Michigan basketball drops in March Madness bracket after Big Ten tournament

Tony Paul, The Detroit News on Mar 15, 2026

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DETROIT — Michigan men's basketball always was locked into a 1 seed.

But its position in the NCAA Tournament bracket did change slightly Sunday, following its 80-72 loss to Purdue in the Big Ten championship game in Chicago.

The loss dropped Michigan to the third overall No. 1 seed, and the Wolverines (31-3) will open Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y., against either UMBC or Howard, who play in a First Four game Tuesday.

"We had Michigan on the 2 line, and then when we scrubbed it when the Big Ten Tournament results came out," Keith Gill, commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference and chair of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, said on CBS on Sunday night.

"Arizona went to the 2 overall and Michigan the 3 overall."

Duke was the top overall 1 seed, and Florida was the final overall 1 seed. This is the fourth time Michigan has earned a No. 1 seed.

Purdue also got a boost by its win over Michigan, moving off the 3 line and to a No. 2 seed.

Purdue was listed by the committee as the eighth overall seed, and Michigan State was the ninth overall seed. So Purdue's win over Michigan might've bumped MSU to the wrong side of the 2/3 bubble.

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