03/17/26 – UK HealthCare Boys’ Basketball Sweet 16® begins Wednesday at Rupp Arena

March 17, 2026 2025-2026 News Releases

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MARCH 17, 2026

The UK HealthCare Boys’ Basketball Sweet Sixteen® will tip off its 108th installment this week inside Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center in Lexington, beginning with the first of back-to-back days of first-round matchups on Wednesday.

Wednesday will start at 11:00 AM with Region 9 champion Covington Catholic (31-2) vs. Region 7 titlist St. Xavier (26-7). The Colonels return to Lexington in March for the first time since 2022. As for the Tigers, St. Xavier repeats as regional champions for the first time since the 1942 and 1943 seasons. 

Warren Central represents the 4th Region, carrying a 26-3 record into the 1:30 PM matchup with Region 13 winner North Laurel (28-7). The Dragons enter the Sweet 16®, enjoying their sixth tournament appearance in the last eight years. The Jaguars return to Rupp Arena for a second straight season and for the fourth time in five years.

Taylor County (26-9) claimed the flag for the Fifth Region for the first time since a 3-peat during the 2015-17 seasons. The Cardinals meet Grayson County (25-6), who make it back to the Greatest Show in Hoops after being absent since 2009.

Danville Christian (23-7) will take on defending UK HealthCare Boys’ Basketball Sweet 16® champion Great Crossing (23-11) in the final game of the opening day. The Warhawks have won the 11th region three consecutive years, while the Warriors are back-to-back 12th region champions.

On Thursday, March 19, at 11:00 AM, the first game of the day features 6th region champion Butler (26-5) and 14th region stalwart Hazard (24-10). The Bears won the crown, beating the defending regional champion, Jeffersontown. The Bulldogs have captured more region titles than any team in the field. Hazard has been to the state tournament on 28 occasions.

Boyd County (29-6) returns to the KHSAA’s biggest basketball stage for the first time since 2018 and plays the 1st region winner, Marshall County (24-8), at 1:30 PM.  The Marshals scored their second region title in the last three seasons. 

North Oldham (25-5) plays Lyon County (29-6) to begin Thursday’s evening session. After waiting more than 70 years for a trip to the state tournament, the Lyons are back for the 4th time in five years. The Mustangs and Lyons played earlier this season, in late December, with North Oldham winning a low-scoring game 47-37.

George Rogers Clark (29-4) and Johnson Central (28-5) complete the first round at 8:30 PM. Cardinals’ head coach, Josh Cook, and Golden Eagles’ head coach Tommy McKenzie were college teammates at Alice Lloyd College and will match wits with a trip to the quarterfinals on the line.

The quarterfinals will take place on Friday at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The Sweet 16® will conclude Saturday, beginning with semifinal action at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and ending with the championship game at 7:30 p.m.

To order or manage tickets for the Sweet 16®, visit khsaa.org/ruppboys. Each game of the tournament will be broadcast live on khsaa.tv to subscribers of the NFHS Network, with free audio-only streams available on khsaa.net.

 

2026 UK HEALTHCARE BOYS’ BASKETBALL SWEET 16®

• khsaa.org/ruppboys
• khsaa.tv
• khsaa.net
• Live Stats
• KHSAA/Riherds Scoreboard
• Tournament Bracket
• Tournament Program

 

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 290 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 229 state championships to 59 teams and 178 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 109,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.

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