12 best performances from March Madness' first round: Upsets, buzzer-beaters and beatdowns
Here's a look at the 12 most impressive performances from the first round of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament, from Saint Louis to VCU.
After weeks of anticipation, the most exciting two days in American sports have drawn to a close. The first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is a beautiful symphony of chaos, with 32 games crammed into a 36-hour window. Those highlight reels of buzzer-beaters, massive upsets and emotionally charged moments that air throughout March and into early April?
A solid chunk of them take place in those first two full days of action, when millions of people across the country are skirting personal and professional obligations to soak in all the madness that March has to offer. As it does almost every year, the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament delivered. There were surprising results in thrilling games, with High Point knocking off Wisconsin in the time-honored 12-over-5 upset.
There were furious comebacks, with VCU rebounding from a 19-point deficit to beat North Carolina. There were buzzer-beaters, with Kentucky’s Otega Oweh burying a prayer of a shot to get the Wildcats to overtime against Santa Clara. And whether it was High Point’s Flynn Clayman or VCU’s Phil Martelli Jr.
, there were post-game interviews that immediately went viral. REQUIRED READING: March Madness scores: See the big shots, moments, highlights in today's first round What stood out the most from an eventful couple of days? What teams, players and coaches were the most impressive in the win-or-go-home crucible of March?
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