West (6), Atlantic Coast (5), Pac-12 (4), Big East (3), American Athletic (2), Atlantic 10 (2), West Coast (2)
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(1) BIG EAST/Connecticut vs. (16) SWAC/Grambling-NORTHEAST/Wagner winner
(8) Texas vs. (9) Colorado State
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) AMERICAN ATHLETIC/UAB
(4) Alabama vs. (13) SOUTHERN/Samford
(3) Baylor vs. (14) OHIO VALLEY/Morehead State
(6) San Diego State vs. (11) ACC/N.C. State
(7) Washington State vs. (10) Texas Christian
(2) Tennessee vs. (15) BIG SOUTH/Longwood
Connecticut with the top overall seed? It would be easy to give the Huskies that nod over Purdue because they won their conference tournament and no one else on the top line did. But Purdue’s set of victories away from home remains impressive. Those two will be the top two seeds, in some order. … Grambling will make the first NCAA tournament appearance in program history after beating Texas Southern in Saturday’s SWAC title game. …
When Virginia Tech won the ACC tournament as a No. 7 seed two years ago, it got a No. 11 seed. N.C. State will probably receive similar treatment, but in a year with less tumult, the Wolfpack would have been a line lower. … Texas Christian’s profile isn’t fabulous, but it does own a victory at Baylor. It also took both games it played from Oklahoma, which suddenly finds itself in a tenuous situation.
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(1) North Carolina vs. (16) MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC/Howard-BIG SKY/Montana State
(8) MOUNTAIN WEST/New Mexico vs. (9) Nebraska
(5) Texas Tech vs. (12) ATLANTIC 10/Virginia Commonwealth
(4) SEC/Auburn vs. (13) AMERICA EAST/Vermont
(3) BIG TEN/Illinois vs. (14) HORIZON/Oakland
(6) Brigham Young vs. (11) SUN BELT/James Madison
(7) Gonzaga vs. (10) MISSOURI VALLEY/Drake
(2) Arizona vs. (15) BIG WEST/Long Beach State
New Mexico has never made it out of the opening weekend of the tournament in 12 tries since the field expanded to 64 in 1985. Nebraska has never even won a game in seven appearances. … Will the committee bump Auburn up to the No. 3 line if it beats Florida? That’s a hard sell for a team that would own three Quadrant 1 victories (it has two entering the day). …
James Madison could be one of the winners from all the upsets Friday and Saturday. The Dukes are comfortably on the No. 11 line in this projection. … Long Beach State fired Coach Dan Monson on Monday, effective the end of the season. Five days later, he led the 49ers to their first NCAA berth since 2012. …
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(1) Purdue vs. (16) METRO ATLANTIC/Saint Peter’s
(8) Nevada vs. (9) Colorado
(5) Florida vs. (12) WESTERN ATHLETIC/Grand Canyon
(4) Kansas vs. (13) COASTAL/College of Charleston
(3) Creighton vs. (14) MID-AMERICAN/Akron
(6) Utah State vs. (11) Florida Atlantic/Virginia winner
(7) Clemson vs. (10) Northwestern
(2) Iowa State vs. (15) SUMMIT/South Dakota State
Maybe the committee avoids the rematch of Purdue’s Sweet 16 loss to Saint Peter’s. But heavens knows that game will be referenced no matter who the Boilermakers’ opponent is given their recent run of losses against double-digit seeds. … Grand Canyon makes its third NCAA trip in four years, and at 29-4, this is the Antelopes’ best chance to do some damage in the postseason since moving up to Division I in 2013. …
Florida Atlantic, with a pair of Quad 4 losses (Bryant and Florida Gulf Coast) and Saturday’s setback against Temple, may have played its way to Dayton. It’s definitely unlikely the Owls exceed the No. 9 seed they had last year during their Final Four run. … Northwestern has a profile that’s sneaky underwhelming — a terrible nonconference schedule, a Quad 4 loss to Chicago State and not a truly noteworthy win away from home. Still, the Wildcats beat five projected tournament teams (Purdue, Illinois, Dayton, Michigan State and Nebraska), and that counts for something.
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(1) Houston vs. (16) ATLANTIC SUN/Stetson
(8) Dayton vs. (9) Mississippi State
(5) WEST COAST/Saint Mary’s vs. (12) SOUTHLAND/McNeese State
(4) Kentucky vs. (13) IVY/Yale
(3) Duke vs. (14) PATRIOT/Colgate
(6) South Carolina vs. (11) PAC-12/Oregon
(7) Boise State vs. (10) Michigan State/Texas A&M winner
(2) Marquette vs. (15) CONFERENCE USA/Western Kentucky
Even with a clunker in the Big 12 title game, Houston is ranked No. 1 in three of the team sheet metrics and No. 2 in the other two. The Cougars should anchor the South. … Oregon has used surprising Pac-12 tournament title runs to land a double-digit seed twice before (2013 and 2019) under Dana Altman, and both times the Ducks made the Sweet 16. Something to monitor. …
Who you beat should probably matter a little more than who you lost to. Texas A&M has seven Quad 1 victories, including five over teams projected to land a No. 5 seed or better. That should offset the four Quad 3 losses. … Western Kentucky Coach Steve Lutz is now 7-0 in conference tournaments. He led Texas A&M Corpus Christi to Southland titles the past two years, and now has the Hilltoppers back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013. That ends the program’s longest NCAA drought since 1940-60.
The iron gate to Woodlawn Cemetery is almost always locked shut, but Toni White-Richardson was more than happy to let News4 inside.
As president of the Woodlawn Cemetery Perpetual Care Association, she was excited to talk about what makes this resting place so special.
“It is major D.C. history, first. Then it’s also major Black history, second,” White-Richardson said.
More than 30,000 people, mostly African Americans, are buried among the 22 acres of Woodlawn Cemetery, which opened in Southeast D.C. in 1895. And like so many cemeteries that date back to the 1800s, particularly African American cemeteries, this one has fallen into disrepair, is overgrown and has headstones tumbled over, like those of Wilhelmina and her husband James, and Eliza Spencer, a mother who died in 1887.
“Let me do a very upfront disclaimer,” White-Richardson said. “We have no idea where these stones go. And when we looked at the grid, it became even clear as mud, it became less clear as to where these stones should really go. Unfortunately, when we look back, we can tell there was a plan, but we could see we never got totally completed. Even back then, there are no markers saying this is Section H or this is Section G or this is 102 and this is, none of that.”
One of the most notable Washingtonians laid to rest here is John Mercer Langston, Virginia’s first Black congressman.
“Langston University came one year because they had a grand reunion in D.C., and we arranged for them to come to see […] John Mercer Langston, the university that was named after this man,” White-Richardson said.
And Blance Bruce, the first Black U.S. senator to serve a full term and register of the treasury, is also buried in the cemetery.
“He’s the signature on our dollar bill, you know, back in the late 1800s,” White-Richardson said. “So, oh, it’s history. It’s capital letters. No getting around it.”
Woodlawn is also the resting place of several of the original founders of two of the country’s most prominent Black sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta. Both organizations volunteer to help with clean ups.
The Perpetual Care Association recently received a grant from the D.C. Office of Planning to help with upkeep of the grounds and preserving the history here.
“These are important individuals who’ve made contributions to the District a century ago, but today still their history and their stories reverberate and really influence the trajectory of our city,” said Anita Cozart, director of the D.C. Office of Planning.
The cemetery tucked away off Benning Road is only open to the public five days a year, but groups can request tours anytime. The next chance to visit Woodlawn when it will be open to the public is Labor Day.
They’re always looking for volunteers and donors to help with the upkeep of this sacred ground.
US President Donald Trump wanted to mark the US’s 250th birthday with a renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
The makeover, including a new coat of “American Flag blue,” cost taxpayers $16 million (€14.1 million).
But the water is covered in green algae. The blue paint is already peeling. Trump has blamed vandals, while his critics question the project’s transparency and cost.
DW’s Brent Goff and Washington correspondent Janelle Dumalaon unpack the whole fiasco.
Former BYU basketball star AJ Dybantsa fulfilled his dream of going No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA draft.
The Washington Wizards selected Dybantsa with the first pick.
Immediately after the pick, reactions poured in on social media about the Wizards drafting Dybantsa.
Social media reactions to the Washington Wizards selecting BYU star AJ Dybantsa
The Washington Wizards make it official, selecting BYU wing AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1️⃣ pick in the 2026 @NBA Draft. 🥳🎉
How does Dybantsa fit with the Wizards?#NBA #NBADraft #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/IqgikGpxbJ
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 24, 2026
WELCOME TO THE DYSTRICT🧙♂️ #ForTheDistrict | @AJ_Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/ACZhphmTnq
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 24, 2026
NO. 1 OVERALL 🔒
AJ Dybantsa 🤝 @WashWizards
📺 2026 #NBADraft on ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/WO7RxMqQyK
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) June 24, 2026
BYU star AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1 to the Washington Wizards.
First former BYU basketball player to be selected No. 1 overall.
He was the best player in his class since he was 14. This was a moment he had been chasing for years, and he got better along the way. pic.twitter.com/ugT9ITd2NP
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) June 24, 2026
OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL 😈 #ForTheDistrict | @AJ_Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/YaOyAI48Ji
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 24, 2026
WITH THE FIRST PICK IN THE 2026 NBA DRAFT
THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS SELECT
ANICET DYBANTSA JR. ‼️ pic.twitter.com/po8oTm6B9T
— NBA (@NBA) June 24, 2026
With the 1st pick of the NBA Draft the @WashWizards select AJ Dybantsa!
The 2026 NBA Draft is LIVE on ABC & ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ONGDMv9WZ7
— NBA (@NBA) June 24, 2026
Yer a Wizard, AJ 🌟
AJ Dybantsa is heading to the District at No. 1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/42atCNr441
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa is headed to Washington with the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft 🚨 @AJ_Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/HnFsgcqMgX
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) June 24, 2026
NUMBER ONE. pic.twitter.com/XJDFzK8dpK
— BYU Men’s Basketball (@BYUMBB) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa is headed to @WashWizards with the first pick in the @NBA Draft 🚨 pic.twitter.com/IhNM2AjxLy
— Sports (@Sports) June 24, 2026
Picture perfect moment for AJ Dybantsa 📷 pic.twitter.com/rN8zbJr3cB
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 24, 2026
AJ DYBANTSA GOES NO. 1 🧙♂️🔥
AD. Trae. AJ.
It’s up in Washington. pic.twitter.com/F1rAmF1Qb4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 24, 2026
FIRST LOOK AJ Dybantsa as a wizard pic.twitter.com/3kwGDX31cl
— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) June 24, 2026
“Dybantsa, high volume player, high usage player.” 💪@KevinOConnor reacts to AJ Dybantsa being drafted No. 1 overall to D.C. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OZWDO0DKBJ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 24, 2026
With the 1st pick of the NBA Draft the @WashWizards select AJ Dybantsa (@AJ_Dybantsa)!
The 2026 NBA Draft is LIVE on ABC & ESPN.
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) June 24, 2026
The #WashingtonWizards selected AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 this year, continuing to stack up their roster with talent. He will play alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis, and form a three-headed monster.
Will he take home the 2027 Rookie of the Year award? Or will Darryn Peterson,… pic.twitter.com/EP1eJJJxPw
— The Big Lead (@TheBigLead) June 24, 2026
Washington D.C.’s reaction to AJ Dybantsa being taken first overall by the @WashWizards. #dcsports #ajdybantsa #wizards #nba pic.twitter.com/Dst5qW8tHr
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa led ALL of college basketball in scoring last season 🔥
Wizards got a bucket. pic.twitter.com/XYSWaBtLfj
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) June 24, 2026
🚨 THE NO. 1 PICK IS IN 🚨
AJ Dybantsa joins NBA royalty at the top of the draft 🤩#NBAonPrimeVideoPH pic.twitter.com/R3oRZ9DEgr
— NBA on Prime Video Philippines (@NBAPrimeVideoPH) June 24, 2026
WIZARDS TAKE AJ DYBANTSA #1 OVERALL 🚨 pic.twitter.com/NceGfeVcq6
— Chalkboard (@ChalkboardHQ) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1 overall to the Wizards👀
During his freshman season at BYU:
25.5 PPG
6.8 RPGpic.twitter.com/N6UHFgnXOK— RotoWire (@RotoWire) June 24, 2026
AJ IS A WIZARD 🪄
Dybantsa is the 1st player to lead the NCAA in scoring and go 1st in the NBA Draft since 1994. pic.twitter.com/SEpYf7Ausp
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 24, 2026
With the 1st Pick of the 2026 NBA Draft…. AJ DYBANTSA is heading to Washington 👏👏#Big12MBB | @BYUMBB pic.twitter.com/zNjaL98hoS
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) June 24, 2026
AJ DYBANTSA IS A WIZARD AND THEY’RE GOING WILD IN WASHINGTON D.C. 🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/rmVqL0rWuy
— SleeperWizards (@SleeperWizards) June 24, 2026
A walk to remember for AJ Dybantsa.
He’s a Wizard. pic.twitter.com/if8cCn8GIp
— Jackson Payne (@jackson5payne) June 24, 2026
#HOFSeries Alum AJ Dybantsa. 🤝 #NBADraft | #HoophallU pic.twitter.com/C19N6j4vCR
— Hall of Fame Series (@hofseries) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa at BYU:
25.5 PPG
6.8 RPG
1.1 SPG
51.0 FG%What will he average as a rookie? pic.twitter.com/jv5ujz6AHz
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 24, 2026
John Wall 🤝 AJ Dybantsa
Dybantsa is the latest No. 1 pick to head to the Wizards 👏 pic.twitter.com/cFCLPn4cmN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa (BYU) A 2026 Wooden Award All American and Top 5 Finalist from BYU, AJ Dybantsa’s talent and dedication have made him one of the game’s brightest stars. Congratulations on being selected No. 1 overall by the Washington Wizards and taking the next step in your… pic.twitter.com/1ZlAaGJdxU
— John R. Wooden Award (@WoodenAward) June 24, 2026
Congratulations to AJ Dybantsa on being selected No. 1 overall by the @WashWizards in the @NBADraft 🏀
Dybantsa was a finalist for our 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Men’s College POY. @jerseymikes | @BYUMBB | @AJ_Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/hzAQSOiHzc
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) June 24, 2026
Oakland Soldiers alum AJ Dybantsa has been selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft 🏀@Soldiers_Salute ➡️ @NBADraft #NBADraft #EYBL @AJ_Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/lJWT0D4Fps
— The Circuit (@TheCircuit) June 24, 2026
AJ DYBANTSA TO THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS AHHHHHHHH 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/Z8pinO7KGQ
— Overtime (@overtime) June 24, 2026
Congrats to AJ Dybantsa who was just selected #1 overall by the Washington Wizards! pic.twitter.com/fCMAu3uhwN
— Grind Session (@thegrindsession) June 24, 2026
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU#2026NBADraft pic.twitter.com/62Y1tcdu9T
— RealGM (@RealGM) June 24, 2026
THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS SELECT AJ DYBANTSA WITH THE NO. 1 PICK IN THE 2026 NBA DRAFT 🪄🔥
The BYU star is heading to the District 👏 pic.twitter.com/cvcIHS0W34
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 24, 2026
AJ Dybantsa is headed to DC 🤩
BYU’s superstar freshman goes first overall in the 2026 #NBADraft 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OGgFv0Lm1K
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) June 24, 2026
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
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