Stakes for the national title continue to rise, but unexpected fun comes along the journey.
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A Sweet 16 that featured multiple games decided by a possession brought out the best (and worst) in players. The Elite Eight pitted powerhouses against one another, with some dominating en route to Indianapolis as Illinois, Arizona, Michigan and UConn advanced to the Final Four.
Here are some nonstatistical and personality-driven superlatives from the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds of the men’s NCAA tournament.
Elite Eight
Most unconventional medical method: Soda can for Cameron Boozer
Physicality was on full display in the UConn-Duke matchup, which was intense enough that Duke’s star had a swollen eye. During the first half of the game, Boozer attacked the basket against UConn’s Eric Reibe, who contested with his hands up. However, Reibe’s elbow caught Boozer under his left eye, leading to a welt.
It slowly grew, and Boozer received unique treatment on the bench. A member of Duke’s staff rolled a soda can under Boozer’s eye to ease the swelling.
Duke star Cameron Boozer had a welt under his left eye after colliding with an elbow against UConn. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)Most likely to get the coach’s game ball: Charlie May
Leading big against Tennessee, Michigan head coach Dusty May brought in his son, Charlie, with 2:16 remaining in the game. The senior guard spent two seasons at UCF as a walk-on from 2022 to 2024 before transferring to Michigan ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, his father’s first as the Wolverines’ coach.
Charlie has appeared in just seven games this season and hadn’t made a field goal since Nov. 3. He made the most of his lone shot attempt Sunday though, swishing a 3-pointer to send the Michigan bench — and crowd — into a frenzy.
DUSTY MAY’S SON GETS A BUCKET
CHARLIE MAY GREEN LIGHT #MarchMadness @umichbball pic.twitter.com/WDG0C0s02V
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2026
Unlimited gas tank: Bennett Stirtz
In Duke’s first-round game against Siena, the Saints kept their starting five on the floor for the entire matchup and hung close with the Blue Devils. But that’s no big deal for Iowa guard Bennett Stritz, who didn’t miss a minute of action in the tournament
Stirtz clocked 160 minutes of playing time, not being subbed out — and his numbers back up coach Ben McCollum’s choice to keep him on the floor. The Liberty, Missouri, native averaged 18.3 points per game in the tournament with just three total turnovers.
City takeover award: Iowa-Illinois
In a highly anticipated Elite Eight matchup between the No. 9 and No. 3 seeds (and conference rivals), there were six total players from the Kansas City area. Iowa had five on its roster — Stirtz, Tavion Banks, Cam Manyawu, Joey Matteoni and Isaia Howard — and Illinois had one — Keaton Wagler.
In high school, Wagler and Howard played on the same AAU grassroots program under coach Victor Williams and his VWBA Elite program. Williams is known for bringing some of the top hoops talent in Kansas City and the surrounding areas into his gym.
Sweet 16
Not-so good luck charm: “Florida Final Boss”
During Florida‘s first-round win against Prairie View A&M, fans couldn’t help but notice a fan with an eye-popping physique.
Known as “Florida Final Boss” on social media, the Florida fan attended the Gators’ 73-72 upset loss to Iowa in the second round. But his story didn’t end there.
In Iowa’s Sweet 16 win over Nebraska, the Florida superfan was on hand — instead in a Nebraska jersey with a Gators hat. The final boss’ support wasn’t enough for Nebraska, which fell 77-71 to the Hawkeyes. Is the final boss a March Madness curse?
Florida Final Boss showed up in a Nebraska jersey to hate watch #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/NeY8MoNMvH
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2026
Most likely to leave a student behind at a field trip: Nebraska
Headcount is crucial when it’s time to go somewhere fun — including the Elite Eight. But Nebraska left a player behind on one of the most crucial possessions of the game.
In the final minute of the Huskers’ Sweet 16 showdown against Iowa, the Hawkeyes threw a baseball pass to Alvaro Folgueiras, who was alone by the rim before being fouled and finishing through the contact. When the play occurred, Nebraska had only four players on the court.
While Iowa took the ball out, Rienk Mast was trying to check into the game, but the outcome of the play had already been decided.
Tough love award: Rick Pitino
Every coach has their own way of motivating, pushing and helping their players grow. And for the St. John‘s coach, he has been around the game for a long time, so he knows what works.
Ahead of the Red Storm’s Sweet 16 game against Duke, Pitino was asked by reporters how he keeps his team hungry to compete against the nation’s top teams.
Pitino’s answer? He joked and told reporters he hasn’t “fed them in a week,” and that they’ve been running on water and fruit juice.
“I haven’t fed them in a week”
Rick Pitino on how he keeps his team hungry #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/0w0hQWrolW
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2026
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