St. John's Reaches First Sweet 16 in Over 25 Years

Wildcats Struggle as Big Ten Dominates, ACC Falters in NCAA Tournament

Mar. 23, 2026 at 3:36am

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The 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament has seen some major storylines emerge, including St. John's reaching its first Sweet 16 in over 25 years, the Big Ten Conference putting six teams into the Sweet 16, and the ACC struggling with only one team (Duke) advancing past the opening weekend.

Why it matters

The success of St. John's and the Big Ten's dominance showcase the changing landscape of college basketball, with traditional powers facing challenges and new contenders emerging. The ACC's struggles raise questions about the conference's long-term competitiveness at the highest levels of the sport.

The details

St. John's, led by head coach Rick Pitino, has reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in over 25 years, thanks in part to a game-winning shot by Dylan Darling. Darling has gone from a bench player at Washington State to a hero at St. John's. Meanwhile, the Wildcats had a brutal weekend, getting crushed by Iowa State and watching their former coach, John Calipari, take his new team (Arkansas) to the Sweet 16. The Big Ten has put six teams into the Sweet 16, cementing its status as the best basketball conference in the country. In contrast, the ACC has struggled, with only Duke advancing past the opening weekend.

  • The 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament is currently underway.
  • The first two rounds of the tournament were played on March 23, 2026.

The players

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's basketball team, known as one of the all-time great coaches in college basketball.

Dylan Darling

A player for the St. John's basketball team who made the game-winning shot to help the team reach the Sweet 16, after previously playing at Washington State and Idaho State.

John Calipari

The former head coach of the Wildcats, who is now coaching the Arkansas team that advanced to the Sweet 16.

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What they’re saying

“Two years ago, Darling was a bench player at Washington State, getting barely any playing time. A year ago, he was playing at Idaho State in virtual anonymity. Now he is making one of the biggest shots in St. John's history to get them one step closer to a championship.”

— Adam Gretz, Freelance Writer

What’s next

The Sweet 16 games will be played next week, with a potential Elite Eight matchup between UConn and St. John's as a possibility.

The takeaway

The 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament has seen the rise of new contenders like St. John's, the continued dominance of the Big Ten, and the struggles of traditional powers in the ACC. These storylines highlight the evolving landscape of college basketball and the challenges facing both established and emerging programs.