March Madness Sweet 16 Thursday Preview
The Sweet 16 is here, and things are getting wild. Texas keeps shocking everyone, Houston’s is dominating, and all four games have storylines worth watching. Here’s a quick look at how everyone got here and what to know before tip-off.
#11 Texas vs #2 Purdue Sweet 16 Preview
How Texas Got Here
Texas has been one of the biggest surprises of the tournament, starting their run in one of the First Four games and fighting their way into
the round of 64. They opened by defeating NC State 68-66 as +1.5 underdogs. Next, they took on #6 BYU as +2.5 dogs and came away with a 79-71 victory. Then came a statement win over #3 Gonzaga, stunning the Bulldogs 74-68 as +6 underdogs to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16. In all three games, the total stayed under. Texas now faces #2 Purdue as +7.5 point underdogs. Historically, the Longhorns are 7-7 in Sweet 16 games, with their most recent win coming in 2023 when they beat Xavier to advance to the Elite Eight.
How Purdue Got Here
Unlike Texas, Purdue’s performance in the tournament has been no surprise, as they’ve handled their games comfortably while covering the spread. They dominated #15 Queens University 104-71 as -25.5 favorites and then beat #7 Miami 79-69 as -8 favorites. It’s also worth noting that both games went over the total. The Boilermakers are no strangers to the Sweet 16, having appeared 26 times with a 12-14 record. While slightly below .500, Purdue’s experience at this stage is undeniable, with their most recent Sweet 16 win coming in 2019, when they defeated Tennessee to advance to the Elite Eight.
Game Information
Time: 7:10 PM ET
TV Channel: CBS
Venue: SAP Center
Current Odds:
Spread: Texas +7.5 / Purdue +7.5
Total: 147.5
Moneyline: Texas +270 / Purdue -345
Check out Free Picks from Sean Higgs and Matt Fargo for Texas vs Purdue here
#9 Iowa vs #4 Nebraska Sweet 16 Preview
How Iowa Got Here
The Iowa Hawkeyes have delivered the tournament’s most impressive win so far, pulling off a stunning 73-72 upset over #1 Florida as +10.5 underdogs. Prior to that, they defeated Clemson 67-61 as -1.5 favorites. It’s been a long time since Iowa reached the Sweet 16 their last appearance came in 1999, and their most recent Sweet 16 win was in 1980, nearly 50 years ago. All-time, their Sweet 16 record stands at 3-5. So far in the tournament, Iowa is 2-0 against the spread, with one game going under and the other a push.
How Nebraska Got Here
Nebraska opened the tournament by taking care of business against Troy as -13.5 favorites, cruising to a 76-47 victory. They then pulled off a close win over Vanderbilt 74-72 as +1.5 underdogs. Both games have gone under the total. Reaching the Sweet 16 and winning a tournament game is historic for the Cornhuskers, as they had never won an NCAA Tournament game or advanced this far before 2026. So far, Nebraska is 2-0 against the spread and 2-0 to the UNDER in the tournament.
Game Information
Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV Channel: TBS
Venue: Toyota Center
Current Odds:
Spread: Iowa +1.5 / Nebraska -1.5
Total: 131.5
Moneyline: Iowa +105 / Nebraska -126
#4 Arkansas vs #1 Arizona Sweet 16 Preview
How Arkansas Got Here
Arkansas opened the tournament as -14.5 favorites against #13 Hawaii, cruising to a 97-78 victory. Their second game against High Point, favored by -12.5, proved much tighter they were only up by one at halftime and ended up winning 94-88. So far in the tournament, the Razorbacks are 1-1 against the spread and 2-0 to the OVER. Arkansas has a Sweet 16 record of 8-7 all-time, with their last appearance coming last year in a loss to Texas Tech, and their most recent Sweet 16 win dating back to 2023.
How Arizona Got Here
#1 Arizona began the tournament with a dominant 92‑58 win over #16 Long Island University as -30.5 point favorites. They followed that up with a 78‑66 victory over #9 Utah State as -11.5 point favorites to reach the Sweet 16. So far, the Wildcats are 2‑0 against the spread and are 1-1 to the Over/Under. Arizona is one of the most experienced programs in March Madness, with a long history of advancing deep into the tournament, and now they’ll look to build on that legacy against Arkansas in the Sweet 16.
Game Information
Time: 9:45 PM ET
TV Channel: CBS
Venue: SAP Center
Current Odds:
Spread: Arkansas +7.5 / Arizona -7.5
Total: 166.5
Moneyline: Arkansas +285 / Arizona -365
#3 Illinois vs #2 Houston Sweet 16 Preview
How Illinois Got Here
Illinois opened the tournament in dominant fashion, dismantling #14 Penn 105-70 as -25.5 favorites, then following it up with a convincing
76-55 win over #11 VCU as -12.5 favorites. The Fighting Illini have easily covered the spread in both games and sit at 1-1 on the Over/Under. Historically, Illinois is 13-16 all-time in Sweet 16 matchups, with their most recent appearance and win coming in 2024.
How Houston Got Here
Houston opened the tournament with authority, cruising past #15 Idaho 78‑47 in the first round as a -24.5-point favorite, then dominating #10 Texas A&M 88‑57 in the second round as a -10 point favorite. The Cougars have covered the spread in both games and are 1-1 to the Over/Under. Houston’s excellence has helped them reach the Sweet 16 for the seventh straight season a current national record highlighting the consistency of this program.
Game Information
Time: 10:05 PM ET
TV Channel: TBS
Venue: Toyota Center
Current Odds:
Spread: Illinois +2.5 / Houston -2.5
Total: 139.5
Moneyline: Illinois +136 / Houston -166
Check out Free Picks from Sean Higgs and Matt Fargo for Illinois vs Houston here
About Us
T&C
Privacy
Contact
Buy Picks