I'm going to go region by region and just give a few thoughts as the NCAA tournament proceeds into the Sweet 16. I apologize for the red text. I have no idea why some entries are showing up in red, because I have black selected and that is how it looks on my screen as I am writing.
Midwest (Chicago)
No. 4 Iowa State (23-11): There will be plenty more to come on Virginia's Sweet 16 opponent later, but the Cyclones were coached for five years by alum Fred Hoiberg, who ended up taking the head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls in the offseason. The Cyclones are, of course, in Chicago this weekend, so Hoiberg got to speak with his former players and tell them how proud he was of them. He won't be able to attend Friday's game but will be supporting his school if it beats UVa and gets to Sunday's game. Iowa State is now coached by Steve Prohm, who somewhat famously guided Murray State to a 31-2 record and second-round appearance in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The Racers beat Colorado State in that tourney before falling to Marquette, who was coached by Buzz Williams, now the Virginia Tech coach. Prohm never got the Racers back to the Big Dance his other three years at the school despite compiling a terrific 104-29 record.
No. 10 Syracuse (21-13): Most people, including myself, thought Syracuse's last-season swoon would keep it out of the tournament. Not so. Coach Jim Boeheim said you don't know anything about the game if you thought the Orange should've been left out. I disagree, but that's ok. The thing that got me was the selection committee said it was going to treat Boeheim's suspension this year, when the team went 4-5, as if a key player had been injured. Which makes no sense. He wasn't out because he was sick. He was out because of an NCAA violation that had been committed. Not sure how that gets you a pass. But now, Syracuse is in the tournament and so far has made the most of it, winning two games fairly easy. But those victories came over a Dayton team that was struggling the last month of the season, and a 15 seed in Middle Tennessee State, which looked great on upsetting Michigan State, but looked back to ordinary vs. the Orange. Let's see how Syracuse does from here out. It gets to face another double-digit seed, but I think seasoned basketball fans know the next team isn't your typical double-digit seed, either.
No. 11 Gonzaga (28-7): Ah, the Zags. The West Coach team everyone loves to hate. Almost like Duke West. Almost. The Bulldogs have been a thorn in the sides of many schools for almost two decades. They've been to 17 consecutive NCAA tournaments but looked like they might not make it this year, just like Syracuse. A victory over rival Saint Mary's, though, in the West Coast Conference title game took the bubble talk off the table. Since getting in, the Bulldogs have of course looked great, first dispatching of Seton Hall, which was coming off a huge win over Villanova, and then thrashing Utah, the No. 3 seed in the region. If it's March, must mean Gonzaga and Michigan State (oops!) must be playing well. Still, though, for all their dominance of their conference and postseason success, coach Mark Few and the Bulldogs are still looking for their first Final Four appearance.
East (Philadelphia)
No. 1 North Carolina (30-6) vs. No. 5 Indiana (27-7): It just sounds like a classic matchup and I'm sure plenty of basketball fans are hoping and thinking this will be one of the better games in the Sweet 16. Both teams like to get up and down the floor so it should be a fairly high-scoring game.
No. 6 Notre Dame (23-11): The Fighting Irish just about lost to Stephen F. Austin in the second round, but rallied at the very end and got a tip-in to win it with about one second left. And now, the Irish have a decently favorable matchup against Wisconsin, which knocked off Xavier.
No. 7 Wisconsin (22-12): Speaking of those Badgers, they hired their interim coach, Greg Gard, to the full-time gig a few weeks ago. Wisconsin started the season brutally, with losses to teams such as Western Illinois and Milwaukee. And then Bo Ryan retired. He wanted Gard, a longtime assistant with Ryan at all the stops in his career, to get the job, but the athletics director, Barry Alvarez, seemed unsure. However, Gard really proved himself down the stretch of the season, as the Badgers finished on an 11-3 streak to end all doubt of making the tournament. Virginia fans also breathed a sigh of relief because Wisconsin was at least rumored to be interested in UVa's Tony Bennett, who was an assistant under his dad Dick Bennett, who coached the Badgers from 1995-2001. There was never a report that Bennett talked with Wisconsin or was interested, but still, some UVa fans were on edge.
South (Louisville)
No. 1 Kansas (32-4): One of my only good picks in my bracket, the Jayhawks have rolled through their first two opponents, Austin Peay and Connecticut. It would seem like they are the favorite to win the tournament. And they probably were picked by most experts to win the whole thing. But ESPN's BPI (a measure similar to RPI) actually has another team as its predictive favorite now: Virginia.
No. 5 Maryland (27-8): Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon was actually a point guard for the Jayhawks in the 1980s. But he said it isn't weird playing his alma mater anymore thanks to his days as Texas A&M's coach from 2007-11. The Aggies were still in the Big 12 then, so obviously he got to face Kansas a lot. The Terrapins have been considered one of the best teams talent-wise all season. But a couple late-season missteps knocked them down a peg. As a result, they have a very rough Sweet 16 matchup with maybe the best team in the whole tournament.
No. 2 Villanova (31-5) vs. No. 3 Miami (27-7): Another contest that is expected to be one of the best in the Sweet 16. Both teams lost to Virginia this season. UVa topped Villanova at home, 86-75, in December, then downed Miami at home in January, 66-58, before losing to the Hurricanes on the road in February, 64-61. The Cavaliers won the rubber match, though, 73-68, in the ACC tournament semifinals. Great senior guard play dots this matchup with Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono on one side (Villanova) and Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan on the other (Miami).
West (Anaheim)
No. 1 Oregon (30-6): The Ducks are one of the more unknown No. 1 seeds in awhile, maybe even more so than UVa two years ago. Playing on the West Coast when people are mostly in bed doesn't help their cause. So here's a quick snapshot of the Ducks, who are more famous for football: Oregon went 14-4 in the Pac-12 and are now the conference's final team still dancing. The team has four double-digit scorers, led by Dillon Brooks at 16.8 ppg. The team shoots 34.5 percent from 3-point land, a little better than 71 percent at the line, and 46.8 percent overall.
No. 4 Duke (25-10): The Blue Devils are like that bug that won't leave you alone in the summer. They didn't have their best year, but here they are in the Sweet 16. Still, the going is getting tougher vs. Oregon and then either Oklahoma or Texas A&M if they advance. Duke struggled in the first round before beating UNC Wilmington and then almost gave up a 27-point lead to Yale in the second half of their second-round game. Those performances can't be comforting for fans, especially with better teams coming up.
No. 3 Texas A&M (28-8): The Aggies are one of my Final Four picks, but they shouldn't be here, miraculously overcoming a 10-point deficit in 30 seconds to beat Northern Iowa in double overtime in the second round. UNI won on a half-court shot by UVa transfer Paul Jesperson on the first round, but then lost in agonizing fashion in the second. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat all in three days.
No. 2 Oklahoma (27-7): Surely by now you have heard of player of the year frontrunner Buddy Hield. All he did was pretty much carry the Sooners into the Sweet 16 with a win over VCU. The Sooners had a comfortable lead at one point in the first half but VCU stormed back and eventually took a small lead in the second 20 minutes. But with 29 second-half points (OU had 41 in the second half), 19 of those in the final eight minutes, Hield helped Oklahoma hold on. He made 9 of his 12 shots in the second half and finished with 36 points.
Midwest (Chicago)
No. 4 Iowa State (23-11): There will be plenty more to come on Virginia's Sweet 16 opponent later, but the Cyclones were coached for five years by alum Fred Hoiberg, who ended up taking the head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls in the offseason. The Cyclones are, of course, in Chicago this weekend, so Hoiberg got to speak with his former players and tell them how proud he was of them. He won't be able to attend Friday's game but will be supporting his school if it beats UVa and gets to Sunday's game. Iowa State is now coached by Steve Prohm, who somewhat famously guided Murray State to a 31-2 record and second-round appearance in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The Racers beat Colorado State in that tourney before falling to Marquette, who was coached by Buzz Williams, now the Virginia Tech coach. Prohm never got the Racers back to the Big Dance his other three years at the school despite compiling a terrific 104-29 record.
No. 10 Syracuse (21-13): Most people, including myself, thought Syracuse's last-season swoon would keep it out of the tournament. Not so. Coach Jim Boeheim said you don't know anything about the game if you thought the Orange should've been left out. I disagree, but that's ok. The thing that got me was the selection committee said it was going to treat Boeheim's suspension this year, when the team went 4-5, as if a key player had been injured. Which makes no sense. He wasn't out because he was sick. He was out because of an NCAA violation that had been committed. Not sure how that gets you a pass. But now, Syracuse is in the tournament and so far has made the most of it, winning two games fairly easy. But those victories came over a Dayton team that was struggling the last month of the season, and a 15 seed in Middle Tennessee State, which looked great on upsetting Michigan State, but looked back to ordinary vs. the Orange. Let's see how Syracuse does from here out. It gets to face another double-digit seed, but I think seasoned basketball fans know the next team isn't your typical double-digit seed, either.
No. 11 Gonzaga (28-7): Ah, the Zags. The West Coach team everyone loves to hate. Almost like Duke West. Almost. The Bulldogs have been a thorn in the sides of many schools for almost two decades. They've been to 17 consecutive NCAA tournaments but looked like they might not make it this year, just like Syracuse. A victory over rival Saint Mary's, though, in the West Coast Conference title game took the bubble talk off the table. Since getting in, the Bulldogs have of course looked great, first dispatching of Seton Hall, which was coming off a huge win over Villanova, and then thrashing Utah, the No. 3 seed in the region. If it's March, must mean Gonzaga and Michigan State (oops!) must be playing well. Still, though, for all their dominance of their conference and postseason success, coach Mark Few and the Bulldogs are still looking for their first Final Four appearance.
East (Philadelphia)
No. 1 North Carolina (30-6) vs. No. 5 Indiana (27-7): It just sounds like a classic matchup and I'm sure plenty of basketball fans are hoping and thinking this will be one of the better games in the Sweet 16. Both teams like to get up and down the floor so it should be a fairly high-scoring game.
No. 6 Notre Dame (23-11): The Fighting Irish just about lost to Stephen F. Austin in the second round, but rallied at the very end and got a tip-in to win it with about one second left. And now, the Irish have a decently favorable matchup against Wisconsin, which knocked off Xavier.
No. 7 Wisconsin (22-12): Speaking of those Badgers, they hired their interim coach, Greg Gard, to the full-time gig a few weeks ago. Wisconsin started the season brutally, with losses to teams such as Western Illinois and Milwaukee. And then Bo Ryan retired. He wanted Gard, a longtime assistant with Ryan at all the stops in his career, to get the job, but the athletics director, Barry Alvarez, seemed unsure. However, Gard really proved himself down the stretch of the season, as the Badgers finished on an 11-3 streak to end all doubt of making the tournament. Virginia fans also breathed a sigh of relief because Wisconsin was at least rumored to be interested in UVa's Tony Bennett, who was an assistant under his dad Dick Bennett, who coached the Badgers from 1995-2001. There was never a report that Bennett talked with Wisconsin or was interested, but still, some UVa fans were on edge.
South (Louisville)
No. 1 Kansas (32-4): One of my only good picks in my bracket, the Jayhawks have rolled through their first two opponents, Austin Peay and Connecticut. It would seem like they are the favorite to win the tournament. And they probably were picked by most experts to win the whole thing. But ESPN's BPI (a measure similar to RPI) actually has another team as its predictive favorite now: Virginia.
No. 5 Maryland (27-8): Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon was actually a point guard for the Jayhawks in the 1980s. But he said it isn't weird playing his alma mater anymore thanks to his days as Texas A&M's coach from 2007-11. The Aggies were still in the Big 12 then, so obviously he got to face Kansas a lot. The Terrapins have been considered one of the best teams talent-wise all season. But a couple late-season missteps knocked them down a peg. As a result, they have a very rough Sweet 16 matchup with maybe the best team in the whole tournament.
No. 2 Villanova (31-5) vs. No. 3 Miami (27-7): Another contest that is expected to be one of the best in the Sweet 16. Both teams lost to Virginia this season. UVa topped Villanova at home, 86-75, in December, then downed Miami at home in January, 66-58, before losing to the Hurricanes on the road in February, 64-61. The Cavaliers won the rubber match, though, 73-68, in the ACC tournament semifinals. Great senior guard play dots this matchup with Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono on one side (Villanova) and Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan on the other (Miami).
West (Anaheim)
No. 1 Oregon (30-6): The Ducks are one of the more unknown No. 1 seeds in awhile, maybe even more so than UVa two years ago. Playing on the West Coast when people are mostly in bed doesn't help their cause. So here's a quick snapshot of the Ducks, who are more famous for football: Oregon went 14-4 in the Pac-12 and are now the conference's final team still dancing. The team has four double-digit scorers, led by Dillon Brooks at 16.8 ppg. The team shoots 34.5 percent from 3-point land, a little better than 71 percent at the line, and 46.8 percent overall.
No. 4 Duke (25-10): The Blue Devils are like that bug that won't leave you alone in the summer. They didn't have their best year, but here they are in the Sweet 16. Still, the going is getting tougher vs. Oregon and then either Oklahoma or Texas A&M if they advance. Duke struggled in the first round before beating UNC Wilmington and then almost gave up a 27-point lead to Yale in the second half of their second-round game. Those performances can't be comforting for fans, especially with better teams coming up.
No. 3 Texas A&M (28-8): The Aggies are one of my Final Four picks, but they shouldn't be here, miraculously overcoming a 10-point deficit in 30 seconds to beat Northern Iowa in double overtime in the second round. UNI won on a half-court shot by UVa transfer Paul Jesperson on the first round, but then lost in agonizing fashion in the second. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat all in three days.
No. 2 Oklahoma (27-7): Surely by now you have heard of player of the year frontrunner Buddy Hield. All he did was pretty much carry the Sooners into the Sweet 16 with a win over VCU. The Sooners had a comfortable lead at one point in the first half but VCU stormed back and eventually took a small lead in the second 20 minutes. But with 29 second-half points (OU had 41 in the second half), 19 of those in the final eight minutes, Hield helped Oklahoma hold on. He made 9 of his 12 shots in the second half and finished with 36 points.
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