Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments Heat Up as Sweet 16 Arrives

After a whirlwind opening weekend, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments have both narrowed their fields to 16, and the race to the Final Four is officially on.

In the men’s bracket, the SEC made history, sending seven teams to the Sweet 16—more than any conference in tournament history. However, the Big Ten held strong, advancing four teams of their own: Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, and Maryland.

Michigan knocked out Texas A&M in a high-scoring battle, Purdue coasted past McNeese, and Maryland edged Colorado State in a one-point thriller. While no mid-major teams remain, the second weekend is shaping up to be a heavyweight showdown dominated by power conferences.

On the women’s side, Maryland will represent the Big Ten when they take on top-seeded South Carolina this Friday at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN. Saturday’s slate includes marquee matchups such as UConn vs. Oklahoma, Texas vs. Tennessee, and Notre Dame vs. TCU.

The winners from both brackets will punch their ticket to the Elite Eight, with Final Four play beginning April 4 for the women in Tampa, Florida, and April 6 for the men in Phoenix, Arizona.