March Madness 2026: East Region Picks & Predictions

March Madness 2026: NCAA Tournament East Region Picks & Predictions

The NCAA Tournament South Region contains a lineup of legendary coaches, carving a tough path for top overall seed Duke. Our regional preview contains matchup breakdowns, plus Final Four and upset picks.

East Region NCAA Tournament Preview
West Region NCAA Tournament Preview
Midwest Region NCAA Tournament Preview
South Region NCAA Tournament Preview

The top overall seed, Duke, seemingly was given minimal favors by the committee in what seems like a loaded East Region. The top four seeds are all blue bloods with elite talent, coaching and pedigree, while the fifth seed is the Big East's regular-season and tournament champ. It sets up for a top-heavy bracket where you can fool around with upsets in Round 1, but there should be a chalky second weekend in Washington D.C. after the first weekend.

Getting ready for March Madness? For the latest NCAA Tournament team previews for the field of 68, head to the RotoWire Bracketology page.

EAST REGION NCAA TOURNAMENT FAVORITES

No. 1 Duke - The Blue Devils can't be excited about their overall draw, but there's still plenty to love about the top seed, despite injuries. They boast the likely Player of the Year in forward Cameron Boozer, who is the most solid anchor for production across all 68 teams. They rank second defensively, per KenPom, but my eye test says it's first by an overwhelming margin. That will keep them in every game regardless of opponent.

No. 2 Connecticut - Only casual fans will be unaware of Danny Hurley's NCAA success pedigree, but the Huskies are limping in, losing their regular season finale as well as the Big East Championship. They're 30th in offense and 11th in defense, per KenPom, and have the required top-end guards and balance in the frontcourt to reach Indianapolis. They're also highly combustible -- they go as their coach goes.

No. 3 Michigan State - Who wants to face a Tom Izzo team in March? Perhaps everyone, as Sparty has lost two straight entering the Dance. Michigan State has size and is elite when it comes to offensive rebounding. Pair that with plus defensive metrics, a guard you think you can rely on in Jeremy Fears (so long as he doesn't go rogue), and there's the making of a Final Four squad.

No. 4 Kansas - Will we get 30+ minutes from Darryn Peterson? There's no player in this region with a higher ceiling. Relax Duke fans, I'm aware of Boozer's presence. March requires guards to dominate, and there are none better than Peterson if he's interested. The Jayhawks limp into the dance however, losing five of their last nine. This top four is loaded with elite coaching, but Kansas hasn't played with the mental fortitude necessary for March success, and I'm questioning whether Bill Self can get that message through.

MARCH MADNESS CINDERELLA WATCH

No. 5 St. John's - Perhaps a lazy pick, but by seeding, if the Red Storm make the second weekend, it's the correct pick. Does this region really need a fifth legendary coach -- absolutely not! Rick Pitino's bunch is physical and defends the entire 94 feet. I don't find Kansas to have the fortitude to battle with this team, and if Duke doesn't get some injured pieces back, the Red Storm are live to make a deep run.

No. 10 Central Florida: This bracket doesn't seem sexy for a lower seed run; it's top-heavy with elite coaching and elite talent. But lets consider UCLA being without Donovan Dent or Tyler Bilodeau, which is far from confirmed. UCF has talent in both their back and front courts. They limp in having lost four of their last five, but have a backcourt in Riley Kugel and Themus Fulks that can carry a team. This seems like a spread (UCLA -6.5) that can swing if we get news about Dent's availability.

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EAST REGION BIGGEST BUST

No. 4 Kansas - See above with St. John's. While the Jayhawks have the talent to win four games and make it to Indianapolis, they've shown nothing to suggest it's actually coming. Peterson could check himself out at any point, and the bracket itself is just a gauntlet. The Jayhawks rank 302nd in steal production defensively. When they fall behind, they can't create runs to catch up.

EAST REGION FIRST-ROUND UPSET

No. 11 South Florida over No. 6 Louisville - This is heavily contingent upon the availability of Louisville's Mikel Brown, who has missed four games due a recurring back issue that previously cost him eight games. I personally think he's checked out and heading to the NBA. Without its floor general, Louisville will simply be chucking up 3-point attempts against a team that's allowing just a 33.9 percent success rate from beyond the arc. Both teams will play fast, so expect ebbs and flows, but I find the Bulls to be far more interested in playing.

EAST REGION PLAYER TO WATCH

Patrick Ngongba, F, Duke - There's no shortage of options here, but the injured Blue Devils likely need Ngonba back by for the tournament's second weekend if the hope to fulfill their potential, as it will likely come with a matchup against either Kansas' Flory Bidunga or St. John's Zuby Ejiofor. Ngonba averaged 11.6 points and 5.2 boards in five games prior to injury. He'd give the Blue Devils a reliable third scoring option if healthy, but his defense and size matching up against a Sweet 16 opponent will be worth his weight in gold (and he weighs 250 pounds).

Want to dive deeper into how the latest injuries might affect the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament? Head on over to RotoWire's college basketball injury report.

EAST REGION SWEET 16 PICKS

No. 1 Duke - The Blue Devils showed their current injury situation only makes games competitive through the ACC Tournament. Upsets against inferior opponents simply aren't happening. Duke is too good defensively to even consider it not making the second week of the tournament.

No. 2 Connecticut - The Huskies don't seem ripe for a loss to open things, and I find their second-round opponent to be a coin flip; meaning neither are capable of shocking things over the weekend. The Huskies starting five of Solo Ball, Alex Karaban, Silas Demary, Braylon Mullins and Tarris Reed is as good as anyone in the country; surely that wins two games minimum.

No. 3 Michigan State - This is a product of their pod; I don't see anyone capable of the upset. Too much size from the Spartans and enough quality guard play advances them. They can slow down both USF or Louisville and dictate the outcome.

No. 5 St. John's - I'm very interested in the Red Storm from a betting perspective. I'm seeing (+100) to reach the second weekend, (+600) to the Elite 8 (i.e., beat Duke), and (+1300) to reach the Final Four (all per FanDuel). They absolutely have offensive deficiencies, but I buy them having enough senior leadership with Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell, all while having Pitino on their bench and a 12th ranked defensive efficiency. Escape the opener, bully Kansas into submission and let's see what the second weekend brings.

EAST REGION FINAL FOUR PICK

No. 1 Duke - They're the No. 1 overall seed for a reason. Duke has lost two games all year, by a combined four points. Isaiah Evans and Dame Sarr have emerged as nice secondary scoring options, which had been my concern entering March for the Blue Devils. We know they're going to defend, but if others do too, can they find points outside of Boozer? Even without a point guard, I believe we've seen the answer is yes. 

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