With the rounds of 64 and 32 of March Madness wrapping up over the weekend, basketball fans can look back on the big games but also anticipate matchups for the Sweet 16.
Fans saw the Oakland Grizzlies take down Kentucky in the first round, with Jack Gohlke dropping 10 threes for a total of 30 points to secure the win. Overnight, a Division 2 transfer became an icon in the tournament.
The Ivy league represented, with Yale taking down the Auburn Tigers in a 78-76 win. And a few other notable upsets took place, with James Madison defeating Wisconsin, Duquesne knocking off BYU, and Grand Canyon downing Saint Mary’s.
The ACC has also shown it belongs in the tournament, coming in 8-1 overall and having four teams reach the Sweet 16 – with NC State as an 11 seed still going strong. This again bolsters the argument that Pitt should have been selected for the tournament.
The second round featured thrillers like Creighton and Oregon battling in a two-overtime shootout, which ended with the Blue Jays coming out on top.
In other great games, Texas and Tennessee ended up being a four-point game, and Oakland vs. NC State ended in overtime. Texas A&M showed up with a buzzer-beater to take it to overtime against Houston but then failed to execute and lost.
The ACC has also shown it belongs in the tournament, coming in 8-1 overall and having four teams reach the Sweet 16.”
— Zach Wiatrowski
With that being said, most of the high-seeded teams did their job, and they are gearing up for the Sweet 16. Some notable matchups in the upcoming round include Creighton vs. Tennessee, Duke vs. Houston, and Gonzaga vs. Purdue.
The defending champs, UConn, have dominated the teams they have played, with two wins totaling a 60-point score difference. They look like they are ready to go back to back, but their next step is to play 5 seed San Diego State on Thursday.
The Sweet 16 is geared up to start on Thursday, and all basketball fans should be excited.
