March Madness will have 4 SEC teams in Elite Eight: How to watch the best games, players

The Southeastern Conference set a record with 14 teams qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Now the league has matched another mark: four teams through to the Elite Eight.

Florida and Alabama were already in the Elite Eight and will play on Saturday. Auburn and Tennessee joined them with wins on Friday. That matches the Atlantic Coast Conference (2016) and Big East (2009) as the only leagues to have half the teams in the Elite Eight.

All four No. 1 seeds are also through.

The Tigers, No. 1 in the South Region, had their hands full with No. 5 seed Michigan and its two 7-footers before pulling away in the second half for a 78-65 win. The Tiger trio of Johni Broome, Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones took over in the second half, sending Auburn to the Elite Eight for the third time in program history.

Auburn moves on to face a team familiar with the Elite Eight: Michigan State. The Spartans overcame a shaky start against Mississippi's swarming defense to earn coach Tom Izzo his 11th Elite Eight appearance with a 73-70 win.

Tennessee flexed its defensive muscles against rival Kentucky, shutting down the Wildcats for a 78-65 win. That sets up a showdown between two of the nation's best defensive teams.

Houston, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest had its hands full with Purdue, pulling out a 62-60 win on Milos Uzan's layup on an inbound play with 0.9 seconds left.

First one to 50 points wins?

Now it's time to set the first two spots in San Antonio for the Final Four next week.

Games to watch

Duke (34-3) vs. Alabama (28-8), Newark, New Jersey. The top two seeds in the East Region made it through to the final and this one will be all about the offenses. The second-seeded Crimson Tide reached their second straight Elite Eight by overwhelming BYU with an NCAA Tournament-record 25 3-pointers. Preseason All-America guard Mark Sears got the Tide flowing, knocking down 10 from the arc while scoring 34 points. Duke beat Arizona 100-93 in the Sweet 16 behind a stellar game by All-American Cooper Flagg. The fabulous freshman scored 30 points and did everything except take tickets at the door while outdueling Arizona's Caleb Love (35 points). Could both teams hit 100 points again? Don't count against it with these offenses.

Florida (33-4) vs. Texas Tech (28-8), San Francisco. The Red Raiders pulled off the biggest comeback of the bracket, rallying from 16 down to beat Arkansas 85-83 in overtime. Texas Tech won't able to afford a big deficit against Florida. The Gators are strong at both ends of the floor and have plenty of depth, finishing with six players scoring in double figures in an 87-61 win over Maryland in the Sweet 16. Both teams will have injury question marks. For Florida, it's how mobile big man Alex Condon will be after spraining his ankle against the Terrapins. Chance McMillian, Texas Tech's top outside shooter, hopes to play after missing the Sweet 16 game with a strained oblique.

How can I watch?

Every game of the men's tournament will be aired — here is a schedule — either on CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV and their digital platforms, including Paramount+. CBS will broadcast the Final Four and national title game. The NCAA will also stream games via its March Madness Live option.

Who are the favorites?

The top betting favorites as the Sweet 16 arrived were (in order): Duke, Florida, Houston and Auburn, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

When are the games?

The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight from March 27 to 30 includes games in Newark, New Jersey (East Region), Atlanta (South), Indianapolis (Midwest) and San Francisco (West). The Final Four is in San Antonio on Saturday, April 5, with the championship game April 7.

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