San Diego State misses NCAA men’s tournament field in 2026, ending a run of selections since 2019

Selection Sunday leaves Aztecs outside the 68-team bracket

San Diego State’s men’s basketball team was not included in the 2026 NCAA Division I men’s tournament field revealed Sunday, ending the program’s run of selections dating back to the 2018-19 season. The 68-team bracket was announced March 15, with the tournament scheduled to begin March 17 and conclude April 6 in Indianapolis.

The omission arrived as the committee finalized a field led by four No. 1 seeds: Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida. The bracket also included the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, where the tournament’s lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and at-large teams play for entry into the 64-team first round.

How the selection process can narrow paths for bubble teams

At-large selection is determined through a multi-phase process that evaluates teams using a set of standardized metrics and principles, including comparative results and overall résumé strength. Automatic bids claimed in conference tournaments can also change the at-large landscape late in the week, tightening the margin for teams near the cut line.

• The men’s tournament includes 68 teams, with 31 automatic qualifiers and 37 at-large selections.
• Eight teams participate in the First Four as part of the completed bracket structure before the round of 64 begins.
• Selection principles prioritize evaluating teams across the full season rather than relying on a single late result.

Local context: an NCAA tournament site in San Diego as SDSU stays home

The decision carried an added local twist: San Diego is one of the 2026 first- and second-round host sites, with games scheduled March 20–22 at Viejas Arena. That means NCAA tournament basketball will be played on San Diego State’s home floor even as the Aztecs are not in the men’s field.

In 2026, San Diego is scheduled to host NCAA tournament games during the first weekend, placing the event in the city regardless of SDSU’s selection outcome.

What comes next for San Diego State

With the NCAA tournament field set, San Diego State’s postseason route shifts to potential alternative events for teams left out of the main bracket. The National Invitation Tournament is scheduled as a 32-team single-elimination event for Division I teams not selected to the NCAA tournament, with early rounds played on campus sites and later rounds in Indianapolis.

The broader program backdrop includes conference realignment. San Diego State is slated to move into the Pac-12 beginning July 1, 2026, making the 2025-26 season the final campaign for the Aztecs as Mountain West members before the transition.