The first two rounds of the NCAA tournament this year have been nothing short of amazing. Some people have even called it the best beginning to an NCAA tournament ever. The first round saw five different overtimes, a four-point play to send a game to overtime, a few buzzer beaters and all around outstanding basketball. The second round gave viewers what many call the best game of the year played so far between Wichita State and Kentucky. Both teams played their best all around games of the season, matching each other shot for shot. It took a last second defensive stand by the Wildcats to land them in the Sweet Sixteen.
Here are my predictions for tonight's Sweet Sixteen games.
Michigan v. Tennessee
Tennessee has been impressive in this tournament, but they also haven't played anyone. The University of Massachusetts was a grossly over seeded team that should never have been placed in the six spot from the start. After the Volunteers cruised in the first round, the team was supposed to have a run in with the Blue Devils from Duke. Unfortunately, they got Mercer, who played a great game against Duke to provide the tournament with the biggest upset up until that point, but could not be expected to perform the same way in back-to-back games. Meanwhile, Michigan has been dominant offensively, showing explosiveness from behind the arc and the ability to possibly contend for a Final Four spot. I have the Wolverines winning this game in a blowout.
UConn v. Iowa State
My bracket says I should be picking Iowa State in this game, but I'm not. UConn has been very impressive in their first two games. Shabazz Napier has looked like Kemba Walker did when he led the Huskies to the championship three years ago. Napier also got help from his backcourt partner Ryan Boatright, who has been able to get to the basket with ease over the first two games.
I was a big fan of the way Iowa State played coming down the stretch of the regular season, finishing it off with a win in the Big 12 Championship game. The loss of forward Georges Niang to a broken foot, however, is a huge blow to the Cyclones. The loss of a third scorer will handicap Iowa State and propel UConn to a win to move into the Elite Eight.
Kentucky v. Louisville
This is one of the most anticipated games of the Sweet Sixteen, mainly because of the in-state rivalry between the two universities and the high level of play both teams have experienced the past two weeks. Kentucky, once again, is one of the most talented teams in the country, but was not able to reach their potential during the regular season. The Wildcats seem to be hitting their stride at the end of the season, losing to the Florida Gators, the number one team in the country, by only one point in the SEC Championship game and then taking down Wichita State and ending their undefeated season. Louisville also came into the tournament on a hot streak, plowing through the AAC tournament. I'm not the biggest fan of the Cardinals' roster in general.
If Kentucky plays the way they did Sunday afternoon, there is no reason they should have a problem taking down Rick Pitino and his Louisville team.
Virginia v. Michigan State
The final game of the night could be the best game of the round of sixteen. The matchup is between a number one seed and a team that has the talent and coaching to be a number one seed. Michigan State was expected to be a number one seed at the beginning of the year, but injuries forced the Spartans to go through a rough couple of weeks to end their season.
As the team has come closer to full strength, the Spartans have been able to recapture the dominance they had experienced at the beginning of the year, winning the Big 10 tournament and cruising through the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. Michigan State is solid on both sides of the ball led by sophomore guard Gary Harris and senior forward Adreian Payne. Virginia is another solid team defensively, but has shown the inability to score at times throughout the season. I'll take Michigan State in this game because I picked them to win the tournament, but I could definitely see Virginia finding a way to pull this game out, and I expect the winner to head past the Elite Eight into the Final Four.
- By Brian Chavkin
