On to the Sweet 16
The first weekend of the NCAA tournament produced plenty of upsets and indelible moments. Here’s what to expect in the Sweet 16:
These teams know how to fight. Their coaches know how to make adjustments. Neither team wants to stop pulling off upsets. Loyola won its first two games on heroic shots in the closing seconds. The Ramblers have the longest winning streak — at 12 games — of any team in the tournament. Nevada fought back from a 22-point deficit in the final 11 minutes to beat No. 2 Cincinnati.
Kentucky will have a packed house in Atlanta, which is within driving distance for its legions of passionate fans. The Wildcats will be facing a third straight opponent with a lower seed thanks to upsets. Kansas State coach Bruce Weber is taking a third team (after Southern Illinois and Illinois) to a Sweet 16.
The Wolverines have won 11 straight, propelling themselves into the Sweet 16 with a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Jordan Poole. The Aggies overpowered North Carolina in a stunner. They grabbed a whopping 50 rebounds against the Tar Heels and 44 against first-round opponent Providence.
Gonzaga redshirt freshman guard Zach Norvell Jr. had 28 points, with six 3-pointers and 12 rebounds, to beat Ohio State in the second round. The ’Zags are looking for another crack at the championship game. Five Florida State players scored in double digits to upset No. 1 seed Xavier.
Two coaching legends in Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski. Krzyzewski is a five-time national champion. Boeheim won it in 2003. They have 17 combined Final Fours (12 for Krzyzewski). The Blue Devils beat the Orange 60-44 in the regular season. Duke has far superior talent. This won’t be close.
The Tigers entered the NCAA tournament with two losses in three games. But their 84-53 dismantling of Auburn in the second round was the largest margin of victory so far in the tournament. Kansas has experience, hoping to advance to a third straight Elite Eight. The Jayhawks rank fifth in offensive efficiency, while Clemson ranks 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. The Jayhawks will be playing about 200 miles from home in Omaha, Neb.
The Boilermakers were dealt a rough blow with the loss of Isaac Haas, who broke his elbow in the first round. They still managed to hold off a talented No. 10-seeded Butler. Four Purdue players managed double digits. The Red Raiders are skilled at forcing turnovers but struggled at the free-throw line in beating Florida. Purdue guard Carsen Edwards will be the difference-maker.
The game features arguably the two best point guards in the tournament: Villanova’s Jalen Brunson and West Virginia’s Jevon Carter. This is the marquee game of the Sweet 16.
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