Elite

• Second-seeded Purdue defeated 11th-seeded Texas 79-77 in the West Region semifinal on March 26 in San Jose, California. • Trey Kaufman-Renn's tip-in of Braden Smith's miss with 0.07 seconds left secured the win for the Boilermakers. • Purdue advances to face top-seeded Arizona in the West Region final on March 28 for a Final Four spot in Indianapolis.

• Top-seeded Arizona defeated Arkansas 109-88 in the Sweet 16 on March 27, shooting nearly 64% from the field to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015. • Freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat each scored 21 points, while Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. led his team with 28 points. • The win extends Arizona's winning streak to 12 games, positioning them one victory from their first Final Four in 25 years.

• Third-seeded Illinois beat Houston 65-55 in the South Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament on March 26, 2026, in Houston. • David Mirkovic led Illinois with 14 points and 10 rebounds, as the team showcased strong defense to eliminate last year's national runner-up. • The win advances Illinois (27-8) to its 11th Elite Eight, facing ninth-seeded Iowa on Saturday to determine a Final Four participant.

• The Pentagon is planning to deploy a brigade combat team from the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East to support operations against Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on March 25. • The troop deployment occurs simultaneously with diplomatic efforts, as the Trump administration seeks a one-month ceasefire and explores negotiations with Iranian intermediaries including special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance. • The military buildup underscores the dual-track approach: escalation preparations alongside peace negotiations, even as Israel continues wide-scale military strikes on Iranian targets including government infrastructure.