Duke Basketball Advances to 2026 NCAA Sweet 16

Top-seeded Blue Devils to face St. John's in East Regional matchup

Mar. 23, 2026 at 12:07am

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Duke basketball is making its 31st Sweet 16 appearance in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The top-seeded Blue Devils (34-2) and head coach Jon Scheyer are set to face No. 5 seeded St. John's (30-6) and coach Rick Pitino in a win-or-go-home matchup at Capital One Arena in Washington.

Why it matters

Duke's deep tournament runs are always highly anticipated, as the Blue Devils are perennial contenders for the national championship. This Sweet 16 matchup between two storied programs will draw significant attention and interest from college basketball fans across the country.

The details

The East Regional Sweet 16 game between Duke and St. John's will take place at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on March 27, 2026. Duke, the No. 1 seed, enters the game with a 34-2 record, while St. John's, the No. 5 seed, has a 30-6 record on the season.

  • The 2026 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game between Duke and St. John's will be played on March 27, 2026.

The players

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm basketball team.

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What’s next

The winner of the Duke-St. John's matchup will advance to the 2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

The takeaway

Duke's continued success in the NCAA Tournament underscores the program's status as one of the premier college basketball powerhouses, while St. John's appearance in the Sweet 16 represents a resurgence for the Red Storm under coach Rick Pitino.