The Purdue men’s and Notre Dame women’s basketball teams are preparing to take the court in Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament matches.
Why it matters: The two programs are the last hope for our basketball-obsessed state to claim the ultimate March Madness glory in 2025.
- The moment hits even closer to home for the Boilermakers, who will play their next game at Lucas Oil Stadium for the closest thing they’ll get to a homecourt advantage.
Driving the news: To escape the Sweet 16, Purdue must rewrite its history against No. 1 seeds and survive a Houston team that has one of the best defenses in the country.
Fun fact: It’s familiar territory for both squads. This is the second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance for the Purdue men and the fourth straight appearance for the Notre Dame women.
Here’s a closer look at both matches.
đ No. 4 Purdue (24-11) vs. No. 1 Houston (32-4)
Photo: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Tip-off: 10:09pm Friday
State of play: With 15 consecutive wins, the Cougars are red hot. But Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn is a difference maker who leads the country in field goals made â just like Zach Edey did last season.
Fun fact: Purdue has an 8-3 overall record in Indianapolis since 2021, including two wins in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
What they’re saying: Purdue coach Matt Painter said the success fans are seeing on the court now is the result of work that started last summer.
- “It’s just (about) trying to create that identity on both ends of the court, and having a foundation,” Painter said after Purdue’s win over McNeese. “A lot of people don’t realize ⌠your foundation starts when practice actually starts. We wanted to start in June so now we can grow and be at our best at this time of year.”
How to watch: TBS/TruTV
If you go: Tickets start at $150.
âď¸ No. 3 Notre Dame (28-5) vs. No. 2 TCU (33-3)
Tip-off: 1pm Saturday
State of play: Notre Dame has had a dominant tournament run so far and is right at home in the semifinals, but the team has failed to advance beyond the Sweet 16 for the last three years. Meanwhile, this is the first Sweet 16 for TCU.
Flashback: These two teams last met on Nov. 29 in the Cayman Islands Classic.
- TCU came back from a late-game 14-point deficit to topple the Fighting Irish 76-68.
What they’re saying: “To go back to the Sweet 16, this is so big for the program,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said after they beat Michigan by 21 points. “We went through a couple weeks of a tough stretch, and the way that they’ve fought back and got back on track ⌠has been just phenomenal. We’re excited to keep dancing.”
How to watch: ABC
