The Sweet 16 continues with the second game in the East Region in which the 1 seed Duke Blue Devils take on the 4 seed Arizona Wildcats at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. as the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament resumes on Thursday, March 27.
The game is scheduled to start at 9:39 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on CBS. Fans looking to watch this college basketball game can do so by using FuboTV, which offers a free trial and up to $30 off your first month, or DirecTV Stream, which also offers a free trial. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but does have other promotional offers available. Paramount+ starts at $7.99 a month and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is $12.99, and the service also offers a free trial.
The Wildcats had a blowout victory to start March Madness against Akron, and then played a close one against former conference foe Oregon in the Second Round.
The Blue Devils dominated through the first weekend, winning by 44 against Mount St. Marys and then by 23 against Baylor.
These teams faced off much earlier in the season, and Duke earned a 69-55 win on the road.
Who: 4 seed Arizona Wildcats vs. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils
When: Thursday, March 27 at 9:39 p.m. EDT
Where: Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Stream: FuboTV; Sling; DirecTV Stream; Paramount+
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and up to $30 off the first month for new customers.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.
What is Paramount+?
Paramount+ is a streaming platform with hundreds of thousands of tv episodes and movies available along with the ability to access even more content through Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. Watch the NFL on CBS and the UEFA Champions League through the basic service, or upgrade for additional sporting events such as NWSL games and The Masters.
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Same old Cal: Arkansas’ Calipari not backing off relying on freshmen in NIL, transfer portal era
By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer
John Calipari embraced the one-and-done era like few college basketball coaches, becoming one of the best annually at bringing in talented freshmen and routinely getting them to Final Fours before shipping them off to the NBA.
The formula served him well during his 15-year run at Kentucky that ended after last season, as NIL money and the transfer portal skewed rosters older and created more parity.
But Cal is up to his old tricks in his first season at Arkansas.
“I’m kind of back to the roots of being the underdog,” Calipari said before the Razorbacks’ NCAA Tournament first-round win over Kansas last week.
And now, he has the 10th-seeded Razorbacks back in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 following their win over second-seeded St. John’s and Calipari’s longtime rival Rick Pitino. The Razorbacks face West Region No. 3 seed Texas Tech on Thursday in the regional semifinals.
Once a staunch competitor of Calipari’s for the best high school talent, Pitino’s philosophies toward building championship teams have shifted during his latest coaching stop.
“We’re not recruiting any high school basketball players, not this year,” Pitino said recently when asked how he planned to keep St. John’s relevant after the school captured its first Big East tournament title since 2000.
But Pitino — and others for that matter — may reconsider after watching Arkansas freshmen Karter Knox, Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond III combine for 37 points and 19 rebounds in its upset over the Red Storm.
For Calipari it is confirmation that he can still follow the blueprint that produced six Final Four appearances and a 2012 NCAA title with Kentucky.
“I’m not changing how I do things,” Calipari said.
Pitino, who along with Calipari are the only two men’s coaches to take three different programs to the Final Four, said his decree to rely exclusively on transfers even extends to the highest-rated high school seniors in the country as he tries to replace three seniors who were instrumental in St. John’s run this season.
“I probably wouldn’t take him because I don’t think you can win and win big with high school kids,” Pitino said. “I really don’t believe it.”
While Calipari has vowed not to alter the DNA that earned him a place in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, he does acknowledge some tweaks to his formula do have to be made.
“I’m not going to take seven or eight freshmen, which I have done,” Calipari said. “We started five freshman in the national championship game (in 2014 at Kentucky). That’s done. That’ll never happen again. But bringing guys in, developing talent, let them go through the wars, prepare them and if they leave after the year, I’m good. They’re leaving anyway! Whether they’re a junior or a senior.”
Purdue coach Matt Painter sees both sides of this conversation around developing young talent versus relying heavily on veteran transfers.
His Boilermakers are back in the Sweet 16 largely because of the play of veterans Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer. All three started in last year’s national title game loss to UConn.
But to get back to March Madness’ second week, Painter’s team also had to beat a portal player-rich McNeese team that upset a Clemson squad in the first round that also started two transfers.
“I just think there’s a lot of parity in college basketball, a lot of change in college basketball. Whoever can get enough guys to be good together,” Painter said. “You see those coaches who do a better job than others just because they have that discipline and get them to buy into their system.”
Following his team’s win over St. John’s, Calipari said going forward he is content to put the onus on his staff to get his college newbies to overachieve.
“We have a couple really good freshmen coming in,” he said. “I’m hoping we get one more and then we have to get in the transfer portal and grab a couple of guys. I’m hoping we get a crew of these guys coming back, but we got to sit down with them. I got to have those talks. When is it open? The portal?”
“Monday,” a reporter replied.
“When? This Monday?” Calipari responded, glancing over at the news conference’s moderator.
“Don’t look at me,” the moderator said with smile.
“Welcome to my world,” Calipari said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
