The Top NBA Draft Matchups to Watch in the Sweet 16 Today

The Sweet 16 kicks off today, with several of the best teams and players in the country facing off.

Numerous NBA Draft hopefuls are set to take the floor, looking to boost their stock one last time in what will either be the biggest win of their lives, or the end to their college season.

Here are some of the top head-to-head draft matchups in today’s action.

Bennett Stirtz vs. Pryce Sandfort

At 6:30 p.m. CT, Iowa takes on Nebraska, with the winner punching their ticket to the Elite Eight. Neither team was necessarily expected to make it to this point, making it one of the more unique games left on the slate.

The game is made even better by Bennett Stirtz vs. Pryce Sandfort, two of the top upperclassmen scorers in college basketball, both of which can get hot and in a hurry.

Stirtz, a 6-foot-4 lead guard who’s led Iowa to its best season in some time, has had first-round stock all year. But hasn’t necessarily played well in the tournament thus far, outside of a few buckets and the game-winning assist versus Florida.

Sandfort, who’s played well through two games with 38 points in total, notably played for Iowa the last two seasons. And has emerged as a potential second-round option in the 2026 NBA Draft with white-hot 3-point shooting.

Darius Acuff Jr. vs. Brayden Burries

Perhaps the most anticipated game of the day will be Arkansas versus Arizona, tipping off at 8:45 p.m. CT.

Arizona has been one of the best teams in basketball all season long, flaunting a two-way product headed by several draft hopefuls. But Arkansas has caught their stride at the right time, and has a game built for March.

Razorback superstar Darius Acuff Jr. has been a major talking point in the draft space, of late, emerging as a potential top-five pick for many with his scoring output, which has only leveled up in March. Burries saw a slow start to the season for Arizona, but has since come on as the team’s leading scorer, doing a little bit of everything for the Wildcats.

They’re sure to match up against one another in moderation, making for some fireworks.

Keaton Wagler vs. Kingston Flemings

Illinois’ guard Keaton Wagler and Houston guard Kingston Flemings are the two in college basketball who have helped their stock the most across the season. Flemings was a five-star, but wasn’t a bonafide draft selection. Wagler was an essential unknown as a four-star.

Now, both are firmly in the second tier of prospects, or third, if Caleb Wilson stands alone.

Illionis vs. Houston is a fun matchup of conflicting styles, with the Illini’s fire-power meeting Houston’s rough and tumble defense. The Sweet 16 bout could very well be a separator for some who are torn between Wagler and Flemings.