March Madness Sweet Sixteen
The Sweet Sixteen in March Madness is the Round of 16 teams, in which the winner from pod one faces the winner from pod two, and the winner from pod three faces the winner from pod four in all four regions. Keep reading for more information on the Sweet Sixteen and the role it plays in March Madness.
What Is the Sweet Sixteen in Basketball?
In basketball, the Sweet Sixteen is the name for the regional semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament. First, a team must qualify for the tournament. There are 68 Division I men’s basketball teams fighting for 16 spots in the Sweet Sixteen. If a team plays in the First Four, they must win their game to advance to the Round of 64. From there, a team must win two more games to make the Sweet Sixteen.
Put simply, a team must win either two or three games (if in the First Four) at the start of the tournament to get to the Sweet Sixteen. It is special because it marks the halfway point of the tournament. If a team wins in the Sweet Sixteen, they only need to win two more games to make it to the National Championship.
Regional Semifinals
The Sweet Sixteen is the semifinals for each region of NCAA Division I basketball. Within each region, there are four teams left standing going into this round. Teams that are victorious in the Sweet Sixteen then advance to the Elite Eight, which is considered the regional championships.
FAQ
What is a Cinderella story in basketball?
A Cinderella story occurs when a team ranked 11th or worse in any given region advances to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament or further. There is usually one Cinderella story each year, and it will likely get a lot of media coverage. Not to mention, it will leave thousands of fans’ brackets in shambles.