![]() ![]() The Zags are returning to the Sweet 16 for the eighth consecutive year, at least twice as many as any other active streak in the nation. Outlook: Gonzaga’s hard-fought victory over TCU extended one of college basketball’s most remarkable streaks. How it got here: Defeated Grand Canyon (14), TCU (6) They outclassed Iona and Saint Mary’s behind a combined 52 points and 21 rebounds from big man Adama Sanogo, and dead-eye 3-point shooting from Jordan Hawkins and Tristen Newton. The Huskies’ advanced metrics have suggested all season that they’re a bonafide threat to win the title and their performance in Albany this past weekend only validated that. Jim Calhoun’s three national championship teams all emerged from that quadrant of the bracket in 1999, 20. Outlook: Maybe it’s a good omen for UConn that it’s headed West to Las Vegas. How it got here: Defeated Iona (13), Saint Mary’s (5) He has averaged 17 points per game during that span and had six assists in both of UCLA’s victories in Sacramento this past weekend. In three Pac-12 tournament games and two NCAA tournament games, Bailey has displayed terrific playmaking in the open floor, efficient scoring and a knack for finishing at the rim. That’s Amari Bailey, the heralded freshman who has seized the moment and emerged as an impact player at an ideal time. Outlook: There’s a reason that UCLA has so far survived the late-season Achilles injury to third leading scorer and elite perimeter stopper Jaylen Clark. How it got here: Defeated UNC Asheville (15), Northwestern (7) Terry would be a risky hire given that he reached only one NCAA tournament in eight years as the head coach at Fresno State and UTEP. What Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte must decide is how much Terry has to do with the success of the team that Beard built. Since the domestic violence allegation that led to coach Chris Beard’s indefinite suspension and eventual termination, Terry has led the Longhorns to a 21-7 record, a Big 12 tournament title and the program’s first Sweet 16 since 2008. Outlook: Interim head coach Rodney Terry keeps making it harder and harder for Texas to award the permanent job to someone else. How it got here: Defeated Colgate (15), Penn State (10) The Cougars held Auburn to four second-half baskets Saturday to erase a 10-point halftime deficit and pull away for a comfortable win. The good news for Houston is that Marcus Sasser’s groin injury appears to be healing and that its defense appears up to any challenge. And potentially waiting in the Elite Eight is in-state Texas, a team that is playing as well as anyone in the postseason. Miami is dangerous thanks to its array of tough-shot-making guards. Outlook: A big reason that Houston is behind Alabama in these rankings is the strength of the remaining teams in its bracket. How it got here: Defeated Northern Kentucky (16), Auburn (9) The Tide will be a heavy favorite to advance to their program’s first Final Four from a region that has already lost its Nos. The victories were a reminder of Alabama’s scariest trait - its ability to win in numerous ways. The Crimson Tide throttled Texas A&M Corpus Christi by 21 despite Brandon Miller going scoreless and Maryland by 22 despite its high-powered offense starting slowly. Outlook: As underdogs took down other top seeds during the NCAA tournament’s opening weekend, Alabama decisively and efficiently took care of business. ![]() How it got here: Defeated Texas A&M CC (16), Maryland (8) Here’s a look at how I’d rank the 16 remaining NCAA tournament teams from most likely to least likely to win the national title: So get ready for a Sweet 16 that includes many of college basketball’s top teams this season but not so many of its recent champions. Of the four non-power-conference programs joining the Tigers, only Florida Atlantic is another true mid-major. ![]() Princeton is the lone double-digit seed to advance to the NCAA tournament’s second weekend. Only Michigan State and UConn have captured a title in the past quarter century.Īnd yet while there’s more new blood than blue bloods in this year’s Sweet 16, that doesn’t mean the field is unusually wacky. Those are the only four previous champs still in contention. Their absence means the 2023 NCAA tournament will crown a first-time champion if Michigan State, UConn, UCLA or Arkansas doesn’t win. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |