The Sweet 16 gets underway Thursday evening, and Kansas and Oregon are the first two of all four of the top seeds still alive that look to advance to the Elite Eight.
March Madness 2016 schedule: Sweet 16 games for Thursday
No. 1 seeds Kansas and Oregon are in action as part of Thursday’s four-game slate.
The Ducks will cap off the evening with a marquee matchup against fourth-seeded Duke in Anaheim. Oregon was on the ropes in its second-round tilt against No. 8 St. Joseph's, but a late charge erased a seven-point deficit and resulted in a win. Sophomore guard Dillon Brooks led the way with 25 points in the comeback victory.
The Blue Devils appeared to be on the verge of destroying No. 12 Yale, but Duke had to stave off a furious rally to advance. Grayson Allen had 29 points in the win, while potential top NBA Draft pick Brandon Ingram added 25.
Kansas, the top overall seed in the tournament, will get underway minutes before Oregon-Duke, with fifth-seeded Maryland on the docket in Louisville. The Jayhawks won both of their previous tournament games by double digits, with Wayne Selden Jr. and Perry Ellis leading the win in the second-round victory over Connecticut.
Melo Trimble led the Terrapins into the Sweet 16 with 24 points against No. 13 Hawaii. Maryland found itself in a tight battle early before blowing the game open in the second half.
The first two games of Thursday evening involve a No. 2 seed playing a No. 3 seed. The night begins with second-seeded Villanova taking on third-seeded Miami in Louisville. The Wildcats dismantled No. 7 Iowa en route to the Sweet 16, as the margin reached 34 points early in the second half before it got down to 19 by the end of the game.
The Hurricanes jumped out to a massive lead over No. 11 Wichita State before withstanding a rally by the Shockers. Guard Angel Rodriguez saved the day with 28 points for Miami.
Shortly after that first game is second-seeded Oklahoma against third-seeded Texas A&M in Anaheim. Player of the Year candidate Buddy Hield scored a tournament-high 36 points in the Sooners' tight win over No. 10 VCU, with 29 of those points coming in the second half.
The Aggies needed a miracle to reach the Sweet 16. Trailing by 12 in the final minute against No. 11 Northern Iowa, Texas A&M stormed back to force overtime in the most stunning comeback in tournament history. The Aggies then prevailed in double overtime.
Thursday’s schedule (all times Eastern)
No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 3 Miami, 7:10 p.m. (CBS)
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas A&M, 7:37 p.m. (TBS)
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 5 Maryland, 9:40 p.m. (CBS)
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 4 Duke, 10:07 p.m. (TBS)
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