16's for the Sweet 16. Storylines, Ranking Players, Teams, Games, Coaches

The days seem longer from the Monday after the opening NCAA Tournament weekend until the start of the Sweet 16. It’s typically reserved for remembering the seasons of those teams we’ve lost along the way and those midmajor coaches starting to interview for others jobs. We’re seeing guys like Kermit Davis, Tom Crean and Danny Hurley (possibly) leave for another job or get back into coaching.

Let’s take inventory now of the 16 teams remaining as we’ll start the Barstool previews of the Sweet 16 the next couple of days. Today, we’ll take a look at the best players, ranking the teams and storylines to watch as we get ready for more buffalo wings, beers and basketball.

We’ll start with what storylines you need to keep an eye out for. This can be anything from keeping an eye out for a coach, a certain player or something to watch during the games.

1. We could still get the perfect tournament

Now, I know this is subjective and I’ll probably get yelled at for this take, but I want big names and favorites playing from here on out. The Cinderella story is awesome for the first weekend, but come Elite Eight and Final Four time, I want to see the absolute best talent I can. That’s the thing with the NCAA Tournament, it’s a fun and great way to declare a champion but in no way does it show who the best team is. That said, we have the chance for a perfect tournament. We have the fun Cinderella teams in Loyola and Nevada, we have known commodities like Kentucky, Villanova, Duke and Kansas. We have teams like Syracuse who are well known but a Cinderella run. If we can get Kentucky, Gonzaga/Michigan, Villanova, Duke/Kansas in the Final Four that will draw big time numbers. I’ll take that please.

2. Gonzaga looking to pull and avoid a Butler all at once

Typically if you lose in the NCAA title game you’re not exactly set up for great success the following year. Butler is the last team since the 92-93 Michigan teams to go to back to back title games, only to lose. Gonzaga has a great shot at getting back to the NCAA title game. I’ve talked about them flying a bit under the radar all season and here they are in the Sweet 16 again with a legit chance of getting to San Antonio. This team is good enough to win a title.

3. Kentucky’s home court advantage in Atlanta

Perhaps the team with the biggest home court advantage this weekend will be Kentucky as Atlanta is supposed to be about 90% filled with Kentucky fans. After spending the first weekend in Boise, Kentucky fans have just about a 4-5 hour drive to Atlanta, a place they are quite familiar with. I can’t stress how important it is to have a homecourt advantage in this sort of setting and why it’s huge for Kentucky and Kansas (Omaha).

4. Jalen Brunson vs Jevon Carter vs Keenan Evans vs Carsen Edwards

Those are the four lead guards left in the East region and I’m all the way here for this. Having a steady hand at point/lead guard is the most important thing in college basketball. When you go look at the national champs you notice they all have solid point guard play. I mean the weakest point guard to win a title in the last 10 years is someone like Marquis Teague – an All-American and first round pick. It’s just that important. Well, in the East we have the National Player of the Year and 3 other All-Americans going up against each other and they all have a little something different to their game.

5. Are the comebacks over with? 

That was the story of the first weekend to me. Sure, we had history with UMBC beating Virginia and some crazy endings, but this tournament was all about comebacks. You had Nevada coming back twice in its first two games, including that absurd 22 point comeback against Cincinnati. You had Florida State coming back from 12 down with 10 to go against Xavier. You had Michigan coming back against Houston. It was absurd, any team with a large lead felt like it wasn’t going to last. Does that continue this weekend?

6. NBA Draft prospect watch

There are six possible lottery picks still playing in the NCAA Tournament. You have Marvin Bagley, Wendell Carter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Knox, Mikal Bridges and Robert Williams all remaining. hey can all solidify a spot or jump someone with a great performance this weekend. We’ve seen teams fall in love with a guy and take him a couple spots too early because of a run in March. We’re already seeing a guy like Gilgeous-Alexander jump a spot or two in some mocks after his first weekend.

7. Villanova’s shooting trending correctly? 

Over the last 10 games, Villanova is shooting 41% from three. Last year they were shooting 34% through this time (first 2 NCAA Tournament games and 8 previous ones). The year they won the title? 42%. Notice the trend there? If Villanova is shooting like it did against Alabama, especially in the second half, it’s over. This is a team that can get as hot as anyone from three and that’s such a deadly weapon to have. If they are shooting 40%+ it’s hard to see them lose.

8. Can Michigan continue to win with its defense? 

Michigan is not known as a defensive-minded program. This is a program that wants to beat you on the offensive side of the ball running the 2-guard offense and just cutting and screening you to death. But, this year is a bit different. This is the best defensive team Beilein has ever had at Michigan and a large part of that starts with Zavier Simpson and what hes’ able to do at the point guard spot. he does an excellent job of walling up and moving his feet. He’s not going to force a bunch of turnovers, but he forces the offense to get stagnant. Throw in wings like Charles Matthews and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman who are versatile enough to guard multiple positions.

9. Sister Jean vs Mariah Musselman 

The two biggest stars of this tournament have come off the court. Sister Jean, the 98-year old chaplain for Loyola who I’m pretty sure could coach a team to the Sweet 16 has stolen the show. But, not far behind her is Mariah Musselman, the young daughter of Nevada’s head coach Eric Musselman. Mariah has conducted interviews with her dad, been a ball of energy in the crowd and now we get to the two facing off in the Sweet 16. It’s the ultimate good luck charm battle here.

10. Devonte Graham making his own legacy

When you take a look at the long list of dudes that played at Kansas, you now have to throw Devonte Graham out there. What he’s done during his four years is pretty insane and this year has been his best yet. Graham was a roleplayer for three years, accepting his role as a defensive stalwart and a guy to hit threes while playing off the ball. He’s now at his natural position as the lead guard and is an All-American while he has Kansas in the Sweet 16. A run to the Final Four would cement Graham’s legacy as an all-time great at Kansas (though it should be already).

11. A healthy Texas A&M is a scary Texas A&M

Perhaps no team in the country has dealt with more suspensions and injuries than Texas A&M this year. That said, they finally have their roster (who isn’t suspended) healthy. Also along with that, this team is locked in. DJ Hogg is giving a damn defensively. Robert Williams is playing his role. Tyler Davis is stepping up as the go-to guy in the post. TJ Starks is turning into a consistent point guard. There’s a reason this team was said to have the best roster in the SEC.

12. Can West Virginia’s defense slow down Villanova’s offense? 

This is one of those games I look at think that Villanova could and should shred West Virginia’s press. We’ve seen teams attack the press to score and be successful at that this year. Throw in the fact Nova won’t attack Konate at the rim and force him out to defend the perimeter and it’s going to be a different look. However, it’s a one-game tournament. So, who is to say this isn’t the game Nova gets sloppy with the ball or shoots 30% from three?

13. Jim Boeheim vs Coach K 

The two old-guard members here, but this is just the second time they’ll play in the NCAA Tournament. The last time? A Duke win in the Sweet 16 in 1998. As if that wasn’t weird enough – San Antonio also hosted the Final Four that year.

14. Can Matt Haarms be consistent for two more games? 

The Isaac Haas injury is well, in one word, huge for Purdue. The ability to play through him offensively, forcing teams to make a decision on how to defend the paint vs 3 point line is a large reason as to why Purdue is so damn good offensively. Now, Haarms isn’t going to draw that attention, but he’s agile enough to come out and set ball screens. Will teams just blitz those screens? Haarms played well in the Butler game, but now he’ll go up against Texas Tech and either Nova/West Virginia. Can he hold his own as a freshman for 2 more games?

15. Can the ACC and Big 12 dominate the next two rounds?

I talked about how I’m not a huge fan of declaring how good/bad a conference is based on just the NCAA Tournament. That said, the ACC and Big 12 make up half of the Sweet 16 teams. Last year we saw the SEC send 3 to the Elite Eight. Will these two conferences make up six of the eight teams? They’ve been the two best conferences in America all season, so it almost feels right if they make up the majority here.

16. Can the officiating improve? 

It’s the loudest secret in the room. The officiating stinks. My only hope is they can get out of their own way to give us great games. I don’t want to see any games decided on a bullshit flagrant call. Hopefully there aren’t too many reviews. And for the love of God, I hope a charge doesn’t end a game – again.

Ranking the Sweet 16 Teams

1. Villanova
2. Duke
3. Kansas
4. Gonzaga
5. Kentucky
6. Michigan
7. Texas Tech
8. West Virginia
9. Purdue
10. Texas A&M
11. Nevada
12. Loyola
13. Clemson
14. Kansas State
15. Syracuse
16. Florida State

16 Best Players Left

1. Marvin Bagley (Duke)
2. Jalen Brunson (Villanova)
3. Devonte Graham (Kansas)
4. Jevon Carter (WVU)
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky)
6. Keenan Evans (Texas Tech)
7. Carsen Edwards (Purdue)
8. Killian Tillie (Gonzaga)
9. Mikal Bridges (Villanova)
10. Caleb Martin (Nevada)
11. Mo Wagner (Michigan)
12. Kevin Knox (Kentucky)
13. Tyus Battle (Syracuse)
14. Grayson Allen (Duke)
15. Vincent Edwards (Purdue)
16. Gabe DeVoe (Clemson)

Ranking the 16 Coaches:

1. Coach K (Duke)
2. John Calipari (Kentucky)
3. Jay Wright (Villanova)
4. Bill Self (Kansas)
5. John Beilein (Michigan)
6. Mark Few (Gonzaga)
7. Jim Boeheim (Syracuse)
8. Bob Huggins (WVU)
9. Chris Beard (Texas Tech)
10. Matt Painter (Purdue)
11. Eric Musselman (Nevada)
12. Billy Kennedy (Texas A&M)
13. Bruce Weber (Kansas State)
14. Leonard Hamilton (Florida State)
15. Porter Moser (Loyola)
16. Brad Brownell (Clemson)

Ranking the Sweet 16 games:

1. Purdue vs Texas Tech
2. Villanova vs West Virginia
3. Nevada vs Loyola
4. Texas A&M vs Michigan
5. Syracuse vs Duke
6. Kentucky vs Kansas State
7. Gonzaga vs Florida State
8. Kansas vs Clemson