Who are the teams left in the Sweet Sixteen basketball college tournament? March Madness is underway and the NCAA tournament is on the march to the college basketball national championship game. The second round is now over and the men’s tournament has arrived at an important point for each of the schools here: the Sweet 16.
Gaining an advantage at this point is razor thin. Top programs like Kentucky have already been shown the door in this year’s tournament. For the other schools still remaining, this is a chance to end March on the right foot
What Does Sweet 16 Mean in the NCAA Tournament?
Being in the Sweet 16 means a lot. These appearances don’t happen for every one of the programs playing in the tournament each year. Simply put, it means that 16 teams have made it out of the second round in the NCAA tournament.
While that might not sound like a huge deal, it means that two wins have already been achieved. In sports, winning is difficult. In the NCAA tournament, even getting out of the first round is difficult. Schools go years, decades, without sniffing the next round, let alone a Final Four appearance. Men go entire careers without advancing in the tournament.
Why is it Called Sweet 16?
The NCAA tournament hasn’t always been this big. The term “Sweet 16” may have been coined in the 1980s, but it actually goes back to the Davenport Democrat and Leader, which used the name for a high school basketball tournament in 1936.
Previously, the term hadn’t been there to describe the final 16 teams in the tournament. From there, the term Elite Eight came to be, the Final Four grew in popularity, and April became as intertwined with the tournament as March had been.
How Many Games are in the Sweet Sixteen Basketball Tournament?
Because there are 16 programs represented in the women’s and men’s tournament, there are eight games, respectively. The winning teams will advance to the Elite Eight, the best eight programs in the nation that have a shot of winning and going to the Final Four.
There are a pair of games in each of the four brackets, typically covered by major networks like CBS, TBS, TNT, and others. This year, TBS and TNT offer comprehensive coverage as each of the schools tries to advance to a college basketball national championship.
How Many Teams Make it to the Sweet 16?
As the name suggests, the Sweet 16 has just 16 teams remaining. Previously, there were 68 teams to start the tournament, creating an open and sometimes chaotic bracket to start March Madness. The opening Thursday of the tournament features teams from around the nation trying to advance.
Where is the NCAA Sweet 16 Being Played in 2024?
Since the men’s tournament is split into four brackets, featuring conferences from around the nation, there will be four locations for the Sweet 16. The location will change for the Final Four, which begins in April.
Teams will play in four different locations in the Sweet 16 in this year’s tournament: TD Garden in Boston, Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, American Airlines Center in Dallas, and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Locations change over the years for both the Thursday and Friday games.
You can find March Madness player props for Sweet 16 here.
Upcoming Men’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 Games
Before we get into it, let’s look at who will be playing in the men’s Sweet 16 in this year’s tournament:
Thursday:
- (1) Connecticut vs. (5) San Diego State
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- (2) Iowa State vs. (3) Illinois
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- (2) Arizona vs. (6) Clemson
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- (1) North Carolina vs. (4) Alabama
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Friday:
- (1) Purdue vs. (5) Gonzaga
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- (2) Marquette vs. (11) North Carolina State
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- (1) Houston vs (4) Duke
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- (2) Tennessee vs. (3) Creighton
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There are some blue bloods still left – Duke, North Carolina, Arizona, and other teams – but there are a few that are making an uncommon appearance at this stage of the tournament. There are plenty of former champions and those seeking their first national championships. The fact that all eight of the No.1 and No. 2 seeds are still there is perhaps the most impressive thing.
Storylines
Not surprisingly, among the men, the biggest programs are the ones getting the most attention. The power conferences like the Big Ten, SEC, and ACC are well-represented. Previously, No. 1 Purdue had been historically upset in shocking fashion. This year, they are looking to get out of Friday and make it to the Elite Eight in the men’s tournament.
The lone Cinderella remaining is No.11 seed NC State. There have been years with plenty of lower seeds before but the fact that there is just one seed higher than a No.6 shows how tough the competition is. So begins the journey to an NCAA Division I college basketball championship.
Players to Watch
Among the men, there are a few players that stand above the rest. No matter the team, the best basketball players in the country stand above the rest. Though total coverage of the standout men would take a bit too long, here are a few names to watch.
Zach Edey of Purdue is as dominant as it gets and has Purdue making all the right appearances. Armando Bacot of North Carolina is doing something that men just don’t do in the tournament when it comes to double doubles. Some are making history others are just trying to push their play to make winning last a little longer.
Purdue is an 18.5-point LIVE favorite, leading Utah State by 16 at the half 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CxHH96ie96
— ClutchBet (@ClutchBetSB) March 24, 2024
Early Predictions
The feat of reaching the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and the National Championship is easier said than done. Basketball is a team sport but one hot day can change it all. On paper, the four No. 1 seeds stand the best chance of making a run at being champions.
Don’t sleep on Arizona, Tennessee, or Iowa State, however. Iowa State does not reach the Elite Eight since the year 2000, so if they get past Illinois this tournament will be historical.
Each has taken their game to the next level and are dangerous in the men’s bracket. There is a good mixture of programs with NCAA champions in their past and others seeking glory for the first time. A good balance is represented in the men’s basketball tournament.
Iowa State guard Curtis Jones (5) acknowledges an assist from a teammate in the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Washington State in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Iowa State qualified for the Sweet Sixteen basketball tournament for the second time in three years. (AP Photo/John Peterson)
Odds and Predictions for Sweet Sixteen 2024
Right now, the favorites are clear. Each of the higher seeds will be favorites going into their games in the next round. The only game that will be definitely tight is No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Creighton. Several should be close and there should be some major moments for TBS, TNT, and CBS viewers.
While there are few Cinderella stories this year, we still have one chance. North Carolina State will have to topple Marquette to move on to the next round and that much closer to the final. If the favorites get through, however, it will make the remaining dates tougher and the play will be off the charts.
A Recap of March Madness in 2023: Key Sweet 16 Moments
Last year’s basketball tournament was one of chaos. A pair of top seeds advanced – Alabama and Houston. But past the top handful of teams, it got crazier. No. 8 Arkansas made it. So did No. 9 Florida Atlantic. Even No. 15 Princeton made it.
The madness didn’t end there, either. Ultimately, no seed higher than a No. 4 would make it to the Final Four. The NCAA Division I basketball championship would be won by No. 4 UConn, who dominated No. 5 San Diego State. It was a year like none of the other years prior.
Notable Cinderella’s and Seed Trends
We traditionally don’t see programs further down the bracket make it far. But it is possible. No. 11 Gonzaga made the Elite Eight in 2011. Arkansas, no. 9 seed, reached the Final Four in 1998. And no. 13 Liberty reached the Sweet 16 in 2005.
There is no formula for making it this far in men’s basketball or upsets would be more common. The teams that do it play great defense and make shots from three. Making it close is tough enough as it is but a school can get hot and really put a major program on its heels.
Conclusion
A lot will be determined on Thursday and Friday when the Sweet 16 take the floor. These men have worked hard this year to ensure that their programs get a chance to play in the final. Each round is the focus right now and other schools just have to sit and wait to see who can take that next step.
