Wow, what a weekend it was for the NCAA tournament. While there were not as many upsets as in past years, this year’s opening weekend for March Madness certainly entertained. The second round, especially, with Arkansas’s Cinderella run continuing, Maryland winning at the buzzer, and Florida ending UConn’s three-peat aspirations, and now we are down from 68 teams to just 16. Now, let’s break down the Sweet Sixteen, which takes place this year on March 27-28.
To see the matchup you are looking for, click on the links below for easier access:
BYUvsALA UMDvsFLA ARIvsDUKE TTUvsARK MISSvsMSU UKvsTEN MICHvsAUB PURvsHOU
#6 BYU vs #2 Alabama
The first thing that comes to mind when discussing this game is the offense we will witness. Alabama, led by star point guard Mark Sears, who averages 18.6 PPG, ranks 9th in offensive efficiency. However, the Tide spread the ball around a ton, and Chris Youngblood and Grant Nelson will give the Cougars a handful. Alabama is coming off a final-four run last season and has the talent and coaching to pull off another run. BYU ranks 11th in offensive efficiency, led by their star forward Richie Saunders, who averages 16.3 PPG, shooting 51.1% from the field. It will be a back-and-forth war on offense and will come down to which team shoots better and can create a higher percentage of looks.
The Pick: BYU wins 92-86
#4 Maryland vs #1 Florida
Maryland is just happy to still be in the tournament after the thriller they played in Sunday night, winning off a Derik Queen buzzer-beater. Florida also survived a close call, grinding out a win over UConn 77-75. Both teams live and die on one player’s performance. Derik Queen, the center, averaging 16.2 PPG and 9.1 RPG, is the go-to guy for Maryland. His size underneath could be something the Terrapins could exploit against Florida. For the Gators, they run through the star point guard Walter Clayton Jr., who averages 17.9 PPG. The more physical team will win this game, as rebounding is the biggest factor in the NCAA tournament. While Maryland matches well, Florida’s offensive excellence, experience, and leadership will prevail.
The Pick: Florida wins 73-70
#4 Arizona vs #1 Duke
Duke has a chance to get revenge on Caleb Love, who you might remember ended their season three years ago while at North Carolina in the final four. It’s been a while since they’ve seen each other, but Caleb Love, who struggled for a bit after leaving North Carolina, is back to playing some of the best basketball of his career. In his last season of eligibility, he can knock off Duke again in the tournament. This Duke team, however, is no joke. Led by freshman and consensus #1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the Blue Devils are loaded with talent and do everything right. They rank 1st overall in offensive efficiency and 3rd in defensive efficiency, with just three losses. Arizona is a fun upset pick here, but overall, Duke is just too good to overcome.
The Pick: Duke wins 88-83
#10 Arkansas vs #3 Texas Tech
Coach Cal and the Arkansas Razorbacks are the only remaining 10-seed in a tournament that has been mostly upset-free. The Razorbacks are no joke, however, they pose major threats due to their size underneath with Adou Thiero and Trevon Brazile. DJ Wagner, Johnell Davis, and Boogie Fland make up the backcourt, and this team is loaded with depth. Texas Tech, on the other hand, leans mainly on one player, forward JT Toppin, who averages 18.1 PPG and 9.3 RPG, shooting 56.2% from the field. This is a tough match-up to pick as both of these teams have looked very promising thus far, however, the size and skill of JT Toppin and the guards of Chance McMillan and Elijah Hawkins of Texas Tech can propel them to an Elite Eight.
The Pick: Texas Tech wins 70-61
#6 Ole Miss vs #2 Michigan State
Ole Miss has gone under the radar through the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, knocking off 3-seeded Iowa State and beating a streaky North Carolina team to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Chris Beard, former Texas coach, and star point guard Sean Pedulla, averaging 15.2 PPG, have led the Rebels to a deep run. They are going up against Tom Izzo and the Spartans, whose identity has been toughness. They haven’t been perfect, but they’ve learned to deal with adversity and that has led to success late in the season. They’ll have everything they can handle against Ole Miss, who will be tough.
The Pick: Ole Miss wins 75-68
#3 Kentucky vs #2 Tennessee
This may be the most intriguing out of all the Sweet Sixteen games. Kentucky and Tennessee have already met twice this year, with Kentucky winning the first two games, 78-73 and 75-64. The Volunteers and coach Rick Barnes will be looking for revenge against first-year Kentucky coach Mark Pope and the Wildcats. However, It is hard to beat a team three times, especially a team as good as Tennessee.
The Pick: Tennessee wins 65-60
#5 Michigan vs #1 Auburn
This game will be the battle of the bigs, as Michigan features a unique duo of two 7-footers on their team: Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf. The two have operated well this season together, both transferring in and both creating an instant impact for the Wolverines. On the other side, Auburn has a big man of their own that can create problems for the Wolverines: Johni Broome. Broome, the current front-runner for National Player of the Year, averages 18.4 PPG and 10.7 RPG. This exciting sweet sixteen matchup will come down to which team can rebound better and shoot better, where Michigan has the slight edge.
The Pick: Michigan wins 84-80
#4 Purdue vs #1 Houston
To round off the games, it will be Houston vs Purdue, two teams that have very similar playstyles. Both teams defend well and run their offense through a talented point guard. Purdue has Braden Smith, who averages 16 PPG and 8.5 APG, which is 2nd in the country, while Houston has LJ Cryer, who averages 15.6 PPG, including a 30-point game vs Gonzaga in the round of 32. Houston ultimately has the upper hand when it comes to their rebounding. They fight harder than any team in the country to grab rebounds and create extra possessions, which prove critical in the tournament.
The Pick: Houston wins 66-56
