If Arkansas manages to get past the Bulldogs, it could be a steady diet of blue bloods the rest of the way: Duke in the Elite Eight, UNC/UCLA in the Final Four and Kansas in the title game. And Gonzaga is on deck for the Razorbacks. To be the best, you've got to beat the best. If that happens and they can keep forcing a dozen more turnovers than they commit, never say never.Īrkansas' Jaylin Williams Frank Franklin II/Associated Press They weren't elite from distance during the regular season, but they usually make better than seven triples per game. It's almost impossible to believe, but the Hurricanes are just 4-of-29 from three-point range thus far in the dance. The defense remains on point, and the threes start falling. It shouldn't be a problem against Iowa State, but it would eventually be their undoing if they end up needing to go through No. The Canes are plus-24 in turnovers, but they're minus-20 in rebounds, which wasn't even as bad as expected, considering how big both USC and Auburn are in the paint. are just so darn crafty around the rim and create space with a lot of backdoor action. They're also surprisingly good at scoring in the paint, given their lack of size, but Charlie Moore and Co. The Hurricanes committed a total of seven turnovers in their first two tournament games while forcing 31 on defense. While a subsequent win over Kansas would be unlikely, it was also unlikely that George Mason would knock off No. The Hurricanes will now get a tough-but-winnable game against the Cyclones in the Sweet 16 to reach what would be the first Elite Eight in program history. Not only did Miami break the bracket with two straight upsets, but it benefited from Iowa State breaking the bracket, too. Miami's Charlie Moore and Jim Larranaga Brynn Anderson/Associated Press But if they keep playing their physical game and keep getting clutch buckets from Doug Edert, perhaps they can continue shocking the world. If the Peacocks can get past that glass ceiling, we can start taking them more seriously as a title threat. Forget about winning a national championship-Saint Peter's is trying to become the first team seeded 13th or worse to reach the Elite Eight. And while neither Kentucky nor Murray State was able to make Saint Peter's pay from the free-throw line, there are plenty of teams remaining who could. This is the worst offense still standing, both in terms of turnover percentage and effective field-goal percentage. They've shot the ball pretty well thus far in the tournament, but this was not a good offense during the regular season. Also, Shaheen Holloway's play designs after timeouts have been money.
Getting into any sort of offensive rhythm against this team is just about impossible. Peacocks games this year feature a combined average of 40.7 personal fouls and 46.1 free-throw attempts.
Saint Peter's will punch you right in the mouth and then smile as you return the favor. Regardless of the path, though, one thing's for certain: This team will not be intimidated. But maybe they can cause similar problems for the likes of Purdue, UCLA and Gonzaga. Unfortunately, the Peacocks are fresh out of teams from Kentucky to knock out of the NCAA tournament. Saint Peter's Doug Edert Matt Rourke/Associated Press Odds sum to 100 percent and are not intended to reflect actual betting lines in Vegas, which tend to sum to around 135 percent. Teams are listed in ascending order of likelihood to win the title. Our national championship odds for each of the remaining 16 teams are based on a combination of how good each squad was during the regular season, how good it has looked through two games and how difficult its remaining path is. Well, the Peacocks probably won't win a title. They could win the whole thing.Īnd what of this year's Cinderella, Saint Peter's? 11 Michigan aren't exactly here for the participation trophies. 1 seed as far as the predictive metrics are concerned. But that still leaves 10 of the top 16 seeds, not to mention an 11th team (Houston) that should have been a No. And we bid farewell to Auburn, Wisconsin and Illinois on Day 4. Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren Craig Mitchelldyer/Associated Pressįor as upset-riddled as the 2022 men's NCAA tournament has been, there sure are a bunch of teams still standing who felt like legitimate threats to win it all back when this dance began.
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