After a not-so-mad weekend of March Madness, the Sweet Sixteen is set. Michigan continues to survive and advance despite being a trendy upset pick in the first round and an underdog in the second. However, all the chalk throughout the tournament means the Wolverines are the fourth-lowest seed remaining (Ole Miss and BYU are 6-seeds while Arkansas is a 10-seed). The clock struck midnight on Cinderella early this year.<\/p>\n
Heading into next weekend, we re-examined the remaining teams and re-ranked them.<\/p>\n
Defeated 16-Mount St. Mary\u2019s 93-49, def. 9-Baylor 89-66<\/p>\n
Through two games of the NCAA Tournament, Duke has looked like an absolute wagon and the team to beat. Baylor was widely viewed as one of the better 9-seeds and a team that could give the Blue Devils trouble, but that wasn\u2019t the case whatsoever. It\u2019s Duke\u2019s tournament to lose until proven otherwise.<\/p>\n
Def. 16-Norfolk St. 95-69, def. 8-UConn<\/a> 77-75<\/p>\n The supremely talented Gators were tested by defending national champion UConn. However, they proved their mettle in a two-point victory that could have been more. The Gators have the athleticism and scoring to beat anyone on any given night.<\/p>\n Def. 16-Alabama State 83-63, def. 9-Creighton 82-70<\/p>\n The Tigers came out sluggish against Alabama State before easily pulling away late. Against Creighton, Tahaad Pettiford exploded off the bench to lead all scorers. Despite being the No. 1 overall seed, the vibes have felt somewhat off for Auburn in recent weeks. However, none of that might matter if it keeps winning.<\/p>\n Def. 16-SIU Edwardsville 78-40, def. 8-Gonzaga 81-76<\/p>\n The most slept on of the No. 1 seeds, Houston just continues to put away good teams. KenPom still has the Courgars as the second-best team in the country. They were legitimately tested against Gonzaga in the Round of 32, but Houston came out of that game looking great with a renewed confidence.<\/p>\n Def. 15-Robert Morris 90-81, def. 7-Saint Mary\u2019s 80-66<\/p>\n Robert Morris proved to be pesky to the Crimson Tide, but they eventually avoided the upset. Alabama has simply been too athletic for each of its first two opponents. The bracket stiffens up for the Tide, as they will now face an under-seeded BYU team who is playing as good as anyone right now.<\/p>\n Def. 15-Wofford 77-62, def. 7-UCLA 67-58<\/p>\n Tennessee didn\u2019t have much trouble with its first two opponents. However, Rick Barnes-led teams tend to choke as favorites in the tournament. Could 3-seed Kentucky be the team that does it this year?<\/p>\n 7. Texas Tech Red Raiders<\/p>\n Def. 14-UNC Wilmington 82-72, def. 11-Drake 77-64<\/p>\n UNC Wilmington hung around for a while in the late game on Thursday, but Texas Tech proved to be too powerful. The Red Raiders then squashed one of the last remaining Cinderella stories, as they handled an overmatched Drake team. Next up is 10-seed Arkansas, which means Texas Tech will be the only team to have faced exclusively double-digit seeds through three rounds of the tournament.<\/p>\n 8. Michigan State Spartans<\/p>\n Def. 15-Bryant 87-62, def. 10-New Mexico 71-63<\/p>\n The Spartans took both Bryant and New Mexico\u2019s best shots and were able to advance. A relentless defense and consistent second-half runs have propelled Michigan State<\/a> to the Sweet Sixteen. The Spartans get 6-seed Ole Miss next.<\/p>\n Def. 14-Troy 76-57, def. 6-Illinois 84-75<\/p>\n Some people, myself included, thought Kentucky\u2019s matchup with Illinois would be one of the best games of the second round. Instead, a barrage from three by the Wildcats allowed them to win comfortably. This is not your typical Kentucky team full of star-power, but it is a well-coached, solidly constructed team.<\/p>\n