Michigan Earns Midwest No. 1 Seed to Start Big Dance Journey in Buffalo
3/15/2026 6:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- For the fourth time in program history, the third-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will be the top team in the Midwest Regional, the NCAA Selection Committee announced Sunday (March 15).
Michigan (Midwest) was one of four No. 1 seeds along with Duke (East), Arizona (West) and Florida (South). U-M will serve as the top seed in the Midwest Region. The Wolverines previously earned No. 1 seeds in 1985 (Southeast; second round), 1993 (West; national runner-up) and 2021 (East; Elite Eight).
The Wolverines will begin their NCAA Tournament run in Buffalo, N.Y., facing the winner of the First Four matchup between No. 16 seeds UMBC (24-8, 14-2 America East) and Howard (23-10, 11-3 MEAC) at KeyBank Center on Thursday (March 19) at 7:10 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS. If Michigan advances, it will face either No. 8 seed Georgia or No. 9 seed Saint Louis in the second round on Saturday (March 21).
If U-M advances from Buffalo, it would reach the Sweet 16 for a seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance and head to Chicago, Ill., to play at the United Center beginning Friday (March 27).
Michigan enters the NCAA Tournament with a 31-3 overall record, one of the most dominant seasons in program history. The Wolverines recorded 24 victories by double figures, including 13 by 20 or more points, 10 by 30 or more and a Big Ten-record seven wins by 40 or more points.
In a record-breaking conference season, U-M's 19-1 record in Big Ten play captured the program's 16th league title. The Wolverines closed the regular season by winning their final 15 Big Ten games, setting both the program and conference record for league victories.
Continuing to make history, Michigan finished a perfect 10-0 in Big Ten road games, becoming just the second team in conference history to go unbeaten in league road play and the first to do so in 50 years. The Wolverines joined Indiana's 9-0 mark during its perfect 1975-76 season.
U-M advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game for the second straight season, defeating No. 8 seed Ohio State (71-67) in the quarterfinals and No. 5 seed Wisconsin (68-65) in the semifinals before falling to No. 7 seed Purdue (80-72) in the title game.
The Wolverines' selection marks the fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for head coach Dusty May. May led Florida Atlantic to the 2023 Final Four before guiding Michigan to the Sweet 16 in his first season in Ann Arbor.
From one of the strongest conferences in the nation, Michigan is joined in the field of 68 by eight other Big Ten schools:
• No. 1 seed Michigan (Midwest Region)
• No. 2 seed Purdue (West Region)
• No. 3 seed Illinois (South Region)
• No. 3 seed Michigan State (East Region)
• No. 4 seed Nebraska (South Region)
• No. 5 seed Wisconsin (West Region)
• No. 7 seed UCLA (East Region)
• No. 8 seed Ohio State (East Region)
• No. 9 seed Iowa (South Region)
NCAA Tournament Notes
• Michigan will make its 33rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament and owns a 68-31 record.
• U-M earned its fourth No. 1 seed in program history in 2026 (Midwest), joining the 1985 (Southeast), 1993 (West) and 2021 (East) teams.
• With 19 Sweet 16 appearances, Michigan enters the tournament riding the longest second-week streak in program history with six straight Sweet 16s, coming in each of its last six NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025).
• Since 2013, Michigan has advanced to eight Sweet 16s, tied with Duke for the second-most nationally during that span. Only Gonzaga (9) has more over that stretch.
• In the 2013 Sweet 16, No. 4 seed Michigan erased a 14-point second-half deficit to stun No. 1 seed Kansas, 87-85 in overtime. Trailing late in regulation, National Player of the Year Trey Burke drilled a deep three-pointer from well beyond the top of the key with under five seconds remaining to tie the game and force overtime, helping propel U-M to its first Elite Eight appearance since 1994.
• The Wolverines have advanced to the Elite Eight 15 times, including four times since 2013.
• Michigan has reached eight Final Fours (1964, 1965, 1976, 1989, 1992*, 1993*, 2013, 2018) and has played for the national championship seven times.
• The Wolverines' most recent Final Four runs came in 2013 and 2018 under John Beilein, with Michigan finishing as the national runner-up both seasons.
• During Michigan's famed "Shock the World" run in 1989, the Wolverines captured the program's only national championship when Rumeal Robinson sank two free throws with three seconds remaining to lift U-M to an 80-79 overtime victory against Seton Hall.
• That championship run was powered by U-M legend Glen Rice, who was named Most Outstanding Player and set an NCAA Tournament record that still stands today with 184 points (30.6 ppg) in the six-game run.
