The greatest weekend in sports is down to its final day.
But dry those eyes, friends. We’ve still got eight more games to go as the men’s NCAA Tournament is whittled down to the Sweet 16.
And given all of the chalk from Friday night, it’s almost nothing but heavyweight matchups, from UCLA vs. UConn to Iowa State vs. Kentucky and Kansas vs. St. John’s. Buckle up, the Round of 32 is about to end with a bang.
Here’s what to watch on a jam-packed Sunday:
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 7 Miami
12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
The Hurricanes (26-8) beat Missouri in their first-round matchup with a simple formula: play stifling defense (Missouri shot 35 percent from the field), punish the Tigers on the glass (42-29 rebounding margin), and let Malik Reneau do his thing on the offensive end (24 points).
Purdue (28-8) presents a tougher challenge. The Boilermakers are one of the best offensive teams in the nation, averaging 82.3 points per contest and leading the country in adjusted offensive efficiency. They haven’t scored fewer than 70 points since a 68-64 victory over Oregon on Feb. 7.
Purdue also leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio, largely thanks to senior All-American point guard Braden Smith, who dishes out nine assists per game (second in the nation) and passed Duke legend Bobby Hurley for the most assists in NCAA Division I history in Friday’s first-round win.
If Purdue has a weakness — and this could be a big one — it’s on the defensive end, particularly from 2-point range. Entering the NCAA Tournament, the Boilermakers had allowed opponents to shoot 53.1 percent inside the arc, and even overmatched Queens (NC) was able to shoot 57.5 percent from there in Purdue’s first-round blowout. That can’t happen against the Hurricanes, who not only have four players averaging double-figure scoring (led by Reneau at 19.0) but who are an excellent inside team, shooting 56.8 percent from 2-point range as a team this season. — Bob Harkins, staff editor
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 7 Kentucky
2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
Otega Oweh’s bank shot gave Kentucky new life. Can the most expensive roster in college basketball take advantage?
Oweh was a one-man wrecking crew in the Wildcats’ overtime win over Santa Clara, compiling 35 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one miracle shot in an instant March Madness classic. Kentucky (22-13) might need a similar performance to get past an Iowa State (28-7) team that entered Saturday with the nation’s fifth-best adjusted defensive efficiency rating on KenPom.
The Cyclones controlled their first-round game against Tennessee State from start to finish on Friday. The bad news: All-American forward Joshua Jefferson sprained his left ankle just three minutes into the game. If he can’t go Sunday, that’s 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game that Iowa State must replace. Another big game from freshman guard Killyan Toure (25 points, 11 rebounds vs. Tennessee State) wouldn’t hurt.
Kentucky has been wildly inconsistent all season, with just a 5-11 record against Quad 1 opponents. But this is a roster with a reported $22 million payroll. The talent is there. Whether that’s enough to trade haymakers with even a hobbled Cyclones squad is another matter altogether. — Matt Schubert, staff editor
No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 St. John’s
5:15 p.m. ET, CBS
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa made his final case to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft with a 35-point outburst in a losing, Herculean effort against No. 11 Texas.
That leaves Kansas star guard Darryn Peterson with the chance to get the last word. He played 37 minutes and dropped 28 points in a 68-60 win over No. 13 Cal Baptist in the first round. While the Lancers nearly completed one of the biggest comebacks in tournament history after going down by 26 points in the second half, the Jayhawks (24-10) endured and advanced.
St. John’s and its top-12 adjusted defensive efficiency rating on KenPom likely won’t let Kansas build that big of a lead. Rick Pitino’s squad is a full-court-pressing machine that squeezes the life out of opponents. While Kansas is formidable in its own right, possessing a top-10 KenPom defensive efficiency rating, St. John’s is capable of taking down giants.
The Red Storm (29-6) and Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor, a former Kansas Jayhawk, blew out coach Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies 72-52 to win the Big East Championship. That’s No. 2 seed UConn, a team that ranks in the top 30 in defensive and offensive rating.
This is a marquee matchup, from the coaches — Bill Self and Rick Pitino have a combined 112 tournament wins and four national titles — all the way down to the stars on the court. — Devon Henderson, staff writer
No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 6 Tennessee
6:10 p.m. ET, TNT
Virginia weathered a shot across its bow against Wright State in the first round, trailing by five at halftime before eventually pulling away for an 82-73 win. The Cavaliers (30-5) turned the ball over 12 times against the Raiders — unusual for a ball-control team that averages just 10.9 turnovers per game.
If they are to avoid a similarly tough game against an even better opponent, starting guards Malik Thomas and Sam Lewis must protect the ball. Another big game off the bench from senior guard Jacari White, who poured in 26 points against Wright State, wouldn’t hurt either.
A tepid Tennessee (23-11) offense faces a stiff test against Virginia. The Volunteers average 79.5 points a game, 12th in the 18-team SEC, while Virginia limits opponents to 68.5 points a night — the third-best mark in the ACC and top 50 in the nation.
The Volunteers will need more from five-star freshman forward Nate Ament. The likely first-round NBA draft pick averages 17 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, but is still waiting for his first points in the NCAA Tournament after going scoreless over 18 minutes in the Vols’ 78-56 win over No. 11 Miami (Ohio). Granted, Ament barely played in the second half and has been limited by a right ankle sprain, but he’ll need to be closer to 100 percent for Tennessee to top the Hoos.
Outside of Ament, expect Tennessee to again lean on first-team All-SEC guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who leads the team in scoring at 18.3 points per game this season and powered the Vols’ first-round win with 29 points and nine assists. — Devon Henderson, staff writer
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 9 Iowa
7:10 p.m. ET, TBS
Think back to the classic tortoise-and-hare story — this matchup could play out in a similar way. Florida (27-7) is the hare: fast-paced, explosive, finishing above the rim and controlling the glass.
Iowa (22-12) is the tortoise: methodical, efficient (20th nationally on offense) and comfortable turning games into a grind. The Hawkeyes don’t mind ugly — they’re 20-2 when holding opponents under 71 points.
But this is a tough stylistic clash for Iowa. Florida’s tempo and dominance on the boards could tilt things. The Gators are the best overall rebounding team in the country and rank second on the offensive glass, while Iowa sits 356th in defensive rebounding. That mismatch is hard to ignore.
In this race, speed and second chances may ultimately win out.
Keep an eye on the NBA-caliber talent in this one: Florida’s Thomas Haugh (17.0 points per game), Boogie Fland (11.7) and Alex Condon (14.9); Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz (19.9). — Tobias Bass, staff editor
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 9 Utah State
7:50 p.m. ET, truTV
Aside from back-to-back losses in mid-February (at Kansas, home vs. Texas Tech), Arizona (33-2) has been close to unstoppable this season. The Wildcats enter Sunday’s game on a 10-game winning streak, including a 34-point win over LIU in the first round.
Arizona ranks 13th in the nation in scoring (86.3 ppg), fifth in scoring margin (17.0) and second in adjusted efficiency, per KenPom. And you can’t focus on one person, as this might be the most balanced team in the country, with six players averaging at least 9.5 points per game, led by Brayden Burries at 16.0.
The path to an upset for Utah State (29-6)? Pack it in, be patient and hope Arizona has an off night. The Wildcats do not shoot a lot of 3-pointers and are merely solid when they do, ranking 50th in the nation in 3-point percentage (36.3 percent). While Arizona is a versatile offensive squad, the Aggies aren’t far behind, sitting 13th in effective field goal percentage. MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev are a dangerous one-two punch for Utah State, proving as much in the first round when they combined for 42 points in the win over Villanova. They’re going to have to be similarly dominant to beat Arizona. — Bob Harkins, staff editor
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 7 UCLA
8:45 p.m. ET, TNT
A pair of college basketball blue bloods meet in the East Regional, with both coming in slightly hobbled.
The big question hovering over UCLA (24-11) is the availability of leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau, who suffered a knee injury in the Big Ten tournament and then missed the Bruins’ first-round win over UCF. Guard Skyy Clark also chipped a tooth in Friday night’s win, although he emerged with a new one at Saturday’s practice session.
The Huskies (30-5) are dealing with a significant injury of their own after junior starter Silas Demary Jr. was held out of their first-round victory over Furman with an ankle injury. Senior Tarris Reed Jr. more than made up for his absence with a ridiculous 31-point, 27-rebound night — one of five double-doubles for the 6-foot-11 forward in his last seven games.
The similarities shared between these two programs don’t end at the injuries and national championship banners.
Both teams are led by irascible head coaches: Mick Cronin with UCLA, Danny Hurley with UConn. And both revel in grinding away games in the half-court: UCLA entered Saturday 313th in KenPom’s adjusted tempo rating, while UConn was 322nd.
Still, UConn holds a decided talent advantage, especially if Bilodeau doesn’t suit up. The Huskies have four players who were rated in the top 100 of The Athletic’s most recent prospect rankings, and the two Bruins to make that list (Bilodeau and senior guard Donovan Dent) were rated behind all four. — Matt Schubert, staff editor
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 5 Texas Tech
9:45 p.m. ET, TBS
If you’re into elite guard play and perimeter shooting, this one should deliver.
Alabama (24-9) will again be without Aden Holloway, and that absence looms large in a matchup like this. On the other side, Christian Anderson (18.9 points per game) is a problem, and Texas Tech (23-10) surrounds him with serious shooting threats. Donovan Atwell is hitting 42 percent from 3, while Jaylen Petty connects on more than 37 percent of his shots from deep.
Where Alabama may have the edge is depth. Texas Tech’s bench isn’t as deep, and that could matter over the course of a high-paced game. Expect the Tide to lean into that advantage and try to wear down the Red Raiders.
Anderson versus Labaron Philon Jr. (22.0 points per game) is a matchup with real star power, with NBA scouts likely watching closely. Philon, in particular, could thrive pushing the tempo. Alabama also has multiple players capable of scoring 10-15 points on a given night.
It may come down to X-factors: Whose role players show up when it matters most? And in a game that could turn into a battle of endurance, will Texas Tech have enough to withstand the pressure? — Tobias Bass, staff editor