Ann Arbor Raves as Michigan Elite Soars into Sweet Sixteen Victory!
Selection Sunday is here. Here is a prediction of where and when Michigan basketball could play during the 2026 NCAA Tournament, including Buffalo, Chicago, and Indianapolis.
Selection Sunday has arrived for the Michigan Wolverines , and there is still one piece of business left before the bracket is officially revealed. Michigan will face Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament championship game in Chicago, entering the matchup with an impressive 31–2 record after a narrow semifinal win over Wisconsin. Regardless of the result, Michigan’s spot in the 2026 NCAA Tournament is essentially locked in.
The only real questions now are where the Wolverines will start their tournament run—and how their path to the Final Four might unfold. Opening Weekend: Buffalo, New York Current projections widely expect Michigan to begin its NCAA Tournament journey in Buffalo, New York , at the KeyBank Center. If that projection holds, the Wolverines would play their first-round game on Thursday, March 19 , followed by a potential second-round game on Saturday, March 21 if they advance.
Buffalo is one of the host sites for the first and second rounds of the tournament, making it a convenient regional destination for Big Ten powers like Michigan. Bracketology projections have frequently placed Michigan as a No. 1 seed , with some predicting a first-round matchup against a No.
16 seed such as Long Island, with an 8–9 matchup waiting in the next round. Sweet 16 and Elite Eight: Chicago If Michigan survives the opening weekend, the next stop could be Chicago , where the Midwest Regional will be held at the United Center on March 27 and March 29 . For Michigan fans, that would create a favorable travel situation.