When does a Sweet 16 resemble a Final Four? In the East Region of March Madness

WASHINGTON – No, it’s not the Final Four. It just feels that way.

Between No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Connecticut, No. 3 Michigan State and No. 5 St. John’s, the East region foursome in Washington, D.C., would have enough star power to light up Indianapolis, host of this year’s national semifinals and final.

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“This is like a Final Four, if you ask me,” said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. “I think this is almost a chalk tournament. I’m just proud and excited to be part of it.”

Instead of playing for the national championship, the group will meet to decide which team advances out of this loaded region. The Blue Devils and Red Storm will get things started on Friday night, followed by the Huskies and Spartans.

Yet these are undoubtedly some of the biggest brands in the country. Each head coach brings glittering résumés into the Sweet 16, including a combined five national championships and 18 Final Four appearances. The four teams are led by a parade of All-America selections and future NBA draft picks.

On paper, it’s hard to find another regional bubble like this in recent tournament history.

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“A ton of respect for each coach and their programs,” said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. “I think that’s what makes it exciting, right? It’s going to be an exciting atmosphere, high-level basketball, high-level coaching for sure.”

Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) and forward Jordan Scott (6) celebrate a play against Louisville during the second round of the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament at KeyBank Center.

Elite programs, teams meet on an elite stage

Duke, UConn and Michigan State have combined for 13 national championships, with the Huskies most recently capturing back-to-back crowns in 2023 and 2024. They make up three of the nine programs to win multiple championships in the past 50 seasons.

The Blue Devils (34-2) won the ACC regular-season and tournament titles after losing just twice leading into March Madness by a combined four points. St. John’s (30-6) did the same in the Big East, though the Red Storm were given a No. 5 seed by the selection committee due to fewer Quad 1 wins that the…

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Publish date : 2026-03-27 10:06:00

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