One thought on each of the Sweet Sixteen games, listed in order of KenPom “Thrill Score”:
Baylor vs. Villanova
Villanova’s been surprisingly good without Collin Gillespie. Are they being underestimated?
Michigan vs. Florida State
Again, an injury question, and that’s: How efficiently is the rest of Michigan filling in for Isaiah Livers?
USC vs. Oregon
USC looked like they could be the second-best team in the country during that beatdown of Kansas. That isn’t to say they’re the second-best team in the country, but they’ve got a pretty great ceiling.
Alabama vs. UCLA
Great three-point shooting (UCLA) vs. one of the best in the country on the defensive perimeter (Alabama).
Houston vs. Syracuse
Is the Syracuse-in-March thing real? Do they somehow play differently? And what should be made of Houston after that near-disaster against Rutgers? What does that mean?
Loyola vs. Oregon State
Loyola is legitimately a top-ten team. That’s been answered. But they’re still probably only the sixth-best left in the field (because as you may have guessed, I really trust KenPom).
Arkansas vs. Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts had made it this far in part off of a terrible shooting day by Ohio State and a ton of Florida turnovers. Will they get something similar from Arkansas?
