Men's NCAA Tournament 2025: Ultimate Guide to the Men's Elite Eight

Two action-packed nights have trimmed the 2025 men's NCAA tournament field from 16 teams to eight.

Explosive offenses highlighted Thursday's slate, as Alabama and Duke both reached the 100-point mark to set up a high-scoring showdown in the East Region. Texas Tech capped the evening with a dramatic comeback and is set to face top-seeded Florida in the West Region's portion of the Elite Eight.

Then on Friday, Michigan State, Auburn and Houston all survived hard-fought matchups. Tennessee earned the lone comfortable win of the night.

Along with providing the weekend schedule with TV listings, we've shared a preview of the contests set to determine the 2025 Final Four.

Schedule and TV Info

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Saturday, March 29

No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Florida (West Region), 6:09 p.m. ET (TBS and truTV)

No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 Duke (East Region), 8:49 p.m. ET (TBS and truTV)

Sunday, March 30

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Houston (Midwest Region), 2:20 p.m. ET (CBS)

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 1 Auburn (South Region), 5:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Florida

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Walter Clayton Jr. and Todd Golden

How Texas Tech Got Here

In the opening round, the Red Raiders set an NCAA tournament record with 46 three-point attempts in a win over UNC Wilmington. Darrion Williams and All-American forward JT Toppin have since taken over, both scoring 20-plus points against Drake and Arkansas. Texas Tech recovered from a 16-point deficit to stun Arkansas in the Sweet 16.

How Florida Got Here

Florida cruised past Norfolk State before outlasting Connecticut, knocking out the reigning two-time champions in a tight 77-75 final. Then, the Gators dominated the second half to eliminate Maryland and secure the program's first trip to the Elite Eight since the 2017 campaign.

Matchup to Watch

Put simply, the entire backcourt. Tech leans on Toppin yet is loaded with three-point options, while UF's guard trio of All-American talent Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard is electric. Win the perimeter, win the game? It seems likely.

No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 Duke

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Mark Sears

How Alabama Got Here

Offense. A ton of it. Alabama survived 15th-seeded Robert Morris in the first round, leaning on 22 points and 10 assists from All-American guard Mark Sears during the 90-81 triumph. Six players hit double figures as Bama toppled Saint Mary's to reach the Sweet 16, where the Crimson Tide broke Texas Tech's fresh record with 51 three-point attempts—and knocked down a March Madness-record 25 of them—while eliminating BYU 113-88.

How Duke Got Here

Duke has traveled a less adventurous road, overwhelming both Mount St. Mary's and Baylor on the opening weekend. Arizona put a terrific fight on Thursday, but the ACC champion Blue Devils rode 30 points from Cooper Flagg and 20 from fellow freshman Kon Knueppel to a 100-93 victory.

Matchup to Watch

We could highlight the depth of both offenses. We could dig into Alabama's issues defending the rim. The other fascinating part, though, is Bama's breakneck pace—the fastest in the nation, per KenPom—compared to Duke's more methodical style ranked 264th. Duke is capable of playing fast, but how intentional will the Blue Devils be about slowing Bama's tempo?

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 1 Auburn

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Jase Richardson

How Michigan State Got Here

If you're looking for style points, Michigan State doesn't have many of those. Bryant, a No. 15 seed, only trailed MSU by five at halftime in the first round. New Mexico made it difficult on the Spartans in a 71-63 result, and Ole Miss competed to the finish in a 73-70 game. Largely thanks to its excellent three-point defense, though, MSU has kept on winning.

How Auburn Got Here

Rebounding has been a key advantage for Auburn. All three of the Tigers' victories have featured a plus-nine margin (or better) on the glass, and that was no simple task opposite Creighton or Michigan. Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford averaging 19.7 points off the bench during the tourney has been crucial, too.

Matchup to Watch

Michigan State is most effective offensively when attacking the rim. Auburn, however, has a heck of a rim deterrent in All-American forward Johni Broome, who's swatted 2.2 shots per game. Dylan Cardwell has turned aside 1.5 per game, as well.

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Houston

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Ja'Vier Francis

How Tennessee Got Here

So much defense. Tennessee has held all three NCAA opponents to 65 points or below. Plus, the Volunteers have enjoyed a surge from All-American guard Zakai Zeigler. He just notched his second double-double of the Big Dance with 18 points and 10 assists opposite Kentucky in the Sweet 16.

How Houston Got Here

It certainly wasn't without drama! Houston walloped SIU Edwardsville in the first round but needed a last-minute run to fend off Gonzaga and last-second shot to survive Purdue. Milos Uzan dropped in that clutch shot to help the Coogs make a third trip to the Elite Eight since 2021.

Matchup to Watch

Houston is known for its defense, but Purdue star Braden Smith dished a staggering 15 assists in that 62-60 UH win on Friday. Zeigler, who's now averaging 7.5 assists this season, will be a pivotal figure in this matchup.