How did UNI basketball make the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket?
Northern Iowa basketball is making its first trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. Find out how they made it to the Big Dance.
Each year at the NCAA Tournament, there's a Cinderella team that comes out of seemingly nowhere to capture the hearts of basketball lovers across the country. Could UNI (23-12) be that team this year? The 12-seed Panthers, who are making thier first trip to the Big Dance since 2016, begin their March Madness journey on Friday night against No.
5 St. John's. Tip-off is slated for 6:10 p.
m. CT. While UNI is gearing up for the challenge, many fans nationwide might be asking, how did the Panthers even reach this point?
How did UNI basketball make March Madness? The Panthers finished sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings at the end of the regular season, meaning a bid to the NCAA Tournament seemed like a long shot at the start of the month. Still, UNI made noise in the MVC tournament in St.