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The 2026 NCAA Tournament resumes on Thursday night, with Sweet Sixteen games featuring region favorites Arizona and Houston, dangerous squads Purdue, Illinois and Arkansas, and relative surprises Texas, Iowa and even Nebraska. Friday's slate includes region favorites Duke and Michigan, traditional tourney powerhouses UCONN and Michigan State, and sleeper teams Iowa State, St. John's and Tennessee. Make the jump to review the Sweet Sixteen schedule and determine which games you should prioritize, that is, if you won't be watching multiple television or computer screens at once. :-)
Thursday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #1
Game #49: (2) Purdue vs. (11) Texas, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #50: (4) Nebraska vs. (9) Iowa, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, watch Nebraska vs. Iowa, as this contest reflects coaches getting the most out of "limited" players who fit a certain system. I wouldn't be surprised if either the Cornhuskers or Hawkeyes win. Purdue versus Texas should lean heavily toward the Boilermakers. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the Nebraska and Iowa game.
Thursday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #2
Game #51: (1) Arizona vs. (4) Arkansas, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #52: (2) Houston vs. (3) Illinois, 9:05 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, choose Arizona vs. Arkansas, as this contest should be up-and-down and highly entertaining. As I have a dog in the game, I will be watching my Illini trying to pull off the monumental upset against Houston, in Houston, Texas, of all places. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the Illinois and Houston game.
Friday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #1
Game #53: (1) Duke vs. (5) St. John's, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #54: (1) Michigan vs. (4) Alabama, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, watch Michigan versus Alabama, which should be a high-scoring game pitting the Wolverines massive interior domination against the Crimson Tide's three-point attack. Duke versus St. John's will be more of a half-court, physical and chippy slog. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the Michigan and Alabama game.
Friday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #2
Game #55: (2) UCONN vs. (3) Michigan State, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #56: (2) Iowa State vs. (6) Tennessee, 9:10 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, watch UCONN versus Michigan State, which will pit two of the all-time greatest head coaches in NCAA Tournament history, the Huskies' Dan Hurley against the Spartans' Tom Izzo. Even without Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State should get past Tennessee in a defensive battle. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the UCONN and Michigan State game.
Overall, the Friday night games are way more appealing, though Thursday's night slates offer a good share of intrigue. All in all, this should be a great Sweet Sixteen, with a lot of games harder to call than it appears on the surface. I will be providing my Sweet Sixteen predictions on Thursday!
To keep you hanging, here's how I would rank these games in terms of most to least interesting to watch, in terms of competitiveness/closeness, styles of play, overall talent, and potential for an upset. In other words, these are the games I am most excited watching.
1. (2) Houston vs. (3) Illinois, 9:05 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
2. (1) Arizona vs. (4) Arkansas, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
3. (1) Michigan vs. (4) Alabama, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
4. (2) UCONN vs. (3) Michigan State, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
5. (1) Duke vs. (5) St. John's, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
6. (2) Iowa State vs. (6) Tennessee, 9:10 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
7. (4) Nebraska vs. (9) Iowa, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
8. (2) Purdue vs. (11) Texas, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #49: (2) Purdue vs. (11) Texas, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #50: (4) Nebraska vs. (9) Iowa, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, watch Nebraska vs. Iowa, as this contest reflects coaches getting the most out of "limited" players who fit a certain system. I wouldn't be surprised if either the Cornhuskers or Hawkeyes win. Purdue versus Texas should lean heavily toward the Boilermakers. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the Nebraska and Iowa game.
Thursday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #2
Game #51: (1) Arizona vs. (4) Arkansas, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #52: (2) Houston vs. (3) Illinois, 9:05 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, choose Arizona vs. Arkansas, as this contest should be up-and-down and highly entertaining. As I have a dog in the game, I will be watching my Illini trying to pull off the monumental upset against Houston, in Houston, Texas, of all places. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the Illinois and Houston game.
Friday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #1
Game #53: (1) Duke vs. (5) St. John's, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #54: (1) Michigan vs. (4) Alabama, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, watch Michigan versus Alabama, which should be a high-scoring game pitting the Wolverines massive interior domination against the Crimson Tide's three-point attack. Duke versus St. John's will be more of a half-court, physical and chippy slog. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the Michigan and Alabama game.
Friday Night Sweet Sixteen Games, Slate #2
Game #55: (2) UCONN vs. (3) Michigan State, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Game #56: (2) Iowa State vs. (6) Tennessee, 9:10 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
If you have no dog in the game, watch UCONN versus Michigan State, which will pit two of the all-time greatest head coaches in NCAA Tournament history, the Huskies' Dan Hurley against the Spartans' Tom Izzo. Even without Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State should get past Tennessee in a defensive battle. I am planning on doing a live running reaction of the UCONN and Michigan State game.
Overall, the Friday night games are way more appealing, though Thursday's night slates offer a good share of intrigue. All in all, this should be a great Sweet Sixteen, with a lot of games harder to call than it appears on the surface. I will be providing my Sweet Sixteen predictions on Thursday!
To keep you hanging, here's how I would rank these games in terms of most to least interesting to watch, in terms of competitiveness/closeness, styles of play, overall talent, and potential for an upset. In other words, these are the games I am most excited watching.
1. (2) Houston vs. (3) Illinois, 9:05 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
2. (1) Arizona vs. (4) Arkansas, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
3. (1) Michigan vs. (4) Alabama, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
4. (2) UCONN vs. (3) Michigan State, 8:45 p.m. (CT) on CBS
5. (1) Duke vs. (5) St. John's, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
6. (2) Iowa State vs. (6) Tennessee, 9:10 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
7. (4) Nebraska vs. (9) Iowa, 6:30 p.m. (CT) on TBS/truTV
8. (2) Purdue vs. (11) Texas, 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
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