After two grueling rounds and several exciting instant classics, the Sweet 16 round of March Madness is almost here, as 16 of the top teams from all over the country have advanced. There were a few shocking upsets, with only one double-digit team remaining in the tournament after shocking two higher-ranked favorites. And to think they were also a First Four team, which shows that anything could happen during the NCAA Tournament.
The tournament started out with 64 teams, 68 if the teams that participated in the First Four round included. Now that it is down to 16, it shows how difficult it is to make it to this stage, as several favorites like No. 2 Iowa have already been eliminated. Here are the 16 teams left in the tournament and their respective opponents:
NCAA Tournament 2026 Sweet 16 Teams
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 4 North Carolina
UConn proved why they are the undefeated No. 1-ranked team after cruising against UTSA and Syracuse. Meanwhile, UNC had an easy game against Western Illinois but had a bit of a fight against Maryland.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Minnesota
The Bruins were also cruising in the first two rounds against Cal Baptist and Oklahoma State, while Minnesota had an easy win over Green Bay but had a barn-burner of an instant classic against Ole Miss.
No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Vanderbilt
Hannah Hidalgo cannot be denied and scored a rare upset in the women’s bracket to book Notre Dame into the Sweet 16. Can they do it against Vandy, which was dominant in the first two games?
No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Duke
Both teams essentially cruised into the Sweet 16, which makes this a very interesting matchup as both have been dominant so far and may be in for a close battle.
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
Dawn Staley’s squad has functioned like a well-oiled machine and has demolished its first two opponents. However, they may be up for their first true challenge in the tournament, as the Sooners have also been cruising and may be able to give the Gamecocks a close fight.
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Kentucky
The reigning SEC champions are taking on another opponent from their conference in what should be an exciting contest, given that Kentucky kept it a lot closer than Texas expected the last time they met.
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Louisville
Like many No.2 and No. 3 teams, both the Wolverines and the Cardinals have not yet been seriously challenged, dismantling their respective opponents with ease. This one should be close.
No. 10 Virginia vs. No. 3 TCU
The Cavs have many people talking after upsetting No. 2 Iowa after coming in from the First Four round. TCU, on the other hand, has Olivia Miles, who is hungry for a national title and would not let a No. 10 upset her chances.
Read More:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
