Hoops HD Hardball Championship Week – Saturday Edition

Posted on May 24, 2026 by John Stalica

We would like to congratulate the following teams that have clinched auto bids as of yesterday:

America East: Binghamton (defeated Maine 7-3)
Atlantic Sun: Lipscomb (defeated North Alabama 5-4 in 10 innings)
Big 12: Kansas (defeated West Virginia 9-0)
Horizon: Milwaukee (defeated Wright State 5-4)
Ivy: Yale (already clinched)
Metro Atlantic: Rider (defeated Fairfield 6-1)
MAC: Northern Illinois (defeated Toledo 5-1)
Patriot: Holy Cross (already clinched)
Southern: The Citadel (defeated Samford 3-1)
Southland: Lamar (already clinched)
Summit: South Dakota State (defeated Oral Roberts 9-6)
West Coast: Saint Mary’s (defeated San Francisco 7-6)
WAC: Tarleton (defeated Sacramento State 12-11)

And here are the other conferences to be determined today:

AMERICAN (12:00 PM, ESPNEWS)

UTSA defeated East Carolina 4-2 in the winners’ bracket; ECU defeated Wichita State 13-3 to advance to the winner-take-all championship game.

ACC (12:00 PM, ESPN2)

Pittsburgh’s Cinderella run for an auto bid ended with a 13-5 loss to North Carolina; they will take on Georgia Tech who defeated Miami 9-3.

ATLANTIC 10 (12:00 PM, ESPN+)

Today’s championship game is necessary since VCU defeated Rhode Island 18-16 to stave off elimination.

BIG EAST (9:00 AM, ESPN+)

St. John’s scored 11 runs in the 3rd and 4th innings en route to a 17-6 victory over Xavier; Creighton would eliminate the Musketeers in the nightcap with a 7-4 victory. St. John’s can clinch with one victory in the morning game; a 2nd game would start at approximately 12 PM should Creighton win the morning game.

BIG SOUTH (12:00 PM, ESPN+)

Longwood advanced to the title game against USC-Upstate with a win over Winthrop in the baseball Winwood Cup and then eliminated top-seeded High Point to advance to the championship. Upstate needs one win to clinch the auto bid; Longwood would need 2 wins to go dancing.

B1G (12:00 PM, Big 10 Network)

Top-ranked UCLA defeated USC 7-5 in the opener while Oregon beat Nebraska 8-0 in a de facto road game to advance to this afternoon’s championship game.

BIG WEST (3 PM, ESPN+)

UC-San Diego defeated Cal Poly 12-2 via mercy rule in 8 innings to force a winner-take-all championship game today.

COASTAL (1 PM, FloSports)

Northeastern won a pair of games to force a winner-take-all game; they defeated Hofstra 5-4 and then beat Campbell 7-4 in the championship round to force today’s game.

CONFERENCE USA (approx. 12 PM, CBS Sports Network)

Jacksonville State defeated Dallas Baptist 6-5 in the opener; this likely means DBU will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013 (excluding the 2020 Covid season). Liberty leads Missouri State 6-4 in the bottom of the 6th inning before lightning suspended play for the night. That game will resume at 10 AM this morning before this afternoon’s winner-take-all championship game.

MISSOURI VALLEY (2:00 PM, ESPN+)

Illinois-Chicago advanced to the title game with a 6-0 win over Murray State; the Racers advanced from the losers’ bracket with a 9-7 win over Southern Illinois. Should a second game be necessary with a Murray State win, that game would begin at approximately 5:30 PM today.

MOUNTAIN WEST (3:00 PM, Moutain West Network)

Washington State advanced to the title game with a 14-9 victory over top seeded San Diego State; the Aztecs advanced to the title game with an 11-8 victory over Air Force in the nightcap. Wazzu needs one win for the auto bid; San Diego State can force a winner-take-all game at approximately 6 PM with a win this afternoon.

NEC (11 AM, ESPN+)

With Long Island already in the title game, Fairleigh Dickinson beat Wagner 11-10 to advance to today’s championship round. Long Island needs one win for the auto bid; a second winner-take-all game would start at 2:30 PM should FDU win in the morning game.

OHIO VALLEY (1 PM, ESPN+)

The Little Roccos made today’s game necessary with a win against top-seeded SIU-E in the losers’ bracket along with a 3-2 win in 10 innings against Eastern Illinois in the first leg of the championship round.

SEC (2:00 PM, ABC)

Both Georgia and Arkansas won to advance to today’s title game; this all but assures that the Razorbacks will likely be one of the 16 host sites in the NCAA Tournament now.

SUN BELT (SEMIFINAL 10 AM ESPN+/CHAMPIONSHIP 2 PM ESPN+)

Louisiana advanced to the winner-take-all championship game the hard way with 12-6 and 7-4 wins against Texas State; they await the second semifinal between Troy and Southern Miss after the Trojans defeated USM 9-6 that forced the winner-take-all semifinal in the top bracket. The Sun Belt will be assured of 3 bids with Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina safely in the field at this point.

SWAC (2:00 PM, SWAC TV)

Alabama State and Florida A&M both won yesterday to advance to today’s winner-take-all championship game in Birmingham.

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Hoops HD Hardball Championship Week – Friday Edition

Posted on May 23, 2026 by John Stalica

The number of auto bids will start to really crank up today; here’s a summary of where things stand after last night’s games:

AMERICA EAST (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

Binghamton clinched the first spot in the championship game with a win over Maine and are one win away from the America East title. Maine survived with a win against UMBC and must win twice today if they are to win the title.

AMERICAN (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

UTSA and East Carolina will square off in the first game today to determine the first spot in the winner-take-all championship game tomorrow. The loser will take on the winner of the UAB/Wichita State elimination game; both elimination games will take place later this afternoon.

ACC (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ACC Network

Pitt continues to be the story of this tournament; they had a late comeback to defeat Florida State 8-6 last night. They will play North Carolina today while Georgia Tech takes on Miami in the first semifinal game.

ATLANTIC SUN (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

Lipscomb outlasted North Alabama with a 4-3 victory in 14 innings; they await the winner of this morning’s North Alabama-Florida Gulf Coast winner in the championship game(s) this afternoon. Either the Lions or the Eagles would have to win 3 games today to end up as the A-Sun champion.

ATLANTIC 10 (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

The festivities began with VCU surviving against Richmond in the completion of Thursday’s suspended game. George Mason eliminated Richmond in the losers’ bracket before they themselves lost to top-seeded Saint Joe’s in the next elimination round. With Rhode Island beating VCU to earn a spot into the championship round, VCU will play Saint Joe’s for the second spot into the championship game.

BIG EAST (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Mother Nature wiped out the St. John’s/Xavier game yesterday; that has been rescheduled for a 2 PM start today. The winner advances to the championship tomorrow; the loser will play Creighton no earlier than 6 PM earlier today to clinch the second spot in the Big East Championship Round.

BIG SOUTH (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

The first semifinal will pit High Point against USC-Upstate at 9 AM this morning. In the loser’s bracket, we get the Winwood Cup between Winthrop and Longwood at approximately 1 PM. The winner there will play the High Point/Upstate loser at approximately 5 PM for the second spot in the Big South championship round.

B1G (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – B1G Network

3 of the 4 scheduled quarterfinal games were completed yesterday; top-ranked UCLA had to come back in the late innings to defeat Purdue (and effectively eliminating all the legacy Big 10 teams) to advance to the semifinal round. USC and Nebraska also won; the quarterfinal round will be done when Oregon and Washington play each other at 11 AM this morning. The semifinal games will begin no sooner than 3 PM.

BIG TWELVE (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN2

While chalk has held, we still get a Kansas/West Virginia matchup in the title game that no one would have seen coming at the beginning of the year.

BIG WEST (SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Cal Poly beat top-seeded UC-Santa Barbara 4-2 to advance to the Big West championship. The Gauchos will need to beat UC-San Diego if they are to advance to the championship round. Cal Poly can wrap up the title with a win tonight; the UCSB/UCSD winner would need to force a winner-take-all game tomorrow if they are to win the Big West.

COASTAL (SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS) – FloSports

Campbell and Hofstra will square off in the winner’s bracket for the first spot into the championship round. The loser of that game will play Northeastern for the second spot into the championship. The Campbell/Hofstra winner can wrap up the title tonight with a win, but a winner-take-all game would be played tomorrow if necessary.

CONFERENCE USA (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Jacksonville State, Liberty and Missouri State each won their respective pools with 2-0 records and will advance to the single-elimination semifinals today. Dallas Baptist will be the #4 seed by virtue of being the best 1-1 team in pool play.

HORIZON LEAGUE (SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

Milwaukee upset top-seeded Wright State with a rain-soaked 2-1 win in the morning before rain postponed a scheduled elimination game between Wright State and Oakland. The winner will play Milwaukee in the championship round; game times have yet to be announced.

METRO ATLANTIC (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

Rider defeated Fairfield to advance to the championship and are 1 win away from the MAAC auto bid. Fairfield eliminated Niagara in the nightcap and will need to beat Rider twice if they are to win the auto bid.

MID AMERICAN (SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Kent State survived two games in the elimination bracket with wins over Mother Miami and Western Michigan; they need to beat Toledo to advance to the championship round while fighting to avoid potentially needing an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Waiting in the wings is Northern Illinois; the Huskies are already in the championship round with their win over Toledo earlier in the day.

MISSOURI VALLEY (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Illinois-Chicago and Murray State will play at noon for the first spot into the championship game; the loser will play the winner of the Indiana State/Southern Illinois elimination game later in the evening.

MOUNTAIN WEST (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – Mountain West Network

San Diego State and Washington State won their opening games to advance to the semifinal round; the winner advances to the championship round while the loser plays the winner of the Air Force/New Mexico elimination game in the nightcap.

NEC (SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS) – ESPN+

With Le Moyne having been eliminated, the auto bid will be up for grabs in the championship round today. Long Island defeated Fairleigh Dickinson to clinch the first spot in the championship. FDU will play Wagner in an elimination game this morning to determine the second spot in the championship game to be played later today. If a second championship game is needed, that will be played tomorrow.

OHIO VALLEY (SEMIFINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Eastern Illinois outlasted SIU-Edwardsville 3-2 in 10 innings to advance to the championship round. SIUE will play Little Rock in an elimination game in the morning to see who clinches the spot into the championship game round. Should a second championship game be necessary, that will be played tomorrow.

SEC (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – SEC Network

Both teams from the state of Texas were one-and-done in Birmingham; Arkansas and Auburn both won to advance to the semifinals where they will play each other in today’s second game. Georgia and Florida will face off in the first semifinal game.

SOUTHERN (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPNU

The Citadel and Samford advanced to tonight’s winner-take-all game in the SoCon; this means that a bid thief will now emerge with the auto bid. Mercer will be sweating through Selection Monday in the hopes that their bid won’t be the one that’s stolen.

SOUTHLAND

Lamar will make their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years after defeating McNeese 2-1 to clinch the auto bid for the Southland conference.

SUMMIT LEAGUE (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – Summit League Network

Oral Roberts defeated Northern Colorado in the losers’ bracket yesterday to advance to the championship series this afternoon. ORU would need two wins to win the auto bid, but South Dakota State needs only one more win to claim the Summit League crown.

SUN BELT (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

In the top bracket, Southern Miss will play the winner of the Troy/South Alabama game for a spot in tomorrow’s winner-take-all championship game. In the bottom bracket, Texas State needs one win against Louisiana (who would need two wins against TSU) to advance to the championship tomorrow. Texas State is on the bubble for an at-large, so there are definitely higher stakes for them this weekend while Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina (already eliminated) are safely in the NCAA Tournament field.

SWAC (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – SWAC TV

In the top bracket, Alabama State will play the winner of the Arkansas-Pine Bluff/Bethune-Cookman elimination game and needs one more win to advance to the winner-take-all SWAC championship game. In the bottom bracket, Florida A&M will play Southern in the semifinals; FAMU needs one win to advance while Southern needs two wins to advance to the championship game.

WEST COAST (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPNU

Saint Mary’s defeated Pacific to clinch the first spot in the championship round; they will take on San Francisco who eliminated Pacific from the tournament. The Gaels need one win for the auto bid; USF would need two wins to clinch the auto bid. Game 1 will be on ESPNU, but should a second game be needed, that game will be on ESPN+.

WAC (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

Tarleton defeated California Baptist 5-3 to advance to the championship round; Sacramento State won two elimination games against Utah Tech and California Baptist to advance to the championship. Tarleton needs one win for the auto bid; Sacramento State needs two wins in what will be the final event hosted by the WAC.

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2026 NBA Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Iona F Toby Harris

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery was held on May 10th, the final deadline for NCAA players to withdraw is May 27th, and the draft will begin on June 23rd. We will spend the months ahead interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Iona F Toby Harris about being a sensational shooter and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You are from Chapel Hill, NC: how big is the Duke-UNC rivalry for someone who has never experienced it in person? It is hard to put into words. When you grow up there you get a lot of flak from the other side: I think it is the best rivalry in all of sports. I have only been to 1 Duke-UNC game: it was in 2020 when Tre Jones made a last-second shot in regulation that lead to an OT win over the Tar Heels (www.youtube.com/watch?v=saSyZiV_45E). There are definitely some fighting words between the 2 schools.

You began your college career at Brandeis University: what impact did COVID have on your decision to not start out at a D-1 school? It played a huge role. COVID hit at the end of my junior year and also impacted my senior year. It was a little harmful because colleges could not come see me play in person, so a handful of schools reached out and suggested that I go to prep school. Being from North Carolina, all you hear about are the D-1 schools like Duke/UNC, but my dad and I drove around to tour some smaller schools. I wanted to go somewhere where I was wanted so it was an easy decision at the end of the day.

You only played 3 games as a junior before suffering a season-ending injury: how bad was it, and how were you able to get back onto the court? I had been hurting ever since the previous summer so something had been going on during the entire preseason. I tore the labrum in my right hip and just could not play through it anymore. After a game against Babson I could barely walk: it was selfish for me to keep playing and I was out for 9 months with no basketball. It was hard mentally, but in the long run it benefited me because I ended up loving the game even more.

In 2025 you were named a D-3 All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. The competitor in me was disappointed that we did not have the season that we thought we could have, but it did show that my hard work paid off. The biggest thing for me was to put Brandeis on the map a little bit. In D-3 there can be a lot of politics when it comes to awards, but I wish we could have won some more games because there were some other players on my team who deserved some recognition as well.

Why did you decide to transfer last year, and what made you choose Iona? I got a medical redshirt during the year I got hurt but I am loyal so I wanted the chance to do something special at Brandeis. After my senior year I wanted the opportunity to get another year of school, and my coach was supportive because he was like a father-figure to me. When I put my name in the portal it was like a whirlwind for me: it was a little stressful to have a bunch of D-1 schools reach out to me. Iona reached out before Coach Tobin Anderson was fired and their style did not seem like a good fit for me, but even after Coach Dan Geriot was hired they kept up their communication with me. We had a great Zoom call, I took a great official college visit (my 1st-ever), and I committed the next day. They felt that I could play professionally and laid out a plan for me, so it was a no-brainer.

Last January you scored 9 PTS including the game-winning 3-PT shot in the final seconds of a 1-PT win over Merrimack (www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/1qkgasb/toby_harris_with_the_dagger_to_win_it_for_iona): did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? We would not have even been in that game were it not for Denver Anglin (who scored 22 PTS). I remember that game very well because I played so badly in the 1st half (0-7 FG), but the team had confidence in me and told me to keep shooting. Merrimack missed a FT and I ran down the court to the corner: I was not 100% sure that it was going in after my 1st half, but it did. As far as my career it rankes way up there: to do it at that level, against the best team in our conference, and the way the team reacted, it is definitely top-5.

You made 26 of your 1st 27 FTs last year and finished the season top-4 in the conference with 90 3PM/41.1 3P%: what is the secret to being a great shooter? Just repetition. I give a lot of credit to my dad: he taught me from a young age to shoot the right way, and would not let me take threes unless I could reach the rim with proper form. He told me that if I react too much after a shot then it might affect my next shot, so it is more about muscle memory. I think that my percentages could have been even higher last year.

You are listed at 6’8”: what position did you play in college, and what position would you feel most comfortable at in the pros? In high school I was a PG, but at Iona I played the 2/3/4, maybe even a 5 at times in a small-ball lineup. My shooting allows any team to slot me into a bunch of different positions. I am taking time to perfect the things I need to perfect, but I would feel really comfortable at the 2/3/4. Shooting can translate to any level and I can guard any of those positions.

Last month you had a workout with the Knicks: how did it go? When you 1st get the text it is kind of surreal: nobody from Brandeis has ever made the jump to the NBA. I feel like I did well enough at my workout: once you get over the feeling of “I cannot believe this is happening”, you realize that the opportunity is right there and it motivated me even more so I have kept pushing for more. It was a tremendous experience and it has been fun to see the Knicks have so much success this spring.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean the world to me and my family: I would be 1 of the 1st Iona players to get drafted and the 1st-ever from Brandeis. I have pushed through so much adversity, but if I do not get drafted it is fine. I will continue to work and it will not hinder my motivation, but just add more fuel to the fire as I push for a spot in the Summer League/G League. It is right back to the grind because I believe in myself and have people around me who believe in me.

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Hoops HD Hardball Championship Week – Thursday Edition

Posted on May 22, 2026 by John Stalica

Despite Mother Nature bringing a deluge to parts of the country, action is starting to heat up in advance of Selection Monday:

AMERICA EAST (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Binghamton and Maine advanced to the semifinal round; UMBC defeated UMass-Lowell to advance in the losers’ bracket and will play the loser of Binghamton/Maine to advance to the conference championship on Saturday.

AMERICAN (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Both Rice and Memphis advanced to the quarterfinals; UAB and Wichita State will play the losers of the morning games in the losers’ bracket portion of the quarterfinals later this afternoon/evening.

ACC (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – ACC Network

The top half of the ACC Bracket took the field yesterday; Georgia Tech began their quest for the #1 overall seed with a 16-10 win over Virginia and the Miami Hurricanes defeated Boston College to advance to the semis tomorrow.

ATLANTIC SUN (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

North Alabama upset top seeded North Florida to advance to the semifinals; they will take on Lipscomb after the Bisons defeated Florida Gulf Coast. Both North Florida and FGCU potentially need to win 2 games to advance to the conference championship out of the losers’ bracket.

ATLANTIC 10 (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

The Puppet may get a quintuple header in the A-10 today; following George Mason’s win over Davidson to advance in the loser’s bracket, Rhode Island’s defeated top-seeded Saint Joe’s to advance to the semifinal round. VCU was leading Richmond 4-1 in the 6th inning before play was suspended. George Mason will play the loser of VCU/Richmond and the winner of that game will play Saint Joe’s to advance in the loser’s bracket. Rhode Island will play the winner of VCU/Richmond around 2:30 PM this afternoon.

BIG EAST (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

The Big East got underway with both St. John’s and Xavier winning their opening round games to advance to the semifinals; that game will be played at 9 AM this morning as they try to get ahead of the rain that is forecast to last throughout the afternoon and evening. The loser of that game will play Creighton on Saturday; the Bluejays eliminated UConn in the nightcap last night.

UPDATE: Game has been postponed to tomorrow. They will now reschedule for tomorrow along with the subsequent elimination game; game times TBD.

BIG SOUTH (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

USC-Upstate defeated Winthrop to advance to the semifinals; High Point led Charleston 3-2 in the top of the 2nd before play was suspended. While the winner will play Upstate in the semifinals, Longwood won yesterday to advance in the losers’ bracket and will play the lower seed of either Winthrop or Charleston Southern in the next round of the losers’ bracket.

B1G (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – B1G Network

Purdue and Michigan won their games last night to clinch the final 2 spots in the single-elimination 8-team bracket in Omaha. Washington (#11) and Michigan State (#12) were the only lower-seeded teams that already advanced to the quarterfinals; all 4 games are scheduled for today.

BIG 12 (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Oklahoma State was the only lower seeded team to advance to the semifinals; they will face Kansas in the first semifinal game today. West Virginia will play Arizona State in the nightcap.

BIG WEST (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

UC-Santa Barbara and Cal Poly advanced to the semifinal round with wins yesterday; Cal State-Fullerton and UC-San Diego will play each other in the losers’ bracket and will play the loser of UCSB/Cal Poly to try to advance to the Big West championship round.

CAA (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – FloSports

Campbell and Hofstra won yesterday’s games to advance to the semifinals; Monmouth eliminated Charleston and will play UNC-Wilmington in the loser’s bracket. The winner of that game will play Northeastern to advance to the semifinal round out of the losers’ bracket.

CONFERENCE USA (POOL PLAY) – ESPN+

Sam Houston failed to sweep their pool; their -5 run differential makes it very unlikely that they will advance any further. Jacksonville State will play Western Kentucky in Pool A and Missouri State will play Dallas Baptist in Pool C with both winners advancing to the single elimination semifinal round. Liberty is in the driver’s seat in Pool B and can advance with a win over Louisiana Tech today. Whichever 1-1 team wins the tiebreaker will be the fourth team to advance to the semifinals.

HORIZON LEAGUE (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Wright State edged Oakland and Milwaukee blew out NKU to advance to the semifinal round; Oakland beat NKU in the loser’s bracket and will play the WSU/Milwaukee loser later this afternoon (weather permitting).

METRO ATLANTIC (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Rider and Fairfield advanced to the semifinals in the winner’s bracket; Marist has survived two games in the losers’ bracket and now has to play Niagara with the winner of that game playing the Rider/Fairfield loser in the second semifinal.

MAC (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Both Northern Illinois and Toledo pulled off upsets to advance to the semifinal round; this relegated the top seeds Mother Miami and Kent State down to the losers’ bracket. Both teams play at 10 AM today in what is essentially an NCAA Tournament elimination game. The winner will play Western Michigan right after that game.

MISSOURI VALLEY (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Illinois-Chicago advanced via mercy rule to the semifinal round and will play Murray State at noon today. The loser will play the winner of the Indiana State/Southern Illinois game in the losers’ bracket.

MOUNTAIN WEST (2ND ROUND) – Mountain West Network

Air Force and New Mexico won their tournament openers yesterday; they both advance to the 4-team double elimination bracket and will take on San Diego State and Washington State today.

NEC (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Long Island and Fairleigh Dickinson won their opening round games; both teams will play for the first spot in the NEC Championship Round. Le Moyne will play Wagner in the first game in the losers’ bracket.

OHIO VALLEY (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Both the top 2 seeds SIU-Edwardsville and Eastern Illinois advanced to the semifinals; the winner will advance to the championship round on Saturday. Southern Indiana and Little Rock both won in the losers’ bracket and will play each other in today’s first game. The winner will play the SIUE/EIU loser in today’s nightcap.

SEC (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – SEC Network

Georgia and Florida won the first two SEC quarterfinal games and will play each other tomorrow in the semifinals. Today, Texas and Texas A&M each play their openers against Arkansas and Auburn, respectively.

SOUTHERN (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

In the top bracket, The Citadel continued their possible Cinderella run and beat top-seeded Mercer to advance to today’s semifinal round. Mercer survived against Wofford and must beat Citadel twice to advance to tomorrow’s championship game. Samford beat second-seeded Western Carolina and only needs to beat the Catamounts one more time to advance to the single elimination championship game to be played tomorrow.

SOUTHLAND (CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND) – ESPN+

Lamar defeated McNeese 9-3 in Game 1 of the best-of-3 championship series; the Cardinals can wrap up an auto bid with a win today.

SUMMIT (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – Summit Sports Network

South Dakota State defeated Northern Colorado to advance to the championship round to be played tomorrow. Top seed Oral Roberts staved off elimination with a 9-0 win against Omaha; they will play Northern Colorado for the right to play South Dakota State in the championship on Saturday.

SUN BELT (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – ESPN+

Texas State defeated Louisiana to advance to the semifinals; they will get a day to rest as there are 3 other games to be played today. Southern Miss and Troy will play for a semifinal spot in the top bracket; the loser will play South Alabama for another semifinal spot. In the bottom bracket, Coastal Carolina (a likely at-large NCAA Tournament team) will play Louisiana for a spot in the semifinal round.

SWAC (MULTIPLE ROUNDS) – SWAC TV

Weather is also dragging out the schedule in SWAC play; the Pine Bluff-Alabama State quarterfinal game will be played at 10 AM (Eastern Time). The loser will play Bethune-Cookman in the top half of the losers’ bracket. Florida A&M beat Southern to advance to the semifinals; they will play the winner of the Southern/Texas Southern game in the bottom half of the bracket at around 7 PM tonight.

WEST COAST (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

Saint Mary’s and Pacific advanced to the semifinal round; top seeded Gonzaga will play San Francisco in the losers’ bracket. This likely means Gonzaga will now need the auto bid to be assured of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

WAC (SEMIFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

The game of the day was California Baptist beating Utah Tech in a 10-7 game that lasted 14 innings; the Lancers will play Tarleton for the first spot into the WAC Championship. Utah Tech did survive in one elimination game against Abilene Christian; they will have to beat Sacramento State and the loser of the Cal Baptist/Utah Tech game if they wish to advance to the WAC Championship game.

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2026 NBA Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Dartmouth F Brandon Mitchell-Day

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals have not even begun but it is already time for most of the league to start preparing for next season. The lottery was held on May 10th, the final deadline for NCAA players to withdraw is May 27th, and the draft will begin on June 23rd. We will spend the months ahead interviewing as many members of this year’s draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Dartmouth F Brandon Mitchell-Day about being a remarkable rebounder and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born/raised in St. Louis: what made you choose Dartmouth? Prior to playing competitive basketball I had never even heard of Dartmouth, but academics were big in my family. When some of the Ivy teams started recruiting me, I started thinking about it as a place that could set me up for after basketball and where I could help make a name for myself and my school. Dartmouth was the best place to do that.

You played in 25 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? A big reason I was recruited was my motor. I knew that I had to do something to stick out as a freshman and my aggressiveness helped me get more playing time. I tried to do all the little things: rebounding/defense/being a pest. A lot of coaches believed that I could bring that to the table, and everything I do is high-intensity.

After starting only 2 games as a freshman you started all but 2 games as a sophomore: what is the biggest difference between being a starter vs. coming off the bench? There is definitely a higher expectation when you are a starter because the coaching staff trusts you to set the tone for the entire team. I was inexperienced as a freshman so the coaches did not trust me at 1st, but after getting extra film work and setting the tone at practice, I was able to hit a 180 in terms of playing time.

As a junior you had 23 PTS/20 REB in a win over Brown and became the 1st Ivy player to post a 20-20 game against a D-1 opponent since the turn of the century: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? It is probably the best all-around game of my college career. As hard to do as it may sound, I was in a flow state so nothing felt forced. I was playing free and the 20 REB is just a testament to how hard I played. I wanted to show people what I could do day in and day out and I take great pride in that because all my hard work showed that day. That game felt easy: I remember getting back to the locker room afterward and when my teammates told me that I had 20 REB I thought they were joking!

Last year you led the conference with 244 REB and were #7 in the nation with 7.19 defensive RPG: what is the secret to being a great rebounder? For me the secret goes back to my motor. You never know when a shot goes up if it will be missed, so you have to get good position or run to a spot. It goes back to doing the little things as a freshman: even if I could not score, getting an offensive REB put me in a better position to score. It is not 1 of the flashiest things but it is 1 of the most important things. I do not have the craziest highlights but all the intangible things I do help a team win: that is my calling card.

Your 3-PT shooting increased during each of the past 4 years: how were you able to keep improving every single year? It was about confidence. I could shoot the 3 in high school but I was more of a slasher with shooters around me who had a higher percentage. Since I knew that I could do it, and as my role on the team expanded, I knew that making threes would make the game easier for me. I work on it all the time and my teammates trust me from behind the arc. I got the correct reps each summer and it is about the hard work I put in.

You were named All-Ivy Honorable Mention last year: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It means everything. The Ivy League is 1 of the most up-and-coming conferences with great players both in the NBA (like Bez Mbeng) and in college (like TJ Power). People overlook our conference because it is academically-oriented, but I take great pride in that award: it is always nice to see your hard work pay off.

You are listed at 6’8”: what position did you play in college, and what position would you feel most comfortable at in the pros? When I was in high school I started as a PG…and then 1 summer I grew 7”! I already had the guard skills, but as 1 of the tallest guys on my team I had to learn how to play in the post. It will be an advantage at the next level because I have a mix of both guard skills and big man skills, which makes me a versatile threat. I can do so many things because I have been exposed to so many situations.

Any thoughts on the recent news that the NCAA tourney will expand to 76 teams next year? Some people argue that it makes the NCAA tourney easier to get into, but I would argue that it makes it harder to win. By expanding the field they make it that much more valuable if you can win it. I see the positives and negatives, but it will still be fun to watch.

What would it mean to you to get drafted, and what is the plan if you do not get drafted? It would mean everything. This is something I have dreamed of since 1st picking up a basketball. If I do not get drafted then the work does not stop. I will continue to find opportunities to showcase my talents whether it is in the G League or overseas. I will trust in my work and hope it all works out.

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Hoops HD Hardball Championship Week – Wednesday Edition

Posted on May 21, 2026 by John Stalica

AMERICA EAST (2ND ROUND) – ESPN+

UMass-Lowell and Maine won yesterday to advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket.

AMERICAN (2ND ROUND) – ESPN+

Memphis and Wichita State won yesterday to advance to the double-elimination portion of the bracket. Our good friend Rocco Miller is also in Clearwater, Florida watching the American Tournament; you can follow him HERE to follow for live updates.

ACC (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – ACC Network

Pittsburgh is still alive trying to win 5 games in 5 days to clinch the auto bid, but now face a major challenge today as Florida State begins their postseason run. It was Virginia Tech’s turn to win a 17-10 shootout over Notre Dame.

ATLANTIC SUN (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

North Alabama beat Jacksonville in the only game that was able to be played yesterday; Florida Gulf Coast will play Central Arkansas to complete the 2nd round today. After this game, the double elimination rounds will begin at approximately 1 PM today, weather permitting.

ATLANTIC 10 (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Rhode Island and VCU won the opening games in the A-10 Tournament yesterday; George Mason will start today’s quadruple header with the first elimination game.

BIG EAST (1ST AND 2ND ROUND) – ESPN+

Both of the opening round games were rained out yesterday; the opening round will start at noon today and there will be an 8 PM elimination game tonight. Friday and Saturday are very much in flux with rain in the forecast for both days.

BIG SOUTH (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Charleston Southern and USC-Upstate advanced to the winners’ bracket; Radford and Longwood will play in the first elimination game in the losers’ bracket this morning at 9 AM.

B1G (3RD ROUND) – B1G Network

Michigan State and Washington both advanced to the single elimination quarterfinal round that begins tomorrow. Iowa will play Purdue and Michigan will play Ohio State to decide the final two quarterfinal spots this afternoon.

BIG 12 (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – ESPN+

All remaining 8 teams will be in action today; this includes a Kansas team that won their first regular season title in 80 years! While Kansas does figure to be a regional host, playing for a super regional host site may be a bit of a long shot.

BIG WEST (2ND ROUND) – ESPN+

Cal State-Fullerton won the lone game yesterday against Hawai’i; they advance to the double elimination round today as they take on regular season champion UC-Santa Barbara.

COASTAL (2ND AND 3RD ROUNDS) – ESPN+

UNC-Wilmington and Hofstra won their openers yesterday; Charleston and Monmouth will play this morning in the first elimination game in the CAA.

CONFERENCE USA (POOL PLAY, DAY 2) – ESPN+

Western Kentucky, Sam Houston and Dallas Baptist were the winners yesterday; Sam Houston has a chance to win their pool today while the other two teams are idle today until pool play wraps up tomorrow.

HORIZON LEAGUE (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Oakland defeated Youngstown State to advance to the double elimination round today. There will be one elimination game played tonight after the 2nd round is complete.

METRO ATLANTIC (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Merrimack and Fairfield won to advance in the winners’ bracket; Marist defeated Canisius to advance in the losers’ bracket.

MID-AMERICAN (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Northern Illinois and Toledo advanced to the winners’ bracket with their wins yesterday; the first elimination game will pit Ball State against Western Michigan. Per our colleague Rocco Miller, keep an eye on Kent State as they are another possible at-large candidate for the NCAA Tournament field.

MISSOURI VALLEY (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Murray State and Southern Illinois advanced in the winners’ bracket yesterday; today’s first elimination game will pit Evansville against Illinois State.

MOUNTAIN WEST (Hybrid, 6-team bracket) – Mountain West Network

The Mountain West gets underway today with a pair of single elimination games in the first round. The tournament will then revert to a 4-team double elimination round beginning tomorrow. Note that Oregon State does not play in the Mountain West for baseball as they are an independent this season (but Washington State does play in the Mountain West this season).

NEC (Double elimination, 4-team bracket) – ESPN+

The Northeast Conference finally gets underway today with a 4-team double elimination bracket. Should Le Moyne win the conference tournament, the other team that advances to the championship game will clinch the auto bid since the Dolphins are not eligible as a transitional team.

OHIO VALLEY (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Yesterday, Little Rock and SE Missouri State advanced in the winners’ bracket; Southern Indiana and Lindenwood were relegated to the losers’ bracket and await the losers of the SIUE-Little Rock and Eastern Illinois-SEMO games.

PATRIOT LEAGUE

Congratulations to the Holy Cross Crusaders on winning the second auto bid to the NCAA Tournament; they defeated Bucknell 14-11 to go to the NCAA Tournament for the 2nd straight season.

SEC (QUARTERFINAL ROUND) – SEC Network

The waiting game begins for both Vanderbilt and LSU as both teams were eliminated from the SEC Tournament. Kind of a rarity here as the top 8 seeds have all advanced to the quarterfinal round.

SOUTHERN (3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Both Samford and The Citadel won yesterday to advance in the winners’ bracket; there will also be 2 elimination games played later today after Mercer and Western Carolina also begin tournament play.

SOUTHLAND (CHAMPIONSHIP, BEST-OF-3) – ESPN+

The Southland Conference Championship Series gets underway as Lamar hosts McNeese in a best-of-3 series to determine the auto bid winner.

SUMMIT (2ND ROUND) – Summit League Network

South Dakota State and Northern Colorado won their openers, meaning that the top two seeds in the Summit will face off today in an elimination game to start the day.

SUN BELT (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

There were a pair of upsets in the bottom bracket; Texas State and Louisiana both won which means the #2 seed Coastal Carolina and #3 seed Appalachian State face off in an elimination game this afternoon.

SWAC (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – SWAC TV

Chalk has held so far with the top 4 seeds (Bethune-Cookman, Alabama State, Southern and Florida A&M) advancing to the winners’ bracket.

WEST COAST (2ND ROUND) – ESPN+

Saint Mary’s and San Francisco both advanced to the double elimination portion of the bracket with their wins last night.

WAC (2ND AND 3RD ROUND) – ESPN+

Sacramento State and Utah Tech advanced to the winners’ bracket with their wins yesterday; UT-Arlington defeated Abilene Christian in the first elimination game of the bracket.

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