Account
Sweet 16 2019: Updated Bracket and TV Info for Remainder of NCAA Tournament
March 29, 2019
The Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament began with four matchups on Thursday night, and four more will take place on Friday.
No. 1 seeds Gonzaga and Virginia and No. 3 seeds Purdue and Texas Tech have already secured their spots in this weekend's Elite Eight round. Those schools will be joined by four more after Friday's action.
After No. 12 seed Oregon lost Thursday, no team seeded lower than No. 5 is still alive in the tournament. And there's only one No. 5 seed, Auburn, which plays No. 1 seed North Carolina on Friday.
Bracket
NCAA Tournament Schedule (All Times ET)
Sweet 16
Friday
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 2 Michigan State, 7:09 p.m., CBS
No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 1 North Carolina, 7:29 p.m., TBS
No. 4 Virginia Tech vs. No. 1 Duke, 9:39 p.m., CBS
No. 3 Houston vs. No. 2 Kentucky, 9:59 p.m., TBS
Elite Eight
Saturday
No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Gonzaga, 6:09 p.m., TBS
No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 1 Virginia, 8:49 p.m., TBS
Sunday
No. 4 Virginia Tech or No. 1 Duke vs. No. 3 LSU or No. 2 Michigan State, 2 p.m. or 4:55 p.m., CBS
No. 5 Auburn or No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 3 Houston or No. 2 Kentucky, 2 p.m. or 4:55 p.m., CBS
Final Four and National Championship
Saturday, April 6
Semifinal 1, 6 p.m., CBS
Semifinal 2, 8:30 p.m., CBS
Monday, April 8
National championship, 9 p.m., CBS
Friday Predictions
No. 2 Michigan State over No. 3 LSU
Michigan State has won 12 of its last 14 games, including the Big Ten tournament championship game against Michigan and NCAA tournament games against No. 15 seed Bradley and No. 10 seed Minnesota. Now, the Spartans will carry that momentum into their matchup with LSU.
The Tigers have surprised some with their run to the Sweet 16. Although they were the SEC regular-season champions, they've been playing without head coach Will Wade, who was suspended for his involvement in a wiretap scandal.
Michigan State, which has been to 14 Sweet 16 rounds under head coach Tom Izzo, will advance to the Elite Eight while aiming to make the Final Four for the first time since 2015.
"We're excited for the opportunity to play another weekend," Izzo said, according to the Associated Press. "There are only 16 teams left and the weather is getting nice, days are getting longer and we're practicing at the right time of the year."
No. 1 North Carolina over No. 5 Auburn
North Carolina's only two losses in their last 17 games were against ACC rivals Duke and Virginia, which are also both No. 1 seeds in the tournament. The Tar Heels were impressive in their second-round victory over No. 9 seed Washington, beating the Pac-12 regular-season champion by 22 points.
Now, the Tar Heels face No. 5 seed Auburn, which won the SEC tournament championship and has faced tougher competition in March Madness, beating No. 12 seed New Mexico State and No. 4 seed Kansas.
However, North Carolina will continue its strong run by beating Auburn, the lowest-seeded team in the tournament after No. 12 seed Oregon lost on Thursday.
"Needless to say, anybody who advances past this point you feel good about a win in the second round," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said, according to the Associated Press. "I love our toughness, and I love the edge our bench gave us [vs. Washington]."
No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Virginia Tech
Duke is coming off a near upset in the second round, and now it faces Virginia Tech, which it lost to in the only meeting between the two ACC rivals on Feb. 26.
However, the Blue Devils are the No. 1 overall seed, and they didn't have freshman star Zion Williamson in their last meeting with the Hokies. Williamson has since led Duke to the ACC tournament championship and two NCAA tourney wins.
Coming off their close victory over No. 9 seed UCF in the second round, the Blue Devils won't have another close call this round as they handily move on to the Elite Eight.
"These kids, they have it," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said, according to the Associated Press. "They have it. Hopefully, we can continue to advance, but I love who they are and I have confidence in the team."
No. 2 Kentucky over No. 3 Houston
The third and final SEC team to play on Friday, Kentucky will also be the only school from the conference that advances to the Elite Eight.
Both these teams have had strong defensive showings during March Madness. However, the Wildcats, who have allowed an average of 50 points in their two NCAA tournament games, will have the advantage and make shots when they need to late against the Cougars.
However, Kentucky may have to do it without sophomore forward PJ Washington, who has been dealing with a sprained foot.
"I'm trying to get back to play, but right now it's up in the air," Washington said Thursday, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.