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Sweet 16 Bracket Picks: Mapping Out the Eventual National Champion

by Mike Allen - 3/26/2024

Sweet 16 bracket picks Zach Edey Purdue Boilermakers

Raise your hand if you had the young and fun Kentucky Wildcats to make it to the Final Four.

Only me? My brackets are doing pretty well besides that slip-up. What a bad day for John Calipari and his team. If you look at the 3-point percentage numbers, had each team shot their yearly average beyond the arc, Kentucky would have won by 20-plus the fast break points from more misses.

That game was unfortunate, but I bring it up to highlight a point. This game was the perfect example of what is wrong with college basketball. Even with some of the best talent in the nation and a legendary head coach, the Wildcats weren't a better "team".

It was bad enough with so many one-and-dones. However, now, with the transfer portal such an easy option for these guys, the potential for continuity plummets.

This is something to keep in mind when filling out brackets in the future.

Speaking of brackets in the future, how is everybody doing? If you stuck with the chalk, you are in good shape. If you chased a lower seed or two to make a run, you may be hurting like the rest of us.

The NC State Wolfpack is the only remaining Cinderella story being told. I gushed about him before, but their power forward, DJ Burns Jr., may be the silkiest 260-pounder since a 7th-grade Shaquille O'Neal.

Can they make it past the Marquette Golden Eagles in the Sweet 16?

The remaining matchups in the Sweet 16 are high seed vs high seed. We still have all four of the #2 and #1 seeds still dancing.

Today, I wanted to map out a road to the Final Four and National Championship from the Sweet 16. Let's see if we should continue with the chalky selections, or maybe this round or the next one is when we will see some major upsets.

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Sweet 16

East Regional

#1 UConn (-11) vs #5 San Diego State (+11)

The UConn Huskies are the defending National Champions and the beasts of the East. I don't know of many people picking the Aztecs of San Diego State to win here, and I have to agree. The Huskies are the biggest favorites in the Sweet 16 for a reason.

#2 Iowa State (-2) vs #3 Illinois (+2)

I love this game! It’s offense vs defense. You can see that the oddsmakers are rightfully on the side of the better defensive squad.

The Cyclones beat Houston by 18 points. They have played the much tougher competition thus far in the tournament. Both teams are likely to light it up in the Sweet 16, but I will take Iowa State to get a couple more stops when it counts down the stretch.

South Regional

#1 Houston (-4) vs #4 Duke (+4)

The Duke Blue Devils almost look reborn in this year’s NCAA Tournament. They have had a fairly easy road to get to this point, though. Thank you selection committee for the games against Vermont and James Madison.

As for Houston, I am sure you at least saw the highlights from their overtime win in the round of 32 against Texas A&M. The Cougars blew a double-digit lead with just over a minute to go. Thankfully for them, the Aggies had an adrenaline dump post-celebration, and the final 5 minutes went the way of Kelvin Sampson's squad.

If they weren't getting a few days to reset after that game, I may lean toward the dog here, but I have to take the best defensive team in the country here.

#2 Marquette (-6.5) vs #11 NC State (+6.5)

Wow, it's been a heck of a ride for the NC State Wolfpack. I have enjoyed picking and betting on them through the majority of this run. However, what goes up must come down.

I don’t mind the 6.5 points here, but give me Marquette to manage to get the shallow NC State squad in foul trouble with their depth and squeak one out.

West Regional

#1 North Carolina (-4) vs #4 Alabama (+4)

I am a Carolina fan, but I don’t know how much I like this matchup. Alabama has a lot of length and athleticism. They have slashers and scorers who can get to the rim.

North Carolina is essentially a two-man team. And if their star, RJ Davis, has a bad game, I don't know where the points will come from to match a team like the Tide.

#2 Arizona (-7) vs #6 Clemson (+6)

The Arizona Wildcats appear to have caught their second wind this year, and nobody really expected Clemson to make it this far. The 7-point spread is spacious, but give me ‘Zona to move on to the Elite Eight.

Midwest Regional

#1 Purdue (-5.5) vs #5 Gonzaga (+5.5)

The Zags are balling right now. When this team gets hot, they play together better than any team in the nation.

That isn’t going to be enough, though, to slow down Zach Edey and the Boilermakers this week.

#2 Tennessee (-3) vs #3 Creighton (+3)

Here is another #2 vs #3 matchup that could go either way. The Vols will have the best player on the court, as well as more athleticism overall. I like them to edge the Bluejays this round.

Elite Eight

East Regional

#1 UConn vs #2 Iowa State

The Cyclones, should they be in this spot in a few days, will be a popular underdog pick to make the Final Four.

I don’t care who says it, though. I trust the Huskies to pull the proverbial sled to the Final Four.

South Regional

#1 Houston vs #2 Marquette

I have Houston as a level above Marquette, and barring any major injuries, the same will be said by this weekend.

West Regional

#4 Alabama vs #2 Arizona

This is where the train from Tuscaloosa takes a siesta. 'Bama will be burnt from a furious fight with the Tar Heels and forget to move their feet on defense, reach, get into foul trouble, and eventually fall to the Wildcats in the Elite Eight.

Midwest Regional

#1 Purdue vs #2 Tennessee

The Vols can pull off the upset here, but Purdue is the better team. Edey is once again the most dominant player in the nation. I like the big man to be the difference here against Tennessee.

Final Four

#1 UConn vs #2 Arizona

Let's go Huskies! They are 33-3. I am sure we will have a better idea in a week if we have to pick between these two, but as of now, we must go with Connecticut.

#1 Houston vs #1 Purdue

Talk about a coin flip…

Houston has had more questionable performances this year, and they have been recent. They also lost twice to Kansas, a team whose game revolves around a big man.

You don’t get any bigger than the Boilermakers’ Edey. Give me Purdue.

National Championship

#1 UConn vs #1 Purdue

I am sticking with my original bracket here because it is such a difficult pick. Both teams have looked equally awesome to this point. I’ll take the Huskies to prevail in the National Championship.

National Champion

#1 Uconn

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