Alabama and Michigan Set for Sweet 16 Matchup

The Crimson Tide and Wolverines will meet in the NCAA Tournament's second weekend

Mar. 23, 2026 at 4:08am

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The Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan Wolverines will face off in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:35 p.m. CT on Friday, March 27, and will air on TBS and truTV. Alabama advanced to this point by defeating Hofstra and Texas Tech, while Michigan beat Howard and Saint Louis.

Why it matters

This will be only the second-ever meeting between Alabama and Michigan on the basketball court. The winner of this game will advance to the Elite Eight, one step away from the Final Four.

The details

Alabama (25-9, 13-5 SEC) is making its fourth straight appearance in the Sweet 16, while Michigan (33-3, 19-1 Big Ten) won the Big Ten regular-season title and is looking to reach the Elite Eight. The Crimson Tide beat the Wolverines 68-66 in their only previous matchup back in 2009.

  • The Sweet 16 game is scheduled for Friday, March 27, 2026 at 6:35 p.m. CT.
  • Alabama defeated Hofstra and Texas Tech to reach the Sweet 16.
  • Michigan beat Howard and Saint Louis to advance to the second weekend.

The players

Alabama Crimson Tide

The No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region, making their fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance.

Michigan Wolverines

The No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, won the Big Ten regular-season title and have just three losses on the season.

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What’s next

The winner of the Alabama-Michigan game will advance to an Elite Eight matchup against either 2-seed Iowa State or 3-seed Virginia on Sunday, March 29, for a shot at a Final Four berth.

The takeaway

This Sweet 16 matchup between two highly ranked teams promises to be an exciting and competitive game, with the winner moving one step closer to the Final Four.