Getty Images
One upside to the absence of Cinderella stories in the Sweet 16 is that the matchups are all phenomenal. Heading into the second weekend of the Big Dance, there is not a single game on the docket with a double-digit point spread, which suggests we could be in for some dramatic endings as we inch closer to crowning a national champion in San Antonio on April 7.
Ranking the “best” games is all a matter of perspective. A hoops junkie transfixed by on-court schematics might rank the offensive showdown between No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 6 seed BYU at the top of the list. But March Madness is about the storylines, the narratives — particularly with coaches — and the potential for college basketball to hook casual fans at this unique time on the sports calendar.
From that prism, we must consider a showdown between No. 1 seed Duke and No. 4 seed Arizona as potentially the best game of the weekend. The only problem with putting the Cooper Flagg vs. Caleb Love showdown atop the list is the reality of Duke’s penchant for dominance. If the Blue Devils play to their potential, that one could wind up as a snoozer.
For this ranking, we sought to combine narrative intrigue with potential for highly intense drama.
8. (1) Houston vs. (4) Purdue
Friday | 10:09 p.m. | TBS
Houston has won 26 of its past 27 games and owns the nation’s longest winning streak at 15. Three of its four losses came in overtime. Yet, this incredibly dominant season from the Cougars feels under-appreciated, perhaps because it’s just so normal. This is who the Cougars have been recently under coach Kelvin Sampson. Except this group is even better-positioned to survive in the Big Dance; the Cougars are actually healthy in this NCAA Tournament and have their best 3-point shooting team yet under Sampson. It’s going to take a heroic effort from Purdue.
7. (1) Auburn vs. (5) Michigan
Friday | 9:39 p.m. | CBS
Auburn vs. Michigan feels like a Capital One Bowl matchup, not a Sweet 16 game. The Tigers haven’t necessarily been playing their best as of late, but it’s hard to identify where Michigan has a clear edge. Auburn has the size to contend with Michigan’s pair of 7-footers, and the Tigers boast one of the nation’s top assist-to-turnover ratios, which contrasts nicely with the Wolverines’ turnover-prone persona. There is potential for a comfortable Auburn win here.
6. (2) Alabama vs. (6) BYU
Thursday | 7:09 p.m. | CBS
This could be the most beautiful offensive matchup of the season as two of the nation’s most-efficient squads face off. The Crimson Tide lead the nation both in points per game at 90.8 and in offensive efficiency, per KenPom. BYU also ranks among the top 10 in offensive efficiency and No. 11 in made 3-pointers per game at 11.6. They should just get rid of the clock and let the first team to 100 be declared the winner.
5. (1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland
Thursday | 7:39 p.m. | TBS
Maryland hasn’t lost a game by more than six points all season. So the idea of the Terrapins getting run off the floor is tough to fathom, even against an offensive juggernaut like Florida. But if the Gators bring their best, it’s possible. UF’s rotating cast of four quality bigs will put a ton of pressure on Maryland’s frontcourt. The “Crab Five” have already delivered with this tournament’s lone game-winning buzzer-beater. If they follow up with a Sweet 16 upset, the Terrapins may become the story of this tournament.
March Madness rolls on with loaded Sweet 16: Picks, scouting reports for eight NCAA Tournament tilts
4. (1) Duke vs. (4) Arizona
Thursday | 9:39 p.m. | CBS
Caleb Love ending another special Duke season would be a storyline for the ages. Three years ago, he was the leading force on a North Carolina team that ended Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching career. Now, he’s at Arizona with a chance to end Duke star Cooper Flagg’s college career in the Sweet 16. But it feels far more likely that the juggernaut Blue Devils steamroll a Wildcats team that has been inconsistent since mid-February.
3. (2) Tennessee vs. (3) Kentucky
Friday | 7:39 p.m. | TBS
An SEC border war with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line? Yes, please. If you’re looking for a game with the highest potential for fans fighting in the stands, this is it. The Wildcats swept the regular-season series, which begs the question: has Mark Pope cracked the code on Rick Barnes’ perennially elite defense? Also noteworthy: Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier went just 3 for 17 from beyond the arc in the first two meetings. But he’s 10 for 18 thus far in the Big Dance.
2. (2) Michigan State vs. (6) Ole Miss
Friday | 7:09 p.m. | CBS
If you’re into coaching characters and the storylines they bring, Tom Izzo vs. Chris Beard is the most compelling matchup of the Sweet 16. At 70, Izzo vowed last season to get the Spartans deep into the Big Dance. Or, he said, “I’m going to die trying.” Well, here the Spartans are. But if they’re going to stay alive, they must get past an Ole Miss team seeking its first Elite Eight appearance ever. Second-year coach Chris Beard needed a shot at redemption, Ole Miss offered it, and the Rebels are reaping the benefits of his coaching acumen.
1. (3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas
Thursday | 10:09 p.m. | TBS
Why aren’t we putting JT Toppin’s name in the conversation with Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Auburn’s Johni Broome for National Player of the Year? The sophomore big is averaging 22.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks over the Red Raiders’ past 13 games. Arkansas and coach John Calipari are the story entering this game. Don’t be surprised if Toppin is the story coming out of it. If not, Calipari reaching the Elite Eight with the only double-digit seed remaining in the bracket will suffice as one incredible development.
