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Texas Upsets Gonzaga: Perfect Brackets Plummet in NCAA

3/22/2026

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Perfect Brackets Dwindle

As of March 22, 2026, only two perfect brackets remain in the NCAA Men's Tournament after Texas (No. 11) upset Gonzaga (No. 3) 74-68, down from 120.
In ESPN's bracket challenge, 22 perfect entries remained while the NCAA contest had 27.
The tournament saw favored teams perform well, with victories by Duke, Michigan, Houston, and Michigan State.
The women's tournament saw perfect brackets drop to 1,131 after the first round.

History

Cornhuskers' Historic Victory

Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball team earned its first-ever Sweet 16 by defeating Vanderbilt 74-72, with Braden Frager delivering the decisive layup with 2.2 seconds left.
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team became the first double-digit seed to reach the Sweet 16 after beating Gonzaga 74-68.
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team dominated UTSA 90-52, continuing their title defense.
Michigan State defeated Louisville 77-69.
Michigan defeated Saint Louis 95-72.

History

Historical Context

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament adopted a 64-team format in 1985, significantly enhancing its popularity and viewership, which surged by 30% according to CBS. This change followed the earlier rise of ACC basketball, driven by coaches like Everett Case and Frank McGuire, who transformed college basketball into a major sporting event, shaping its cultural significance in America.

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Perfect Brackets Dwindle

As of March 22, 2026, only two perfect brackets remain in the NCAA Men's Tournament after Texas (No. 11) upset Gonzaga (No. 3) 74-68, down from 120.
In ESPN's bracket challenge, 22 perfect entries remained while the NCAA contest had 27.
The tournament saw favored teams perform well, with victories by Duke, Michigan, Houston, and Michigan State.
The women's tournament saw perfect brackets drop to 1,131 after the first round.

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