March 12, 2026
NCAA Basketball
March Madness Picture Emerges
With Selection Sunday just days away, the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament field is solidifying as conference tournaments across the country determine automatic bids. As of March 12, several teams have punched their tickets to the Big Dance, including Gonzaga (West Coast Conference), Lehigh (Patriot League), and Siena (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). The remaining automatic bids will be decided in the coming days, while bubble teams anxiously await their fate.
Dybantsa Shines in Big 12 Tournament
BYU freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa has been a breakout star in the Big 12 Tournament. After a spectacular 40-point performance against Kansas State, Dybantsa followed up with 27 points to lead the Cougars past West Virginia and into the quarterfinals. His stellar play has solidfied his status as a projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Gonzaga Completes WCC Title Dominance
In a fitting end to an era, Gonzaga defeated Santa Clara 79 - 68 to win its 23rd and final West Coast Conference tournament championship before moving to the Pac-12 next season. The victory marks the 21st WCC tournament title for head coach Mark Few, who has built the Bulldogs into a national powerhouse during their time in the conference.
Coaching Carousel in Full Swing
Two major programs have made head coaching changes. Arizona State has parted ways with Bobby Hurley after 11 seasons, following a lopsided 91 - 42 loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament. Meanwhile, Syracuse has fired Adrian Autry after just three seasons, as the Orange missed the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive year.
High School Basketball
State Championships Bring Drama & Triumph
Across the nation, high school basketball state tournaments are delivering thrilling moments. In North Carolina, the Wilson Prep girls' team captured its first NCHSAA 1-A state championship with a 58 - 44 victory over Robbinsville. In Louisiana, a major upset saw the No. 12 seeded Northside boys' team defeat No. 1 Madison Prep 65 - 61 to advance to the LHSAA Division II Select state championship game. In Pennsylvania, Mercyhurst Prep edged Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 46 - 45 in a dramatic overtime contest in the PIAA Class 2A tournament. Finally, the CIF State Basketball Championships are set to take place in Sacramento on March 13 - 14, where 12 state champions will be crowned.
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Sources: - NCAA.com (2026, March 11). Tracking 31 NCAA men's basketball conference tournaments, auto bids for 2026 March Madness. https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-0301/tracking-31-ncaa-mens-basketball-confernce-tournaments-auto-bids-2026-march
Young, R. (2026, March 11). Arizona State splits with longtime head coach Bobby Hurley after 11 seasons following Big 12 tournament loss. Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/mens-college-basketball/breaking-news/article/arizona-state-splits-with-longtime-head-coach-bobby-hurley-after-11-seasons-following-big-12-tournament-loss-205637494.html
Nussbaum, N. (2026, March 11). Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry fired after 3 seasons. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/sports/syracuse-head-coach-adrian-autry-fired-after-3-seasons/
Knuppel, R. (2026, March 11). Gonzaga Wins 2026 WCC Title, Ending Era of Dominance Before Joining Pac-12. Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/gonzaga-wins-2026-wcc-title-175000974.html
Associated Press. (2026, March 11). AJ Dybantsa powers BYU past West Virginiia, setting up a Big 12 quarterfinal with Houston. KUTV. https://kutv.com/sports/byu/aj-dybantsa-powers-byu-past-west-virginia-setting-up-a-big-12-quarterfinal-with-houston
From staff reports. (2026, March 11). Wilson Prep girls are state champs. The Wilson Times. https://www.wilsontimes.com/sports/wilson-prep-girsl-are-state-champs-f95e4e4d
KLFY News 10. (2026, March 11). No. 12 seeded Northside upset No. 1 Madison Prep 65 - 61 on Wednesday afternoon to advance to the LHSAA Division II Select state championship. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KLFYTV10/posts/no-12-seeded-northside-upset-no-1-madison-prep-65-61-on-wednesday-afternoon-to-a/1260393386202446/
West Hills Gazette. (2026, March 11). PIAA basketball: Mercyhurst Prep eliminates OLSH boys in OT, 46-45. https://westhillsgazette.com/piaa-basketball-mercyhurst-prep-eliminates-olsh-boys-in-ot-46-45/
California Interscholastic Federation. (2026, March 11). 2026 CIF State Basketball Championships Presented by U.S. Air Force. https://www.cifstate.org/sports/basketball/2026_sbb_preview
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/podcast/336-pablo-torre-finds-out/episode-39