The 2026 NCAA Tournament has lived up to the hype, with plenty of upsets, incredible comebacks, and amazing performances.
The wait between rounds ended last night, with four teams advancing to the Elite Eight: No. 1 Arizona, No. 2 Purdue, No. 3 Illinois, and No. 9 Iowa.
Friday’s Slate of Sweet 16 Games
On Friday, there are four more men’s Sweet 16 games, starting at 7:10 p.m. ET.
MEN’S SWEET 16 GAMES ON FRIDAY
- No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 1 Duke | 7:10 p.m. ET | CBS
- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Michigan | 7:35 p.m. ET | TBS/truTV
- No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 2 UConn | 9:45 p.m. ET | CBS
- No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Iowa State | 10:10 p.m. ET | TBS/truTV
All CBS broadcasts are available to stream on Paramount+, while TBS, TNT, and truTV games stream on Max.
The women’s Sweet 16 also tips off tonight with four games.
WOMEN’S SWEET 16 GAMES ON FRIDAY
- No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Vanderbilt | 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
- No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 1 UConn | 5 p.m. ET | ESPN
- No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 1 UCLA | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
- No. 3 Duke vs. No. 2 LSU | 10 p.m. ET | ESPN
The men’s NCAA Tournament averaged 9.8 million viewers through its first three days, the best start since CBS and TNT began showing all of the games together in 2011, according to Nielsen data. The primetime Thursday window hit 12.5 million, making it the most-watched first-round window in tournament history. College basketball’s showcase event is not just trending up; it is peaking at the right time.
The Big Ten had six teams in the Sweet 16, more than any other conference: No. 1 Michigan in the Midwest, No. 2 Purdue in the West, No. 3 Michigan State in the East and No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 Nebraska, and No. 9 Iowa in the South.
MARCH MADNESS: Fill In Your Bracket Now!
The big-brand programs that have survived this long, such as No. 1 Duke, No. 1 Arizona, and No. 2 Connecticut, are all legitimate title threats.
The Elite Eight will be held on March 28 to March 29 to determine the Final Four teams that will play at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4. Then, the national championship game will be played on April 6 at the same venue.
This year’s March Madness featured plenty of stars, and Duke big man Cameron Boozer is the biggest name still alive in the tournament (after Darius Acuff Jr.’s Arkansas squad lost on Thursday night).
All eyes will be on the NCAA Tournament in the coming weeks, especially now that a new national champion will be crowned after the Florida Gators were upset by the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round. The 2026 NCAA Tournament has featured plenty of fireworks, and hopefully, the best is yet to come.
