March Madness Sweet 16: Watch Guide and Top Matchups

26 Mar at 10:35 am

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March Madness Sweet 16: Watch Guide and Top Matchups/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 is set—and for the first time ever, every team comes from a power conference. The SEC dominates the field, with a record seven teams still alive. Key matchups and heavy-hitters like Duke, Auburn, and Florida headline the next round.

Houston guard Emanuel Sharp (21) reacts after a foul by Gonzaga forward Graham Ike (13) during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Wichita, Kan. (AP Photo/Travis Heying)

Sweet 16 Quick Looks

Historic Sweet 16: All teams from power conferences for the first time since 1985
SEC Powerhouse: Record 7 teams in Sweet 16, including Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama
UConn Out: Defending champ’s title hopes dashed by Florida in a 77-75 thriller
Top Seeds Alive: Duke, Auburn, Florida, and Houston remain the favorites
Must-Watch Games: Kentucky vs. Tennessee, BYU vs. Alabama, Maryland vs. Florida
Broadcast Info: Games air on CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV + stream on Paramount+ and March Madness Live
Final Four: San Antonio hosts semifinals April 5, championship April 7

March Madness Sweet 16: Watch Guide and Top Matchups

Deep Look

The Sweet 16 is here — and it’s historic.
For the first time since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, all remaining teams hail from power conferences. The Southeastern Conference (SEC), already setting a record with 14 teams in the field, smashed another by sending seven teams to the Sweet 16.

That dominant group includes No. 1 overall seed Auburn, fellow top-seed Florida, and No. 2 seeds Tennessee and Alabama. The strength of these squads reinforces why the SEC has emerged as the tournament’s defining force in 2025.

But not every powerhouse survived. UConn, aiming for a rare three-peat, fell short in a nail-biting 77-75 loss to Florida, ending its championship quest.

Key Sweet 16 Games to Watch

Kentucky vs. Tennessee — Friday
One of college basketball’s fiercest rivalries goes national. It’s the 242nd meeting between these SEC foes, but the first in NCAA Tournament history.

Kentucky: Sweet 16 return under first-year coach Mark Pope
Tennessee: Third straight Sweet 16 under veteran coach Rick Barnes
Regular Season: Wildcats swept Vols by 14 combined points

BYU vs. Alabama — Thursday
Expect fireworks in this high-scoring showdown.

BYU: Elite from 3-point range, riding hot shooting past VCU and Wisconsin
Alabama: Tournament’s top offensive team, averaging 85 PPG so far

Maryland vs. Florida — Thursday
The Terrapins are still buzzing after Derik Queen’s buzzer-beater sent them past Colorado State. But Florida, fresh off ending UConn’s reign, poses a major threat.

Maryland: Momentum from clutch shot
Florida: Offense firing on all cylinders, deep and balanced