No. 1 Arizona Wildcats Set to Face No. 16 Long Island Sharks in NCAA Tournament Opener

Arizona freshman Ivan Kharchenkov says March Madness is like a 'holiday month' in America as the Wildcats aim to win their first national title in 25 years.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:04am

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The top-seeded Arizona Wildcats will take on the 16th-seeded Long Island Sharks in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday morning in San Diego. Arizona, the overall No. 2 seed, is making its 36th tournament appearance since 1985 and is seeking its second national championship, having won it all in 1997. Head coach Tommy Lloyd, in his fifth season with the Wildcats, has never missed the NCAA Tournament in his 28-year coaching career.

Why it matters

Arizona is a heavy favorite to advance past Long Island and make a deep tournament run, potentially reaching the Final Four for the first time since 1997. The Wildcats have been a No. 1 seed eight times but have underachieved in recent tournaments, losing as a top seed in 2022 and as a high seed in 2023 and 2024. This year's team, led by European freshman Ivan Kharchenkov, is hoping to end that drought and bring home the school's second national championship.

The details

Arizona (32-2) enters the tournament as the top seed in the West Region after winning the Pac-12 regular season and tournament titles. Long Island (20-14) earned an automatic bid by winning the Northeast Conference tournament. The Wildcats have had success at Viejas Arena in recent NCAA Tournaments, winning first-round games in 2022 and 2014 when the venue hosted early-round games.

  • The Arizona-Long Island game tips off at 10:30 am PT on Friday, March 21, 2026.
  • Arizona last won the national championship in 1997 in Indianapolis, the same city hosting this year's Final Four.

The players

Ivan Kharchenkov

An Arizona freshman and European player who is experiencing his first NCAA Tournament.

Tommy Lloyd

In his fifth season as the head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, Lloyd has never missed the NCAA Tournament in his 28-year coaching career, including as an assistant at other programs.

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What they’re saying

“I've been told that March Madness is like a holiday month here in America.”

— Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona Freshman (allsportstucson.com)

“I don't act like it's my God-given right, but I've been fortunate that the programs I've associated with for 27-28 years (is) normal.”

— Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Head Coach (allsportstucson.com)

What’s next

If Arizona defeats Long Island, they would face the winner of the Utah State-Villanova game in the second round on Sunday.

The takeaway

After underperforming in recent NCAA Tournaments, the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats are hoping to end their 25-year national championship drought and make a deep run in this year's 'holiday month' of March Madness.