The first weekend of the NCAA tournament is in the books, and there are, of course, distinct winners and losers.

Among the big winners are the Big Ten and John Calipari, who’s guided Arkansas to its second Sweet 16 in his second season as head coach. Kentucky, meanwhile, is headed home.

As for future lottery pick Darryn Peterson, he didn’t exactly make the final impression at Kansas that NBA executives were hoping to see. Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from the first two rounds of tournament play:

Winner: John Calipari

John Calipari’s exit from Kentucky marked a seismic shift in the college basketball landscape.

The game’s winningest program parted with one of the most successful coaches of his his era, who’d opened up a pipeline of elite talent to Lexington and led the Wildcats to a national championship.

But a prolonged lack of tournament success that included a nine-year Final Four drought made the relationship untenable. And the two parted ways after a first-round exit in the 2024 NCAA tournament.

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Fast-forward two years, and Calipari’s winning the breakup. Calipari took some of his talent with him to his new job with SEC rival Arkansas and led the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 in Year 1. Now he’s got Arkansas back in the Sweet 16 with a star point guard in Darius Acuff Jr. leading the way as arguably the best player in the tournament through two games.

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A future NBA lottery pick with top-5 upside who was named first-team All-America as a freshman, Acuff is going scorched earth in tournament play. In wins over Hawaii and High Point, Acuff’s averaged 30 points, 6.5 assists and 1 steal per game. He’s shooting 49% from the floor and 5 of 11 (45.5%) from 3. He’s the kind of talent Kentucky came to take for granted during Calipari’s reign.

Now he’s at Arkansas in the tournament’s second weekend. And Kentucky’s gone home after a listless second-round loss to Iowa State that will have head coach Mark Pope on the hot seat entering his third season coaching his alma mater.

-Jason Owens

Loser: Darryn Peterson

Presumptive lottery pick Darryn Peterson entered the tournament with a chance to cement his spot atop NBA Draft boards and answer the questions that have dogged him throughout his freshman campaign at Kansas.

With Kansas’ underwhelming loss to St. John’s in the second round, the questions surrounding Peterson remain intact, and his spot at the top of the draft is anything but certain.

Peterson’s tournament was a microcosm of his turbulent regular season at Kansas. In the first round, he reeled off 10 straight points and flashed his prowess as an elite three-level scorer as Kansas opened a 26-point lead against Cal Baptist.

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But as Cal Bapist cut that lead to 6 points late in the second half, Peterson disappeared down the stretch. He hit a floater with 5:43 remaining for his 28th point and didn’t score again. In fact, he was barely involved in KU’s offense and didn’t touch the ball on repeated trips down the floor as Cal Baptist cut its 66-52 deficit to 66-60 in the final minutes.

Kansas survived the upset bid, setting up Sunday’s game against St. John’s. Peterson once again led the JayHawks with 21 points. But there were times in the game where he wasn’t involved in KU’s offense. And then came the final play, where Peterson, a strong defender, didn’t help as Dylan Darling knifed through the Kansas defense virtually unchallenged for a game-winning layup at the buzzer.

That’s likely the final image of Peterson’s college career. And it’s not a flattering look.

-Jason Owens

Winner: Betting favorites

A lack of upsets in the NCAA tournament has been very good business for people betting the favorites.

Favorites went 16-0 in the first round on Friday, and that luck continued into the second round. Yes, No. 11 Texas beat No. 3 Gonzaga to give us a true upset, but even some games that looked like upsets really weren’t.

No. 6 Tennessee closed as a slight favorite over No. 3 Virginia. The same can be said for No. 5 St. John’s, which was a 3.5-point favorite over No. 4 Kansas.

There are myriad theories for why favorites have done so well this year — with NIL budgets being a leading thought. Will that run continue in the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight? We’re not so sure. The gaps between teams in the next rounds will be significantly smaller.

-Nick Bromberg

Loser: West Coast Conference

The days of the West Coast Conference getting three NCAA tournament bids are probably over. And they’re disappearing with none of the three WCC teams in the tournament making it past the second round. Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara all made the 2026 men’s tournament.

But the Gaels lost to No. 10 Texas A&M in the first round, and No. 10 Santa Clara was beaten in overtime by No. 7 Kentucky on Friday after Otega Oweh’s incredible buzzer-beater to send the game to overtime. The No. 3 Zags scuffled a bit against No. 14 Kennesaw State, but that’s the only win the WCC got.

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Saturday night, Gonzaga was upset by a No. 11 Texas team that started its NCAA tournament in the First Four. That was the final game that Gonzaga will play as a West Coast Conference team.

The Bulldogs are off to join the remodeled Pac-12 in 2026-27. And much of the WCC’s luster will go with them. Gonzaga being one of college basketball’s preeminent powers has done a ton for the conference over the last two decades. 2026 was just the fourth time ever that the league got three NCAA tournament teams. And all four of those instances came in the 2000s.

-Nick Bromberg

Winner: Big Ten

The Big Ten entered Sunday with the state of its NCAA tournament already assured, having secured four of the bids available in the Sweet 16.

Then it added two more, including one with the biggest upset of the tournament. Purdue secured the conference’s fifth Sweet 16 berth with a 79-69 win over Miami early Sunday. And 9 seed Iowa roared into the tournament’s second weekend with a stunning upset of 1 seed and reigning champion Florida.

Alvaro Folgueiras’s 3 with 4.2 seconds remaining secured the upset win.

UCLA couldn’t make it 7 for 7 for the Big Ten Sunday night as UConn delivered the conference its only second-round defeat.

But Iowa and Purdue will join Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Illinois in a Big Ten party in the Sweet 16.

-Jason Owens

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Loser: Blue Bloods

North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky, specifically.

None of the lauded programs survived the first weekend as North Carolina blew a 19-point lead against VCU in the first round, Kentucky collapsed in the second round against Iowa State and Kansas looked listless before St. John’s thwarted a second-half rally with a buzzer-beater at the rim against a less-than-inspired Jayhawks defense.

Not only will none of the three programs add to their combined tally of 18 NCAA championships. But they’ll each leave the tournament with some level of uncertainty around their head coaches.

There’s chatter that North Carolina could part with Hubert Davis as soon this week. Mark Pope’s seat in Kentucky isn’t nearly as hot, but he’ll enter his third season coaching his alma mater under intense pressure to produce.

And Hall of Fame Kansas coach Bill Self said after Sunday’s loss that “I haven’t decided” if he’ll return to coach the Jayhawks for a 24th season. His legacy that features two NCAA titles is secure, and Self — 63 and battling ongoing health concerns — wants to consult with his family before deciding his basketball future.

It’s a critical juncture for all three programs and one where the decisions of the coming days and season will dictate their futures.

-Jason Owens

Winner: Texas

By most accounts, the Longhorns weren’t supposed to still be here.

Texas snuck into the NCAA tournament as an 11 seed and was relegated to the First Four as one of the last four at-large teams selected for the tournament field. Three wins in five days later, and Texas has crashed the Sweet 16 as the only double-digit seed remaining in the field.

A power program with plenty of backing, it’s a stretch to call Texas a Cinderella. But it’s certainly an unexpected arrival to the tournament’s second weekend.

No. 2 seed Purdue would be wise to not take the Longhorns lightly next weekend. Gonzaga, a 3 seed, found out the hard way that Texas is hitting its stride at the right time.

-Jason Owens

After a brief absence in 2025, UConn is back in the Sweet 16.

No. 2 seed UConn held off a game 7th-seeded UCLA team playing without All Big Ten forward Tyler Bilodeau (knee) for a 73-57 win on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

With the win, UConn advances to the tournament’s second weekend for the third time in four seasons. Its previous two Sweet 16 trips led to national championships before a second-round loss to eventual champion Florida ended UConn’s 3-peat dreams last March.

Now it’s back in the Sweet 16, gunning for another national championship.

Alex Karaban’s career high paces Huskies

UCLA put up a fight despite playing without its best player and rode a 6-0 run to start the first half to a 39-38 lead. UConn punched back later in the half with a 14-0 run featuring two Alex Karaban 3s to reseize control, 56-44.

Another 9-0 UConn run thwarted UCLA’s last gasp, and the Huskies mantained control down the stretch.

Alex Karaban, who starred on both of those national title teams, finished with a career-high 27 points alongside 5 rebounds. He shot 9 of 16 from the floor and 4 of 8 from 3. Tarris Reed Jr. followed up a monster 31-point, 27-rebound effort in the first round against Furman with a more modest double-double, posting 10 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 steal.

The Bruins countered with four starters in double figures, led by Xavier Booker’s 13 points and 5 rebounds. But without Bilodeau, they were overwhelmed by UConn’s repeated waves, and their season ends short of the Sweet 16.

UConn, meanwhile, advances to a heavyweight Sweet 16 matchup against a third-seeded Michigan State team that also has its sights set on a national title.

Tennessee played a nearly flawless first half Sunday to take control of its second-round NCAA tournament game against 3 seed Virginia.

It then survived a late flurry from the Cavaliers for a 79-72 win that was aided by a late officiating break in its favor.

With the win, the 6th-seeded Volunteers advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season. There, they’ll face an uphill climb to advance to the program’s first Final Four and the second in head coach Rick Barnes’ 39-year career as an NCAA head coach.

Tennessee committed just one turnover and hit 5 of 11 3s while building its first-half advantage. It then committed multiple miscues down the stretch including a pair of turnovers on inbounds plays in the final minutes to allow Virginia back in the game.

Thijs De Ridder hit a 3 to give Virginia a 3 a 71-70 lead, its first of the second half. But Tennessee maintained its composure to retake the lead and caught a late break when officials upheld an out of bounds called in the final minute that favored the Volunteers.

Was this really out on Virginia?

After a Virginia miss, the ball appeared to go out of bounds off the head of Tennessee’s Bishop Boswell. But officials determined on the floor that Virginia’s Dallin Hall touched the ball before it went out of bounds.

Replay appeared to show that Hall didn’t touch the ball, and it was out of bounds on Tennessee. But the video evidence wasn’t conclusive, and the call on the floor stood. Tennessee retained possession with a 73-71 lead and 27 seconds remaining on the clock.

Virginia didn’t lead again. The loss ends Virginia’s season short of the Sweet 16 as a 3 seed.

Tennessee advances with its Final Four hopes intact as a distinct underdog in the Midwest Region. Up nest is a Sweet 16 matchup against 2 seed Iowa State, which raced by 7 seed Kentucky earlier Sunday despite playing without injured All-American Joshua Jefferson.

Jefferson rolled his ankle in Iowa State’s first-round win over Tennessee State and watched Sunday’s game in street clothes and with a walking boot on his left foot. His status at this point for a game next week is uncertain.

Either way, Tennessee will face a difficult matchup after an impressive opening 2 rounds of NCAA tournament play. Whomever advances out of that Sweet 16 game will face a potential Elite Eight matchup against No. 1 seed Michigan. The Wolverines will take on the winner of Sunday’s night cap between Alabama and Texas Tech in the Sweet 16.

Tennessee has developed into a consistent winner under Barnes, who’s in his 11th season as head coach in Knoxville. But like their head coach, the Volunteers continue to seek their breakthrough to jump to the next tier in the college ranks.

Tennessee has never advanced to a Final Four. And Barnes has made the Final Four just once in his 39 years of coaching George Mason, Providence, Clemson, Texas and now, Tennessee. Barnes led Texas to the 2003 Final Four, where it lost to eventual champion Syracuse and Carmelo in the national semifinal.

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Make that two NCAA tournament wins for Nebraska.

In front of a decidedly pro-Nebraska crowd in Oklahoma City, the 4th-seeded Cornhuskers won a 74-72 thriller over No. 5 seed Vanderbilt Saturday night with a Sweet 16 berth on the line.

They survived a near miracle heave from Vanderbilt at the buzzer after their own late go-ahead bucket to secure the win.

Vanderbilt had rallied from a 39-32 halftime deficit to take the lead late in a game where both teams traded blows down the stretch. But backup Nebraska guard Braden Frager delivered the final shot for the Cornhuskers with a go-ahead layup with 2.2 seconds to secure the 74-72 lead.

Vanderbilt had one last shot and almost delivered a miracle. But a 3/4-court heave by Tyler Tanner rattled in and out as the final buzzer sounded.

Replay angles show just how close Vanderbilt was that close to delivering one of the most memorable shots in NCAA tournament history as the bottom of the ball broke the plane of the basket.

Instead, its season comes to an end in heartbreak after one of the best games of this year’s tournament.

Nebraska, meanwhile, advances to the Sweet 16 to keep its dream season alive.

The win for Nebraska its just its second ever in the NCAA tournament. Its first was on Thursday in the first round over Troy. The Cornhuskers were previously 0-8 in NCAA tournament play and the last power conference team without an NCAA tournament victory.

Now they’re two wins away from the Final Four and four from delivering an unlikely NCAA championship.

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With 7:43 remaining in the first half on Saturday No. 2 Houston held a 25-24 lead over No. 10 Texas A&M.

Then Houston put the clamps down. The Cougars reeled off 18 straight points and ended the half on a 21-4 run to take a 46-28 lead into the break. At that point, the game was effectively over, and Houston cruised to an 88-57 win to secure its seventh straight trip to the Sweet 16.

Once it gets there, it’s very much a contender to advance to the Final Four and compete for the program’s first national title. The Cougars have cruised through the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, following up Thursday’s 78-47 first-round thrashing of Idaho with Saturday’s 31-point win.

Houston advances with momentum and 1 unique edge

It’s not just he scoring margins that point to Houston’s strengths. It’s how they’re building those margins. Houston’s profile is that of a championship contender — elite guard play, strong rebounding, Kelvin Sampson’s trademark smothering defense and NCAA tournament experience.

Houston returns three starters from last season’s Final Four team in Emanuel Sharp, Joseph Tugler and Milos Uzan. It’s added arguably the most explosive guard in the country in Kingston Flemings, a third-team All-American and projected top-5 pick in June’s NBA Draft.

Add to that profile a distinct advantage that no other Sweet 16 team will have. The South regional semifinals and finals will be played in Houston, less than three miles from the university’s campus. Reigning champion Florida’s the No. 1 seed in the South, but it will be the road team if it advances to a regional final matchup against Houston.

Flustered Aggies no match for Houston

Houston’s dominance was on display Saturday as it controlled virtually every aspect of the game. The Aggies’ brand of fast-paced offense and lots of 3s stood little chance against Houston’s assertive defense.

Houston frustrated Texas A&M on the boards to the point that Aggies coaches got whistled for a technical foul.

During a first half sequence, Houston missed three 3-pointers on a single possession and secured an offensive rebound off of each miss. Texas A&M ultimately fouled on the possession, sending Houston to the free throw line.

The Texas A&M bench picked up a technical after the sequence, sending Houston to the line for two more free throws. The coaching staff gave referee Roger Ayers an earful, convinced that Houston fouled while securing its offensive rebounds.

Their pleas were to no avail as Houston secured a 46-29 advantage on the boards, including an 19-9 edge in offensive rebounds. Houston also took care of the ball, committing just seven turnovers on the day, one of them when it let the shot clock run out on their final possession. Houston limited Texas A&M’s high-octane offense to 35% shooting from the floor and 25% from 3.

The competition, of course, projects to get considerably stiffer from here for Houston, which suffered a three-game losing streak against top 14 opponents Iowa State, Arizona and Kansas in February.

A Sweet 16 matchup against an explosive third-seeded Illinois team potentially awaits. But Houston appears to be peaking at the right time and headed back home, two wins away from a second straight trip to the Final Four.

No. 6 seed Louisville entered its second-round matchup against No. 3 Michigan State Saturday at a significant disadvantage without injured All-ACC guard Mikel Brown Jr.

That disadvantage proved too much to overcome against a tough and tournament-tested Michigan State team as the Spartans pulled away for a 77-69 win to advance to the Sweet 16.

All Big Ten point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. guided the MSU victory while tallying 12 points and 16 assists against a Louisville team that was clearly missing its own floor leader. Fears’ 16 assists matched the total produced by the entire Louisville roster. His 16 assists were the most ever by an MSU player in an NCAA tournament game.

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Michigan State opened up a 22-12 early lead that it never relinquished. Louisville managed to keep things close and cut MSU’s lead to as close as 55-50 with 8:20 remaining. But without their star guard, the Cardinals weren’t able to mount a challenge to the Spartans.

A veteran team with significant NCAA tournament experience and a championship-winning head coach in Tom Izzo, Michigan State advances to a regional semifinal matchup against either UCLA or UConn and will be a threat to make it to the Final Four and beyond.

Freshman forward Jordan Scott has been elevated to the starting lineup for Michigan State. But he’s surrounded in the starting lineup by veterans Fears, Jaxon Kohler, Coen Carr and Carson Cooper, each of whom have three-plus years of NCAA experience and played on last season’s team that advanced to the Elite Eight.

Guided by a Hall of Fame coach in Izzo, Michigan State will enter the second weekend of tournament play with as much poise and experience as any team in the field.

This story will be updated.