NCAA Bracket 2012: Power Ranking Every Sweet 16 Matchup

The Sweet 16 is arguably the most exciting part of the NCAA tournament.

Instead of just four great games, the college basketball world is graced by eight fantastic matchups between 16 of the best teams in the NCAA.

This year especially it is quite difficult to rank the matchups coming up this weekend. As always, there are some games that we are looking forward to more than others.

The following is a power ranking of the eight great matchups coming up.

No. 8 Ohio Verus North Carolina

It is only fitting that the Ohio Bobcats are playing what was one of the tournament favorites.

The Bobcats are one of four Ohio teams in the Sweet 16 and are looking to pull off a massive upset by knocking the Tar Heels out of the tournament.

That dream just became more of a reality with the recent news that North Carolina guard Kendall Marshall broke his wrist during UNC’s last game.

This is a big blow to the Tar Heels' offense, as Marshall brought home almost 15-points per game in his last six outings.

If the Bobcats can get D.J. Cooper going early, they will have a legitimate shot at stopping the Tar Heels.

The only question that remains is how North Carolina will respond to its latest obstacle. 

No. 7 Florida Versus Marquette

Florida has had an up-and-down season this year, but the Gators have impressed in the tournament thus far.

In their last game, the Gators solved their shooting problems and sank 10 treys to blow Norfolk State out of the water. On top of that, the Florida defense looked stifling against an offense that was coming off a huge upset against Missouri.

Then again, the Marquette Golden Eagles are no Norfolk State Spartans.

Marquette’s Darius Johnson-Odom, one of the best guards in the tournament, is a force on the floor, and the addition of Jae Crowder creates a dangerous one-two punch that could send any team packing.

What this game eventually boils down to is whether the Golden Eagles or the Gators will make the biggest defensive stops. 

No. 6 Xavier Versus Baylor

The Baylor Bears are coming off a great win over Colorado.

Guard Brady Heslip, arguably the most well-known Canadian college player at the moment, sank a stunning nine treys in Baylor’s last win and launched the Bears into the Sweet Sixteen.

Xavier, on the other hand, was powered by Kenny Frease and his career-high 25-point performance to reach the fourth round.

The matchup to look for here is how Xavier responds to Baylor’s athleticism, something that Lehigh did not have.

Baylor boasts one of the most talented teams in the country and can use its speed, length and pure talent to overcome any opponent in the country.

However, with Frease coming off of a great performance, Baylor has to be aware of the momentum propelling Xavier.

No. 5 Louisville Versus Michigan State

Draymond Green is finally getting the attention that he deserves, and if the Spartans win the title, he should be receiving the tournament’s MVP award. Then again, he could have it locked up already. 

This game would be ranked higher if the Louisville Cardinals had not stuttered in their play against New Mexico, showing that they are very fallible and could be knocked out at any moment.

The Cardinals are going to have to find a way to get around the Spartans’ defense, but that is not entirely impossible if Kyle Kuric and company can put together another big game.

Keep in mind that Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has basically built a second home in the Final Four, and has put together a team that could very well lead him to the championship game this season. 

No. 4 Wisconsin Versus Syracuse

Wisconsin has been flying under the radar this year, successfully knocking off Montana in a thrashing and pulling out a squeaker against Vanderbilt.

Syracuse, on the other hand, recovered from its off-and-on performance against upset-minded UNC-Asheville to take care of business against Kansas State.

Many people had the Orange written off after the loss of star-center Fab Melo, but Syracuse showed against that it still boasts incredible depth against the Wildcats. 

What seems to be overlooked in this matchup is the fact that both Syracuse and Wisconsin rank inside the top 20 in offensive and defensive efficiency.

If the Wisconsin Badgers can get the three-point shot down early, then they will have control over the game.

That said, Syracuse has not forgotten the doubts and questions regarding its legitimacy, and that could fuel the Orange through to the Elite Eight.

In the end, the matchup of two great offenses and defenses is never one to overlook. 

No. 3 Cincinnati Versus Ohio State

If there were not two other teams from Ohio in the tournament, this matchup could be hailed as the battle for the Buckeye State.

The interesting fact about these two teams is that they have the potential to create one of the best rivalries in sports. Their campuses are only two hours away from each other, but the Bearcats and the Buckeyes have not played a scheduled game in 48 out of the last 49 years.

Now, this rivalry has a chance to be renewed, with the Bearcats looking to dash Ohio State's chances at a national title.

Player of the Year candidate Jared Sullinger leads an extremely balanced attack on the offensive side of the floor and has a knack for making game-changing plays.

Cincinnati was not extremely impressive against Florida State, but they managed the win against one of the tournament’s hottest teams.

If the Bearcats can pull this one out, they can successfully claim to be one of the tourney’s biggest spoilers. 

No. 2 North Carolina State Versus Kansas

Anyone who is not impressed with the play of the North Carolina State Wolfpack probably does not know very much about the game of basketball. 

This is not only the team that almost sealed the deal against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC tournament but also the squad that pulled out the win against a highly touted Georgetown team in its last game.

Now, the Wolfpack are facing one of the favorites to bring home the title. 

Kansas struggled in its last game against Purdue and could very well have lost it were it not for late mistakes by the Boilermakers. However, the Jayhawks and Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson are not a team that makes the same mistakes twice.

This not only has the potential to be a fantastic game, but a great story if the Wolfpack can come away victorious. 

No. 1 Indiana Versus Kentucky

Usually the No. 1 overall seed facing a lower team would not make the top spot in a power ranking matchup. Then again, this is not your usual Sweet 16 game.

Everyone remembers the game that took place on December 10 in which the Indiana Hoosiers sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the No. 1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats.

That also just happened to be Kentucky’s only regular season loss and spawned a marketing campaign for ESPN in which Wildcat fans had to continually live the upset over and over.

Now, the Wildcats are looking for revenge and the proof that they are, in fact, the best team in the country.

Then again, this is much more than just a grudge match. The Hoosiers have been highly underrated this entire season and have a good team that can beat any squad out there.

All eyes should be glued to the television when these two teams square off in the most anticipated matchup of the Sweet Sixteen.