In the blink of an eye, the men’s NCAA Tournament field is cut from 64 to the Sweet 16. But before we get to the regional semifinals, there’s the second day of the second round left to be played.
Plenty of intriguing storylines are on the menu Sunday, starting with one of the greatest coaches college basketball has known in the final postseason of his Hall of Fame career meeting a familiar rival. There is plenty of Power Five representation with five Big Ten and four Big 12 teams leading the way. And for those looking for underdogs to support, there are three double-digit seeds looking to extend their tournament run for another week.
March Madness 2022:Men’s NCAA Tournament schedule and results on the road to the national title
NCAA Tournament bracket:Follow March Madness
Here’s a ranking of Sunday’s matchups from best to worst (all times Eastern):
What else is there to say? Mike Krzyzewski vs. Tom Izzo. Blue Devils vs. Spartans. Someone reaches the regional semifinals and someone goes home. Duke must deal with the pressure of trying to win for Coach K and also overcome a tricky challenge from Michigan State, which has enough guile to keep this close and make things interesting. Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams give the Blue Devils two frontcourt players that must be contained for the Spartans to stay close.
Prediction: Duke 70-62
This shapes up to be a slugfest between two big programs that are looking to reverse some recent NCAA Tournament disappointments. The Boilermakers haven’t been to the Final Four since 1980 and had several frustrating exits in Matt Painter’s tenure. The Longhorns hadn’t won a tournament game since 2014 before knocking off Virginia Tech in the first round. Someone has to get to the Sweet 16. The outcome might simply boil down to whether Texas can find a way to stop Jaden Ivey.
Prediction: Purdue 73-66
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Ugly doesn’t go far enough in describing how bad the Illini looked against Chattanooga. The win was the quintessential survive and advance in tournament play. They stand little chance of advancing further, though, without serious improvement against the Cougars. Kofi Cockburn should have his way inside. It’s the Illinois shooters who have to deliver. Houston’s defensive numbers are off the charts – first in field-goal percentage and fourth in scoring – which sets up this game to be tense and close with the winner making enough key plays late to advance.
Prediction: Houston 57-55
The Buckeyes stumbled into the tournament but with improved health they looked dangerous in putting away Loyola-Chicago in the first round. The challenge will be different with the Wildcats, who have tournament experience and look to be peaking at the right time. Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell has the size to dominate inside. He’ll need to be at his best with Villanova’s perimeter attack, led by Collin Gillespie, capable of scoring in bunches.
Prediction: Villanova 65-58
The Irish traveled three time zones and beat Alabama less than 48 hours after winning in the First Four. Do they have enough juice to handle the rugged defense of the Red Raiders? Their shooters are capable of hitting shots, notably Cormac Ryan and Dane Goodwin, as long as fatigue isn’t a factor. It’s a tough ask, however, as Texas Tech has been consistent all year and is built for tournament success.
Prediction: Texas Tech 74-68
Playing away from the friendly confines of home, the Tigers have struggled and that flaw could be exposed at some point in the tournament. The Hurricanes, however, don’t look to be the team to take advantage unless they shoot well from the outside. Kameron McGusty and Isaiah Wong are their best hopes. They’ll also have to find a way to defend Auburn forward Jabari Smith to hang around.
Prediction: Auburn 72-62
A closer-than-expected win against Colgate leaves some questions about the Badgers. They have the capability of making a run to the Final Four, though exiting early wouldn’t be a big surprise. The Cyclones have overachieved all year after being picked to finish last in the Big 12. They’ve had a great run. That run should come to an end in Milwaukee with a throng of Wisconsin fans on hand.
Prediction: Wisconsin 70-60
If a team can quietly go 32-3, then the Wildcats have succeed in that accomplishment. They’re the title contender that seems to be under the radar, which is perplexing given their success in the Pac-12. TCU’s celebration of its first tournament win since 1987 shouldn’t have lasted long for the Horned Frogs with the realization that Arizona was next. TCU has beaten Kansas and Texas Tech, so it is capable of a surprise. But don’t hold your breath.
Prediction: Arizona 80-65
