The first half of the Sweet 16 is set, with 16 teams playing for one of the final eight tickets to the second weekend of the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament as the second round continues Sunday.

ESPN reporters are on-site across the country, from Philadelphia to San Diego, to deliver courtside insights. Follow along as they and the staff track all the action.

Jump to: Previews for rest of Sunday’s games

Previews

All times Eastern.

5:15 p.m., CBS

How Kansas can advance to the Sweet 16: Flory Bidunga has to be the key for Kansas against St. John’s. He will have his hands full against Zuby Ejiofor, one of the best two-way big men in the country, but Bidunga has held his own in matchups against Motiejus Krivas and JT Toppin. Bidunga has also struggled mightily in other big games, five points and four points in two games against Houston, two points against Arizona and eight points against North Carolina, and his win/loss splits are telling. In Kansas’ wins, Bidunga averages 15.1 points and shoots better than 70% from the field. In losses, he averages 9.9 points and shoots 50.6% from the field. Defensively, the Jayhawks have to keep St. John’s out of transition and force the Red Storm to make perimeter shots. They ranked near the bottom of the Big East in 3-point attempt rate and percentage of points from 3s. Their 10 3s against Northern Iowa was the first time they made double-digit 3s in a game since Jan. 10. — Borzello

How St. John’s can advance to the Sweet 16: The biggest edge St. John’s will have against Kansas is on the offensive glass. The Red Storm are one of the most effective offensive rebounding teams in the country, ranking 17th nationally in second-chance points per game. Kansas, meanwhile, was one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the Big 12, allowing opponents to rebound nearly 32% of their misses. Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell should get extra possessions for the Red Storm. With the exception of the drubbing at UConn in late February, St. John’s defense has been operating at an incredibly high level for several weeks. The Red Storm have allowed their past five opponents to make an average of just 3.4 3-pointers per game. — Borzello

6:10 p.m., TNT

How Virginia can advance to the Sweet 16: This isn’t Tony Bennett’s team anymore. The Cavaliers knock down 3s and also score with a rugged game in the paint. They also have a top-25 defense. They’ll need all of those tools against Tennessee, which is No. 1 in the country in offensive rebounding rate. They can’t allow the Vols to dominate with second-chance points, and the Cavaliers are equipped to do that thanks to a top-five defense inside the arc. They’ll also have to limit the touches of projected NBA draft lottery pick Nate Ament. Tennessee is 2-3 in its past five games when he shoots nine or fewer shots inside the arc. They also have to pressure Ja’Kobi Gillespie (11 turnovers in the past four losses). The Cavaliers’ 3-point barrage must continue after Virginia made 13 against Wright State. The Cavaliers probably can’t win without a big game from Thijs De Ridder, but they will struggle if they go cold from the 3-point line. — Medcalf

How Tennessee can advance to the Sweet 16: Rick Barnes’ team ended Miami (Ohio)’s fairy tale Friday. The Volunteers outscored Travis Steele’s squad 40-16 in the paint to advance — and they did it despite projected NBA draft lottery pick Ament going 0-for-3 in the game. The Vols will need Ament to look more like the player who scored 27 points in an SEC tournament win over Auburn to reach the Sweet 16. Ja’Kobi Gillespie continues to make this group soar. If he gets to his spots, Ament plays to his potential and the Vols dominate the offensive glass, they will have the offensive tools to win. But nearly 50% of Virginia’s field goal attempts are 3-pointers, and the Cavaliers are a top-10 offensive rebounding team. They can play Tennessee’s game, too. The Vols will have to play it better. — Medcalf

7:10 p.m., TBS

How Florida can advance to the Sweet 16: Florida’s game prep will focus on stopping Bennett Stirtz and getting the ball out of his hands. Stirtz is a high-usage point guard, and Ben McCollum’s system revolves around him having a hand in nearly every possession. Boogie Fland has really developed as a defender this season and will likely be tasked with guarding Stirtz. The rest of Florida’s plan will be about imposing its will. The Gators are bigger and more athletic than Iowa, and they’re elite on defense. If they can speed the game up and make Iowa uncomfortable, it’s hard to picture the Hawkeyes keeping up. Iowa hasn’t played a game with more than 70 possessions this season; Florida averages 70.7 possessions per game, per KenPom. — Borzello

play

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 9 Iowa game preview

Check out some stats on the matchup between Florida and Iowa in the NCAA men’s tournament.

How Iowa can advance to the Sweet 16: On paper, Iowa is in for a tough night down low against Florida. The Gators have one of the most dominant frontcourts in the country, ranking second nationally in paint points per game and third in second-chance points per game. They also lead the country in offensive rebounds per game. Iowa doesn’t block shots and allows opponents to shoot 56.5% inside the arc in Big Ten play, but the Hawkeyes played a frontcourt with comparable size and ability when they faced Michigan earlier this month. And though they lost, they held their own up front, outscoring the Wolverines in the paint and scoring more second-chance points. Can the Hawkeyes repeat the feat against Florida? Iowa will also have to get the game at its preferred pace, one of the slowest in the country, forcing the Gators to play in the halfcourt more than they would like. — Borzello

7:50 p.m., truTV

How Arizona can advance to the Sweet 16: Arizona doesn’t have to tweak anything to its game plan to reach its third consecutive Sweet 16. Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley scored just seven points against LIU on Friday, and the Wildcats still put up 92 points. If they continue to rely on that depth, they’ll be difficult to stop; five Arizona players scored at least eight points in the win over Long Island. Plus, the Wildcats, who have been criticized after making just 33% of their 3-point attempts in Big 12 play, have made 39% of their shots from beyond the arc over their current 10-game winning streak. They’re different now. To stop Utah State’s offense, Arizona will have to defend well against numerous ball screens that put MJ Collins Jr. and Mason Falslev in positions to score. The Aggies will probably attack 7-foot-2 Arizona center Motiejus Krivas more than anyone else on those ball screens, and attempt to use their speed to set up big plays for their top guards. Utah State will need a magical effort to beat Arizona. — Medcalf

How Utah State can advance to the Sweet 16: Utah State will need another clutch effort from Collins and Falslev — one of the best guard duos in America who combined for 42 points against Villanova — to advance past Arizona, a team with just two losses. In the second half of Friday’s game, the pair got hot thanks in part because of off-ball screens and backdoor cuts to the basket. They have to find their spots to have a chance against Arizona, too. On defense, the Aggies could follow two blueprints against Arizona: Kansas refused to relent to Arizona’s bruising frontcourt, and Texas Tech needed a combination of 31 points from JT Toppin and perimeter pressure that held the Wildcats to a 4-for-16 clip from 3. But the Wildcats are diverse, so Utah State will need 6-foot-10 Zach Keller and 6-foot-9 Adlan Elamin to protect the paint. The Aggies will also need their guards to limit an Arizona team that has been hot from beyond the arc in recent weeks. — Medcalf

8:45 p.m., TNT

How UConn can advance to the Sweet 16: UConn can win most of its matchups in this game, even if Silas Demary Jr. is unavailable. Solo Ball can create shots off the dribble, Alex Karaban is a threat on the perimeter as a 38.6% 3-point shooter, Tarris Reed Jr. just finished with 31 points and 27 rebounds in the win over Furman, and Braylon Mullins is a first-round NBA prospect. The Huskies have dealt with efficiency issues and turnovers in recent weeks, but if they can play with more rhythm, they can beat any team in the country. If Tyler Bilodeau returns, however, their bigs — including Reed — will be challenged to defend in space. Still, a Huskies team with wins over Florida, BYU and St. John’s has overcome more star power than UCLA has on its roster. UConn can keep things simple and win. — Medcalf

play

No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 2 UConn game preview

Check out some stats on the matchup between UCLA and UConn in the NCAA men’s tournament.

How UCLA can advance to the Sweet 16: It would help if Bilodeau returned. The 6-foot-9 star is UCLA’s best 3-point shooter — he spaces the floor for the Bruins in a unique manner that balances their offense. Against UConn, his presence would be a difference-maker because of his size and talent. Without him, the Bruins have to work harder to find open looks against a UConn squad with a top-15 defense. And Donovan Dent, who was 4-for-17 from the field against UCF, can’t be a spectator in this game. He was one of the most coveted transfers in the portal during the offseason. He has to play to his ceiling to help UCLA beat a team that has won two of the past three national titles.

On defense, Xavier Booker will have the responsibility of containing Reed, who just finished with 31 points and 27 rebounds in a win over Furman. If the 6-foot-11 Booker can’t slow down Reed, UCLA won’t have a chance. The Bruins should also look to exploit UConn’s ballhandling woes — the Huskies have committed 79 turnovers in their past six games — especially if Demary is out again. — Medcalf

9:45 p.m., TBS

How Alabama can advance to the Sweet 16: Similar to Tech’s keys, Alabama has to win the perimeter battle. The Crimson Tide shoot the ball at an incredible volume from beyond the arc, but are not quite as accurate as the Red Raiders — and the Tide have lost four of the six games in which they have made fewer than 10 3s. Moreover, Alabama’s 3-point defense is far worse than Texas Tech’s 3-point defense. Without Aden Holloway, Alabama has fewer players who can get their own shot off the dribble, making the Crimson Tide more reliant on Labaron Philon Jr. to have another big game. As one of the elite playmakers and shotmakers in the sport, Philon is likely up for the task. But he’ll be facing a fellow All-American and first-round pick in Christian Anderson. Who wins that matchup? That’s the key. — Borzello

How Texas Tech can advance to the Sweet 16: Texas Tech is one of the few teams in America that can keep up with Alabama from the perimeter. Though the Crimson Tide lead the country in 3-point attempt rate and made 3-pointers per game, the Red Raiders aren’t far behind — they’re third nationally in 3-point shooting percentage and fifth in made 3-pointers per game. They’ve leaned into it even more since JT Toppin suffered a season-ending right knee injury, with a 3-point attempt rate above 51% in four of its past five games. At the other end, can Tech keep Philon from getting into the lane at will? He is a bit bigger than Anderson, but Donovan Atwell has shown promise as an individual defender and could draw the assignment. — Borzello

LONDON — A second-half brace from Nico O’Reilly ensured Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final to earn Pep Guardiola’s 19th trophy in charge of the club.

After a cagey opening 45 minutes of few chances at Wembley, Man City upped the tempo and scored on the hour mark after a bad mistake from Gunners stand-in goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Kepa could only get his fingertips to Rayan Cherki‘s cross and O’Reilly beat Martín Zubimendi to the loose ball for a simple close-range header.

City doubled their lead four minutes later as Cherki releases Matheus Nunes and his cross found O’Reilly in a similar position to score.

With the result, Arsenal’s hopes of an unprecedented quadruple are over and their six-year wait for a trophy goes on. Meanwhile, City will hope this victory can inspire them to overhaul a nine-point deficit to the Gunners in the Premier League. — James Olley

– Premier League Power Rankings: Why Arsenal dropped below Man City
– No plan, no fight: Spurs near relegation after limp loss to Forest
– UWCL quarterfinal predictions: Will Arsenal beat Chelsea?

Passive Arsenal’s trophy drought continues

Arsenal have occupied a curious position for a while: they were in the hunt for a Quadruple while also facing questions over their ability to win any silverware at all.

The Gunners’ last trophy was the 2020 FA Cup but manager Mikel Arteta’s transformational job in the interim has positioned them on the brink of greatness. After three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League, the one remaining ask of them — and it is a big one — is this: can they get over the line and win?

The answer here at Wembley, yet again, was no. They ultimately paid the price for being too passive, concerned primarily with keeping City out rather than injecting enough risk in their play to create chances.

After an opening salvo, Arsenal sat deep and struggled to exert any sustained pressure, and their second-half showing was alarmingly underwhelming. Yet, they have a healthy nine-point lead at the top of the table, an inviting Champions League quarterfinal tie against Sporting Lisbon and an FA Cup quarter-final at Championship side Southampton.

Their season could still be spectacular. But trophies don’t often come to you — you tend to have to reach out and grab them. Arsenal’s ability to do that is still in doubt. — Olley

Man City put Arsenal on notice in Premier League race

Speaking at his pre-match news conference on Friday, Guardiola was reluctant to make any link between possible victory over Arsenal in the final having an impact in the title race.

“We could play good in the final and then bad in the league,” was his conclusion.

It’s a fair point, but one which ignores the nerves in Arsenal’s fanbase as they chase a first Premier League title in more than 20 years. Nine points clear, it’s theirs to lose. But City have a game in hand and Arsenal still have to travel to the Etihad in April. One slip up from Arteta’s team and it’s game on.

There were no league points on offer at Wembley, but there will be plenty of Arsenal fans heading home after the game nervous about what’s to come over the next few weeks.

The question all season has been about whether they have the mentality to get over the line when it really matters. In an age driven by data and statistics, it’s impossible to quantify what losing a cup final to City will do to their confidence.

It’s something that will only be answered on the pitch, starting with their next league game against Bournemouth at the Emirates on April 11. — Rob Dawson

O’Reilly the face of Man City’s new era

For Bernardo Silva, this was a fifth Carabao Cup final win. But for others, including match-winner O’Reilly, it was a first medal in City colours. Siva is one of the last remaining players of the treble-winning 2022-23 team. He’s likely to leave in the summer — possibly with Guardiola.

City’s new team has already started to evolve around him, built around younger players like Marc Guéhi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki. O’Reilly, a graduate of the club’s academy, is another important piece.

He turned 21 the day before the Carabao Cup final and could yet have another decade in the first-team. He started at left-back against Arsenal — a position he could fill for England at the World Cup — but it’s likely that eventually nail down a place in midfield, the position he played regularly as he came through the ranks.

Wherever he plays, O’Reilly will become one of the faces of City’s new era. One without Guardiola or long-serving stalwarts like Silva. Depending on the next two months play out, this could end up being Guardiola’s last trophy at City. It’s likely to be the first of many for O’Reilly. — Dawson

Backup goalkeepers help decide the Carabao Cup

Neither team fielded their first-choice goalkeeper here. Guardiola confirmed on Friday that James Trafford would start for City while Arteta admitted he had made his decision but did not publicly state Kepa would play.

The pair could not have had more contrasting fortunes. While Trafford made a superb triple save from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka (twice) in the seventh minute to stifle Arsenal’s positive start, Kepa made the mistake which turned a tight contest in City’s favour. The Spaniard could only get his fingertips to Rayan Cherki’s 60th-minute cross, taking all the pace off the ball as it dropped behind him, where O’Reilly stooped to head in.

Kepa’s complicated relationship with this fixture continues: he sensationally refused to be substituted when Chelsea lost the 2019 final to City and then missed in the shootout as the Blues were beaten by Liverpool on penalties three years later.

Kepa started every game in this competition and the decision to continue was perfectly logical in theory but David Raya is one of the best in the world these days and leaving him out may be a source of regret for Arteta. Trafford is likely to leave City after joining last summer expecting a prominent role, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma to join afterwards and usurp him. His time at City may be short but he played a key role in having something to show for it. — Olley

Haaland still in search of his goal in a final

There were questions but to Guardiola earlier in the season — when Erling Haaland was banging in goals every week — about whether City were too reliant on their Norwegian striker.

Well Haaland drew another blank at Wembley and yet Guardiola’s team still found a way to win. Haaland has looked short of his best for a while now and it continued against Arsenal. He hasn’t scored in a final since the 2021 German cup final when he was playing for Borussia Dortmund.

In the end it didn’t matter. O’Reilly popped up from left-back to score two opportunistic headers in the space of four second half minutes and it was enough to win.

It earned O’Reilly the man-of-the-match award, but it could have quite easily gone to Cherki. The Frenchman was involved in both goals as he buzzed around Arsenal’s box. In a tight game decided by fine margins, he was one of the few players who looked like he had enough space to create genuine chances.

He’s having an impressive first season at City following his summer move from Lyon and he’s capped it with at least one trophy. There’s far more to come from a young player with a very high ceiling. — Dawson

The first trophy of the season is up for grabs and it is Arsenal and Manchester City competing for the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

The top two teams in the Premier League could well compete for all three domestic trophies and they have the chance to land the first blow in March in front of 90,000 fans.

You can follow every single moment of the game live on ESPN in what is sure to be a massive, tense affair.

Manchester City reached the final after defeating reigning champions Newcastle United 5-1 on aggregate in the semifinals.

They had previously beaten Huddersfield in the Third Round, before advancing past Swansea and and Brentford.

Arsenal meanwhile navigated past Chelsea in the semi-finals with Kai Havertz‘s 90th minute goal seeing them win 4-2 on aggregate.

They defeated Port Vale in the Third Round, before getting past Brighton and Crystal Palace on penalties in the quarterfinals.

City have won the League Cup eight times, most recently in 2021, while Arsenal have won it only twice and not since 1993.