Arizona Wildcats Earn No. 1 Seed in West Region, Face Long Island in NCAA Tournament Opener

Updated March 15, 2026, 4:05 p.m. MT

The Arizona men’s college basketball team will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive year, following a stellar regular season and their Big 12 Tournament championship. Tommy Lloyd’s team secured a No. 1 seed in the West Region of the March Madness bracket and will face No. 16 seed Long Island in the first round on Friday, March 20, in San Diego, California.

Arizona won its lone NCAA title in 1997 under coach Lute Olson. Last season, the Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 4 seed, losing to No. 1 seed Duke 100-93. Arizona has lost in the Sweet 16 in three of the past four seasons and Tommy Lloyd has yet to lead the team past that round as head coach.

How Arizona and Long Island Reached March Madness

Long Island advanced to the NCAA Tournament by winning the NEC Tournament, defeating Mercyhurst in the title game 79-70. The Sharks finished the regular season with a 24-10 overall record and a 15-3 conference record.

Arizona concluded the season with a 32-2 overall record and a 16-2 record in Big 12 play, claiming both the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships.

Potential Tournament Path for Arizona

The winner of the Arizona vs. Long Island game will face the winner of the No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State game in the second round on Sunday, March 22.

If Arizona advances to the Sweet 16, potential opponents include No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 12 High Point, No. 4 Arkansas, or No. 13 Hawaii. The Elite 8 could observe the Wildcats facing No. 2 Purdue, No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 6 BYU, or No. 7 Miami.

Arizona has not reached the Final Four since 2001 and the Elite Eight since 2015.