We’re down to the final four teams in the men’s March Madness tournament, and we’ve officially reached the home stretch with the Final Four now set. Let’s dive into what happened over the second weekend of the tournament that brought us to this point.
Sweet 16
Thursday night featured a mix of close finishes and blowouts. Offense was the name of the game, with nearly every team lighting up the scoreboard. The lowest output came from 4-seeded Maryland, who fell to 1-seeded Florida, 71–87. The Gators were dominant all game long. After a close first half, where they led by only two, they erupted in the second, outscoring Maryland by 14. The “Crab Five,” Maryland’s starting lineup known for being one of the most dominant in the country, didn’t live up to expectations. Despite a strong performance from Derik Queen, who scored 27 points, it wasn’t enough to take down one of the tournament’s top teams.
In Newark, 4-seeded Arizona and 1-seeded Duke put on a display of elite talent. The Blue Devils, led by three standout freshmen, were headlined once again by Cooper Flagg. He put on a show with 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists in Duke’s 100–93 win. Despite the loss, Arizona’s Caleb Love made his presence known with 35 points, continuing to remind everyone why he’s one of the most skilled guards in the country. Arizona battled hard, but Flagg’s playmaking proved too much.
The 6-seeded BYU Cougars had no answers for 2-seeded Alabama. The Crimson Tide had a historic night, hitting 25 three-pointers and shooting 53% from the field and 49% from beyond the arc en route to a 113–88 win. Mark Sears exploded for 34 points, including 10 triples. BYU shot well themselves, but their defense simply couldn’t contain Alabama. Richie Saunders led BYU with 25 points and played with heart until the final whistle.
The most thrilling game of the night came from the 10-seeded Arkansas vs. 3-seeded Texas Tech showdown. Arkansas, riding the momentum of a Cinderella run, led by 7 at the half and looked poised for another upset. But Texas Tech mounted a furious 15-point comeback in the final 10 minutes to force overtime. The Red Raiders completed the comeback, edging out Arkansas 85–83 in heartbreaking fashion. JT Toppin, Christian Anderson, and Darrion Williams each scored 20+ points to lead Texas Tech. Despite the loss, Arkansas coach John Calipari reported to the press, “This was as rewarding of a year as I’ve had in all my years.”
Friday’s matchups continued the trend of excitement. The 1-seeded Auburn Tigers from the South region faced 5-seeded Michigan. Auburn’s defense was the story in their 78–65 win. Though not dominant offensively, they shut Michigan down with team-wide contributions—Johni Broome, Denver Jones, and Tahaad Pettiford each scored at least 20. Michigan’s Big Ten Tournament magic ran out, even with a solid showing from Danny Wolf.
In the Midwest, 4-seeded Purdue and 1-seeded Houston played a classic. It was a tight contest throughout, and Houston—long plagued by Sweet 16 exits—finally broke through with a last-second 62–60 victory. Head coach Kelvin Sampson had his team prepared, drawing up a late-game inbounds play that worked to perfection. With 3 seconds left, Milos Uzan inbounded, got the ball back from Joseph Tugler, and laid it in for the win. Uzan led all scorers and made the play of the game to lift Houston into the Elite 8.
In another nail-biter, 6-seeded Ole Miss faced 2-seeded Michigan State. Ole Miss’ Sean Pedulla dropped 24 points, but Michigan State held strong late. Freshman Jase Richardson came through with 20 points, including clutch shots and free throws, to seal a 73–70 win for the Spartans in a tight back-and-forth battle.
Tennessee, the 2-seed, had full control over 3-seeded Kentucky in a dominant 78–65 win. Zakai Ziegler and Chaz Lanier led the way for the Volunteers, who jumped out to a 19-point lead early and never looked back. Kentucky struggled offensively, committing 12 turnovers and allowing 14 offensive rebounds. Lamont Butler’s 4 threes weren’t enough as the Wildcats were stifled by Tennessee’s relentless defense.
Elite 8
Saturday kicked off with a thriller in San Francisco between 3-seeded Texas Tech and 1-seeded Florida. The Red Raiders held a 10-point lead with just over five minutes to play, but the Gators stormed back with clutch three-point shooting to win 84–79. Walter Clayton Jr. (30 points, 4 assists) and Thomas Haugh (20 points, 11 rebounds) were instrumental in the comeback. Texas Tech, which had made a comeback of their own in the Sweet 16, found themselves on the losing end this time. Despite strong games from JT Toppin and Darrion Williams, the team couldn’t hold off Florida’s late surge. The Gators advanced to the Final Four to face Auburn.
The other Saturday matchup saw 1-seeded Duke dominate 2-seeded Alabama in an 85–65 blowout. It was a shocking contrast to Alabama’s red-hot Sweet 16 performance. The Tide shot just 35% from the field and went 8-for-32 from three. Duke spread the scoring around, with all starters hitting double digits. Kon Knueppel led with 21 points. Alabama’s star, Mark Sears, struggled mightily, shooting just 2-for-12 and scoring only 6 points in what was a massive letdown after his previous heroics.
Sunday’s action featured two more games. The first was between 2-seeded Tennessee and 1-seeded Houston, and this one was all Cougars. They jumped out to a 19-point halftime lead and never let up, cruising to a 69–50 win. Houston’s defense smothered Tennessee, holding them to just 28% shooting. This kind of dominant performance is what has made Houston such a tough out all year. With Duke up next, this team looks more dangerous than ever.
The final game of the weekend was between 1-seeded Auburn and 2-seeded Michigan State. The Tigers, motivated by last year’s early exit to Yale, were determined to reach the Final Four. Johni Broome led the charge with 25 points, and Auburn made key free throws down the stretch to edge out the Spartans 70–64. Michigan State struggled offensively, shooting just 34% from the field and 30% from three. Despite a close battle, Auburn’s physicality and experience made the difference.
With the Final Four set to take place in San Antonio, Texas, all four 1-seeds will represent their respective regions. Duke will face Houston, and Auburn will meet Florida in a clash of powerhouses. These teams have been the most dominant all season, and it’s only fitting they’ll now battle it out for a spot in the national championship.