The teams still standing in the NCAA Tournament feel more like survivors than conquerors after that crazy opening weekend of March Madness.
With an opportunity to catch our collective breath entering the Sweet 16, let's take a fresh look at the bracket and try this "picking winners" thing one more time. For reference, here was my March Madness bracket before the tournament started. Yes, I lost Arizona and Michigan State as Final Four teams, but my championship matchup between Villanova and Gonzaga is still intact.
SWEET 16 GAME PREVIEWS:
Loyola (Ill.)-Nevada | Texas A&M-Michigan
Kansas St-Kentucky | FSU-Gonzaga
Here are my updated March Madness bracket predictions entering the Sweet 16.
March Madness bracket predictions
Sweet 16 picks
| Kentucky over Kansas State |
| Loyola over Nevada |
| Gonzaga over Florida State |
| Texas A&M over Michigan |
| Villanova over West Virginia |
| Texas Tech over Purdue |
| Kansas over Clemson |
| Duke over Syracuse |
Three thoughts
- I have no idea what to do with that Loyola-Chicago vs. Nevada game. I only know that, if the Ramblers get a lead, they need to put the Wolf Pack away. Do not let Eric Musselman's team even sniff a comeback opportunity.
- Maybe it's recency bias, but after watching Texas A&M dominate in the paint in person against Providence and UNC, it's hard to see Michigan — which, honestly, hasn't played well — beating the Aggies.
- In Syracuse's past eight NCAA Tournament games, it is 7-0 vs. non-ACC teams and 0-1 vs. ACC teams. So facing ACC foe Duke isn't great for Jim Boeheim's team.
SWEET 16 GAME PREVIEWS:
Clemson-Kansas | W. Virginia-Villanova
Syracuse-Duke | Texas Tech-Purdue
Elite Eight picks
| Kentucky over Loyola |
| Gonzaga over Texas A&M |
| Villanova over Texas Tech |
| Duke over Kansas |
Three thoughts:
- The way Kentucky has played through its first two NCAA Tournament games, don't be surprised if the Wildcats, with all those future NBA players, continue to roll this game, regardless whether they face Loyola or Nevada.
- I've seen enough of Duke this year to know the Blue Devils have flaws that can be exploited by the right team. So why am I picking the Blue Devils to reach the Final Four? The teams that can do that aren't in their path. Kansas has flaws, too, and I think Duke will do a better job exploiting them.
- Villanova's really, really good.
MORE: Re-ranking the Sweet 16 teams
Final Four picks
| Gonzaga over Kentucky |
| Villanova over Duke |
Two thoughts:
- If I was the betting type, I would not put money against Kentucky right now. But I'm too thrifty to bet on sports, and I had Gonzaga in the title game before the tournament started, so I'm not changing now.
- Villanova's really, really good.
National championship pick:
Villanova over Gonzaga
Final thought: Villanova's really, really good. And after the craziness of the tournament's opening weekend, I'm just glad that both of my picks to reach the title game have survived this far. But Villanova's really, really good.
