The Sweet 16 is here and with that we have another weekend of great basketball matchups. If you are lucky enough to find the time between studying and Spring Sing practice to watch all eight games, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
There are so many different storylines to play out over the next two weeks. A Kentucky team pegged to win it all at the beginning of the year could do just that and go undefeated in the process. The last team to do that was the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.
Wichita State could make another deep run in the tournament but would have to go through Notre Dame, Kentucky or West Virginia to do so. No easy task either way. Your traditional power houses — Duke, Louisville and Michigan State — have all made reappearances this year and every one of them has a chance to make it to next weekend.
Does UCLA’s run end this weekend or will a team that has such a storied basketball past add to the legacy that is Bruin’s basketball? For that to happen they will need to get by one of my favorite teams to watch and root for: the Bulldogs of Gonzaga.
Mark Few has made a name for this program the past 16 years and he is one of the best teachers in the game of basketball today. He has had some very talented players and teams come through his program but none of them have been able to make it out of the round of 16. This team could be their most talented yet. They have a great backcourt tandem, with seniors Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr. leading the charge. Their frontcourt is lead by former Kentucky Wildcat, redshirt junior Kyle Wiltjer, who leads the team in scoring and is a dynamic option both inside and out, and freshman Domantas Sabonis, who is a “high energy guy” who leads the Zags in rebounding.
If the seniors play well and the Zag’s bigs can contribute in key stretches, Few could very well find himself dancing all the way to the Final Four.