The final Sweet 16 games are taking place tonight, which will set the field for the Elite 8 in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. It’s time to look at the matchups and help bettors decide where to place their money. But first, a recap of Thursday’s games.
Top-seeded Michigan State was upset by four-seed Louisville by a 57-44 score. The Cardinal’s defense was the key to the game, keeping the tough Spartans from getting any easy buckets. Louisville center Gorgui Dieng had seven blocked shots – tying a single-game personal and team record – and altered several other shots in the paint. Combined with hot shooting in the first half, the Cardinals were able to stop Tom Izzo’s big, athletic team. Louisville struggled early in the season, but considering their impressive run to the Big East Tournament title and their defeat of a top seed, they are a good sleeper pick to make the Final Four.
Another top-seed, Syracuse, barely scraped by four-seed Wisconsin by a 64-63 score. The Badgers were blistering hot from the outside, shooting 14-27 (52%) from three-point range. However, their inability to get a good shot off in the last two trips down the floor doomed them, as Wisconsin fired two desperation shots before the buzzer that had little chance. Syracuse survived a scare for its second time in the Tournament. Despite its 34-2 record, the Orangemen look very vulnerable.
Second-seeded Ohio State cruised past six-seed Cincinnati 81-66 thanks to a dominant second-half performance. The Buckeyes manhandled Cincinnati inside and look like a team that could make a run to the championship game.
In the late game, seventh-seeded Florida upset three-seed Marquette by a 68-58 score. With an aggressive defensive technique, the Gators put pressure on Marquette to make jump shots. They did not. Though they executed well on defense, the team shot only 31% from the floor in the game and 29% from three-point range. Their defense kept them close, but eventually Florida pulled away thanks to big shots by Bradley Beal.
As for the remaining games, we have three-seed Baylor against ten-seed Xavier. The Musketeers seem outmatched here on both ends. Baylor has one of the best offenses in the country, ranking 35th, while Xavier ranks only 105th in scoring. On defense, Baylor isn’t that good, ranking 97th, but Xavier is worse at 144th. Xavier has played well in the tournament, but it’s unlikely that their run will continue.
Top-seed North Carolina against number-13 Ohio is a big question mark. On paper, it’s a huge mismatch in favor of the Tar Heels. However, they will be without injured point guard Kendall Marshall. He is the most important player on the team, leading their offensive in the half court and on the break. Without him, this dynamic offense becomes a lot less dangerous. There is suddenly a chance for Ohio if you want to go for the big upset.
Top-seeded Kentucky is matched up against four-seed Indiana. The Wildcats have looked practically invincible this year, losing only one game for the entire regular season, but guess who was the one team to beat them? It was Indiana. The Hoosiers already know how to beat Kentucky, but the Cats are looking for revenge and have the talent advantage.
The final game of the Sweet 16 is two-seed Kansas versus eleven-seed North Carolina State. The Wolfpack are underdogs here, but they have been on fire lately and have played extremely well after a slow start to the season. This team is dangerous and the Jayhawks have looked vulnerable. Kansas also has a history of being upset in the Tournament. Will it happen again? Be sure to watch these great games and don’t wait for Google to tell them how they end later.