With the first two rounds in the books of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, how sweet it is for the 16 teams that made it here. This year’s sweet 16 should be an exciting one, here’s what to watch out for.

East Region:

#2 Iowa State vs #3 Illinois:

This one should be a dandy. We have one team with a very explosive offense and another with a defense good enough to stifle you. It’s the classic matchup of the immovable force vs the unstoppable object. Terrance Shannon Jr. has been on a tear recently, especially since coming back from a temporary dismissal. In his last five games since the Big Ten tournament, Shannon has Averaged 31.6 PPG while Shooting 41.6% from three and 54.2% overall from the field. He will be matched up with tough nosed minded guards like Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert from Iowa State, he will also see Tre King on him as well. Lipsey and Gilbert are two of the best guards the Big 12 has to offer on both sides of the floor, but I think this Illinois team will just be too much for them offensively, outside of Terrance Shannon, Coleman Hawkins has been fantastic for this Illini team.

Prediction: #3 Illinois over #2 Iowa State

#1 UConn vs #5 San Diego State:

I believe we all had this one penciled in our brackets since selection Sunday a couple weeks back. The rematch of the national championship last season should be a dog fight from tip off. San Diego State’s Jaedon LeDee has been fantastic this season as one of the nation’s premier low post threats averaging 21.5 PPG and 8.4 RPG. LeDee can hurt with his footwork and strength or with his face up game as well. UConn has just been dominant though and defeated really good opponents with ease this season. Donovan Clingan will present enough length to defend LeDee, Could Darrion Trammell and Lamont Butler step their game up against the likes of Tristan Newton, Stephon Castle, Alex Karaban, and Cam Spencer. This UConn team is just too deep, again for San Diego State this season.

Prediction: #1 UConn over #5 San Diego State

West Region:

#6 Clemson vs #2 Arizona:

Arizona is a very Balanced team with five players averaging 9.8 PPG or more. Led by Caleb Love, this team has been very dynamic. Lately he has cooled off a bit, in his last five game since the Pac-12 Tournament he has averaged only 11.2 PPG while shooting 22.8% from Three. He is going to have to play much better if Arizona plans to advance to the elite eight and final four. Oumar Ballo vs P.J. Hall should be a fun matchup in the post. For Clemson, they have shot the ball very well in the first two rounds of the tournament, Chase Hunter has been fantastic for them. With that being said I just think Arizona has too many key components to stop and their balance will get to Clemson.

Prediction: #2 Arizona over #6 Clemson

#1 North Carolina vs #4 Alabama:

North Carolina boasts two of the best players in the nation. RJ Davis and Armando Bacot are as lethal of an inside-out tandem that you will see. Alabama on the other end has Mark Sears who is as savvy as they come to the point guard position, it just seems as if the moment is never too big for him and always makes the right plays when needed. With that being said trying to stop Armando Bacot will be a problem for Alabama, sure they can throw bodies at him like Grant Nelson and Nick Pringle, but how effective will they be slowing him down is the question.

Prediction: #1 North Carolina over #4 Alabama

South Region:

#2 Marquette vs #11 NC State:

Marquette has been in a special class all season long boasting the best Point Guard in the nation, Tyler Kolek. His game changing ability to make plays in clutch situations has led these Golden Eagles to this point, his clutch basket vs Colorado was a thing of beauty. Kolek has an amazing supporting cast around him as well with Kam Jones and Oso Ighodaro. On the NC State side, there is just something I love about a very hot team come tournament time, they scorched their way to an Acc Tournament championship and have looked very good in these first two round led by the play of their big man D.J. Burns. Marquette has had trouble with teams that have had size in the paint and that is something that NC State has. I like the strength, skill, and amazing footwork that Burn possesses vs Marquette. I’m going with the unlikely upset here.

Prediction: NC State over Marquette

#1 Houston vs #4 Duke:

Houston is the toughest team in the tournament. The Trio of L.J. Cryer, Jamal Shead, and Emanuel Sharp is very dynamic as we seen vs Texas A&M combining for 71 points of Houston’s 100. This Houston plays every defensive possession like it is their last possession, they are just tenacious, smart, and aggressive on that side of the floor. On the Duke Side Kyle Filipkowski is going to have to take advantage of his size and skill vs Houston, going up against a very athletic team Duke is going to have to play smart and make some tough shots. Freshman Jared McCain had a coming out party vs James Madison in the second round making 8 from beyond the arc, but this isn’t James Madison. I believe Houston wins convincingly.

Prediction: Houston over Duke

Midwest Region:

#1 Purdue vs #5 Gonzaga:

These two teams met early in the season in the Maui Invitational as Purdue came up the better team 73-63, Zach Edey had 25 and 15 in that game. Much hasn’t changed since. Zach Edey is still a force on the offensive end and has a supporting cast that can knock down shots around him. Fletcher Loyer had an outstanding 15 points vs Utah State as Braden Smith dealt with foul trouble, these are the type of performances from the supporting cast that will have Purdue going deeper in the tournament. On the Gonzaga side, this is the least talented team in terms of star power for Mark Few. He has done an exceptional job at getting this Gonzaga team to the sweet 16. Ryan Nembhard has been exceptional so far in the tournament and Gonzaga as a team has shot lights out from beyond the Arc in the tournament at 50.4%. I think Mark Few will have a better game plan this time around getting Zach Edey to defend laterally vs his guys in the pick and roll.

Prediction: Gonzaga over Purdue

#2 Tennessee vs #3 Creighton:

This game will have folks on the edge of their seats come Friday night. Both teams are incredibly talented offensively with tough shot makers on each side and they are both incredibly gritty, smart, and tenacious on the defensive end. Tennessee led by All-American Dalton Knecht, has been tested the last couple of weeks going 2-2 in their last four games. Dalton Knecht has seemed to slow down some in his last three contests, against Texas he was very inefficient scoring 18 points on 18 attempts that just isn’t going to cut it vs a very good Creighton team with Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander, and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Zakai Zegler is going to have to shoot it much better as well for the Vols to defeat Creighton.

Prediction: Creighton over Tennessee