The Athletic has live coverage of the March Madness Sweet 16 matchups.
While the 2024 NCAA Tournament didn’t provide many upsets or Cinderella teams, it did leave us with eight high-quality matchups in the Sweet 16. The eight games are spread out over Thursday and Friday, with four games on each day. Our experts at The Athletic have provided their picks for who they think will win each matchup.
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Only one spread is more than 10 points so there should be a lot of competitive games in this round. Defending champion UConn is favored by 10.5 points against San Diego State. Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas and Detroit will host the four regions.
This tournament has been dominated by favorites as they went 15-1 in the second round. That’s why there’s a lot of chalk going into this Sweet 16, but those tables could turn quickly and would see some upsets in this round. Typically, a couple of lower-seeded teams sneak through to the Sweet 16, but the break between the second round and the Sweet 16 gives teams enough time to prepare and watch the film on these overachieving teams.
Odds are from BetMGM and update live. Find the best ticket deals on StubHub.
Thursday games
Clemson Tigers vs. Arizona Wildcats
7:09 p.m. ET on CBS
San Diego State Aztecs vs. Connecticut Huskies
7:39 p.m. ET on TBS/TRU
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
9:39 p.m. ET on CBS
Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Iowa State Cyclones
10:09 p.m. ET on TBS/TRU
Friday games
North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Marquette Golden Eagles
7:09 p.m. ET on CBS
Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Purdue Boilermakers
7:39 p.m. ET on TBS
Duke Blue Devils vs. Houston Cougars
9:39 p.m. ET on CBS
Creighton Bluejays vs. Tennessee Volunteers
10:09 p.m. ET on TBS
(Photo of Keshon Gilbert: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)