Matchups of the Sweet 16
The Sweet 16 begins tomorrow night for Men’s College Basketball, featuring a slate of matchups I cannot wait to see. I am going to break down a couple of the games taking place tomorrow, as well as give my opinion on whether certain teams are contenders or pretenders in their pursuit of a national championship.
#1 Florida vs. #4 Maryland
Florida looked beatable in their matchup against UConn, but the Gators still managed to prevail. They are arguably the best team in the country, and I think they will defeat the Terrapins tomorrow night.
That’s not to say Maryland doesn’t look good. Derrick Queen’s game-winner was amazing (despite the fact that it was a clear travel). I believe the Terrapins will put up a solid fight against the Gators, but this is where their March Madness journey will likely end.
However, if Maryland does pull off the upset, things will get very interesting in the West Region. The winner of this game will face either #10 Arkansas or #3 Texas Tech, two teams that I believe Maryland could beat. If the Terrapins shock the Gators, there is a strong chance we see them in the Final Four.
#1 Duke vs. #4 Arizona
Another highly anticipated matchup will feature Caleb Love facing a very familiar opponent in the Duke Blue Devils. For context, before transferring to Arizona, Love played for the UNC Tar Heels.
Back in 2022, Love was part of a UNC team that reached the Final Four, where they faced arch-rival Duke. Love had an incredible game, scoring 28 points and hitting a clutch three-pointer to seal the victory for the Tar Heels.
Now in 2024, Love is on Arizona, and they are set to face Duke in the Sweet 16—a fantastic storyline.
Duke has looked dominant this March, winning nearly every game by double digits. The only close contest they’ve played was against UNC in the ACC Tournament, a game that Duke controlled for most of the way until a late UNC comeback.
As for Arizona, Caleb Love is averaging 19.5 points on impressive efficiency, but the Wildcats remain a tier below Duke. The Wildcats should put up a strong fight, but Duke has the superior coach, talent, and overall team. I expect this to be a competitive game, much like Florida vs. Maryland, but once again, the #1 seed will prevail.
#2 Tennessee vs. #3 Kentucky and #1 Houston vs. #4 Purdue
These four teams are not as familiar to me as Duke and Florida, but I’ll still make my predictions.
Tennessee vs. Kentucky is a toss-up. Both are strong SEC teams with legitimate Final Four potential. I predict Tennessee will come out on top in the Sweet 16 and move on to face the winner of Houston vs. Purdue. I also believe that the winner of Tennessee vs. Kentucky will be the team to reach the Final Four from the Midwest Region. I don’t think Houston or Purdue can beat either of these SEC squads.
As for Houston vs. Purdue, I’m predicting the Boilermakers to pull off the upset. A #1 seed is bound to fall soon, and I think Purdue will be the team to take down Houston. However, I expect Purdue’s run to end in the Elite Eight against the Tennessee-Kentucky winner.
#1 Auburn vs. #5 Michigan
The final matchup I’ll discuss is the Auburn Tigers vs. the Michigan Wolverines. Auburn is the favorite to win this game—and rightfully so, as they are the stronger team. However, Michigan has a size advantage, and Auburn’s Johni Broome hasn’t been as dominant in the tournament as he was in the regular season.
Personally, I’m rooting for Michigan because I don’t like Auburn, and it would be exciting to see a Michigan vs. Michigan State matchup in the Elite Eight.
I anticipate a close game, but I believe (and hope) Michigan will pull off the upset.
