March Madness Surprises: Iowa, High Point, Texas Advance

0:00On March 23rd, the 2026 NCAA men's tournament has reached its second round with far less chaos than usual, marking the second straight. Year of tame March madness. Favorites have dominated, sending most top seas to the sweet 16, though a few buzzer beaters and close calls kept things lively. A handful of surprises did shake things up, like the 9-seed Iowa knocking out top seed and defending champion Florida in a 1-point thriller. 12-seed high-point stunned. Fifth seed was constant with a last-second layup after trailing most of the game, while 11-seed Texas took down third. Seed Gonzaga and sixth seed. BYU. Fans and underdogs lit up over these moments, especially high-point grabbing its first-ever tournament win and Miami of Ohio, ending A Day IA, 27-year drought in the first four. Mid-major coach's voice frustration over uneven schedules, calling for more regular season matchups against power programs. These upsets pushed Iowa and high-point to the sweet 16 for the first time in decades, with Texas as the lone double-digit seed still standing.

1:06There. VCU's comeback over time victory over North Carolina added to their legacy of toppling big names. As the tournament heats up, these rare twists remind us why we love the dance, even in a chalkfield bracket.