NCAA Tournament: Duke-Arizona highlights loaded Sweet 16 slate
While some people may decry the lack of upsets in the first two rounds of the men’s NCAA Tournament, the result is a Sweet 16 filled with the best teams in the country.
While some people may decry the lack of upsets in the first two rounds of the men’s NCAA Tournament, the result is a Sweet 16 filled with the best teams in the country. All four No. 1 seeds are still alive, and there’s plenty of talent on the rosters who are trying to upset them en route to the Elite Eight.
Here’s a rundown of what’s to come in the tournament’s second weekend.
This matchup figures to be a shootout between the top offense in the country (the Crimson Tide) and another that averages over 80 points per game (the Cougars). Alabama is in the Sweet 16 for the third straight season, and it has to be feeling confident after it cruised to victory in the second round despite a subpar performance by senior guard Mark Sears. BYU, meanwhile, sneaked past Wisconsin with a two-point win in the second round. Can the Cougars keep up with the Crimson Tide?
The Terrapins and the Gators are both coming off thrilling wins, with Maryland needing a Derik Queen buzzer-beater to put away Colorado State, while Florida executed a late comeback to knock off defending champ Connecticut. The Terps are likely to have their hands full with Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr., who has been shooting lights out through two tournament games. Clayton has scored 23 in each of the first two rounds and has hit nine of his 17 3-point attempts.
The Blue Devils have arguably been the most impressive team in the men’s bracket, winning their first two games by an average of 33.5 points. Duke is going to be heavily favored again in this one, and it has actually already beaten the Wildcats this season. If Arizona has any chance, senior guard Caleb Love will need to have a big night, as he did against Oregon in the last round. Love, who played for North Carolina for three years, will at least be very familiar with his opponent.
Rating: 5