NCAA: Men's March Madness Sweet 16 rankings

Whew. After an exhilarating first two rounds full of crazy comebacks (VCU), buzzer beaters (Kentucky), and upsets (High Point and Iowa), we look forward to the Sweet 16.

It’s very difficult to rank these remaining teams, but I’ll try in this article.

1. Michigan

I have the Wolverines at number one going into the Sweet 16, and had them winning the national championship before the tournament started. They won by 21 against Howard and 23 against Saint Louis.

Their offense has played well, scoring a combined 196 points in both games and looking like the dominant Michigan team we saw at the beginning of the year.

The injury to backup guard L.J. Cason is still a big hit, but they haven’t been bothered yet. With Alabama’s high-powered offense up next, Michigan will need to lock down the Crimson Tide and score with them, which seems very likely.

2. Arizona

Arizona could have been number one in these rankings, but a slight hiccup against Utah State in the second half to let them hang around is why I have them at number two.

The Wildcats are still a huge threat to cut down the nets, especially with guards Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, and a dominant interior presence with Motiejus Krivas.

It feels unfair that they have to play Arkansas in the Sweet 16, but their aforementioned interior presence is an advantage in this matchup and should get the job done against the Razorbacks.

3. Duke

The Blue Devils looked like they were going to become the third-ever 1-seed to lose to a 16-seed for about 35 minutes of game time, but turned it on at the end to survive and advance past Siena. They were also able to pull away from TCU in the second half and move on.

Now that the dust has settled, Duke can exhale. With Patrick Ngongba II getting healthier during this break, and a possible Caleb Foster return on the horizon, the Blue Devils now know that no game is a cakewalk in this tournament.

Their opponent in the Sweet 16 is St. John’s, an experienced and physical team. Duke should get it done, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Johnnies pulled off the upset.

4. Houston

The Cougars are similar to Michigan in the aspect that they took care of their first two opponents handily, Idaho and Texas A&M.

Their matchup is Illinois, which has a very potent offense, resulting in a battle of the Illini offense against the Cougar defense. Ultimately, Houston won due to their physicality and by winning the rebounding battle.

5. UConn

The Huskies continue to seek their third championship in four years, and they are in the toughest region to go through to get there.

After seeing them in person in Philadelphia against UCLA on Sunday, I saw an experienced team with a lot of depth. Alex Karaban got a career high in points, and forward Jayden Ross provided a huge spark off the bench.

However, Solo Ball struggled with his shot and had foul trouble, and Silas Demary Jr. returned but came off the bench. With a little time off now, I think the Huskies can put it all together to beat a very tough Michigan State team in what should be a rock fight.

6. Purdue

The Boilermakers slot in at number six for me after they beat Queens and Miami (FL). Experience is the name of the game for Purdue, with 3 stellar seniors in Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn.

A feisty Texas team awaits them in San Jose, but with their talent and previously mentioned experience, the Boilers should move on to the Elite 8.

7. Iowa State

The Cyclones would be higher on my list, but the health of star forward Joshua Jefferson is a major factor in the ceiling for this Iowa State team.

Iowa State can still rely on its elite defense to get them a win over Tennessee, but they will have their hands full trying to score on another potent defense.

Tennessee could very well pull the upset if the Cyclones don’t have Jefferson, but I think Iowa State is too much on both ends for the Vols.

8. Illinois

The Fighting Illini have a superb offense that has helped them propel past Penn and VCU. Their offense runs into the Cougars’ buzzsaw defense in Houston, and that creates a tough matchup.

The keys for the Illini are to limit their turnovers and do their best to limit the crowd noise in what is basically a road game.

9. Arkansas

The Razorbacks have been hot for quite some time, and look to keep that going behind sensational star guard Darius Acuff Jr.

They have a very tough matchup against Arizona in the West region, and the only way they probably win is by Acuff doing what he does best: getting buckets anytime, anywhere.

10. Michigan State

Michigan State is playing well right now, with wins over North Dakota State and Louisville in Buffalo. The Spartans will have a physical matchup against UConn in Washington, D.C., where they need Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr to lead the way.

11. St John’s

The Johnnies will arrive in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 after Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beater. They will rely on their aggressive defense and experience to try to disrupt a young Duke team.

12. Alabama

Alabama got through its first weekend with blowout wins over Hofstra and Texas Tech, despite off-court drama with guard Aden Holloway, who will not return.

They may rely on offense too much, but if their numerous 3-pointers go in, they can hang with a physical Michigan team.

13. Tennessee

The Vols beat Virginia in Philly, a game I was also fortunate to witness. Tennessee withstood multiple comeback attempts by the Cavaliers.

I realized that Ja’Kobi Gillespie is exactly the closer needed alongside stud freshman Nate Ament, and they could push Iowa State to the brink if the Cyclones don’t have forward Joshua Jefferson.

14. Nebraska

Nebraska is a darling of this tournament, especially after they just won their first two games in the Big Dance ever.

They will meet a familiar foe in rival Iowa in Houston. They split their meetings this year in the regular season, and expect a dogfight in a game where the loser goes home.

15. Iowa

The Hawkeyes picked up one of the best and most unexpected wins against Florida in the second round. Bennett Stirtz is one of the best guards in the country, and he leads this Iowa team against rival Nebraska in what should be a game to remember.

16. Texas

The Longhorns won three games to get to this point and are the only double-digit seed remaining in the field. They boast the same kind of experience that their opponent, Purdue, does, but I expect the Boilermakers to be winners.

Nick Bannon is a first-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him, please email nwb5355@psu.edu