With a hefty group of Cinderella teams still hanging around after the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, this Sweet 16 field was quite literally unpredictable. Nobody could have seen this combination of teams making it to the third round of the tournament when the field of 68 was announced.
With No. 15 seed Oral Roberts, No. 12 seed Oregon State and No. 11 seeds Syracuse y UCLA still in the mix, this is the highest seed total to ever reach the Sweet 16. But there are also some season-long stalwarts hanging around as well, and they should be licking their chops as they size up the remaining field.
No. 1 seeds Gonzaga, Michigan y Baylor face manageable paths forward. In the case of Gonzaga and Baylor, the No. 2 seeds from their regions have already been knocked out. As for No. 2 seed Houston in the Midwest, the Cougars have a favorable two-game path to the Final Four looming after the region’s No. 1 seed, Illinois, was upset by Loyola Chicago in the second round.
So will the five remaining No. 1 and No. 2 seeds cruise forward during the Sweet 16? Or will the madness continue with more upsets? Here is a preview of what’s ahead this weekend during the regional semifinals.
Midwest Regional
No. 12 Oregon State vs. No. 8 Loyola Chicago
- Cuándo: Saturday at 2:40 p.m. ET
- Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
- TV: CBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Beavers — Picked to finish last in the Pac-12 in the preseason, Oregon State is a perfect example of what getting hot at the right time can do for your team. Coach Wayne Tinkle and the Beavers were nowhere near Torneo de la NCAA discussion all season but ran through the Pac-12 Tournament to secure the league’s automatic bid. They have since knocked off No. 5 seed Tennesse and No. 4 seed Oklahoma State in the Midwest Regional to secure their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1982.
Scouting the Ramblers — No. 8 seed Loyola Chicago is playing the role of Cinderella once again after advancing to the Sweet 16 by virtue of wins over No. 9 seed Georgia Tech and an upset of No. 1 seed Illinois. The Ramblers are led by big man Cameron Krutwig, a senior who was part of the team’s 2018 Final Four run. Coach Porter Moser and the great Sister Jean, now 101, are also familiar faces from that run.
No. 11 Syracuse vs. No. 2 Houston
- Cuándo: Saturday at 9:55 p.m.
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
- TV: TBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Orange — Syracuse barely snuck into the NCAA Tournament field, but after victories over San Diego State y West Virginia, the Orange are dancing to the Sweet 16. The hallmark zone defense remains a staple under 76-year-old coach Jim Boeheim, and this team can really let it fly from deep. Jim’s son, Buddy, leads the way offensively as an effective volume 3-point shooter. This will be the program’s seventh Sweet 16 appearance since 2009.
Scouting the Cougars — Houston completed a rally from 10 points down late in the second half to knock off Rutgers and advance to its second straight Sweet 16 on the heels of its first-round blowout win over Cleveland State. It was a gritty effort for the No. 2 seed Cougars, who are one of the top defensive squads in the country and a pretty decent 3-point shooting squad to boot. With Kansas transfer Quentin Grimes leading the way, this team has proven its mettle in some clutch situations recently.
South Regional
No. 5 Villanova vs. No. 1 Baylor
- Cuándo: Saturday at 5:15 p.m. ET
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
- TV: CBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Wildcats — Villanova is back in the Sweet 16 for the third time in the last five seasons — seventh overall appearance under coach Jay Wright — following wins over No. 12 seed Winthrop and No. 13 seed North Texas. The Wildcats play a slow and plodding pace that prioritizes efficient offense, but that style hasn’t stopped them from racing through their first two rounds of action with ease.. Keep an eye on Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who is the heart and soul of this team in the absence of injured senior Collin Gillespie.
Scouting the Bears — Baylor looked great in a second-round victory over Wisconsin, and with No. 2 seed Estado de Ohio already eliminated from the South Regional, the Bears have a manageable path to the Final Four. The program has never been that far before, but with veteran guards Mayordomo de jared, MaCio Teague y Davion Mitchell leading the way, this team has the talent and experience to cut down some nets.
No. 15 Oral Roberts vs. No. 3 Arkansas
- Cuándo: Saturday at 7:25 p.m.
- Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
- TV: TBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Golden Eagles — Oral Roberts became just the second No. 15 seed in history to advance to the Sweet 16 after upset wins over No. 2 seed Ohio State and No. 7 seed Florida in the first and second rounds. Led by the nation’s leading scorer, Max Abmas, and a wonderful sidekick in Kevin Obanor, the Golden Eagles have two lethal offensive weapons who have proven the ability throughout the year to keep pace with any team from any conference.
Scouting the Razorbacks — Arkansas is advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996. Coach Eric Musselman and his transfer-heavy roster escaped scares against Colgate y Texas Tech in the first and second rounds to reach a new high-point for this new era of the Razorbacks. Their unique blend of young and old talent helps power this defensive juggernaut — led by lottery talent Moses Moody and Indiana transfer Justin Smith — that has now won 11 of their last 12 games.
West Regional
(5) Creighton vs. (1) Gonzaga
- Cuándo: Sunday at 2:10 p.m. ET
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
- TV: CBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Bluejays — Creighton narrowly survived a test from UC-Santa Barbara in the first round before looking good in a win over No. 13 seed Ohio in the second round to make the program’s first Sweet 16 since 1974. With one of the nation’s best 3-point shooting backcourts in Marcus Zegarowski y Mitch Ballock, the Bluejays boast an elite offense and a decent defense as well. Zegarowski, Damien Jefferson y Denzel Mahoney each average more than a steal per game.
Scouting the Bulldogs — Gonzaga annihilated Norfolk State in the first round and pulled away from Oklahoma in the second round. As the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, this team is led by a star trio of wing Corey Kispert, center Dibujó Timme and guard Jalen Suggs. Behind them, there is a group of excellent role players. What makes this Gonzaga team better than its predecessors, though, is Suggs. He is a true one-and-done talent who is embracing his role as a distributor and disruptive defensive force.
(7) Oregón vs. (6) USC
- Cuándo: Sunday at 9:45 p.m.
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
- TV: TBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Ducks — Oregon throttled Iowa in the second round to reach the Sweet 16 for the fifth time under 11th-year coach Dana Altman. All five of the Ducks’ starters average double figures, and the veteran group is led by senior guard Chris Duarte. He scored 23 in the Ducks’ second-round victory vs. Iowa and is an effective 3-point shooter capable of quickly changing the course of a game. This is a transfer-heavy roster that has only improved throughout the season, and it appears to be clicking at the right time.
Scouting the Trojans — USC made its first Sweet 16 since 2007 by beating Drake and Kansas behind a combination of outside shooting and interior dominance. With brothers Evan and Isaías Mobley leading the way on the inside, this is also one of the top shot-blocking teams in the country. Transfers Tahj Eaddy y Drew Peterson have been marvelous on the perimeter to help this program to its best season yet under eighth-year coach Andy Enfield.
East Regional
(4) Estado de Florida vs. (1) Michigan
- Cuándo: Sunday at 5 p.m. ET
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
- TV: CBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Seminoles— Florida State is typically known for its defense under veteran coach Leonard Hamilton, but this team can really score as well. The Seminoles have been an excellent 3-point shooting team this season and held their first two NCAA Tournament opponents under 55 points. There is no single star with this team, but rather a 10-man rotation consisting mostly of veterans who understand what Hamilton expects.
Scouting the Wolverines — Michigan started 18-1 before losing three of its last five games entering the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines appear to be back on track after beating Texas Southern y LSU in the first two rounds. This team is playing without arguably its best player in senior forward Hígados de Isaías, who is out with a foot injury. But with 7-foot freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson bruising in the post and a group of veterans in the guard positions, coach Juwan Howard’s squad has the maturity and depth to keep chugging.
(11) UCLA vs. (2) Alabama
- Cuándo: Sunday at 7:15 p.m.
- Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
- TV: TBS (ver en directo)
Scouting the Bruins — After losing in the First Four during its last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018, UCLA ended up back in the First Four this season and has used it as a springboard. The Bruins came back from an 11-point deficit to beat estado de Michigan in their first game and then knocked off BYU y Abilene Christian to reach the Sweet 16. Sophomore wings Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Johnny Juzang have emerged as the top offensive option for this squad, but all five starters can reach double figures.
Scouting the Crimson Tide— Alabama knocked off Iona y Maryland to reach the program’s first Sweet 16 since 2004. The Crimson Tide are best known for their 3-point shooting, but second-year coach Nate Oats also has this squad playing great defense. That’s the reason this team appears built to last: it can stay in games even when shots aren’t falling by virtue of its grit. The heart and soul of this squad is SEC Player of the Year Herb Jones. The 6-8 senior does a little bit of everything for his team.
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