Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Tuesday, Feb 17th

Posted on February 17, 2026 by David Griggs

For our latest HOOPS HD REPORT Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

NEWS AND NOTES:

-Houston had a 10pt lead over Iowa State in the second half, but Iowa State finished the game on a strong run and made some big defensive plays down the stretch to escape with a huge 70-67 win. This was a game between two heavyweights. Both are likely protected seeds and both are likely to go deep into the tournament, so it was more of a litmus test for both teams than it was a must-win.

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-MICHIGAN AT PURDUE (Big Ten). Michigan is back at #1 in the rankings and they have one of their toughest tests of the year coming up tonight at Purdue. The Boilers are a top ten team that could still reach the 1-line depending on how the rest of the season plays out, but they’ll need a win tonight. It should be a wild atmosphere and a fun game.

-NORTH CAROLINA AT NC STATE (ACC). This is a tough road game against a rival for the Tarheels, but they’ve managed road wins against Kentucky and Virginia and they’re certainly capable of winning this one. NC State is probably a tournament team and up until about a week ago they’d looked really solid, but they’ve now lost two straight and need to bounce back from that. A win tonight would be a huge momentum win for them both on and off paper.

-TCU AT UCF (Big 12). This is not the biggest showcase of the night, but it is one of the most important games. TCU is right on the bubble and this is a hugely pivotal game for them. A win probably puts them on the right side of it (at least for now). UCF has hit a bit of a skid and needs to pull themselves out of it, so the game has a pivotal feel for them as well.

-VIRGINIA TECH AT MIAMI FL (ACC). This is another big game as VA Tech is fighting to get on the right side of the bubble and Miami is looking to secure themselves a spot in the field. The Canes have won three in a row and two of those came against NC State and North Carolina, so they’re trending up right now.

-WISCONSIN AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten). Wisconsin is suddenly one of the hottest teams in the country with wins over Illinois and Michigan State last week. They go on the road today to face an Ohio State team that needs some big wins between now and the end of the season in order to make the field.

-NEBRASKA AT IOWA (Big Ten). Nebraska appears to be a solid protected seed. This is not an easy game to win, but it’s the kind of game that a protected seed caliber team can win. Iowa is pretty much in the middle of our brackets right now. This would be one of their better wins of the year and it would boost the value of their resume if they’re able to pull it off.

-GEORGIA AT KENTUCKY (SEC). Georgia is going in the complete wrong direction and needs a win to get things turned back around. Winning tonight won’t be easy. Kentucky is a solid team that’s looking to bounce back from a loss at Florida over the weekend.

OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:

-Villanova @ Xavier (Big East) – Xavier has played well at times and Nova doesn’t want to just overlook them, but it’s still the kind of game that Nova should win

-South Carolina @ Florida (SEC) – The Gators should be able to hold serve at home in this one

-Miami OH @ UMass (MAC) – the first meeting between these two was a battle and now Miami has to go on the road, but the Red Hawks have been playing better in their last few games and may have an easier time tonight

-George Washington @ VCU (Atlantic 10) – VCU should be able to hold serve in this one and stay within reach of the bubble

-SEMO @ UT Martin (Ohio Valley) – UT Martin is still in 1st place, but barely. They face one of the better teams in the league tonight in a game that should really impact the standings

-Air Force @ New Mexico (Mountain West) – New Mexico needs a strong finish to the season in order to get selected.

-LSU @ Texas (SEC) – Texas has been playing well lately and needs to hold serve at home

-Grand Canyon @ San Diego State (Mountain West) – San Diego State can get inside the bubble, but they need to pretty much win out in order to do it

-Texas Tech @ Arizona State (Big 12) – Texas Tech is coming off one of the biggest wins of the year and should be able to take care of business on the road tonight

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes | Comments Off on Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Tuesday, Feb 17th

The Hoops HD Report – Week 16

Posted on February 16, 2026 by David Griggs

It was a wild week of college basketball and the Hoops HD panel recaps all of the action. Texas Tech got a massive win at Arizona, which was their third win over a team ranked in the top 4 of the NET. Michigan is now the top ranked team in the country, and Purdue and Illinois continue to look really impressive in the Big Ten. Duke continues to roll through the ACC, Gonzaga had a big win at Santa Clara and is close to locking up a protected seed, Saint Louis just keeps winning games, and three teams are still battling in the Mountain West. We also have some big games coming up this week, particularly Duke v Michigan, and we look ahead to those as well.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

Posted in Hoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts | 1 Comment

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Monday, Feb 16th

Posted on February 16, 2026 by David Griggs

For our latest HOOPS HD BRACKET RUNDOWN Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

NEWS AND NOTES:

-Yesterday was rather non-cataclysmic. Illinois handled Indiana no problem 71-51, and Belmont overcame a 17pt second half deficit to win by 17 at Murray State 87-70.

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-HOUSTON AT IOWA STATE (Big 12). Both teams are ranked in the top five, and while neither was on our 1-line in our latest Bracket Rundown, both are still in a position to reach it. This will be one of Houston’s toughest tests of the year as Iowa State is one of the toughest road environments to play in.

-Syracuse @ Duke (ACC) – Duke is solidly on the 1-line (for now) and Syracuse is outside the bubble. Duke should roll

-Wagner @ Long Island (Northeast Conference) – Long Island suffered a loss over the weekend, but is still in 1st place in the NEC

-Morgan State @ NC Central (MEAC) – both teams are within reach of finishing in 1st place

-Stephen F Austin @ TAMUCC (Southland) – SFA should be able to hold on to their two game lead in the Southland

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes | Comments Off on Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Monday, Feb 16th

Hoops HD Bracket Rundown – Feb 15th

Posted on February 16, 2026 by David Griggs

A full Hoops HD panel have all submitted their own individual seedlists. They were then cross country scored by Chad to form a master seedlist, and it is revealed to the panel Selection Sunday style team by team and line by line. They discuss, assess, and debate each team as they are revealed. See who the #1 seeds are, who the rest of the protected seeds are, who is on the bubble, and who just missed it.

Below is the final bracket, but don’t look at it until you’ve watched the show!!

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

Posted in Bracket Rundown, Bracketology, Podcasts, Videocasts | 1 Comment

Bracketology 2026: March Madness Predictions (Version 7.0)

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Jon Teitel

We are 4 weeks away from Selection Sunday as we continue to make our NCAA tourney predictions. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel correctly picked 66 of the 68 teams that made the 2025 tourney: 62 of his 66 were within 1 spot of their actual seed and 52 were right on the money. He will spend the upcoming weeks predicting which 68 teams will hear their names called on March 15th. See below for his list of who would make the cut if they picked the field today and if you agree or disagree then feel free to tweet us. To see how he stacks up with other websites (ranked 7th out of 186 bracket veterans over the past 5 years), check out: www.bracketmatrix.com

SEED: TEAM (CONFERENCE)
1: Michigan (Big 10)
1: Duke (ACC)
1: Arizona (Big 12)
1: Connecticut (Big East)

2: Houston (Big 12)
2: Iowa State (Big 12)
2: Illinois (Big 10)
2: Purdue (Big 10)

3: Nebraska (Big 10)
3: Kansas (Big 12)
3: Florida (SEC)
3: Michigan State (Big 10)

4: Texas Tech (Big 12)
4: Gonzaga (WCC)
4: Vanderbilt (SEC)
4: Virginia (ACC)

5: Alabama (SEC)
5: North Carolina (ACC)
5: St. John’s (Big East)
5: Arkansas (SEC)

6: Tennessee (SEC)
6: Louisville (ACC)
6: BYU (Big 12)
6: St. Louis (A-10)

7: Kentucky (SEC)
7: Villanova (Big East)
7: Clemson (ACC)
7: NC State (ACC)

8: Utah State (MWC)
8: Iowa (Big 10)
8: Wisconsin (Big 10)
8: Auburn (SEC)

9: UCF (Big 12)
9: SMU (ACC)
9: Indiana (Big 10)
9: Texas A&M (SEC)

10: St. Mary’s (WCC)
10: Georgia (SEC)
10: Miami FL (ACC)
10: USC (Big 10)

11: Texas (SEC)
11: Miami OH (MAC)
11: UCLA (Big 10)
11: San Diego State (MWC)
11: Santa Clara (WCC)
11: Missouri (SEC)

12: South Florida (American)
12: Belmont (MVC)
12: Liberty (C-USA)
12: Yale (Ivy)

13: Stephen F. Austin (Southland)
13: High Point (Big South)
13: UNC Wilmington (CAA)
13: Hawaii (Big West)

14: Cal Baptist (WAC)
14: South Alabama (Sun Belt)
14: North Dakota State (Summit)
14: East Tennessee State (SoCon)

15: Austin Peay (Atlantic Sun)
15: Portland State (Big Sky)
15: Wright State (Horizon)
15: Navy (Patriot)

16: UT Martin (OVC)
16: Merrimack (MAAC)
16: LIU (NEC)
16: Bethune-Cookman (SWAC)
16: Morgan State (MEAC)
16: UMBC (America East)

1ST 4 OUT
New Mexico (MWC)
Ohio State (Big 10)
Oklahoma State (Big 12)
Virginia Tech (ACC)

Posted in News and Notes | 2 Comments

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Sunday, Feb 15th

Posted on February 15, 2026 by David Griggs

SURVIVAL BOARD UPDATE:

METRO ATLANTIC:
–Rider out with a loss at Sacred Heart
–Canisius out with a home loss to Manhattan and wins by Iona (at Niagara) and Sacred Heart (vs Rider)
–Niagara out with a home loss to Iona and wins by Manhattan (at Canisius) and Sacred Heart (vs Rider)

AMERICAN:
–UTSA out with a loss at Charlotte

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NEWS AND NOTES:

-The biggest result from yesterday was hands down Texas Tech’s win at Arizona. I realized while the game was going on that I had completely skipped over it during yesterday’s write up, which was stupid because it was a game between two protected seeds. It was an overtime thriller that was tied at the half and tied at the end of regulation. Texas Tech just kept making big plays and kept the momentum from swinging Arizona State’s way. Texas Tech now holds two wins away from home against likely #1 seeds, and one of those was a true road game. No one else’s resume tops out as good as that.

-Iowa State blew a red hot Kansas team off the floor 74-56. Kansas is really good, but this just goes to show you how hard it is to win at Iowa State.

-UConn keeps winning games, but they don’t always do it the easy way. The got an unexpected battle from Georgetown and only held on to win 79-75. UConn has a habit of playing with their food.

-Gonzaga got an expected battle from Santa Clara, but held on to pick up a really nice 94-86 road win. Santa Clara is by no means a protected seed caliber team, but they are a good team that’s hovering around the bubble and that was jacked way up for this one.

-Florida kept Kentucky at arms lenght in their 93-82 win. Kentucky came into this one playing really well and this loss really won’t set them back that much.

-Virginia had more trouble with Ohio State down in Nashville than I expected, but did hold on to win 70-66. Ohio State continues to hover around the bubble and UVA continues to hover around the 4-line.

-Saint John’s got a road win at Providence in a game that was unfortunately highlighted by a scuffle that occurred after a ridiculous hard foul committed by Providence. Basically had he done this to someone on the street he’d be charged with assault. No one was injured, several were ejected, some will likely be suspended, and the Johnnies won 79-69.

-Texas A&M’s losing streak continues as they fell at Vanderbilt 82-69. None of TAMU’s losses are particularly bad, but when you add all four of them together they do start to add up.

-TCU got a much needed road win at Oklahoma State 95-92. They are squarely on the bubble and adding another decent road win to their profile was something they needed.

-Virginia Tech lost to Florida State, at home, by a lot. The final score was 92-69. This was a pitiful performance by a VA Tech team that looked to be trending up. Losing badly to teams that are nowhere near the bubble is not a good move for teams that are on the bubble themselves.

-SMU, another team that’s hovering around the bubble, lost on the road to Syracuse 79-78. Syracuse has had a rather underwhelming season, so this one is going to leave a mark on the Mustangs.

-Georgia is another team that is going in the complete wrong direction. They fell at Oklahoma 94-78 and really didn’t look at all like a tournament caliber team. Georgia has now dropped five of their last six and is in a complete tailspin.

-Miami FL got a huge win at NC State 77-76. It’s an important road win for a team that appeared to be hovering around the bubble. Both teams are safely in our field for now, but neither can afford to just coast to the finish.

-VCU had to sweat a little bit to do it, but they knocked off Richmond 78-67 on the road to improve to 20-6 on the year. They should at least get a serious look from the committee if they win out until the conference tournament, but then don’t win the auto-bid.

-West Virginia is a team we’ve been saying you need to watch, and yesterday they showed us why. They picked up what was perhaps their most important win of the year (so far) as they went down to UCF and won 74-67. UCF is a place where Kansas and Texas Tech failed to win. WVU likely isn’t all the way inside the bubble yet, but they are playing well enough to get there.

-Missouri, who had been on an absolute roll, was absolutely rolled over on their own court last night by Texas 85-68. It’s a win the Longhorns really needed and probably moves them off the bubble and into the field (for now).

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-INDIANA AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten). Illinois has all the indications of being a team that will end up with a protected seed. Indiana is inside our bubble and a win for them today would certainly be their best of the year and shoot them up the seedlist.

-South Florida @ Florida Atlantic (American) – South Florida appears to be in the driver’s seat in the American

-Belmont @ Murray State (Missouri Valley) – these are two of the better teams in the MVC and it is a really tough road test for Belmont

-Seton Hall @ Butler (Big East) – If Seton Hall wants any shot of landing inside the bubble they need to hold serve in all remaining games like this one

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes, Survival Board | Comments Off on Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Sunday, Feb 15th