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How to Watch Sweet 16 Basketball: March Madness Is Heating Up
The NCAA madness continues — don't miss a single showdown. Here's how to watch Sweet 16 basketball.
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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - MARCH 22: Zakai Zeigler #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers brings the ball up court during the game against the UCLA Bruins in the NCAA men's basketball tournament Second Round at Rupp Arena on March 22, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.
Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesMarch Madness has been rendered slightly less mad as we enter the Sweet 16 phase of the 2025 NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. Most of the teams still standing are among the best in the country. Some of them, such as Kentucky and Duke, have storied legacies and are hoping to add to their past success. Others, such as Auburn and Houston, are in pursuit of their first-ever title. As the Sweet 16 soon become the Elite 8, dreams will be dashed and glory will be won.
Here's how to watch Sweet 16 basketball on Thursday, Mar. 27 and end on Friday, Mar. 28 to catch every moment of the historic action.
Although this year's Sweet 16 include some familiar names and faces, there are intriguing newcomers to the party as well. BYU is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2011, and Ole Miss is here for the first time since 2001. Neither squad will have an easy path to the Elite 8, however. BYU, after surviving a two-point upset against Wisconsin, will be forced to take on the No. 2 seed Alabama. Meanwhile, Ole Miss will tangle with No. 2 seed Michigan State, a team coming off two decisive victories. Can the newcomers pull off more upsets? Or have they pushed their luck as far as it will go?
Despite a couple surprises, the tournament has been somewhat predictable this year, with all four No. 1 seed teams (Duke, Houston, Auburn, and Florida) still in the running for a championship. The Gators were almost upset by UConn in the previous round. Are they rattled or are they ready to make a statement? Houston demolished SIU Edwardsville in the first round but had a harder time against Gonzaga in the second. Do they have what it takes to keep advancing? We'll find out on Thursday and Friday, when Sweet 16 action gets underway.
This year's Sweet 16 games are set to air on CBS and TBS. CBS games will also stream on Paramount+, and TBS games will also stream on Max. To see all of the streaming services that will allow you to catch all the hoops action (including ones like Hulu + Live TV which will have all games), read on.
When Does the Sweet 16 Start?
The Sweet 16 games begin on Thursday, Mar. 27 and end on Friday, Mar. 28.
Sweet 16 Schedule
The NCAA Sweet 16 schedule is as follows (all times ET):
Thursday, Mar. 27
- Alabama vs. BYU, 7:09 pm (CBS/Paramount+)
- Florida vs. Maryland, 7:39 pm (TBS/Max)
- Duke vs. Arizona, 9:39 pm (CBS/Paramount+)
- Texas Tech vs. Arkansas, 10:09 pm (TBS/Max)
Friday, Mar. 28
- Michigan State vs. Ole Miss, 7:09 pm (CBS/Paramount+)
- Tennessee vs. Kentucky, 7:39 pm (TBS/Max)
- Auburn vs. Michigan, 9:39 pm (CBS/Paramount+)
- Houston vs. Purdue, 10:09 pm (TBS/Max)
To catch all the latest Sweet 16 scores, visit the NCAA's constantly updating March Madness site here.
How to Watch Sweet 16 Basketball on Paramount+
Half of the Sweet 16 games will be broadcast on Paramount+ via CBS. There are two subscription options: Paramount+ with Showtime for $12.99/month or Paramount+ Essential for $7.99/month, although only the SHOWTIME package will get you access to CBS and Sweet 16 games. Both plans come with a free one-week trial. If you want to catch every second of Sweet 16 action, Paramount+ is a great option.
How to Watch Sweet 16 Basketball on Max
Max will be streaming all of the Sweet 16 games airing on TBS. The streamer offers lots of different plans and bundles, starting with Basic (with ads) for $9.99/month or $99.99/year. You can also subscribe to Max, Hulu, and Disney+ for $16.99/month (with ads) or $29.99/month (without ads). Whatever you choose, you'll have a vast library of both live and on-demand sports content at your fingertips 24/7.
How to Watch Sweet 16 Basketball on Hulu + Live TV
CBS and TBS are both available, along with nearly 100 other channels, on Hulu + Live TV. You can get Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads) for $82.99/month after a 3-day free trial. Or, you can pay a bit extra to get rid of the ads on Hulu and Disney+ for $95.99/month. In addition to being able to watch Sweet 16 games, you can also watch a ton of other college basketball games with ESPN+.
How to Watch March Madness on Prime Video
If you're trying to keep your app-hopping to a minimum during March Madness, Prime Video has a convenient workaround. Both Paramount+ and Max — home to the Sweet 16 games on CBS and TBS — can be added as Prime Video Channels. That means you can stream everything in one place without flipping between apps. Paramount+ runs $7.99/month after a one-week free trial, and Max starts at $9.99/month. If you're already a heavy Prime Video user, bundling your basketball streaming this way might make things a whole lot simpler.
How to Watch Sweet 16 on DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM also carries CBS and TBS, which are broadcasting this year's Sweet 16 games. Subscription plans range from Entertainment (for around $86.99/month) to Ultimate (around $129.99/month). Please note that these prices do not include possible additional costs, such as regional sports network fees. Any of the plans will get you access to more than 100 channels, including additional sports content on MLB Network, NBA TV, SEC Network, and the ACC Network. If you're looking for an almost endless array of live college sports games (in addition to all of the Sweet 16 games), DIRECTV STREAM is a superb option.
DIRECTV STREAM pricing may vary by location — check below for accurate rates in your area.
How to Watch Sweet 16 from anywhere with a VPN
If you're hoping to watch this year's Sweet 16 games but will be located somewhere outside of the United States on Mar. 27 and 28, fear not. You can still access an American streaming service like DIRECTV STREAM by signing up for a VPN. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access let you mask your location so you can access U.S. streaming services from anywhere. Private Internet Access is the more budget-friendly pick, starting at just $2/month, while ExpressVPN offers plans beginning at $8.32/month. Also, VPN service NordVPN is having a birthday sale that brings the service's price down 72%.
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