All 4 No. 1 seeds nonetheless stay as the lads’s Candy 16 is about to tip off on Thursday night time.
Whereas this yr’s NCAA Match has not had as a lot insanity as followers have come to anticipate, the shortage of upsets units the stage for what ought to be an exciting and fascinating Candy 16 with 4 of the facility conferences (ACC, Huge Ten, Huge 12, SEC) all represented.
Though the one-seeds will garner many of the consideration, and rightfully so, listed here are three groups that aren’t on the one-line which can be finest positioned for a Closing 4 run.
No. 2 seed Michigan State
The 2-seed Michigan State is a pair of wins away from claiming the South area and its first Closing 4 since 2019. Michigan State (NET rating of 11) has the third-most Quad 1 wins behind No. 1 seeds Auburn (16) and Houston (14).
The Spartans’ Candy 16 opponent, six-seed Ole Miss, has a NET rating of 28 however has definitely been battle-tested within the vaunted SEC. Michigan State thrives in bench manufacturing with a median of 34.46 factors per recreation, which is fifth within the nation. Even when the Spartans get into foul hassle, they’ve the depth to beat it.
If Michigan State retains dancing to the Elite Eight, it could face the winner of the Auburn-Michigan matchup. The Spartans swept their in-state rivals in the course of the common season and will pose a major problem to the top-seeded Tigers. Assuming Michigan State stays wholesome and maintains its bench manufacturing, its depth could lead on it to its first nationwide title since 2000.
No. 3 seed Texas Tech
The Purple Raiders are the one workforce within the Candy 16 that shall be dealing with a double-digit seed after they go up in opposition to the 10-seed Arkansas on Thursday night time. Whereas John Calipari’s Razorbacks have the momentum, Texas Tech is a workforce that completed second to Houston within the Huge 12 and is led by sophomore JT Toppin (18.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG).
Texas Tech’s assist-to-turnover ratio (1.71) speaks to its capacity to handle the ball with out turning it over. If that continues, it will be tough for Arkansas to beat.
If Texas Tech reaches the Elite Eight, the Florida-Maryland winner can be ready. Assuming the chalk holds, Florida’s inconsistency from the free-throw line (71.91%, 187th within the nation) may go away the door open for a Closing 4 run from the Purple Raiders, the place they haven’t been since 2019.
No. 4 seed Arizona
It was a rocky begin to the season for the Wildcats, who misplaced 5 of their first 9 video games. A kind of was a 69-55 setback in opposition to Duke on Nov. 22. Regardless of the early adversity, the Wildcats have a NET rating of 12 and personal 10 Quad 1 wins. In addition they have senior Caleb Love, who’s coming off a 29-point efficiency by which he shot 5-of-7 from three-point vary.
The No. 1 seed Blue Devils confirmed their dominance within the first two rounds and seem to have freshman sensation Cooper Flagg again at full power. Nonetheless, Arizona will get a second likelihood in opposition to Duke, which is one thing any workforce exterior of the ACC has not had.
A possible Elite Eight assembly can be in opposition to the BYU-Alabama winner. Each groups are as explosive as any workforce offensively however lack a constant protection that has confirmed to repeatedly get stops. That might play to Arizona’s favor and lead this system to its first Closing 4 since 2001.
