With 16 teams remaining, only three are Cinderella teams. Well, technically two...I don't see Villanova as a Cinderella even if they are a 12 seed. They play in a power conference.
Besides that, here are my picks of winners in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 to advance from each region to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.
East Region:
(1) North Carolina vs. (4) Washington St.
UNC is able to overcome the Cougars swarming defense to advance to the Elite 8.
Lawson and Hansbrough will prove to be too much for the Cougars as Hansbrough goes for his usual 20 and 10 nights and Lawson contributes with eight-plus assists.
Washington St. keeps this a low scoring game but in the end UNC is the No. 1 overall seed for a reason and they will prove it in the final minutes of this close contest.
(2) Tennessee vs. (3) Louisville
Tennessee is able to quiet the critics in this one and win another close contest that will be more of a 3-point shootout than a defensive outing.
Pitino is a big game coach, but I think Bruce Pearl will have his team ready for this one.
Neither team is great from the free throw line but if I had to choose I would say Tennessee is the better free throw shooting team.
Lofton and the boys from Tennessee pull away in the final moments and advance to face UNC in the regional finals.
Regional Finals East Region:
(1) North Carolina vs. (2) Tennessee
Tennessee proves not to count them out in a surprising upset win over the heavily favored Tar Heels.
Tennessee is too good from the outside. Although UNC plays good defense they will give up a lot of open looks from behind the three-point line.
Tennessee clinches it in the end with free throws from Lofton to advance to San Antonio with an upset over UNC.
Midwest Region:
(1) Kansas vs. (12) Villanova
In a game that is close for a half and then broken open in the second half, Kansas wins this one.
I expect them to do what they did against UNLV—play it close in the first half and then come out with a fury in the second half as they pull away from Nova.
Nova has a young team and that will prove to be the downfall in what will be the biggest game of some of these young players lives thus far.
Kansas advances to the Regional Finals.
(3) Wisconsin vs. (10) Davidson
The slipper seems to be coming off of the Cinderellas once the sweet 16 hits.
Curry is a pure shooter and can light it up from anywhere, but it won't be enough as Wisconsin wins this one by not letting anybody else on Davidson take over the game.
Wisconsin can afford Curry to go for 30, but if anybody else on Davidson gets a lot of points there could be trouble for the Badgers.
Wisconsin advances to the Regional Final to face Kansas.
Regional Final Midwest Region:
(1) Kansas vs. (3) Wisconsin
I think another No. 1 seed goes down here also.
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