CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - The University of Miami is abuzz with excitement as the men’s and women’s basketball teams prepare to hit the road for the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA March Madness tournament. Both teams have their sights set on the Elite Eight, and with a final practice underway before departure, the anticipation is palpable.
Miami is only one of four schools in the nation to make it to the Sweet 16 in both men’s and women’s basketball this year, alongside Tennessee, UCLA and Yukon. The women’s team, in particular, has reason to celebrate, as they haven’t made it to the Sweet 16 since 1992. On Friday, they’ll face off against the No. 4 seed Villanova Wildcats in Greenville, South Carolina.
Meanwhile, the men’s team will be taking on the No. 1 seed Houston in a bid to replicate their Elite Eight success from last year. Despite being underdogs in their respective match-ups, the players are all eager to prove themselves and take their teams one step closer to the ultimate goal of a national championship.
“We put a lot of hours to get here, but you know, the job is not finished,” said Jordan Miller of the men’s team. “I don’t think anyone ever goes into the tournament with the dream to get to just of the Sweet 16. Obviously, we want to win a national championship, but we gotta take it one game at a time and all the guys are amped up to play. There’s another one seed, you know, it feels like we can prove some more stuff.”
With both games happening on Friday, UM fans are sure to be glued to their screens, cheering on the Miami Hurricanes as they take on some of the best in the nation. And who knows? With a little luck and a lot of hard work, the men’s and women’s teams might just make history and bring home a national championship for the school.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.