Sweet 16 Scouting: March Madness Update

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Teams: Scouting Report and Matchups

The NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet 16, with only 16 teams remaining in the tournament. With the first weekend of the Big Dance completed, teams now have their sights set on advancing even further. The regional semifinal matchups have been set, and scouting work is already underway for the Sweet 16. The teams that have made it this far in the bracket are just two wins away from reaching the Final Four.

Some programs such as Arkansas, Houston, and UCLA have experience reaching this stage in the tournament. However, for programs such as Princeton and FAU, this marks uncharted territory. The rhythms of the regular season are gone, and the opponents are unfamiliar. While these seasons are already guaranteed to go down in history for some programs, the opportunity to accomplish something legendary awaits.

During the first weekend of the tournament, we saw No. 15 and 16 seeds winning games and previously dominant teams like No. 1 seeds Kansas and Purdue making early exits. Therefore, it’s probably wise to expect the unexpected this week. Ultimately, only four teams will be left standing by Sunday night as the Big Dance shrinks to a mere quartet of national title contenders.

The Sweet 16 matchups are set, and here is an early look at what’s ahead for the Sweet 16.

West Regional

Thursday, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

(4) UConn vs. (8) Arkansas

Scouting the Huskies

UConn can beat opponents in a variety of ways. Jordan Hawkins, Alex Karaban, and Joey Calcaterra are excellent 3-point shooters. They get plenty of open looks, too, because of the attention that Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan command in the post. Sanogo is coming off a pair of monster performances on the NCAA Tournament’s first weekend, and Clingan is a 7-foot-2 shot-blocking menace. UConn spent five consecutive weeks ranked in the top-five of the AP Top 25 poll earlier this season. Though the Huskies are just a No. 4 seed, they enter the Sweet 16 looking like a top-five team once again.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16: Scouting Report and Matchups

As the NCAA Tournament heads into the Sweet 16, the remaining teams have their eyes on the prize, looking to advance even further towards the Final Four. With a field of 68 teams whittled down to 16, the matchups have been set for the next stage of the tournament. Let’s take a look at some of the key players, strategies, and matchups for the Sweet 16.

West Regional

Thursday, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

(4) UConn vs. (8) Arkansas

Scouting the Razorbacks

Arkansas dropped four of its last five games before pulling off a stunner and taking down reigning champion Kansas last weekend. The Razorbacks are a terrible 3-point shooting team but make up for it with relentless defense, which creates transition opportunities. Teams turn the basketball over 14.3 times per game against the Razorbacks, who have five players averaging double figures. Coach Eric Musselman is just as big of a star as anyone on the roster as he tries to reach a third consecutive Elite Eight.

Scouting the Huskies

(2) UCLA vs. (3) Gonzaga

Scouting the Bruins

UCLA may have the best pair of veteran leaders in the Sweet 16 in the form of senior point guard Tyger Campbell and senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. The two lead the Bruins in scoring and have been through some battles during their careers. The Bruins are unusually reliant upon 2-pointers in an era that prioritizes 3-pointers. But Jaquez knows how to find good looks, and the Bruins have evolved into one of the nation’s top defensive squads over the course of the season.

Scouting the Bulldogs

Gonzaga is led by a familiar face in Drew Timme as the senior forward tops the roster in points and rebounding. But, per usual, the Zags have multiple offensive weapons. Julian Strawther is a dynamic playmaker on the wing who has dramatically improved his 3-point shooting this season, and forward Anton Watson has come on strong lately as well. The Zags are a bit mercurial on defense because they lack the elite rim protection they enjoyed last season with Chet Holmgren on the roster. But keeping up with the Zags is a challenge even when they aren’t playing much defense.

East Regional

Thursday, at Madison Square Garden in New York

(4) Tennessee vs. (9) FAU

Scouting the Volunteers

Tennessee’s identity is found on the defensive end of the floor as the Volunteers have ranked as the nation’s top defensive squad for most of the season, according to KenPom.com. Opponents are averaging just 57.3 points per game against this physical bunch, which imposes its will with a rotation of four bigs who aren’t afraid to pick up some fouls while trying to swat your shot. Offensively, senior guard Santiago Vescovi is the engine that makes things go, especially amid

Scouting the Sweet 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament has reached the Sweet 16 stage, with only 16 teams remaining in contention for the national championship. With regional semifinal matchups set, scouting work has already begun as the teams remaining in the bracket are just two wins away from reaching the Final Four.

West Regional

(4) UConn vs. (8) Arkansas

Scouting the Huskies — UConn can beat opponents in a variety of ways. Jordan Hawkins, Alex Karaban, and Joey Calcaterra are excellent 3-point shooters. They get plenty of open looks, too, because of the attention that Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clingan command in the post. Sanogo is coming off a pair of monster performances on the NCAA Tournament’s first weekend, and Clingan is a 7-foot-2 shot-blocking menace.
Scouting the Razorbacks — Arkansas dropped four of its last five games entering the NCAA Tournament before pulling a stunner and taking down reigning champion Kansas last weekend. The Razorbacks are a terrible 3-point shooting team but make up for it with relentless defense, which creates transition opportunities. Teams turn the basketball over 14.3 times per game against the Razorbacks, who have five players averaging double figures.

(2) UCLA vs. (3) Gonzaga

Scouting the Bruins — UCLA may have the best pair of veteran leaders in the Sweet 16 in the form of senior point guard Tyger Campbell and senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. The two lead the Bruins in scoring and have been through some battles during their careers. The Bruins are unusually reliant upon 2-pointers in an era that prioritizes 3-pointers. But Jaquez knows how to find good looks, and the Bruins have evolved into one of the nation’s top defensive squads over the course of the season.
Scouting the Bulldogs — Gonzaga is led by a familiar face in Drew Timme as the senior forward tops the roster in points and rebounding. But, per usual, the Zags have multiple offensive weapons. Julian Strawther is a dynamic playmaker on the wing who has dramatically improved his 3-point shooting this season, and forward Anton Watson has come on strong lately as well.

East Regional

(4) Tennessee vs. (9) FAU

Scouting the Volunteers — Tennessee’s identity is found on the defensive end of the floor as the Volunteers have ranked as the nation’s top defensive squad for most of the season, according to KenPom.com. Opponents are averaging just 57.3 points per game against this physical bunch, which imposes its will with a rotation of four bigs who aren’t afraid to pick up some fouls while trying to swat your shot.
Scouting the Owls — FAU is a great 3-point shooting team, both in volume and percentage. The Owls like to play fast, but they also defend. What’s arguably most important about this team, though, is its depth. FAU is among the national leaders in bench minutes. No one averages more than 26 minutes per game, and nine players average at least 15 minutes per contest.

South Regional

(3) Kansas State vs. (7) Michigan State

Scouting the Wildcats — Kansas State’s heartbeat is 5-8 point guard Markquis Nowell. He’s the team’s second-leading scorer and he led the Big 12 in both assists and steals this season. The Wildcats are not a great 3-point shooting team, but they like to run and are excellent in transition. They force 14.8 turnovers per

Scouting Report for NCAA Basketball Tournament Sweet 16: Part 2

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is in full swing, and the Sweet 16 matchups are set. In this scouting report, we will take a closer look at the teams and players that will be competing in the South, Midwest, and East regionals.

South Regional

Alabama vs. San Diego State

Scouting the Crimson Tide — Alabama is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and boasts a deep roster of elite athletes, including several NBA prospects. This team is excellent on both ends of the floor, scoring an average of 82.3 points per game on a whopping 10.1 made 3-pointers, while also ranking third in defensive efficiency. Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney, two versatile freshman forwards, are both likely first-round NBA Draft picks, but this team also has veteran guards such as Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly providing leadership.
Scouting the Aztecs — San Diego State boasts a balanced attack led by two seniors, Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel. The Aztecs rank among the top 25 teams in the country in defensive efficiency and have held their opponents to an average of just 60.5 points per game. They also have a solid bench and can play a variety of lineups, making them a tough team to game-plan against.

Midwest Regional

Texas vs. Xavier

Scouting the Longhorns — Texas ranks No. 6 nationally in Division I experience and it shows in the way they play. The Longhorns are one of the best teams at avoiding turnovers and have numerous weapons on the court, with five players averaging 9.1 or more points per game. Combo guard Marcus Carr leads the team in scoring, but this team has depth and a solid bench, making them hard to stop.
Scouting the Musketeers — Xavier is a high-scoring team that likes to play fast, but they can also beat you in a variety of ways. They rank among the top 3-point shooting teams in the country and have excellent perimeter threats in Souley Boom and Adam Kunkel. Even amid the loss of key forward Zach Freemantle to injury, Xavier still has a couple of interior producers in Jerome Hunter and Jack Nunge. Coach Sean Miller has his team one win away from returning to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2008, which was the fourth year of his first five-year run as coach.

East Regional

FAU vs. Kansas State

Scouting the Owls — FAU is a great 3-point shooting team, both in volume and percentage, and they like to play fast while also defending well. But perhaps what’s most impressive is their depth. No one averages more than 26 minutes per game, and nine players average at least 15 minutes per contest, allowing FAU to keep up its offensive tempo and defensive intensity throughout the game.
Scouting the Wildcats — Kansas State’s heartbeat is 5-8 point guard Markquis Nowell, who led the Big 12 in both assists and steals this season. Keyontae Johnson is a dynamic and physical wing capable of scoring at all three levels, and the Wildcats are excellent in transition. First-year coach Jerome Tang is a steadying presence and National Coach of the Year candidate for the remarkable turnaround he’s orchestrated.

UCLA vs. Gonzaga

Scouting the Bruins — UCLA may have the best pair of veteran leaders in the Sweet 16 in senior point guard Tyger Campbell and senior forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. The Bruins are unusually reliant upon 2

Scouting the Princeton Tigers and the Creighton Bluejays

The Sweet 16 is set, and fans across the country are getting excited for this weekend’s matchups. Let’s take a closer look at two teams that will face each other on Friday night: the Princeton Tigers and the Creighton Bluejays.

Scouting the Bluejays

Creighton’s defense has been outstanding all season, thanks in large part to their 7-foot rim protector, Ryan Kalkbrenner. Creighton’s strategy is to funnel opponents into Kalkbrenner’s domain, where they’ll face a tough challenge scoring inside. Kalkbrenner ends up blocking a ton of shots, and opponents rarely get to the free-throw line. Offensively, Kalkbrenner leads in scoring, though all five starters average double digits. The Bluejays don’t have a ton of depth, which is another reason why actively avoiding fouls works for this team.

Scouting the Tigers

Princeton turned into a defensive juggernaut during the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament. They held Arizona 27 points below its average and Missouri 16 points below its average. The Tigers also rebound like maniacs, which limits the number of second-chance points that opponents are able to accumulate. If the Tigers continue defending like they did last weekend, they will be a tough out. Offensively, the players to watch are Tosan Evbuomwan, a versatile forward, and Ryan Langborg, who hoists 6.2 attempts from 3-point range per game.

Conclusion

With Creighton’s tough defense and Princeton’s recent defensive surge, this matchup is sure to be a battle on both ends of the court. It will be interesting to see if Creighton’s strategy of funneling opponents into Kalkbrenner’s domain will work against Princeton’s offensive weapons. On the other end, if Princeton can continue their dominant defensive performance, they have a good chance of pulling off the upset.

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