Matty Brackets: CBB Review Bracketology (Jan. 16, 2026)

The countdown to March Madness is on! Mat Mlodzinski has his latest bracketology – Friday, Jan. 16, 2026!

Click here to compare Matty Brackets to the rest of the Bracket Matrix.

If a team is bolded, they are a projected automatic bid.

West (San Jose)

1. Arizona (17-0, 4-0)
2. Gonzaga (18-1, 8-0)
3. Illinois (14-3, 5-1)
4. Virginia (15-2, 4-1)
5. Alabama (12-5, 2-2)
6. Villanova (14-3, 5-1)
7. Wisconsin (12-5, 4-2)
8. Georgia (14-3, 2-2)
9. Iowa (12-5, 2-4)
10. NC State (12-5, 3-1)
11. Indiana (12-5, 3-3) / Baylor (11-5, 1-3)
12. Tulsa (14-3, 2-2)
13. Liberty (14-3, 6-0)
14. Hawaii (13-3, 5-1)
15. Portland State (10-5, 5-0)
16. Ccsu (9-6, 3-1) / Grambling (8-9, 2-2)

Midwest (Chicago)

1. Michigan (15-1, 5-1)
2. Iowa State (16-1, 3-1)
3. Vanderbilt (16-1, 3-1)
4. Kansas (12-5, 2-2)
5. Arkansas (13-4, 3-1)
6. North Carolina (14-3, 2-2)
7. St. John’s (12-5, 5-1)
8. Utah State (15-1, 6-0)
9. Saint Mary’s (17-2, 6-0)
10. Texas (11-6. 2-2)
11. USC (14-3, 3-3) / UCLA (12-5, 4-2)
12. Yale (12-3, 1-1)
13. Utah Valley (14-4, 4-1)
14. Troy (12-6, 5-1)
15. Austin Peay (11-5, 5-0)
16. Vermont (11-7, 3-0) / Howard (10-8, 1-2)

East (Washington D.C.)

1. Duke (16-1, 5-0)
2. Nebraska (17-0, 6-0)
3. BYU (16-1, 4-0)
4. Michigan State (15-2, 5-1)
5. Clemson (15-3, 5-0)
6. Tennessee (12-5, 2-2)
7. SMU (13-4, 2-2)
8. Seton Hall (14-3, 4-2)
9. Kentucky (11-6, 2-2)
10. UCF (14-2, 3-1)
11. Miami-OH (18-0, 6-0)
12. McNeese (14-3, 7-1)
13. High Point (16-4, 4-1)
14. East Tennessee State (12-6, 4-1)
15. Marist (11-5, 5-2)
16. UT Martin (14-4, 6-1)

South (Houston)

1. UConn (17-1, 7-0)
2. Purdue (16-1, 6-0)
3. Houston (16-1, 4-0)
4. Florida (12-5, 3-1)
5. Texas Tech (13-4, 3-1)
6. Louisville (12-5, 2-3)
7. Miami-Fla (15-2, 4-0)
8. Saint Louis (16-1, 4-0)
9. Auburn (10-7, 1-3)
10. Texas A&M (13-4, 3-1)
11. Ohio State (11-5, 3-3)
12. Murray State (15-3, 7-0)
13. Hofstra (13-5, 4-1)
14. Wright State (12-7, 7-1)
15. North Dakota State (15-5, 5-0)
16. Navy (12-6, 4-1)

First Four Out:

• Stanford (14-4, 3-2)
• George Mason (17-1, 5-0)
• Creighton (11-7, 5-2)
• TCU (11-6, 1-3)

Next Four Out:

• New Mexico (14-3, 5-1)
• San Diego State (12-4, 6-0)
• Santa Clara (15-5, 6-1)
• Missouri (13-4, 3-1)