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PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 21: Head coach Flynn Clayman of the High Point Panthers points during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Moda Center on March 21, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
While the number of head coaches who wore suits for first-weekend action is lower than it should be, in Sunday’s late window, Dan Hurley and Nate Oats wrapped up the first and second rounds in blazers, which provided a nice, old-school conclusion to the week. Here is a recap of how the best-dressed head coaches fared over the weekend, and an updated look at the bracket based on coaches’ attire.
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Overall, the coaches who wore a full suit, including a coat and tie, posted a combined 4-8 record, with Rick Pitino being the only head coach to advance to the second weekend. Including coaches who wore either a coat or tie, but not both, so some semblance of a suit but not the entire package, the record was 13-9, indicating that all coaches should wear suits.
The lowest seed to win a game in this tournament was No. 12 High Point with its thrilling victory over No. 5 Wisconsin. Rob Martin led the Panthers with 23 points and 10 assists, and Chase Johnston stole America’s hearts with a late-game heat-check, including a critical 3-pointer from the logo. Johnston also made his first 2-pointer of the entire season in the game, and it happened to be the game-winning layup to upset the Badgers.
Not only was this the lone game in the first round which featured a top-5 seed bowing out, it was the only matchup in the opening round between two head coaches suited up on the sidelines. Flynn Clayman took his chance postgame to speak to a national audience and advocate for the scheduling of mid-majors, and him being in a suit just added a little something to the beauty of the moment.
In its next game, High Point played No. 4 Arkansas down to the wire, but came up just short, falling 94-88. A loss for one of the few mid-majors in the second round was heartbreaking, but on the bright side, John Calipari was sporting a beautiful plaid blazer himself. A Sweet 16 wasn’t meant to be for the Panthers, but at least it was another well-dressed coach leading the team which eliminated them. Salute to Clayman and High Point.
The biggest upset victory of the second round belonged to No. 9 Iowa, which defeated the defending-champion Florida 73-72 in a thrilling game. Just a year after getting Drake to the tournament and winning a game, Ben McCollum has the Hawkeyes in the second weekend for the first time since 1999. No, it’s not a mid-major, but the ties are aplenty on the Iowa roster.
Headlined by Bennett Stirtz, there are a number of players on the roster that made the jump from Drake to Iowa with McCollum. In what many expected to be a game in which Stirtz would have to go nuclear for the Hawkeyes to have a chance, he shot just 5-for-16. He did, however, have the game winning-assist, to a fellow mid-major product.
Alvaro Folgueiras was a part of a Robert Morris team in 2024-25 that won the Horizon League and gave Alabama everything it could handle in the tournament. On Sunday, Folgueiras drilled a corner three in the closing seconds to give Iowa a one-point lead with seconds to go, and one final stop sealed the deal.
No Iowa is not a mid-major, but with no mid-majors advancing to the second weekend, a nine-seed with an abundance of mid-major ties eases the pain a little bit.
Looking ahead, there’s no mid-majors left, so for any sickos looking to pivot their fandom, the formality of head coaches is an appropriate metric to turn to.
Capital One Arena will be the only venue with multiple head coaches embracing fashion tradition. Barring a wardrobe change for one of the other remaining coaches, Pitino will be the only coach with a coat and tie. He is matched up against Duke and Jon Scheyer. In the other game out east, Hurley will meet Tom Izzo and Michigan State. If we don’t get to watch a mid-major next weekend, one Elite 8 game between two coaches in suits feels deserved.
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In each of the other three regions, just one coach will be dressed up. In San Jose, Calipari will attempt to take down No. 1 Arizona led by quarter-zip-wearing Tommy Lloyd. Should the Razorbacks pull the upset, Sean Miller or Matt Painter will be waiting. In Chicago, Oats and his blazer will also attempt to upset a top-seed as Alabama battles Michigan. And in the south, McCollum, in his patented tie, no coat look, will lead Iowa against its rival Nebraska.
There’s no mid-majors left, and not a lot of formality in terms of sideline attire, but there is still hope for a Final Four between four coaches who clean up nicely.
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