NCAA Men's Tournament 2023: Power Ranking All Teams Left in Round 2
After two days of wild finishes and a handful of upsets, the 2023 men's NCAA tournament is headed to the second round.
Take a breath, friends. We have two more action-packed days of college basketball this weekend.
Some programs have a great outlook as the next round begins, but others are just barely hanging in there. While several are expected to compete for a national title, many are considered Cinderella—hello, Fairleigh Dickinson and Princeton—or unlikely stories.
But they're still here.
The most important part—for all 32 remaining teams—is they have a chance at the ultimate goal: a championship. And the next step in achieving that goal is navigating the second round.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
32-27. Fairleigh Dickinson, Furman, Princeton, Auburn, FAU, Pitt
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32. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (21-15)
The improbable, for only the second time in 38 years, was possible. Fairleigh Dickinson downed No. 1-seeded Purdue, which only connected on five of its 26 three-point attempts—continuing a clearly disastrous trend that has plagued the Boilers for the last month. Fairleigh Dickinson, officially, is an unforgettable program.
31. Furman Paladins (28-7)
How about the 'Dins? They recovered from a 12-point deficit in the second half to stun fourth-seeded Virginia. JP Pegues hit a game-winning triple with 0.02 ticks to play, advancing the Southern Conference champions to the next round. San Diego State's sixth-ranked perimeter defense will be a substantial test for a Furman offense that relies on three-pointers.
30. Princeton Tigers (22-8)
Easily one of the best opening-round stories is Princeton. The obvious reason is the Tigers upended second-seeded Arizona, but Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson started at guard for the 1996 roster that upset UCLA in March Madness. That team lost in the second round; will the 2023 version take down seventh-seeded Missouri on Saturday?
29. Auburn Tigers (21-12)
After building an 17-point second-half lead, Auburn watched Iowa get within four points. While the Tigers survived, they offered yet another reminder of how frustrating their offense can be. And that's not a hugely inspiring sign heading into a matchup with Houston's elite defense.
28. Florida Atlantic Owls (32-3)
Nicholas Boyd dropped in a last-second shot to give FAU a thrilling one-point win over Memphis. While I would have predicted either team to beat Purdue anyway, Fairleigh Dickinson took care of the Boilermakers right away. FAU has a tremendous shot to make its first-ever Sweet 16.
27. Pittsburgh Panthers (23-11)
The best way to describe Pitt is a relentless team loaded with players who can bury bad shots. Jeff Capel's squad is like that annoying spider in the corner behind the refrigerator: You just can't quite get rid of it. Xavier sweated out a last-second win over 14th-seeded Kennesaw State in the first round, and the Musketeers should be desperate to avoid that situation against Pitt.
26-21. Maryland, Missouri, Michigan State, Northwestern, TCU, Penn State
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26. Maryland Terrapins (22-12)
The first of four Big Ten squads in this range, Maryland held its breath as West Virginia's potential winning shot at the buzzer narrowly missed. In order to spring a second-round upset, the eighth-seeded Terps likely must be able to rebound well against a considerably taller Alabama front line.
25. Missouri Tigers (25-9)
Efficient three-point shooting helped seventh-seeded Missouri take down Utah State. That might need to happen again, considering Princeton's key strength. Princeton boasts the 15th-best rebounding rate in the nation, while Missouri has the fourth-worst mark. If the Tigers aren't hitting shots, they probably won't be getting many second chances.
24. Michigan State Spartans (20-12)
Michigan State held USC without a fast-break point in the opening round to earn a 72-62 victory. If the seventh-seeded Spartans bring that defense, they might eliminate second-seeded Marquette. It will be a major task, given the Golden Eagles rank 20th nationally in transition offense, per Hoop-Math.com.
23. Northwestern Wildcats (22-11)
How far will a tenacious defense carry Northwestern? Boise State struggled to break down the seventh-seeded Wildcats, who surrendered a 40.0 percent mark overall and just a 26.1 percent clip from the perimeter. Northwestern should be able to frustrate UCLA's offense, but the result will hinge on whether the 'Cats are able to score on KenPom.com's top-rated defense.
22. TCU Horned Frogs (22-12)
I hope you stayed up late Friday, because FAU's winning shot preceded JaKobe Coles' last-second shot to knock out No. 11 Arizona State. TCU shot a meager 35.5 percent on the night, and offensive letdowns have stung the Horned Frogs since late February. But they live to fight another round opposite third-seeded Gonzaga.
21. Penn State Nittany Lions (23-13)
The brilliant late-season rise continues for No. 10 seed Penn State. Andrew Funk drained eight threes in a comfortable win over Texas A&M, and the Nittany Lions' depth of perimeter options is impressive. Texas presents a major test for Penn State's defense, but the second-seeded Longhorns are soundly on upset watch in this interesting matchup.
20-16. Tennessee, Arkansas, Miami, Saint Mary's, San Diego State
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20. Tennessee Volunteers (24-10)
Tennessee held off Louisiana after nearly squandering an 18-point lead. In the 58-55 victory, the Vols committed 18 turnovers and shot 45.7 percent from the floor. Tennessee's ceiling feels pretty low without key guard Zakai Zeigler (torn left ACL), although a metaphorical rock fight sparked by UT's stout defense is possible.
19. Arkansas Razorbacks (21-13)
At least for me, few teams are as fascinating as Arkansas, which isn't short on talent. Despite the Razorbacks' continued inability to score efficiently, they are always competitive because of a feisty defense. It's a concerning mix, but eighth-seeded Arkansas has the upside of dethroning No. 1-seeded, defending champion Kansas on Saturday.
18. Miami Hurricanes (26-7)
If you said Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller would combine to shoot 3-of-17, the reasonable conclusion would be that fifth-seeded Miami lost to 12th-seeded Drake. Instead, the 'Canes put together a superb defensive day, made 23 free throws and escaped with a 63-56 victory. The return of Norchad Omier is especially important with a looming clash against Indiana star Trayce Jackson-Davis.
17. Saint Mary's Gaels (27-7)
How about another defense-first team? Saint Mary's showcased that strength in a 63-51 win against VCU, forcing 14 turnovers and a 36.7 percent field-goal rate. Both the Gaels and UConn boast top-six rebounding rates, which feels awfully important for Sunday's game.
16. San Diego State Aztecs (28-6)
San Diego State limited the College of Charleston to a 31.2 percent clip in the first round, squeezing out a 63-57 win over the 12th-seeded Cougars. So far, SDSU is undefeated when it allows 65 points or fewer. Furman is simply an efficient offense, but the Paladins are tremendous in transition. SDSU cannot afford to let Furman dictate the pace of the game.
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15-11. Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas State, Baylor, Creighton
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15. Kentucky Wildcats (22-11)
An ugly offensive game finished with Kentucky star Oscar Tshiebwe corralling a ridiculous 25 rebounds in a win against 11th-seeded Providence. All five UK starters played at least 33 minutes, so head coach John Calipari is leaning on a thin rotation heading into a clash with third-seeded Kansas State.
14. Indiana Hoosiers (23-11)
Entering the tourney, it seemed Indiana would advance as far as Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson would take it. Well, the frontcourt duo combined for 44 points as the fourth-seeded Hoosiers beat 13th-seeded Kent State. Indiana has a great advantage with TJD in a showdown with Miami, but a talented backcourt could give the Hoosiers some fits.
13. Kansas State Wildcats (24-9)
Never really in doubt but never exactly comfortable. That's the story of Kansas State's opening win, a 77-65 victory over 14th-seeded Montana State as Markquis Nowell tallied 17 points and 14 assists. That feeling seems likely to repeat itself opposite a solid Kentucky squad.
12. Baylor Bears (23-10)
Adam Flagler keyed the first-round triumph over UC Santa Barbara with 18 points and five assists. As long as Baylor's backcourt is thriving, the third-seeded Bears can advance. But their weakness defending the rim could be exposed as early as this impending matchup with sixth-seeded Creighton, which has star 7-footer Ryan Kalkbrenner.
11. Creighton Bluejays (22-12)
Speaking of Kalkbrenner, he shredded North Carolina State for 31 points and blocked three shots. He saved Creighton from an atypically atrocious day; the Bluejays' other four starters ended 2-of-18 from the perimeter. Creighton has 15 games with 10-plus triples, though.
10-6. Xavier, Gonzaga, Duke, Marquette, Texas
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10. Xavier Musketeers (26-9)
In a perfect example of an "ugly but effective" win, Xavier overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to survive 14th-seeded Kennesaw State. Jerome Hunter put up 24 points to help the Musketeers atone for a 2-of-12 performance from beyond the arc. Next up for Xavier is Pitt.
9. Gonzaga Bulldogs (29-5)
Like so many underdogs in the opening round, Grand Canyon hung around into the second half. Like so many favorites, Gonzaga ultimately pulled away. Julian Strawther poured in 28 points, and Drew Timme scored 21 to send the Zags into a favorable clash with TCU.
8. Duke Blue Devils (27-8)
Oral Roberts earned its billing as a serious upset threat, but Duke calmly dispatched the 12th-seeded Golden Eagles. Duke limited ORU star Max Abmas to just 12 points and tallied a plus-14 rebounding edge in a 74-51 win. As long as the Blue Devils avoid a defensive letdown, they are the clear favorite in a clash with short-handed Tennessee.
7. Marquette Golden Eagles (29-6)
As usual, Marquette leaned on its efficient offense to beat Vermont. Led by Kam Jones' 19 points, five players netted 10-plus for the Golden Eagles. They force turnovers at the 22nd-best rate, but Michigan State does a decent job of protecting the ball. That battle will likely have a big impact Sunday.
6. Texas Longhorns (27-8)
Similar to Duke, Texas handled a potential low-seed spoiler. Colgate entered the Big Dance with a nation-leading three-point rate, but the Longhorns held the Raiders to a 3-of-15 clip while hitting 13 threes of their own. The offensive numbers feel unsustainable, but a repeat day defensively should allow No. 2-seeded Texas to take out 10th-seeded Penn State.
5. UConn Huskies
6 of 10
Record: 26-8
Round 1 Review
Welcome to the 2023 tournament, Adama Sanogo. My goodness. He overwhelmed Iona to the tune of 28 points and 13 rebounds, propelling UConn to an 87-63 victory that included a 50-24 second-half run. Five players hit multiple three-pointers as well.
Round 2 Preview
Connecticut had an assist on 24 of its 32 buckets. That type of ball movement was seen on its offense all season, considering the Huskies have the ninth-best assist rate in the country. Saint Mary's, though, has the third-lowest rate defensively.
4. UCLA Bruins
7 of 10
Record: 30-5
Round 1 Review
UCLA enjoyed the largest margin of victory on the opening day, rolling past UNC Asheville by 33 points. Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Amari Bailey both scored 17 points, while Tyger Campbell added seven points and 10 assists.
Round 2 Preview
On paper, it's a tough matchup. UCLA attempts the ninth-most two-point jumpers in the country, per Hoop-Math.com, and Northwestern ranks 26th in defending those shots. The major advantage for the Bruins, however, is their defense is capable of icing an inefficient NU offense that ranks 340th in overall field-goal percentage.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
8 of 10
Record: 30-5
Round 1 Review
Around the halfway mark of the first half, Alabama jumped well ahead of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and sailed to a 96-75 win. The lead never dropped below 13 points in the second half, and no starter logged more than 21 minutes. Alabama will be well-rested for Maryland.
Round 2 Preview
Eighth-seeded Maryland prefers a slow-paced game, whereas top overall seed Alabama is fifth in KenPom's adjusted tempo metric. If the Crimson Tide are running and grabbing offensive rebounds, they'll be in prime position to reach the Sweet 16th for only the 10th time program history.
2. Kansas Jayhawks
9 of 10
Record: 28-7
Round 1 Review
Howard stuck around for a while, but the Jayhawks soon capitalized on a bunch of turnovers. They cruised to a 28-point victory, and all five starters hit double figures. Gradey Dick had a superb individual game with 19 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Round 2 Preview
Before the NCAA tourney began, I labeled Arkansas as a nightmare second-round matchup. That's not to say the No. 1-seeded Jayhawks shouldn't be expected to win, but it's fair to anticipate an ugly matchup. Kansas needs a strong day from Dajuan Harris Jr., whose production plummets in KU losses and is set for a tough matchup with Arkansas' backcourt. Head coach Bill Self (health) might not return for the game.
1. Houston Cougars
10 of 10
Record: 32-3
Round 1 Review
Houston meandered through an unimpressive debut to March Madness, only putting up away 16th-seeded Northern Kentucky in the closing minutes. The top-seeded Coogs uncharacteristically gave up 18 offensive rebounds, but NKU's 5-of-33 finish from the perimeter saved UH. The greater concern is the health of star guard Marcus Sasser, who exited the victory after aggravating a groin injury.
Round 2 Preview
Even if Sasser does not play, though he says he will, Houston is talented enough to handle Auburn. Locking down the perimeter will be a key part of the contest, though. Auburn shot a ghastly 29.2 percent from beyond the arc through its first 25 games but has knocked down 39.4 percent since mid-February.
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