The Athletic has live coverage of the second round of 2026 Men’s March Madness.
The first round is done. Now, it’s time to decide the Sweet 16.
The NCAA Tournament moves to the weekend with 32 teams left in the bracket. A few Cinderellas remain — none feistier than the High Point Panthers. But will any move on to the second weekend?
It all starts with “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” and the Saint Louis Billikens against top-seeded Michigan, and it ends with High Point vs. Arkansas in a must-see nightcap. There should be plenty of twists and turns in between, and maybe even a buzzer-beater or two.
Here’s what to watch for Saturday in the NCAA Tournament:
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Saint Louis
12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
The first halves of Michigan’s and Saint Louis’ first-round games were different, but the result was the same. That’s what makes this matchup between the Wolverines and Billikens in the second round such an interesting one.
The Wolverines can use bigs Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. to damage opponents, and the Billikens can do the same with 6-foot-10 senior Robbie Avila (aka Milk Chamberlain). Saint Louis boasts the shortest 2-point field goal distance in the country, according to the CBS broadcast via KenPom, meaning it consistently gets points in and around the paint. Avila is at the core of that and has proven to be a threat both shooting and putting the ball on the floor. And he’s not the only one.
Saint Louis shoots 39.8 percent from beyond the arc and isn’t afraid to let it fly. That can create problems if the Billikens find their shooting touch early or if the Wolverines opt to slow the pace. Saint Louis can also dictate pace and tempo, which it did when it beat Georgia at its own strength.
Michigan’s guard play is an X-factor and could make it dangerous if the Wolverines decide to push the pace. Elliot Cadeau and Nimari Burnett are two of Michigan’s top 3-point shooters.
If transition points dictate the game, expect a high-scoring contest. Per The Athletic’s C.J. Moore, Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz and Michigan coach Dusty May are good friends and talk often. This will be a fun, friendly rivalry. — Zach Powell, staff editor
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Louisville
2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
Expect a jarring clash of styles. The Cardinals want to push the pace and fire as many shots from deep as possible. Over 50 percent of the team’s shot diet under Pat Kelsey is from 3-point range, and its 32.1 attempts per game are the most in the ACC.
Meanwhile, if there’s one thing a Tom Izzo Michigan State team will do, it’s take the air out of the basketball. The Spartans’ 68.9 possessions per game rank No. 265 in the country, and they take just 21.3 3s per game, the sixth fewest in the Big Ten.
The Spartans’ two-big lineup of Jaxon Kohler (6-feet-9) and Carson Cooper (6-11) controlled the glass in Michigan State’s 92-67 first-round win over North Dakota State. The two collected 19 combined rebounds compared to 23 from the entire Bison team.
Michigan State is also led by a true floor-general point guard in sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr., who is averaging 15.4 points and 9.2 assists this season. The Spartans will try to dictate the pace, and Louisville will have to push back without star freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who is still nursing a nagging back injury.
How the Cardinals cope will likely decide this one. — Devon Henderson, staff writer
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 TCU
5:15 p.m. ET CBS
Expect a much sharper and locked-in Duke squad when it faces TCU on Saturday. The Blue Devils looked out of sync for long stretches in their opener, grinding through a tougher-than-expected game against a Siena team that essentially ran with just five players.
If TCU wants to pull the upset, the blueprint is there: Slow the tempo, disrupt Duke’s rhythm and turn it into a half-court battle. With Duke dealing with injuries, the Horned Frogs have a real opportunity to compete on the glass and capitalize on second-chance points. If their dynamic duo, David Punch and Xavier Edmonds, can control the boards and consistently pressure Duke’s frontcourt, TCU can make this interesting — especially if foul trouble becomes a factor. It’s also worth noting that while TCU ranks in the top 65 in free-throw attempts, the Horned Frogs shot only 14 against Ohio State. Expect a much more aggressive approach attacking the rim this time around.
At its best, Duke thrives on offensive flow, and it starts with Cameron Boozer. TCU will throw multiple defenders at him, but Boozer has the edge in those matchups. The question is who steps up alongside him. His twin, Cayden Boozer, delivered with 19 points and five assists against Sienna, while Isaiah Evans contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds despite struggling from deep. For Duke to separate, it will need another piece — whether it’s Dame Sarr, Maliq Brown or Nikolas Khamenia — making timely plays on both ends. — Tobias Bass, staff editor
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 10 Texas A&M
6:10 p.m. ET, TNT
Houston enters this matchup with a top-15 offense and a top-5 defense, per KenPom, but here’s the reality — Texas A&M can’t afford to sit back. The Aggies have to be aggressive.
Yes, the analytics say Houston is elite on defense, but the Cougars haven’t been quite as disruptive as they were a year ago. Teams have found cracks. When opponents shoot 40 percent or better from the field, Houston is just 2-4. That opens the door for an Aggies team that ranks top 55 in 3-point percentage and top 50 in offensive efficiency. Playing timid won’t cut it — especially with an Aggies defense that is giving up 78.7 points per game. This game will require Texas A&M to score, plain and simple.
The challenge? Finishing inside won’t come easy. Former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year JoJo Tugler is a force at the rim, so the Aggies will need to lean heavily on their perimeter shooting.
Houston counters with one of the most dangerous backcourts in the country — a three-headed monster featuring projected top-seven pick Kingston Flemings (16.4 points per game), Emanuel Sharp (15.3) and Milos Uzan (11.1).
Flemings, in particular, is relentless. He lives in the paint and can get to his spots whenever he wants. You’re not stopping him, you’re just hoping to slow him down.
Still, Texas A&M has enough firepower to make this interesting. Rashaun Agee leads the way with 14.9 points per game, and the Aggies have the kind of shooting that can flip a game instantly. If Rylan Griffen and X-factor Pop Isaacs get hot, this is a team capable of knocking down 15-plus 3s out of nowhere.
So the question becomes: Is Saturday the day everything clicks? — Tobias Bass, staff editor
No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Texas
7:10 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
You never quite know which version of Texas will show up. One night, the Longhorns look unstoppable, the next, they struggle to find rhythm. Regardless, they’ve played their way into a Round of 32 showdown with Gonzaga.
Texas brings balance offensively, with four players averaging 13-plus points per game, headlined by NBA prospect Dailyn Swain. The Longhorns rank top 10 nationally in both free-throw attempts and makes and pair that with a top-20 offense. On any given night, that core can erupt — each capable of dropping 20 and swinging the game.
The concern? Texas doesn’t generate turnovers and lacks consistency in other areas outside of offensive rebounding, making it harder to recover when things go south.
Gonzaga, on the other hand, leans into experience — and it shows. The Bulldogs are disciplined, rarely turning the ball over, while ranking top 10 in defensive efficiency and 31st in offense. Third-team All-American Graham Ike anchors them with 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, setting the tone physically and offensively.
This is a tough, physical Gonzaga group that thrives inside, ranking 17th in 2-point efficiency.
The deciding factor could come down to the glass. Texas is 13-1 when it secures 36 or more rebounds, but only five teams have managed to hit that mark against Gonzaga this season.
If Texas can impose its physicality and win the rebounding battle, the upset is very much in play. Either way, this is one of the more underrated matchups of the round. — Tobias Bass, staff editor
No. 11 VCU vs. No. 3 Illinois
7:50 p.m. ET, CBS
The VCU Rams kept their season alive Thursday when they completed the sixth-largest comeback in men’s NCAA Tournament history by erasing a 19-point deficit to defeat North Carolina in an overtime shocker. Now, the Rams have an even bigger test against Illinois.
VCU, behind sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr.’s 34-point game, showed resilience in pulling off the win. Illinois, meanwhile, routed No. 14 Penn behind a big performance from David Mirković in one of the Illini’s most complete games this season.
Still, the Illini will be tested in this matchup. VCU imposes its defensive will with nagging ball pressure and will hope to force turnovers and get out in transition.
The Rams average 7.3 steals per game, ranking 117th in Division I, and have averaged 81.6 points this season. Equally importantly, the Rams’ roster is deep, so VCU will keep its rotations fresh to maintain constant pressure, something Illinois didn’t have to deal with in the opening round.
Illinois led Penn by 10 at the half and opened up the game with a 65-point second half. The final 20 minutes of that win are more of what the Illini have been capable of this season, and Illinois ranks ninth in 3-pointers made per game with nine. Seeing the ball go through the basket could boost confidence on defense as well. — Zach Powell, staff editor
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt
8:45 p.m. ET, TNT
The Cornhuskers finally got One Shining Moment. Can they make it two in the same tournament?
Two days after securing Nebrasketball’s first NCAA Tournament win in program history with a rout of Troy, the Huskers are a win away from the second weekend. Standing in the way is a Vanderbilt program that hasn’t reached the Sweet 16 in 19 years.
The Commodores were tested in a 78-68 win over Southland Conference champion McNeese State in the first round, with sophomore guard Tyler Tanner scoring 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the second half en route to a game-high 26 points and five assists. Now he faces an even sturdier defense in Nebraska, which entered the tournament with the seventh-best defensive rating in the nation, per KenPom.
There were heroes aplenty in the Biggest Win In Nebraska History on Thursday — a 76-47 demolition of Sun Belt champion Troy. And none were bigger than Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort, who did what he’s done all season by sinking 7 of 12 from the 3-point line as part of a 23-point, five-rebound performance. The Trojans shot just 28.3 percent from the field and turned it over 17 times against the Husker defense.
Can Nebraska do the same to a Vanderbilt attack currently sporting a top-10 offensive rating on KenPom? — Matt Schubert, staff editor
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 12 High Point
9:45 p.m. ET, truTV/CBS
If High Point’s plan to continue its Cinderella run is to try to offensively blitz Arkansas the same way it did Wisconsin, the Panthers are in for a long night.
Wisconsin was a solid offensive team, averaging 83 points per game. High Point averages 90, so the goal of outshooting the Badgers turned out to be feasible.
Arkansas, on the other hand, has scored 100-plus points seven times this season. Arkansas is the SEC champion. And most principally of all, Arkansas averages 90 points a game with five-star freshman Darius Acuff Jr. (23 points per game) running the show.
Wisconsin was a solid Big Ten team with solid talent.
Arkansas is coached by John Calipari, and the Razorbacks have five five-star recruits on the roster.
With all that being said, High Point was the underdog against the Badgers as well. Chase Johnston wasn’t supposed to lead the effort in toppling a high-major school. And yet, after the senior guard hit four audacious 3s and his first, and only, 2-pointer of the season, the Panthers are here.
Conventional wisdom says the Cinderella run ends here.
But Cinderella was anything but conventional. — Devon Henderson, staff writer
