Written by Matt Norlander at CBSSports.com
From 68 to 16, let’s get down to re-seeding this field. It’s one of the strongest second-weekend groups ever, even with No. 1 overall Villanova out and odds-on title favorite Duke now gone as well.
Twelve of the top 16 teams seeded by the committee made the Sweet 16. That’s the second most in the past 20 years, per the NCAA.
Quick look at the regions: The East, almost always a top-two appealing regional, is a distant No. 4 this year. The South has three blue bloods, plus Butler, which knocked off Villanova twice this season, swept Xavier and beat Arizona. You’ll notice those latter two schools are still in the field. The West has Zaga-Zona, and yet West Virginia is the most intriguing dark horse left in the field. The Midwest has the Michigan factor, a Purdue team with a National Player of the Year candidate and a Kansas team that stormed through the first weekend.
In re-seeding the field, I look at how teams played in their past two games but also factor in what they did in the regular season. I’m also not abiding by the committee’s seed decisions. These are how I would power-rank/seed the 16 remaining teams based on résumé, how they’re playing now and who I think is best overall.
Let’s rock.
1. Gonzaga Bulldogs
With No. 1 overall seed Villanova out, Gonzaga is the easy choice here. The Bulldogs are the No. 1-ranked team in multiple metrics, and oh yeah, have lost only one freaking time this season. That’s three times fewer then the next-closest teams in college basketball. This also ranks as the best per-possession defense in college hoops. GU got a push, then a controversial break, against Northwestern, but this is the best Bulldogs team in program history. They got through the first part, now comes the hard part. Nigel Williams-Goss will have to re-establish himself as one of the top 10 players in America when he goes up against West Virginia’s dogged press. No one left in the field can match Gonzaga’s talented bigs: Przemek Karnowski, Zach Collins, Killian Tillie.
2. Kansas Jayhawks
No team looked better the first weekend than Kansas, which breezed past UC Davis and then got some challenge from Michigan State before pulling away in the final six minutes. The 30-4 Jayhawks aren’t deep but their trio of Josh Jackson/Frank Mason/Devonte’ Graham looks as capable and dangerous now as it has all season. KU won the Big 12 by four games, Bill Self got past the Tom Izzo trap, and with Kansas getting its regional in Kansas City, this is setting up as a huge homecourt advantage situation. In talent and résumé, KU is a firm No. 2.
3. Arizona Wildcats
The Wildcats are 32-4! I think the bigness of their record is far overlooked. With Lauri Markkanen, Allonzo Trier, Kadeem Allen and Rawle Alkins, that quartet can go up against any other team’s best four in this tournament. The Wildcats won the Pac-12 tournament, had no problems with North Dakota, then looked good in beating Saint Mary’s in what was as competitive a game as I expected. Sean Miller’s team can win the national title this season. Markkanen has no match in this field.
4. UCLA Bruins
UCLA won at Kentucky, has a better offense and looked better in its two games than the Wildcats. I have to put the Bruins at No. 4 here. Great news is we get a DYNAMITE Sweet 16 matchup on Friday night in Memphis with these two teams. Lonzo Ball was spectacular in the second half of UCLA’s victory against Cincinnati, the final game of the second round. With the Bruins’ weapons, in addition to their road victories against Kentucky and Arizona, a fitting No. 4.
5. Kentucky Wildcats
Wildcats have won 13 straight. Feels like only UK fans realize that. John Calipari’s team got a tussle and a close call from Wichita State (loved that game), but with Bam Adebayo playing the way he is, it’s really tempting to say Kentucky’s a top-three team. It’s hard to mend that with the whole résumé, though. Interesting factor for me is Malik Monk. He has been quiet. Will the UCLA game bring out the best in him? I think so. And we get another round of De’Aaron Fox vs. Lonzo Ball. Somebody pinch me!
6. West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers, which got past Bucknell and then did what they wanted against Notre Dame, rank sixth in KenPom. Won at Virginia, defeated Kansas, and now present a tantalizing challenge for Gonzaga. That game is the second best of the Sweet 16 matchups. WVU’s pressing style and Bob Huggins’ coaching, in my estimation, make this the sixth best team left in the field in terms of accomplishment, ability and résumé.
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