The second weekend of the NCAA Tournament is on the horizon as four programs will punch their tickets to the Final Four in San Antonio. Although many of the 2018 NBA Draft’s top prospects, including Deandre Ayton, Michael Porter Jr. and Trae Young, were eliminated in the first two rounds, a number of them still remain.
Here’s a look at who will be featured in Thursday and Friday’s Sweet 16 games with an emphasis on which prospects and/or matchups to watch. Prospect rankings from our most recent Big Board are noted where available.
MORE: Which NBA Draft prospects came out winners after opening weekend?
East Region
No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 5 West Virginia
Villanova: Mikal Bridges (No. 7), Jalen Brunson (No. 36), Donte DiVincenzo, Eric Paschall, Omari Spellman
West Virginia: Jevon Carter (No. 41), Sagaba Konate
The primary attraction here — a point guard battle between Jalen Brunson and Jevon Carter — may be the most interesting individual matchup of the Sweet 16. Brunson is regarded as one of the smartest college basketball players in the country. He sports a 2.71 assist-to-turnover ratio while averaging just 2.2 turnovers per 40 minutes. Brunson also frequently takes his defender to task in the post where his strength is overwhelming.
His counterpart in this one will put each of those things to the test. Carter is the best point of attack defender in the country. He averages 3.4 steals per 40 minutes and has the strength to battle Brunson down low. Both players are likely fighting for draft slots in the second round. Their individual chess match could determine this game’s outcome.
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 3 Texas Tech
Purdue: Vincent Edwards, Carsen Edwards, Isaac Haas, Matt Haarms, Dakota Mathias
Texas Tech: Zhaire Smith (No. 24), Jarrett Culver, Keenan Evans, Zach Smith
This contest pits one of the nation’s most potent offenses against one of its staunchest defenses. Presuming big man Isaac Haas misses the game with his fractured elbow, it will likely turn into a perimeter-oriented contest.
Although there isn’t necessarily an intriguing individual battle to track, the play of Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith on the defensive end will be what NBA fans should watch. Smith is booming up draft boards because his athleticism and statistical indicators suggest intriguing upside. His role in disrupting Purdue’s comfort behind the arc will be critical.
For Purdue, keep an eye on Vincent Edwards. The small-ball power forward wasn’t ranked in our last top 60, but he showed out during the first weekend. Edwards went for 35 points in the Boilermakers' two wins. He has upside as a multi-positional defender who can space the floor on offense.
Midwest Region
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 5 Clemson
Kansas: Devonte’ Graham (No. 34), Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (No. 59), Udoka Azubuike, Silvio De Sousa, Marcus Garrett, Malik Newman, Lagerald Vick
Clemson: Marcquise Reed
Kansas star Devonte’ Graham came into the NCAA Tournament as one of the few point guards with the potential to lead his team on a Shabazz Napier-type run. He looked the part while unloading 29 points against Penn in the Jayhawks’ first-round win, but stumbled against Seton Hall, amassing just eight points and five turnovers.
There are concerns his high usage — he’s averaging 37.6 minutes per game — is having a fatiguing effect. Against Clemson, one of the country’s toughest defenses, Graham will have an opportunity to rebound with a big performance.
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 11 Syracuse
Duke: Marvin Bagley III (No. 3), Wendell Carter Jr. (No. 10), Trevon Duval (No. 42), Grayson Allen (No. 49), Gary Trent Jr.
Syracuse: Tyus Battle (No. 57), Oshae Brissett
One of the more frustrating aspects of scouting is trying to figure out the defensive potential of prospects playing in a college zone. Well, this matchup involves two teams fully committed to the scheme. Both Duke and Syracuse play similar versions of a 2-3 zone with elevated wings designed to challenge opposing shooters.
In a prior meeting this season, which the Blue Devils won by 16, Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr. dominated the interior. In this one, though, I’ll be watching Tyus Battle. The Orange guard finished with 12 points in the first contest while shooting 2-of-8 from behind the arc. If Syracuse is going to win, he’ll need to both knock down shots and break down the zone with dribble penetration. Battle’s most NBA-ready asset is his scoring. He’ll have a chance to show it here.
South Region
No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Kansas State
Kentucky: Kevin Knox (No. 12), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 17), Hamidou Diallo (No. 60), Wenyen Gabriel, Nick Richards, Jarred Vanderbilt, PJ Washington
Kansas State: Barry Brown, Xavier Sneed, Dean Wade
Kentucky’s backcourt duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo was one of the most impressive units during the tournament’s opening weekend. They’ll get a test here against Kansas State’s Barry Brown, but the most interesting battle will be up front.
After missing the Wildcats’ final game in the Big 12 Tournament and both contests last weekend, it sounds like junior Dean Wade is expected to return. The 6-9 power forward is an interesting long-term NBA prospect. Wade is a career 37.9 percent shooter from behind the arc, is capable of attacking closeouts in a straight line and can even create some offense for his teammates. A good performance against Kentucky’s versatile frontline could position him well for 2019 as he heads into his senior season.
No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 11 Loyola Chicago
Nevada: Caleb Martin, Cody Martin, Jordan Caroline
Loyola-Chicago: Donte Ingram
This matchup largely features fringe NBA prospects. It’s worth a watch to see if someone can break out, but it's certainly the least interesting game of the weekend for NBA fans.
West Region
No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Florida State
Gonzaga: Killian Tillie (No. 43), Rui Hachimura (No. 51), Zach Norvell Jr., Johnathan Williams
Florida State: Mfiondu Kabengele, Terance Mann, M.J. Walker
After dominating the WCC Tournament, Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie has hit a wall during March Madness. In 58 minutes of action, he’s scored just nine points, shot 3-of-12 from the field and made zero 3s.
Tillie’s an impressively skilled big, but if he’s going to make a push to be a potential first-rounder at some point, he’s going to need to show he can put up numbers against high-major competition. The Sweet 16 would be a nice play to get it going.
No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 7 Texas A&M
Michigan: Moritz Wagner (No. 48), Charles Matthews
Texas A&M: Robert Williams III (No. 16), Tyler Davis, DJ Hogg
The frontcourt matchup is the one to watch here as Michigan’s finesse meets Texas A&M’s power. Moritz Wagner is a modern offensive big man who can fill up from outside and attack opposing bigs off the dribble, while both Robert Williams III and Tyler Davis do their best work around the basket.
Guarding Davis, a massive back-to-the-basket center, will give NBA franchises an idea of how Wagner might hold up defensively at the next level. Williams, meanwhile, will spend his defensive effort chasing around a number of Michigan’s perimeter threats as the Wolverines will likely run him through ball screen after ball screen.