The men’s NCAA tournament has seen some surprises this year, with only a few highly seeded teams going home early. Most of the top-two seeds advanced to the Sweet 16, with the majority of the remaining teams ranking in the top 17 in efficiency rankings. However, this year’s Sweet 16 lacks representation from smaller schools, with only Gonzaga and San Diego State from outside college basketball’s power conferences. UConn is the favorite to win the national championship, led by head coach Dan Hurley and displaying a high level of dominance.
Other top contenders include Purdue, Houston, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arizona. Purdue’s Zach Edey has shown significant improvement, while Houston displayed resilience in a tough overtime win against Texas A&M. North Carolina faced a tough challenge from Michigan State but responded well, while Tennessee relied on its defense despite poor shooting to advance. Arizona is motivated to break a long Final Four drought, with a home-court advantage playing in their favor in the West regional games.
Duke finally showcased its full potential in a dominant performance against James Madison, while Iowa State relied on its strong defense to wear down opponents and secure their spot in the Sweet 16. Illinois has seen a resurgence behind the impressive scoring of Terrence Shannon Jr. Creighton’s smart decisions helped them overcome Oregon’s challenge, while Marquette benefited from Tyler Kolek’s return to secure a spot in the Sweet 16. San Diego State, led by a tough and focused team, will face a difficult challenge against UConn.
Alabama showed resilience in overcoming adversity to secure a spot in the Sweet 16, while Clemson has defied expectations despite inconsistent performances from key players. NC State has made a remarkable turnaround, winning crucial games in the ACC tournament and overpowering opponents in the NCAA tournament to reach the Sweet 16. The competition is heating up as teams vie for a chance to advance to the Final Four and compete for the national championship.
