Sweet 16 2012: Indiana and More Underdogs Ready to Shock the World

With the NCAA tournament down to the Sweet 16, there could be a thought that all the big upsets are out of the way. While the seeds won't make the upsets that shocking, the impact they have will be felt for a long time. 

The first weekend is all about the smaller schools, but now is when the major programs tend to takeover. Still, with the craziness that we have seen already, would anyone really be surprised if we didn't see any of the No. 1 seeds make it to Saturday?

Here are the Sweet 16 matchups that will spell the end to your bracket, that is if they are still alive after last weekend. 

No. 4 Indiana over No. 1 Kentucky (-8)

Even though they haven't been playing at home, the Hoosiers have looked electric winning their first two tournament games. The shooting has always been the hallmark of this team, but the defense is the biggest reason they have made it to this point. 

Kentucky was the best team in the country all season, and has done nothing to make you think otherwise in two tournament wins. 

The biggest problem Kentucky will face in this game is perimeter shooting. The Wildcats have yet to face a team in the tournament that can shoot the ball from beyond the arc. The Hoosiers are going to chuck it up from deep a lot. If they are hitting those shots, they will be marching to the Elite 8. 

No. 4 Wisconsin over No. 1 Syracuse (-3.5)

After a scare in the Round of 64, Syracuse cruised to the Sweet 16 with a victory over Kansas State. That has cooled off some of the talk about whether or not this team can succeed without Fab Melo. 

The problem is, the Orange are locked in a bad matchup. Wisconsin is not a sexy team because their style of play is so boring, but there might not be a more fundamentally sound team left standing than the Badgers. 

The Badgers are going to control the tempo of the game, forcing Syracuse into taking bad shots and turning the ball over. Even in a low-scoring affair, it will be hard for Jim Boeheim's squad to overcome Wisconsin. 

No. 11 NC State over No. 2 Kansas (-8)

After underachieving for most of the regular season, the Wolfpack have hit their stride at the right time. It started in the ACC tournament and has carried over to the big dance. 

Kansas had its hands full against Purdue, escaping late, thanks to offensive miscues by the Boilermakers. The Jayhawks can't afford another slow start against a team like NC State. 

The Wolfpack have the athletes to contain Kansas' scorers, and this team can shoot the ball as well as any team left. Don't sleep on them, because they are going to give the Jayhawks all they can handle. 

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