NEW YORK, NY — At Capital One Arena this Friday night in Washington, D.C., the place to be this weekend, there will be Rick Pitino and No. 5 St. John’s, Jon Scheyer and No. 1 Duke, Tom Izzo and No. 3 Michigan State, and to round out the four programs still standing in the East Region of the 2026 NCAA March Madness Tournament, Dan Hurley and No. 2 UConn.
Superb star and collegiate basketball brand power all over the hardwood while some of the top coaches in the sport battle it out for a trip to the Elite Eight on Friday and on Sunday evening, an appearance to the Final Four.
“When you have UConn, Michigan State, St. John’s, now, with Rick (Pitino), and how they’re playing. And Duke, I mean, that’s not a regional final, that’s a final four,” stated Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. “I’m pretty excited to be a part of that.”
Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans will be squaring off against Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen this Friday night at Capital One Arena – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Izzo, 71, appearing in his 17th-career Sweet Sixteen, all with Michigan State, has won one national championship (2000). Hurley, 53, preparing for his third-career Sweet Sixteen, saw his first two Sweet 16 trips soon after result in UConn raising back-to-back NCAA Tournament championship titles (2023 & 2024).
As it goes with Pitino, 73, a two-time National Champion (1996: Kentucky & 2013: Louisville) leading four different programs to a trip to the Sweet 16 (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and St. John’s) throughout his illustrious career—the Red Storm head coach marks his 14th-ever appearance in the second weekend of the NCAA March Madness Tournament (12-1 in Sweet 16’s).
On Friday night, Rick Pitino’s Red Storm and Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils meet in the nation’s capital with the winner moving on to the Elite Eight – Image Credit: Francisco Rodriguez and Tomasso DeRosa/Latino Sports
For Scheyer, 38, the youngest of the four coaches competing this weekend in D.C., he took the helm at Duke in 2022 following Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement and has blossomed in the pressurized spot ever since—capturing 123 wins in his first four seasons combined, a stretch that includes one Elite Eight appearance (2024) and another in the Final Four (2025).
Friday’s schedule – 2026 NCAA East Region Semifinals
- No. 5 St. John’s (30-6) vs. No. 1 Duke (34-2) at 7:10PM ET/4:10PM PT on CBS
- No. 3 Michigan State (27-7) vs. No. 2 UConn (31-5) at 9:45PM ET/6:45PM PT on CBS
I mean, this could not be a better draw and result for the NCAA and local businesses located in the nation’s capital, as the projected revenue set to be driven in from these two Sweet Sixteen games and one Elite Eight matchup are already emptying out wallets.
Estimated Ticket Prices (without additional fees) for Friday’s NCAA East Region Semifinals as of Wednesday, March 25th
– StubHub: $445
– TicketMaster: $496
– SeatGeek: $442
Now, just imagine the ticket prices for Sunday’s East Region Final once the matchup is set late Friday night.
And hotel prices on top of that for fan bases of each respective program attempting to make the trip to Washington, D.C.
That’s March Madness for you.
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