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From 68 to the Sweet 16

Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (22) shoots against Buffalo during the first half of a second-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger)

The field has been whittled down from 64 to the Sweet 16.

It seems like we’ve had it all – from UMBC becoming the first 16-seed to beat a 1, and doing so in dominating fashion, to a 98-year old nun capturing the hearts of America as her Loyola Ramblers have advanced to the second weekend in dramatic fashion.

But instead of just sitting back and enjoying it, the collective national media is losing its minds once again over the fact that this is ‘unprecedented’ and ‘shocking’ and ‘there are no dominant teams.’

Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton, whose team upset top-seeded Xavier in the second round of the West Region, went so far as to call it ‘revolutionary.’

No, no and no.

Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) shoots while covered by Seton Hall forward Ismael Sanogo (14) during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball tournament second-round game, Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Wichita, Kan. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Don’t get me wrong, I love that we’re talking about Sister Jean and UMBC, but let’s have some context.

The first weekend is for Cinderella stories (and I love them), but the second weekend is for the big dogs.

So no, it’s not revolutionary and yes, there are dominant teams.

Two double-digit seeds (Loyola and Syracuse) have advanced to the Sweet 16, which seems crazy, but a little bit of digging and you’ll find that THREE double digits seeds have made it at least this far in 12 separate seasons since the tournament expanded in 1985 – 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013.

So yes, I enjoy great stories, but I also enjoy great teams, and fortunately we still have plenty of those.

Some combination of Villanova, Duke, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Michigan and Kansas has a strong probability of ending up in the Final Four in San Antonio. That sounds fun to me.

Here’s a brief look at what’s left in each region.

– – –

EAST (BOSTON)

Sweet 16: No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 5 West Virginia; No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

The Takeaway: Perceived by many to be the weakest of the four regions going in, it’s the only one that’s come even close to holding true to seeding. Villanova has been dominant, connecting on 31 3’s in wins over Radford and Alabama, the second most in a two-game span by any team in tournament history. The Wildcats can put five guys on the floor who can beat you from deep – they are the closest thing to a college equivalent of the Golden State Warriors that you will find.

That being said, they will face stiff competition if they want to get back to the Final Four, as West Virginia has looked equally dominant against Murray State and Marshall and will be a tough out. Purdue, despite the loss of big man Isaac Haas, is still a major threat, as are the underrated Red Raiders, led by All-American guard Keenan Evans.

MIDWEST (OMAHA)

Sweet 16: No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 5 Clemson; No. 2 Duke vs. No. 11 Syracuse

The Takeaway: For my money, Duke, along with Villanova, are the two best teams, and the Blue Devils are peaking at the right time. Marvin Bagley and Wendell Carter have been unstoppable underneath, and Grayson Allen has gone from villain to senior leader. They will be tough to beat, as evidenced by their 87-62 win over Rhode Island in the second round.

By Kansas’ lofty standards, this isn’t one of Bill Self’s best teams, but National Player of the Year finalist Devonte Graham has led a squad that has showed plenty of grit and toughness. They could be a potential roadblock for Duke, should they get by a Clemson team that absolutely decimated Auburn in the second round. And then there’s Syracuse, which oddly seems to play better in the tournament as an underdog. Don’t count them out.

– – –

SOUTH (ATLANTA)

Sweet 16: No. 5 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Kansas State; No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 11 Loyola

The Takeaway: For all the complaining John Calipari did about the draw his team got, Kentucky all of a sudden has a very clear path to San Antonio. This is the one anomaly of this tournament – it’s the first time ever all top four seeds got knocked out of a region before the Sweet 16. Kentucky has the most talent and is playing well, but is far from a sure thing. Kansas State can lock teams up defensively and will be a tough out, and likely the lone remaining Cinderella will await in the Elite 8.

Sister Jean and Loyola have captured America’s hearts with a pair of late game-winning shots, but make no mistake, this team is for real, having won 30 games. Nevada, conversely is coming off a shocking 22-point comeback in the second half against Cincinnati and has NBA type talent and a rising star in the college coaching profession after not much success in the NBA, Eric Musselman. It should make for a fascinating trio of games.

– – –

WEST (LOS ANGELES)

Sweet 16: No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Florida State; No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 7 Texas A&M

The Takeaway: A pair of trendy Final Four picks – Gonzaga and Michigan – remain alive, as do a couple of surprises, Texas A&M and Florida State.

After breaking through to the title game last year, Gonzaga is hoping to get back and certainly looks the part, sporting a 32-4 record and an impressive second round win over Ohio State. Michigan, meanwhile, needed a buzzer-beater by Jordan Poole to beat Houston, but is nevertheless still very much alive and well. Texas A&M, after not scoring in the first six minutes in their first round game against Providence, has looked great, including a drubbing of North Carolina in the second round. And Florida State is as athletic a team as you will find. Again, it should make for some great basketball.

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