NCAA Tournament Men’s Sweet 16 Rundown
Gonzaga: The Zags just lost but nonetheless they had a great season. Finished overall number one in the nation and won their conference tournament. Even with Drew Timme leading the way they still can’t get over the hump and win the big games. With Timme and freshman standout Chet Holmgren on their way to the draft most likely, how will the Zags come back next year for a crack at a national championship?
Arizona: Another number one seed falls in the sweet 16. Zona could look at this a good season. They haven’t been relevant for some years but this year was different. This team was not ranked early in the season. Not predicted to win the Pac 12 or even make the tournament. The biggest question for them this offseason will be how will they come back stronger for another appearance in the NCAA tournament?
Kansas: The Jayhawks are usual suspects around this time. The last number one seed is led by guard Ochai Agbaji. He averages 19.3 points per game and 5.2 rebounds. Agbaji has been getting help as well with the play of Remy Martin who had 20 points in their last game. Christian Braun has averaged 8.6 points over the last 10 games. If these three are going watch out for Kansas to take this all the way.
Duke: Before coming into the tournament it seemed as if Duke was poised for a first or second round upset. That has not been the case, this young squad is growing up right in front of our eyes. Forward Paolo Banchero leads the way averaging 17.2 points per game and 7.8 boards per game. This team is starting to catch momentum at the right time.
Villanova: No matter what year it is it seems like Nova is always in the hunt for a championship and this year is no different. This disciplined team is led by Big East player of the year Collin Gillespie. They also get big help from their wing players Justin Moore and Jermaine Samuels. Do not be surprised if you see this team in the Final Four.
Purdue: The Boilermakers have a great freshman wing player in Jaden Ivey who can go on runs by himself and is a nightmare in transition. He averages 17.6 points per game. They are also great on the boards. In the Big Ten they were ranked second in offensive rebounds with 9.8 per game. Another good player on this team is Zach Edey who averages 3.2 offensive rebounds per game and has averaged 9.7 points per game in the last 10 games.
Texas Tech: This team is tough defensively, they cause turnovers with their pressure and stick to you. Their forward Bryson Williams played great against Duke scoring 21 points and hitting big buckets when needed. They gave Duke some trouble before Duke was able to pull away at the end.
Arkansas: Another tough team in the field that will not go down without a fight. No one gave this team a chance to beat Gonzaga but they made it happen. Guard JD Notae did a great job with his dribble penetration getting into the middle and collapsing the defense. Their big man Jaylin Williams is great on the boards averaging 9.8 rebounds on the year. This is a dangerous team that will play against a Duke team who is just finding their rhythm.
Providence: They had one of their best seasons in the Big East, winning the regular season title and now in the sweet 16. They will play a tough Kansas team but they can get the job done. Forward Noah Horchler has been great in the tournament last game against Richmond he had 16 points and 14 rebounds. Another great player of theirs is Jared Bynum he has been averaging nine points over the last 10 games.
Houston: The Cougars are one of the toughest teams still playing in the field. They just took down Arizona who was one of the favorites to take it all this year. This team is athletic and fast and will remind people of Texas Tech. They will face a great Nova team but if they can use their athleticism to their advantage and run in transition than they could make the Final Four.
UCLA: Can they do what they did last year? They made the Final Four as an 11 seed and now they want to do it as a four seed. Last year it was Johnny Juzang who was leading the Bruins to the Final Four. Now it looks like their forward Jamie Jaquez Jr is the one to do it. He’s averaging 14 points and 5.7 rebounds. They have a tough North Carolina team ahead who just knocked off the number one seeded Baylor Bears.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels upset win over Baylor was great. Even though Brady Manek got ejected he still ended up with 26 points. He’s shooting 39.5% from three and makes 2.4 of them per game. This team is great on the boards with Armando Bacot leading the way. He grabs 3.8 offensive rebounds per game. The guard play will come into play big time against UCLA.
Miami: Miami is one of those teams that rarely turns the ball over. Charlie Moore is one of the reasons for that. An experienced guard who can control the game. He averaged 4.5 assists per game this season in ACC play. Isaiah Wong has been great for them lately. In their last game against Auburn he had 21 points and six rebounds.
Iowa State: The Cyclones had a great win against Wisconsin in the second round. They will need a duplicate it if they want to win against Miami. Izaiah Brockington is their lead man. He is averaging 17 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. He also averages 5.2 points in the paint. Look for the Cyclones to establish themselves in the post.
Michigan: Not a lot of people had Michigan in the tournament this year. They lost their way in the middle of the season but did just enough to get in. They met their match in Villanova but turned around a mediocre season and made the best out of it. Soon enough they will get to a Final Four but this year was not their year.
St. Peter’s: The Cinderella of the tournament this year. They beat Kentucky who was one of the favorites to reach the Final Four. Then win against a pretty good Murry State. They are coming in to their game against Purdue with nothing to lose. They are playing great behind the guards and run through their sets all the way through.
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