NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 returns to KFC Yum! Center in Louisville this week. What to know

Brooks Holton, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The last Cinderella standing in the NCAA Tournament, and its No. 1 overall seed, are coming to Louisville just two wins away from the Final Four.

No. 15-seeded Princeton will try to continue its March Madness run for the ages, while top-seeded Alabama vies for its first Final Four berth in program history, when the South Regional tips off Friday evening at the KFC Yum! Center. A David vs. Goliath matchup of that magnitude would play well in this basketball-crazed city, but the Tigers and Crimson Tide must first take care of business in the Sweet 16.

For Princeton, that means knocking off No. 6-seeded Creighton, which punched its ticket to Louisville on March 19 with a convincing win against third-seeded Baylor. Standing in Alabama's way is No. 5 San Diego State, which handled the region's upset-minded No. 13 seed, Furman, with ease on March 18.

Here's everything you need to know to follow along:

NCAA women's basketball tournament:Louisville advances to Sweet 16 with 22-point win over Texas

NCAA Tournament South Regional game times

Mar 18, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) and Alabama guard Nimari Burnett (25) enjoy the final minutes of the Crimson TideÕs win over Maryland at Legacy Arena during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Alabama advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a 73-51 win over Maryland. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News
Mar 18, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) and Alabama guard Nimari Burnett (25) enjoy the final minutes of the Crimson TideÕs win over Maryland at Legacy Arena during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Alabama advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a 73-51 win over Maryland. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News

Sweet 16 (Friday)

Game 1: No. 5 San Diego State 71, No. 1 Alabama 64

Game 2: No. 6 Creighton 86, No. 15 Princeton 75

Elite Eight (Sunday)

No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 6 Creighton, 2:20 p.m.

Sweet 16 ticket prices in Louisville

Princeton fans cheer during the second half of the team's second-round college basketball game against Missouri in the men's NCAA Tournament in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, March 18, 2023. Princeton won 78-63. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)
Princeton fans cheer during the second half of the team's second-round college basketball game against Missouri in the men's NCAA Tournament in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, March 18, 2023. Princeton won 78-63. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

As of Monday evening, tickets to Friday's Sweet 16 games were as low as $75 apiece on Ticketmaster. For Sunday's regional championship, tickets start as low as $59.

All-session tickets as of Monday evening were as low as $129 apiece on Vivid Seats and $131 on Seat Geek.

Tickets can also be bought and sold on the NCAA Ticket Exchange website.

How to watch NCAA Tournament South Regional on TV

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Ryan Nembhard (2) celebrates after a three point shot with guard Trey Alexander (23) and guard Francisco Farabello (5) and guard Baylor Scheierman (55) in the second half against the Baylor Bears at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Creighton Bluejays guard Ryan Nembhard (2) celebrates after a three point shot with guard Trey Alexander (23) and guard Francisco Farabello (5) and guard Baylor Scheierman (55) in the second half against the Baylor Bears at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

Sweet 16 (Friday)

Both No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 5 San Diego State and No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 15 Princeton will broadcast on TBS (AT&T U-Verse 1112; Spectrum 27; DirectTV 247; Dish 139). Ian Eagle will handle the play-by-play announcing, Jim Spanarkel will provide in-game analysis and Evan Washburn will be reporting on the sideline.

Elite Eight (Sunday)

The regional championship game will broadcast on CBS (AT&T U-Verse 32; Spectrum 5; DirectTV 32; Dish 32).

Kentucky basketball:What's ahead for John Calipari and the Wildcats after early NCAA Tournament exit?

How to stream NCAA Tournament South Regional

San Diego State players celebrate a teammate's 3-pointer late in the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Furman in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
San Diego State players celebrate a teammate's 3-pointer late in the second half of a second-round college basketball game against Furman in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Qualified subscribers can livestream Friday's Sweet 16 games on the TBS or NCAA March Madness Live apps. Sunday's Elite Eight game will be streamed on the CBS Sports and NCAA March Madness Live apps.

How to stream NCAA Tournament South Regional for free

Mar 18, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama head coach Nate Oats gestures to fans as he leaves the court at Legacy Arena during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Alabama advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a 73-51 win over Maryland. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News
Mar 18, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama head coach Nate Oats gestures to fans as he leaves the court at Legacy Arena during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Alabama advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a 73-51 win over Maryland. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News

DirecTV and fuboTV offer five- and seven-day free streaming trials, respectively.

Louisville Sweet 16 odds

Mar 18, 2023; Sacramento, CA, USA; The Princeton Tigers react as substitutions are made late during the second half prior to defeating the Missouri Tigers at Golden 1 Center.
Mar 18, 2023; Sacramento, CA, USA; The Princeton Tigers react as substitutions are made late during the second half prior to defeating the Missouri Tigers at Golden 1 Center.

Sweet 16 (Friday)

Game 1: No. 1 Alabama (-7.5, -108; -350 ML) vs. No. 5 San Diego State (+7.5, -112; +290 ML)

  • Over/Under: 137.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Game 2: No. 6 Creighton (-9.5, -118; -525 ML) vs. No. 15 Princeton (+9.5, -102; +410 ML)

  • Over/Under: 140.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Odds, courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook, last updated at 1 p.m. Friday.

Louisville basketball:How Kenny Payne plans to rebuild Cardinals' roster with transfer portal, recruiting

Louisville's history hosting NCAA Tournament at KFC Yum! Center

This weekend marks the third time the Yum! Center has hosted an NCAA Tournament regional since the arena opened its doors in 2010.

In 2016, the South Regional ran through Louisville; and its winner, Villanova, as is the case this year, advanced to the Final Four in Houston, where the Wildcats won their second NCAA championship. And in 2019, Virginia cut down the nets at the Yum! Center en route to a national title in Minneapolis.

The arena also played host to first- and second-round games in 2015 and 2012.

Prior to 2019, the last time an NCAA Tournament regional was held in Louisville was 1987, when games were played at Freedom Hall.

Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @brooksHolton.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 returns to Louisville this week