Friday's afternoon games feature historical NCAA Tournament powerhouses Kentucky, Arizona and Villanova, dangerous squads Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee, and potential Cinderellas Akron and Miami (Ohio). Take the jump to remember a special NCAA Tournament first-round experience for each team playing Friday afternoon.
Game #17: (10) Santa Clara vs. (7) Kentucky
- Remember when freshman Steve Nash and #14 Santa Clara upset #3 seed Arizona during the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament. Note: Santa Clara last appeared in the NCAA Tournament, 30 years ago in 1996. The Broncos were a #10 seed and upset #7 Maryland in the first round before losing to Kansas in the second round. Sadly, I cannot find any footage of this game.
- Remember when Kentucky last won the national championship, beginning with a first-round victory against #16 Western Kentucky during the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Game #18: (12) Akron vs. (5) Texas Tech
- Remember when Akron gave #4 UCLA all it could handle during a first-round game from the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Note: The Zips are 0-7 in the NCAA Tournament.
- Remember when Texas Tech began its march to the national title game with a first-round victory against #14 Northern Kentucky during the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Game #19: (16) LIU vs. (1) Arizona
- Remember when LIU was last selected to the Field of 68, a First-Four loss to #16 Radford during the 2018 NCAA Tournament, and then look back at its Head Coach Rod Strickland going off for DePaul during a second round game against St. John's from the 1987 NCAA Tournament.
- Remember when Arizona was last a #1 seed under Head Coach Tommy Lloyd, with its first-round victory against Wright State during the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Game #20: (14) Wright State vs. (3) Virginia
- Remember Wright State's First Four victory against Bryant during the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
- Remember when Virginia began its redemption tour with its first-round victory against #16 Gardner-Webb during the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Game #21: (15) Tennessee State vs. (2) Iowa State
- Remember when Tennessee State first played in an NCAA Tournament game, with its appearance against #2 Seton Hall during the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament. Note #1: Game highlights begin at 15:54. Note #2: Tennessee State also appeared in the 1994 NCAA Tournament, losing to Kentucky in the first round. The 2026 NCAA Tournament will be Tennessee State's first appearance in 32 years.
- Remember when #2 Iowa State ran all the way to the Elite Eight of the 2000 NCAA Tournament, beginning with its first-round victory against #15 Central Connecticut State.
Game #22: (13) Hofstra vs. (4) Alabama
- Remember when Hofstra last played in the NCAA Tournament, 25 years ago, during a first-round loss to the UCLA Bruins. Note: Game highlights start at 2:00.
- Remember when Alabama began its run to the Final Four as a #4 seed during the 2024 NCAA Tournament, beginning with a first-round victory against #13 Charleston.
Game #23: (9) Utah State vs. (8) Villanova
- Remember when #9 Utah State defeated #8 TCU during the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
- Remember when Villanova last was a #8 seed, that magical 1985 National Championship team that shocked Georgetown in the final but barely got past Dayton in the first round.
Game #24: (11) Miami (OH)/SMU vs. (6) Tennessee
- Remember when Miami (OH) began its run to the Sweet Sixteen with a first-round victory against #7 Washington during the first round of the 1999 NCAA Tournament.
- Remember when current SMU Head Coach Andy Enfield and his USC Trojans defeated the Mustangs by one-point during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
- Remember when Tennessee last was a #6, which resulted in an Elite Eight run during the 2010 NCAA Tournament, beginning with a first-round victory against San Diego State.
In the comments share your recollections of a favorite/memorable NCAA Tournament game with one of the schools participating in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon.
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