Sweet 16 Update: Four Teams Advance, Big Matchups Loom

March Madness resumed Thursday as the Sweet 16 resumed and four teams punched tickets to the Elite Eight.

South region highlights

- Iowa, a No. 9 seed, reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987 under first-year coach Ben McCollum. The Hawkeyes will meet Illinois, which knocked off Houston to advance.

- Purdue escaped a dramatic finish against Texas to move on and will face top-seeded Arizona, which handled Arkansas.

Friday’s key games

- East: No. 1 Duke vs. St. John’s. Duke enters as the tournament’s top seed and a five-time national champion; each Duke title run included a win over the Johnnies. Duke has battled injuries — a starting point guard is listed as a game-time decision — and coaches and analysts point to its defense as the team’s defining strength. Officiating and free-throw disparities have already influenced recent Duke games, so how contact is called will be an important storyline.

- Midwest: Top-seeded Michigan vs. Alabama projects as a fast-paced, high-scoring matchup. Michigan averaged about 98 points across its first two wins, while Alabama scored roughly 90 in consecutive victories, setting up expectations for an up-tempo shootout.

Coaching intrigue

A marquee coaching matchup also draws attention: veteran Tom Izzo against Dan Hurley. Analysts note both coaches’ tournament pedigrees; one gave a slight edge to Hurley’s squad but called the contest a toss-up and praised the strategic intrigue.

What to watch

- Injuries and late availability, especially at point guard for Duke, which could swing results.

- Defense vs. tempo: Duke’s defensive identity vs. the high-scoring runs of Michigan and Alabama will shape outcomes.

- Officiating and free-throw opportunities, which have already affected games and could decide close contests.

The Madness continues Friday night as teams fight to move one step closer to the Final Four.