2026 March Madness live stream: NCAA Tournament TV schedule Sweet 16 games Friday, watch streaming

The 2026 NCAA Tournament continues on Friday with four more Sweet 16 games on the slate that will determine the final eight teams in the field. Only one of those teams will be crowned as college basketball's national champion next month in Indianapolis, and the road to the Final Four is approaching the finish line.

The opening game on the schedule is a good one, as No. 1 overall seed Duke faces No. 5 seed St. John's (7:10 p.m., CBS, Paramount+ and March Madness Live). The Blue Devils are coming off a win over TCU in the second round, while St. John's advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 1999 after guard Dylan Darling scored a game-winning layup at the buzzer against Kansas.

After that game ends, No. 3 seed Michigan State will face No. 2 seed UConn. The Huskies are trying to become the first men's college basketball team since UCLA to win three titles in four seasons, while Michigan State could return to the Final Four for the first time since 1999 with two more wins.

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The winners of those games meet in Washington, D.C., on Sunday in the Elite Eight.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 1 seed Michigan faces No. 4 seed Alabama (7:35 p.m., TBS). The winner of that game will face either No. 2 seed Iowa State or No. 6 seed Tennessee later this weekend.

Let's get into some of the big storylines to know for Friday's Sweet 16 action.

Can Duke handle St. John's press?

Having watched St. John's up close last weekend in San Diego, it's clear that one of the reasons it was able to build a lead on Kansas was the press. St. John's made life difficult for Kansas' guards. The consistent pressure and denial led to more than a few (almost) five-second calls and also a handful of turnovers. It wasn't the only reason why St. John's was able to advance, but it was a big part of the game.

The reason why it will be a factor in this game is that Duke guard Cayden Boozer will face his toughest challenge yet. Cameron Boozer, Cayden's twin brother, has had no problems taking on a larger role in a half-court setting by running the offense, but limiting turnovers before the ball crosses half-court will be key. It's also notable that guard Caleb Foster, who hasn't played in almost a month, could return to the lineup as soon as Friday. That would be a massive development for Duke to take some of the pressure off both Boozer twins, literally and figuratively.

Potential UNC opening looms over coaches still in the Big Dance

One of the biggest storylines outside of the NCAA Tournament in college basketball is the North Carolina job opening. With a blue blood job opening, all options are on the table to replace former coach Hubert Davis, including potentially coaches who are still in the tournament.

Some of the names that have been floated around who are still coaching in the NCAA Tournament are Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, Iowa State's T. J. Otzelberger, Alabama's Nate Oats and Michigan's Dusty May. All four of them have been asked about the job to some degree, with some giving more definitive answers than others. The longer those teams advance in the NCAA Tournament, the more difficult it could be for UNC to poach them.

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Legendary coaches in Washington, D.C.

The East Region has everything. Some of the best coaches in the sport will be looking to help their respective teams get to Indianapolis. It all starts when Duke and coach Jon Scheyer go up against Rick Pitino and St. John's. Scheyer helped Duke advance to the Final Four for the first time in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era last spring, while Pitino hasn't coached in the Final Four since 2013.

The other Sweet 16 matchup will see UConn coach Dan Hurley, the winning coach of two of the last three national titles, face Tom Izzo and Michigan State. Under Izzo, Michigan State has been to the Final Four eight times. Could a ninth be in store? We will see. The bottom line is that the winner of this region will certainly deserve the invitation to the Final Four.

Friday's NCAA Tournament streaming schedule

Games played at United Center (Chicago) and Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)