
The Sweet 16 is a series of games in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments. The Sweet 16 games are part of the March Madness tournament, which features 64 men's and women's college basketball teams. The Sweet 16 games are played by the remaining teams after the first and second rounds of the tournament, with the winners advancing to the regional finals. The Sweet 16 games are known for delivering some of the most thrilling moments of March Madness, with powerhouse programs and underdog teams alike vying for a chance to continue in the tournament.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 27-28 March 2025 |
| Teams | Men's: Auburn, Duke, Florida, Houston, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Iowa State, Arkansas; Women's: Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, USC |
| Streaming | Men's: CBS Sports, TNT Sports, Paramount+, Max; Women's: ESPN, ABC |
| Location | Men's: Atlanta, Indianapolis, Newark, San Francisco; Women's: Birmingham, Spokane |
| Related tournaments | March Madness, NCAA tournament |
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What You'll Learn
- The Sweet 16 is part of the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournament
- The 2025 Sweet 16 men's teams included Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston
- The 2025 Sweet 16 women's teams included Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, and USC
- The Sweet 16 games are aired on CBS, TNT, ESPN, Paramount+, and Max
- The Sweet 16 games are divided between different cities

The Sweet 16 is part of the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournament
The Sweet 16 is a highly anticipated part of the annual NCAA Division I basketball tournament, also known as March Madness. The tournament features both men's and women's teams from Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Sweet 16 round is when the tournament truly heats up, often delivering some of the most thrilling moments of March Madness.
The Sweet 16 round is preceded by the First Four, First and Second Rounds, and followed by the Elite Eight, Final Four, and ultimately, the National Championship. The tournament is single-elimination, meaning a loss at any point results in elimination from the tournament. The Sweet 16 round is particularly exciting as it is when the tournament begins to narrow down, with only the top teams advancing.
In 2025, the men's Sweet 16 teams included powerhouses like Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston, while the women's brackets featured heavy hitters like Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, and USC. The men's games aired on CBS Sports and TNT Sports networks, while the women's games were broadcast on ESPN channels. The Sweet 16 games for the men's teams began on March 27, 2025, across four cities: Atlanta, Indianapolis, Newark, and San Francisco. The women's teams tipped off the following day, March 28, with games split between Birmingham and Spokane.
The Sweet 16 round is not to be confused with the "Final Four," which is the penultimate round of the tournament, consisting of the remaining four teams. The term "Final Four" was first used in the 1980s, but the format of four regional champions meeting for the national semifinals and championship dates back to the 1950s.
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The 2025 Sweet 16 men's teams included Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston
The Sweet 16 is a highly anticipated annual college basketball tournament in the US, where 16 men's and 16 women's teams compete in the single-elimination-style National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament. The 2025 Sweet 16 men's teams included Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston.
Auburn, Florida, and Duke all received top-four seeds in the NCAA tournament. Auburn beat Michigan State by overcoming Broome's mid-game injury, handing Michigan State its first NCAA tournament loss to an SEC team. Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. hit a pair of clutch 3-pointers, sending the Gators to the Final Four. Duke, with one of the top defensive units, forced the Crimson Tide into awkward, off-balance shots, limiting Alabama's options around the rim. Houston, meanwhile, denied eighth-seeded Gonzaga a 10th straight appearance in the Sweet 16, opening a double-digit lead and ultimately winning 81-76.
The men's basketball Sweet 16 games were divided between Atlanta, Indianapolis, Newark, and San Francisco. The tournament is also known as March Madness, with the games airing on CBS Sports and TNT Sports platforms, including Paramount+ and Max.
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The 2025 Sweet 16 women's teams included Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, and USC
The Sweet 16 is a highly anticipated annual college basketball tournament, part of the NCAA's March Madness. The 2025 Sweet 16 women's teams included some of the biggest names in the sport: Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, and USC.
The women's tournament began on Friday, March 28, 2025, with four games taking place each day over the weekend. The games were split between Birmingham, Alabama, and Spokane, Washington.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took on the TCU Horned Frogs, with Notre Dame's star player, Hannah Hidalgo, looking to make an impact. The Horned Frogs, however, had experienced players, with all five starters having reached the Sweet 16 before.
UConn, featuring superstar Paige Bueckers, was a favourite to win. The team was predicted to beat Oklahoma comfortably, with one prediction putting the score at 91-82.
South Carolina, the number one seed, faced off against Maryland, with the winner set to play either Texas or Tennessee. South Carolina had a strong season, only losing to Ole Miss, USC, and Texas.
USC, meanwhile, had to overcome the loss of their star player, JuJu Watkins, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury. The team was still considered a strong defensive squad, and their remaining players were expected to step up.
The Sweet 16 round is known for its thrilling moments, with powerhouse programs making statements and underdogs pulling off upsets. The tournament is a single-elimination format, adding to the excitement and unpredictability.
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The Sweet 16 games are aired on CBS, TNT, ESPN, Paramount+, and Max
The Sweet 16 is a series of games in the annual NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments. The 2025 Sweet 16 men's teams included Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston, while the women's brackets featured Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, and USC. The Sweet 16 games are considered to be some of the most thrilling moments of March Madness, where powerhouse programs make statements and underdogs pull off shocking upsets.
If you want to watch every game, knowing where to tune in is key. For instance, men's Sweet 16 matchups air across CBS Sports and TNT Sports platforms, including Paramount+ and Max. But you'll need ABC and ESPN for full coverage of the women's tournament.
The men's basketball Sweet 16 games are divided between host cities, with the 2025 games taking place in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Newark, and San Francisco. The women's basketball Sweet 16 games are split between Birmingham and Spokane.
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The Sweet 16 games are divided between different cities
The Sweet 16 is a series of games in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments. The Sweet 16 games are divided between different cities. For the 2025 Sweet 16 tournament, the men's basketball games were aired on CBS Sports and TNT Sports networks, with women's basketball games on ESPN channels. The men's teams included Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston, while the women's brackets featured Notre Dame, South Carolina, UConn, and USC. The Sweet 16 games for men's basketball were divided between Atlanta, Indianapolis, Newark, and San Francisco. The women's basketball Sweet 16 games were split between Birmingham and Spokane.
The Sweet 16 games always deliver some of the most thrilling moments of March Madness. Whether it's a powerhouse program making a statement or an underdog pulling off a shocking upset, this round is where the tournament truly heats up. The Sweet 16 has a long history in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, which began in 1939 with eight teams. The tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1951, adding two additional districts and six spots for at-large teams. The expansion retained the original format of the national semifinals being the regional finals.
The Sweet 16 games are an important part of the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, with teams vying for a chance to advance to the Final Four and ultimately, the national championship. The cities that host the Sweet 16 games vary from year to year, with the NCAA making the hosting decisions based on a variety of factors, including venue availability, travel considerations, and the ability to accommodate the teams and fans.
In 2021, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was held entirely in the state of Indiana to reduce travel. This was the only time the tournament was conducted in a single state. The NCAA has also discussed holding a shortened version of the tournament with only 16 teams in the Final Four host city, but this has not been implemented. The Sweet 16 games are a highly anticipated part of the NCAA basketball tournament, with fans eagerly following the progress of their favourite teams and players.
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Frequently asked questions
The Sweet 16 is the name given to the third round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. It is considered one of the most thrilling rounds, as it is when powerhouse programs and underdogs alike compete for a place in the Final Four.
The Sweet 16 tournament takes place in March, as part of the March Madness tournament.
As the name suggests, 16 teams compete in the Sweet 16.
The first NCAA tournament in 1939 featured eight teams, with each selected from a geographical district.
The Sweet 16 games for men's basketball are aired across CBS Sports and TNT Sports platforms, including Paramount+ and Max. The women's tournament can be watched on ABC and ESPN.











































