WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THURSDAY’S SWEET 16
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament Sweet 16 begins Thursday just after 7 p.m. ET. By the end of the night, two Elite Eight pairings will be set.
WEST REGIONAL
Anaheim, California
No. 4 Florida State (29-7) vs.
No. 1 Gonzaga (32-3)
Time, TV: 7:09 ET, CBS
Why Florida State will win: A year ago in the Sweet 16, the Seminoles beat Gonzaga 75-60. That should give them some added confidence heading into this rematch. More important, Florida State has the athleticism to potentially hold Gonzaga’s offense in check.
Why Gonzaga will win: The Bulldogs have plenty of offensive firepower, leading the nation with 88.6 points per game and leading the country in fieldgoal percentage, making 53.2 percent of the shots from the floor. Rui Hachimura leads the way (19.7 points per game), and he has plenty of help with three teammates in double figures.
No. 3 Texas Tech (28-6) vs. No. 2 Michigan (30-6) Time, TV: 9:39 p.m. ET, CBS
Why Texas Tech will win: Texas Tech leads the country in defensive efficiency (85.5 points per 100 possessions) and is giving up just 59.2 points per game, third fewest in the country. In in victories over Northern Kentucky and Buffalo in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Texas Tech held those teams to 36.9 percent shooting from the floor.
Why Michigan will win: The Wolverines needed a leader, and redshirt junior wing Charles Matthews has filled that role during the first two games of the tournament. Point guard Zavier Simpson also has asserted himself, especially on the defensive end.
SOUTH REGIONAL
Louisville, Kentucky No. 2 Tennessee (31-5) vs. No. 3 Purdue (25-9) Time, TV: 7:29 p.m., TBS
Why Tennessee will win: The Vols’ biggest upside is sheer offensive firepower. Five players average more than 10 points, led by forward Grant Williams (18.8) and Admiral Schofield (16.4). Purdue is comparatively short-handed and inexperienced with a young bench and just two players averaging double-figure scoring. Foul trouble and turnovers nearly saw Tennessee blow a 25-point lead against Iowa, but Williams and guard Jordan Bone came up clutch to lock down the game in overtime.
Why Purdue will win: The Boilermakers were already a solid defensive team, and then they turned on the jets offensively to downright dominate Big East champs Villanova thanks to 42 points from guard Carsen Edwards. Tennessee’s collapse against Iowa showed a rare lack of poise and exposed some defensive holes. If Edwards has another big night and Purdue moves the ball efficiently, the Boilermakers are fully capable of taking advantage.
No. 1 Virginia (31-3) vs. No. 12 Oregon (25-12) Time, TV: 9:59 p.m., TBS
Why Virginia will win: Virginia is the darling of the metrics gurus, ranked No. 1 in the nation by KenPom.com and second nationally in offensive efficiency and third in defensive efficiency. The Cavaliers seem to have put last year’s embarrassing first-round loss to UMBC in the past. They put together a solid performance on both ends in Sunday’s 63-51 victory over Oklahoma. Virginia is led by the dynamic backcourt of De’Andre Hunter (ACC Defensive Player of the Year), Kyle Guy (43.9 percent from 3-point range) and Ty Jerome (5.3 assists per game).
Why Oregon will win: Oregon isn’t your typical 12loss No. 12 seed. Yes, the Pac-12 was down this year, but the Ducks rolled through the conference tournament to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and dominated Wisconsin and UC-Irvine last weekend. Junior guard Payton Pritchard averaged 18.5 points and 7.5 assists in the two victories, and 6-9 sophomore Kenny Wooten tallied 11 blocked shots. The Ducks are now playing like the team many expected them to when they were ranked No. 16 in the preseason.