The NCAA Tournament is in full swing, and it is delivering some instant classics along the way. With the rise of NIL, many believed the Cinderella story could become a thing of the past, as closely contested games between top seeds became the norm.
However, this year’s March Madness has given us the best of both worlds. At the conclusion of the Sweet 16, we have already witnessed some barnburners, while also getting a couple of surprising teams pulling off major upsets. With the Elite Eight right around the corner, here’s how the bracket is shaping up.
2026 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Results
Here is a breakdown of the Sweet 16 games by region as fans prepare for the Elite Eight.
East Region Breakdown: UConn vs. Duke Set for Elite Eight
#1 Duke – A battle for the ages saw head coach Rick Pitino with St. John’s fall just short of beating the No. 1 seed in the entire tournament, the Duke Blue Devils. It came down to the wire, but Duke ultimately prevailed with an 80-75 victory.
Caydn Boozer and Isaiah Evans both had strong showings as they put up 22 and 25 points, respectively. However, the story of the game was a returning Caleb Foster, who came back from surgery on his left foot and scored 11 points in the second half to rally his team back from down 10.
Reaching 35-2, they are now at 14 consecutive wins and might have a legitimate chance of making a run to the mountaintop.
#2 UConn – Another example of a thrilling finish came about when the UConn Huskies, trying to win their third championship in 4 years, got the better of Michigan State 67-63. Closely contested right down to the wire, it was Tarris Reed Jr. who came through at the charity stripe.
A 59% shooter from the free-throw line this season, he was able to make 4 consecutively in the final minute to help UConn hold on. He finished with 20 for the night, alongside 17 from Alex Karaban.
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The two helped the Huskies build an early 19-point lead. But the Spartans chipped away at the lead in a hurry. Ultimately, it might have been a 25% shooting night from long range that cost them the game.
Now, fans can prepare for UConn vs. Duke to decide the winner of the East Region.
South Region Breakdown: Illinois and Iowa Advance
#3 Illinois – One of the bigger upsets of the tournament, despite the seeding, came when the Illinois Fighting Illini took care of Houston 65-55 behind a spectacular defensive showing.
Led by David Mirković, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds on the night, it wasn’t the offense but the defense that made the game an easy win for Illinois. Limiting the Cougars to just 34% shooting from the field, they posted their lowest scoring total of the year.
The offense also got 13 points apiece from Andrej Stojaković and Keaton Wagler, as the Illini exploded with a 17-0 run in the second half to effectively put the game on ice, with Houston failing to score for almost 7 minutes.
Now, Illinois will be in the Elite Eight for the 11th time overall and the second time in 3 years under head coach Brad Underwood.
#9 Iowa – The highest seed still alive in the competition, with a legitimate chance to break the all-time record set by Villanova in 1985 as a No. 8 seed, the Iowa Hawkeyes are following in the footsteps of the women’s team with their recent success.
Alvaro Folgueiras, after his exploits in the Round of 32, was once again sensational with 16 points on the night, including a critical 3-pointer, as the team made the Elite Eight in its first season under head coach Ben McCollum.
A close victory against Nebraska to the tune of 77-71 was marked by Bennett Stirtz chipping in with 20 points to overcome an early 10-point lead for the Cornhuskers. Their first lead from the comeback came with just 2:10 remaining in the game, before a Sage Tate triple effectively put the game on ice.
Now, the No. 9-seeded Iowa squad gets ready for a clash against Illinois for the South Region crown.
West Region Breakdown: Arizona and Purdue Survive
#1 Arizona – In one of the most dominant showings in recent memory, Arizona thoroughly outplayed Arkansas to give head coach John Calipari a lopsided defeat, beating them 109-88.
Making it to the Elite Eight for the first time in over 10 years, they were led by 23 points from Brayden Burries and 21 from Koa Peat. Four other players added 14 or more, making it the first time in NCAA Tournament history that 6 players scored 14+ in a game.
Winning their 12th consecutive game, they have already gone farther than ever before in head coach Tommy Lloyd’s relatively short tenure. But they have a chance to do something truly special in the coming days.
#2 Purdue – Based on pure seeding, this should have been a relative cakewalk for the Purdue Boilermakers. But they were in for a battle of the ages as they barely eked past the No. 11-seeded Texas Longhorns 79-77.
Tied at 77, superstar point guard Braden Smith drove to the rim for a potential layup, but he missed. However, Trey Kaufman-Renn was in the perfect position to tip in the game-winner with just 0.7 seconds on the clock.
Scoring 20 points, it was a joint effort from the Boilermakers’ starting five, as each player scored in double digits. Now, a No. 1 vs. No. 2 seed matchup is going to determine the West Region as Purdue takes on Arizona.
Midwest Region Breakdown: Michigan and Tennessee Clash
#1 Michigan – The story of the game boiled down to Yaxel Lendeborg, who was sensational in the final minutes of the game to seal off any chance of Alabama stealing the win, as Michigan took a commanding 90-77 win to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in 5 years.
On the night, he finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, while getting solid help from Trey McKenney and Elliot Cadeau, who added 17 points each to combat a 35-point explosion from Labaron Philon Jr.
After two consecutive trips to the Elite Eight, they fell short by a whisker, as they fell to a school-record-setting campaign for the Wolverines.
#6 Tennessee – The Tennessee Volunteers are back in the Elite Eight for the third straight season with a 76-62 domination of the second-seeded Iowa State, who have now lost 6 of their 7 games in the Sweet 16.
A 43-22 rebounding advantage told the story of the game, as 4 Volunteers (Jaylen Carey, Felix Okpara, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, and Nate Ament) finished in double digits to help guide their team to a dominant win.
Now, they face the No. 1 seed in the Midwest as Tennessee vs. Michigan is the official Elite Eight matchup.
