Editor’s note: The Deseret News is updating how Utah ties — both native Utahns and those whose playing careers have included a stop in Utah — are performing in the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament through the first two rounds.
For BYU and Utah State, who both made the 68-team field, these updates will primarily focus on notable Utah natives with those respective teams.
Check back for more updates throughout the first four days of this year’s tournament.
American Fork native nearly puts up a double-double for Michigan State
Michigan State 92, North Dakota State 67
Michigan State senior forward Jaxon Kohler (American Fork High) had another solid day for the Spartans, helping his team roll to a first-round win.
The 6-foot-9 Kohler was one of four Michigan State players in double-figures, as he scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds, to go with two assists and a steal.
Kohler has played in the NCAA Tournament each of his four seasons at Michigan State.
Guard Carson Smith (Bountiful High), the son of former Utah head coach Craig Smith, played one minute for North Dakota State in the loss.
Arkansas 97, Hawaii 78
A trio of Utah natives were on the losing end of the Rainbow Warriors’ first NCAA Tournament game in a decade.
Center Isaac Johnson (Utah State, American Fork High), who has played in the NCAAs two previous times with the Aggies, started for Hawaii and scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Guard Hunter Erickson (Utah, BYU, SLCC and Timpview High) and forward Isaac Finlinson (Utah Tech, Snow College and Dixie High) also started for the Rainbow Warriors.
Finlinson was one of three Hawaii players in double-figures, as he added 12 points, two rebounds and two assists.
Erickson had 5 points and a team-high six assists.
High Point’s coach has roots to the Beehive State
The first upset of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is in the books, as No. 12 seed High Point beat No. 5 Wisconsin 83-82.
There’s a Utah tie to this game — High Point head coach Flynn Clayman is a former Southern Utah assistant coach.
The 37-year-old Clayman is in his first year as head coach of the Panthers, and Thursday’s victory was High Point’s first in the NCAA Tournament.
Clayman began his coaching career at SUU in 2017, and over the next six years, he was a special assistant, assistant and associate head coach with the Thunderbirds.
During his final year at SUU, he was the interim coach during the program’s three games in the CBI tournament. Clayman led them to a 2-1 record in the CBI, then took an assistant coach position at High Point the next season.
Former Salt Lake Community College star delivers game-winner in NCAA’s opening game
TCU 66, Ohio State 64
The first game of the NCAA Tournament had plenty of March Madness, and it was a former Salt Lake Community College star that delivered the winning points.
In a tie ball game with the clock winding down, TCU forward Xavier Edmonds (SLCC) took a pass in the paint from teammate David Punch, then patiently found an opening before finishing at the rim for two with 4.3 seconds left to play, giving the Horned Frogs a 66-64 lead.
Following a timeout, Ohio State could only get a half-court heave off and it was no good, allowing TCU to advance.
“I had to get the ball in the basket. Punch made a great pass, put me in the right position to score, and I went up and I scored it,” Edmonds told CBS in a postgame interview.
Edmonds, who spent the past two seasons at SLCC and was ranked the No. 1 JUCO player of the year last season, ended up with 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal in the win.
TCU went into halftime up 39-24 but Ohio State rallied behind John Mobley Jr. (Wasatch Academy) and eventually took a 55-50 lead.
Moments after picking up his fourth foul with 8:02 to play, Edmonds helped TCU retake the lead.
He scored three straight points for the Horned Frogs to cut the deficit to one, and then after a defensive stop, TCU went back ahead 58-57 on a Punch layup.
TCU guard Tanner Toolson (BYU, Utah Valley) had three rebounds, an assist and a steal while missing his only two shot attempts.
Mobley, meanwhile, scored a team-high 15 points for Ohio State in the losing effort. He shot 6 of 17 from the floor and hit three 3-pointers, while adding six assists and three rebounds.
Other Thursday morning action
Louisville 83, South Florida 79: Center Aly Khalifa (BYU) had 3 points and an assist for the Cardinals in the win.
From First Four action
Prairie View A&M 67, Lehigh 55: Forward Cory Wells (Utah Valley) scored 19 points and added 11 rebounds, three steals and three blocks for the Panthers in the win.
Texas 68, NC State 66: Forward Camden Heide (Wasatch Academy) had 3 points, two assists, one rebound and a block for the Longhorns.