While some people may decry the lack of upsets in the first two rounds of the men’s NCAA Tournament, the result is a Sweet 16 filled with the best teams in the country. All four No. 1 seeds are still alive, and there’s plenty of talent on the rosters who are trying to upset them en route to the Elite Eight.
Here’s a rundown of what’s to come in the tournament’s second weekend.
No. 6 BYU vs. No. 2 Alabama (7:09 p.m. ET Thursday)
This matchup figures to be a shootout between the top offense in the country (the Crimson Tide) and another that averages over 80 points per game (the Cougars). Alabama is in the Sweet 16 for the third straight season, and it has to be feeling confident after it cruised to victory in the second round despite a subpar performance by senior guard Mark Sears. BYU, meanwhile, sneaked past Wisconsin with a two-point win in the second round. Can the Cougars keep up with the Crimson Tide?
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 1 Florida (7:39 p.m. ET Thursday)
The Terrapins and the Gators are both coming off thrilling wins, with Maryland needing a Derik Queen buzzer-beater to put away Colorado State, while Florida executed a late comeback to knock off defending champ Connecticut. The Terps are likely to have their hands full with Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr., who has been shooting lights out through two tournament games. Clayton has scored 23 in each of the first two rounds and has hit nine of his 17 3-point attempts.
No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 1 Duke (9:39 p.m. ET Thursday)
The Blue Devils have arguably been the most impressive team in the men’s bracket, winning their first two games by an average of 33.5 points. Duke is going to be heavily favored again in this one, and it has actually already beaten the Wildcats this season. If Arizona has any chance, senior guard Caleb Love will need to have a big night, as he did against Oregon in the last round. Love, who played for North Carolina for three years, will at least be very familiar with his opponent.
No. 10 Arkansas vs. No. 3 Texas Tech (10:09 p.m. ET Thursday)
The Razorbacks are the lowest seed left in the men’s tournament and the closest we have to a Cinderella story. Arkansas is coming off one of the best wins of the tournament, as head coach John Calipari exacted a little revenge on longtime foe Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm with an upset win. Can Calipari continue his Razorbacks renaissance? Arkansas may be ranked 10th in this region, but the team has come a long way since it started 0-5 in SEC play.
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 2 Michigan State (7:09 ET Friday)
A game that will be both a clash of styles and programs. The Spartans are in their 16th Sweet 16 under Tom Izzo, while the Rebels have made it past the second round for the first time since 2001. Ole Miss’ success in the tournament has in large part been due to the long ball, as the Rebels are shooting 48.7% from deep through two games. Michigan State likes to get physical defensively, and Ole Miss will have to be prepared for a grittier game.
No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 2 Tennessee (7:39 p.m. ET Friday)
These SEC foes will meet for the third time this year in Indianapolis, and the Wildcats have had the upper hand so far. Kentucky won both matchups against the Volunteers in the regular season, and in particular it gave Tennessee’s offense fits. The Vols shot only 22.2% from 3-point range in their two losses to the Wildcats, unable to get shots to fall from outside. Tennessee is still favored in this one, but its mettle will be tested if shots aren’t falling early.
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 1 Auburn (9:39 p.m. ET Friday)
The Wolverines lost three straight to end the regular season but have been on a roll since, winning the Big Ten tournament before making their way to the Sweet 16. The frontcourt will be worth keeping an eye on in this game, as Michigan will throw out a combo of 7-footers — centers Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin — to counter the effectiveness of Auburn big man Johni Broome.
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 1 Houston (10:09 p.m. ET Friday)
The final matchup of the weekend will be a pseudo-home game for the Boilermakers, with Lucas Oil Stadium only about 65 miles from Purdue’s campus. Will a home-court boost be enough for the Boilermakers’ offense, however? Purdue will need all the extra juice it can get to upset the Cougars, who are incredibly stingy on defense. Houston leads the country in points allowed per game, and only one opponent has broken 70 points in its last five contests.
