NCAA Tournament 2024: Early Predictions for Men's Sweet 16 Post-Selection Sunday
The bracket for the 2024 NCAA Men's Tournament was revealed Sunday evening and fans and analysts alike wasted no time picking apart each region, looking for potential underdogs, sleeper candidates to win it all, and storylines to follow.
It was not without question as some questioned where teams were seeded, who should or should not have achieved the No. 1 seed in each region, and what match-ups should be expected in later rounds of the tournament.
Including the Sweet 16.
Ahead of the start of March Madness, here are a few early match-up picks for the third round of competition.
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East Region
Predictions for Sweet 16 Match-Ups
- UConn vs. Auburn
- Illinois vs. Iowa State
The defending national champions UConn should have no trouble making the Sweet 16.
The team is averaging 81.5 points per game, does just about everything well, and should surge past Stetson and either Florida Atlantic or Northwestern for their return to the third round for the second, consecutive season.
A chance at repeating, something no team has done in nearly two decades, is not out of the question for Dan Hurley's squad.
Illinois has an electric offense that averages 84.4 points per game, good enough for eighth in the nation, but their defense could prove problematic in their bid for a national title. It will not be so bad that the 26-8 Fighting Illini cannot make the Sweet 16, setting up a match-up against Iowa State.
The Cyclones rely on defense and opportune scoring in key situations and will provide Illinois with a tremendous match-up. A win for the Cyclones, a team that feels like it is flying under the radar in this tournament, is not out of the question.
West Region
Predictions for Sweet 16 Match-Ups:
- North Carolina vs. Alabama
- New Mexico vs. Arizona
North Carolina missed the NCAA tournament a year ago and will look to redeem itself by taking advantage of its No. 1 seed and rolling through the first two rounds of competition. Emphatic victories will help silence doubters who believe the Tar Heels should not have received the first overall seed in the region and that, instead, should have gone to the Iowa State Cyclones.
New Mexico could be the early story of the tournament with an upset over Clemson, then the winner of Colgate and Baylor, to advance to the Sweet 16.
The Lobos can outscore any team in their region and have a strong rebound game that will set them up for success, no matter who they draw as opponents. They will be a difficult out and a run to the Elite Eight should not be out of the question, especially considering their strengths lie in two of the most important facets of the game.
South Region
Predictions for Sweet 16 Match-Ups:
- Houston vs. Duke
- NC State vs. Marquette
The South Region may be the most difficult to predict, mostly because of the star-studded bracket. Houston, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Duke, Texas Tech, NC State, Kentucky, Florida, and Marquette are all legitimate contenders to come out of the region and compete for a title.
Houston's consistency over the last three years (just 14 total losses), makes them a tough one to count out while Duke is Duke and the school has a habit of showing up in big-time situations.
NC State stunned North Carolina to win the ACC tournament and has momentum on its side while Marquette has won 54 games the past two seasons and advanced to the finals of the Big East tournament with injured guard Tyler Kolek, proving their depth and adaptability.
Midwest Region
Predictions for Sweet 16 Match-Ups:
- Purdue vs. Gonzaga
- Creighton vs. Tennessee
Purdue was stunned a season ago with a loss to the No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson, a humbling defeat that has fueled their success and set them up to make a run through the field as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.
Gonzaga is almost taken for granted by fans as they are traditionally a tough out in the tournament. While they are not the favorites they have been in the past, they are good enough to play with and beat any opponent they encounter in the region.
Creighton is a gutsy team and earned its three-seed while Tennessee has Final Four potential, thanks to the play of Dalton Knecht, who is averaging 20 points a game and is the leader of the Volunteers and one of the best players in the nation.