Midwest Bracket: Upsets Loom

0:00On March 17, the Midwest region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament shapes up as one of the most unpredictable brackets. Top seed Michigan leads the way, with Iowa State as the number 2. But lower seeds carry big question marks, like Texas Tech, Missing Star JT Toppen and Alabama, possibly without Aiden Holloway, amid his legal issues. Kentucky and Tennessee also posted down years, setting the stage for early chaos. Keep an eye on number 13, Hofstra, as a potential Cinderella story. They rank high in offensive rebounding, which exploits Alabama's weakness on the boards. The pride converts second chance as well, and boasts mid-major talent that could carry them past a shorthanded Texas Tech in Round 2. Meanwhile, number 10 Santa Clara could bust brackets by upsetting number 7 Kentucky. The wildcast dropped to a 7 seed after injuries in roster woes, struggling with 3 point defense and turnovers. Santa Clara drains threes at nearly 37% and forces mistakes, making for a fun, high scoring

1:03clash. Number 6 Tennessee looks like a team to fade early. Despite elite rebounding, they lack shooters, bomb from the perimeter and free throw line, and cough up the ball too often. They might squeep past the first round foe, like SMU or Miami of Ohio, but Virginia likely ends their run quick. That brings us to number 2 Iowa State as the region favorite with the feels best draw. Their pressure defense edges Virginia in a potential showdown, then feasts on Michigan's shaky ball handling to punch a final 4 ticket. Offset's loom large here, so tread lightly with your picks.