March Madness 2025: Sweet 16 Recap and Elite Eight Preview – Top Seeds Battle for Final Four Spots

Elite Eight Field Set After Dramatic Sweet 16 Finishes

The 2025 NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight is now complete after Friday night delivered four intense matchups that saw top seeds flex their muscles while underdogs fought valiantly. Here's how the basketball madness unfolded:

(1) Houston 62, (4) Purdue 60 – Cardiac Cougars Survive

• Game Winner: Milos Uzan's game-winning layup with 0.9 seconds left capped a 22-point performance
• Key Stat: 20 second-chance points from 16 offensive rebounds
• Turning Point: After Purdue's 9-1 run tied it late, Houston executed a flawless inbound play for the win

(1) Auburn 78, (5) Michigan 65 – Tigers Roar Back

• Second Half Surge: Overcame 32% first-half shooting behind Tahaad Pettiford's breakout performance
• Defensive Adjustment: Completely shut down Michigan's Danny Wolf after early success
• Home Court Advantage: Auburn's crowd made Atlanta feel like Neville Arena

(2) Tennessee 78, (3) Kentucky 65 – Volunteer Domination

• SEC Record: Zakai Zeigler set single-season conference assists mark (now at 284)
• Complete Performance: 50.9% shooting while holding Kentucky to 39% from field
• Tourney Trend: Vols have won all three games by double digits

(2) Michigan State 73, (6) Ole Miss 70 – Spartan Resilience

• Izzo Magic: 11th Elite Eight under Hall of Fame coach
• Gritty Win: Overcame early 11-point deficit with trademark toughness
• Unsung Heroes: Bench combined for 27 points and critical defensive stops

Elite Eight Matchup Analysis (Sunday Games)

Midwest Regional Final: Houston vs Tennessee

• When: Sunday 2:20 PM ET (CBS)
• Key Battle: Zakai Zeigler vs Milos Uzan – premier point guard duel
• X-Factor: Houston's nation-leading 12.5 offensive rebounds/game vs Tennessee's improved defensive glass work

South Regional Final: Auburn vs Michigan State

• When: Sunday 5:05 PM ET (CBS)
• Key Stat: MSU's 13.2 second-chance points/game vs Auburn's defensive rebounding struggles
• Wildcard: Can Spartans overcome 31.1% three-point shooting against Auburn's perimeter defense?

Tournament Trends to Watch

1. All four 1-seeds remain alive (first time since 2019)
2. SEC leads with two Elite Eight teams (Tennessee, Auburn)
3. Michigan State seeking first Final Four since 2019
4. Houston attempting back-to-back Final Fours for first time in program history

All games available on ESPN platforms and the NCAA March Madness Live app.