NCAA March Madness: What Does the Sweet 16 Look Like? Matchups and More

With top favorites and a few underdogs still in the race, March Madness is reaching a crucial stage with the Sweet 16! Check out the upcoming matchups starting this thursday !

The 2025 March Madness is heating up, and the Sweet 16 phase promises even more excitement. These games will take place on Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28. So far, the tournament has already given us thrilling duels, unexpected upsets, and unforgettable performances. Now, after an intense first week, only 16 teams remain in the hunt for the NCAA national title.

With the competition tightening, powerhouse teams like Duke and Florida will be under pressure, while underdogs such as Ole Miss and Arkansas will be fighting to extend their Cinderella stories. Let’s take a closer look at how the teams have advanced so far, analyzing the surprises, the performances of the favorites, and, of course, the highly anticipated Sweet 16 matchups.

Duke Dominates While Florida Barely Survives, UConn Eliminated

Among the Sweet 16 qualifiers, Florida’s performance stands out. The game between Florida and UConn was one of the most intense of the tournament so far. With a tight 77-75 victory, Florida secured its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2017 and now aims to reclaim its past glory. On the other hand, the UConn Huskies, the reigning NCAA champions, saw their 13-game March Madness winning streak come to an abrupt end.

Freshmen with 30+ Pts, 15+ Reb, 10+ Ast through 2 NCAAT games over the last 30 years

2025 Cooper Flagg

That's the list pic.twitter.com/wwB2125bqB
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 23, 2025

Meanwhile, Duke continues to impress. Led by rising stars Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, the Blue Devils have displayed outstanding teamwork and are solidifying their status as the top title contenders. Their dominant 93-49 win in the first round, followed by an 89-66 victory over Baylor, highlights their superiority over the competition.

As for big upsets, Arkansas shocked the tournament by eliminating St. John’s, the No. 2 seed. BYU also surprised many by defeating the Wisconsin Badgers, while Ole Miss comfortably took down Iowa State.

WALTER CLAYTON JR. PUT ON A SHOW VS UCONN 🔥

• 23 PTS
• 5 3PM
• Win over 2x defending champs

The first Florida player have back-to-back 20pt games to start the NCAA tournament since 1987 👀 pic.twitter.com/UhhMKcn3MZ
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) March 23, 2025

What to Expect in the Sweet 16?

The Sweet 16 is always a stage for thrilling matchups, and the 2025 tournament will be no exception. While some teams enter as clear favorites, this phase is usually highly competitive, featuring the best college teams vying for a spot in the Elite 8.

It’s also a pivotal moment for top prospects looking to boost (or hurt) their stock for the NBA Draft. Teams like Duke, Houston, Auburn, and Florida will aim to assert their dominance, while Arkansas, Ole Miss, BYU, and Purdue dream of making history.

Also read :

Houston ends Gonzaga’s Record-tying Sweet 16 Streak

Sweet 16 Matchups

The Sweet 16 games will take place on March 27 and 28. The eight winners will then advance to the Elite 8. Will we see more upsets, or will the favorites continue their march toward the championship?

Here are the matchups that promise to shake up this decisive stage of the NCAA March Madness: