After a few days to catch their breath, the teams in pursuit of a national championship are going to be back in action. The Sweet 16 is a stacked group of power conference teams, which is a bummer for fans of Cinderella runs in the dance, but the positive here is that the basketball played from here on out should be top notch.
Which games are the best ones to watch on Thursday and Friday? Let's rank all eight games in the next round of March Madness from most watchable to least.
Sweet 16 Watchability Rankings
1. Tennessee vs. Kentucky - Friday at 7:39 p.m. ET on TBS
This SEC grudge match is the highlight of the Sweet 16 as Kentucky and Tennessee meet for a third time in the Midwest Region. The regular season series saw the Wildcats sweep the Volunteers, but Kentucky's slew of injuries leave them vulnerable to getting picked off in the third matchup.
There is also a lot of pressure on Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes to guide his veteran team back to the Elite Eight for a shot at the first Final Four in program history. Storylines abound with this game, which should get primary focus in the early window on Friday night.
2. Alabama vs. BYU - Thursday at 7:09 p.m. ET on CBS
If you like offense, this is the game for you. Alabama and BYU have two of the most efficient offenses in the country (both rank inside the Top 10 on KenPom in that department) and neither plays great defense, so this game will likely be played in the 90s.
Having this game tip off the Sweet 16 was a smart choice by CBS and the NCAA since fewer teams produce better looking offense than these two. There is plenty of star power as well, with Alabama's Mark Sears and BYU's Richie Saunders capable of dropping 30 points in the blink of an eye.
3. Michigan State vs. Ole Miss - Friday at 7:09 p.m. ET on CBS
If you're looking for a close game in the Sweet 16, this one is the one to follow according to oddsmakers, who have put the tightest spread on Michigan State/Ole Miss. The Spartans are favored by just 2.5 in the game and will have to deal with a rowdy continent of Rebels fans, who will eagerly make the trip to Atlanta to see their team play in the second weekend.
There is also a compelling coaching matchup here with Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Ole Miss' Chris Beard, each of whom has shown an ability to get the most out of their teams in March. Beard got the best of Izzo when they met in the 2019 Final Four so Izzo would love to return the favor to Beard and knock his team out of the tournament.
4. Auburn vs. Michigan - Friday at approximately 9:39 p.m. ET on CBS
The second Atlanta game of the night features the top overall seed in the tournament, Auburn, take on a Michigan team that is a strong contrast in style to the Tigers. The Wolverines run their offense through big men Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf, which is going to lead them to try slowing down the tempo against an Auburn team that likes to play very fast.
Potential National Player of the Year Johni Broome will also look to make his mark on the NCAA Tournament after two relatively quiet games to start March Madness, including an 8 point/12 rebound night against Creighton in the Round of 32. This contest also features an underrated coaching matchup between Auburn's Bruce Pearl and Michigan's Dusty May, who is two years removed from taking Florida Atlantic to the Final Four.
5. Duke vs. Arizona - Thursday at approximately 9:39 p.m. ET on CBS
The nightcap in Newark will feature Cooper Flagg and Duke taking on one of March Madness' most notable performers in Arizona's Caleb Love. While the Blue Devils are familiar with Love from his days at North Carolina, the Wildcats' star is a top showman when the lights are brighest, playing a starring role in Arizona's win over Oregon to reach this point.
These two teams met in November in Arizona with the Blue Devils scoring a double-digit victory to help launch their season into the stratosphere. The Wildcats would love nothing more than to get sweet revenge by ending Duke's season two wins shy of a Final Four appearance.
6. Florida vs. Maryland - Thursday at 7:39 p.m. ET on TBS
Two of the best games in the Round of 32 featured these teams, with Florida surviving a thriller against UCONN while Maryland's Derik Queen delivered the tournament's first buzzer-beater to help the Terps get past upset-minded Colorado State. The Crab Five have been an elite starting unit for Maryland, but it is unclear if they have the depth to withstand the deep Gators' attack.
March Madness is also proving to be a star-making turn for Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr, who delivered multiple big shots on Sunday to end UCONN's run as two-time national champs. Clayton, who began his college career under Rick Pitino at Iona, may be the best guard still playing in the tournament.
7. Texas Tech vs. Arkansas - Thursday at approximately 10:09 p.m. ET on TBS
While it may feel odd to describe an SEC team coached by John Calipari as a Cinderella, Arkansas is the closest thing to a party crasher in the Sweet 16. A slow start put the Razorbacks behind the eight ball, but a win over Kentucky in Calipari's return to Rupp Arena turned their season around, with Arkansas showing how dangerous they could be in a convincing win over St. John's on Saturday.
The best player on the floor in this game will be Texas Tech's J.T. Toppin, who has recorded double-doubles in each of the Red Raiders' first two tournament games. Toppin is a legitimate game-wrecker who will be worth watching in this contest against a very physical Razorbacks defense.
8. Houston vs. Purdue - Friday at approximately 10:09 p.m. ET on TBS
The reason that this game is last is that there is blowout potential as Houston is a much more physical team than Purdue, which beat High Point and McNeese (with Will Wade having one foot out the door prior to the game) to get to Indianapolis. The point of interest here is the venue, with Lucas Oil Stadium sitting just 70 miles away from Purdue's campus.
There will be plenty of Boilermaker fans in the building, which could turn this into a true road game for the top seed in the Midwest Region. The Cougars have already had a very tough start to the tournament, notably having to beat a Gonzaga team that was far stronger than a typical eight seed in the Round of 32, so they shouldn't be fazed by dealing with a hostile crowd at this point.