Sweet 16 2012: The Biggest Winners of the Sweet 16

The Sweet 16 is now in the books, and the long-awaited Elite Eight is on its way.

We are inching ever closer to the unfortunate end of another NCAA tournament, but, before it is over, let us take one last look at this latest round of college basketball.

The following is a list of the biggest winners of the Sweet 16. 

Syracuse's Defense

One can argue all that he wants that Wisconsin lost the game by its own merit (apparently, the Badgers did not know that you could shoot in front of the three-point line), but the defense of the Orange did have an impact on the game.

After the Badgers sank six three-point shots in a row, Jim Boeheim and the Orange made critical adjustments to end the streak that could have sent them packing.

The 2-3 zone that Syracuse pulled out worked to perfection in the last three or four minutes of the second half and caused Wisconsin to miss its last few shot attempts.

Regardless of whether or not one agrees with the decisions of the Badgers, if the Orange loosened up on its zone defense even a little bit, the Badgers could have sank No. 7. 

Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino is heralded for being the only head coach to lead three different teams to the Final Four, but he has another accomplishment that's just as impressive.

With Louisville’s win over Michigan State, head coach Rick Pitino solidified his career and earned himself a 10-0 record in the Round of 16.

On top of that, Pitino’s average margin of victory in those 10 games is an astounding 21.1 points.

Somehow, this man just knows how to win in the NCAA tournament and is not someone that any team should look forward to playing. 

The Buckeyes

One of the major headlines coming into the Sweet 16 was the fact that the state of Ohio could claim four teams.

This fact brought about the question of whether or not Ohio is the state for basketball and, in the process, caused some people to forget about their pride and joy (for some): Ohio State.

The Buckeyes faced off against one of the other three Ohio teams, Cincinnati, and, by the end of the game, blew the Bearcats out of the water. However, not only did OSU prove its Buckeye-state dominance with this win, it also showed the nation that Jared Sullinger is not the only player on this team.

After giving up a 12-point lead in the second half, Sullinger sat on the bench and allowed the lesser-known members of the team take charge.

As such, Ohio State and the Buckeyes have proven that they are more than just a one-man show to those who have not been watching. 

Baylor’s Big Men

Senior Quincy Acy had a highlight-reel-worthy day against Xavier. The forward earned himself a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds. That, of course, is putting it lightly when he also slammed down multiple crazy dunks, including an 11-foot leap to connect on the alley-oop inbound pass from guard A.J. Walton.

Not to be outdone is the highly-touted Perry Jones III. Jones has received a lot of criticism this season for not being consistent or aggressive in his play in the post. Last night, however, Jones quietly fought for 14 points and five rebounds.

On top of all of that is Anthony Jones, a senior, who earned his 100th career win (along with Acy and Fred Ellis) by sinking a crucial three-point shot.

All of the analysts said that Baylor would have to get its forwards going in order to win it all, and the Bears did just that.

Tyler Zeller

Tyler Zeller pulled off quite the accomplishment: 20 points and 23 rebounds.

Not since 1997 has a 20-point and 20-rebound game happened in the NCAA tournament, and such a performance could not have happened at a better time for North Carolina.

Ohio would have probably walked away with this game had Zeller not had such a stellar performance. 

Kentucky Wildcat Fans

All throughout the season, Kentucky Wildcat fans had to relive one of the biggest upsets of the season. December 10, 2011 will live in infamy for this fantastic Kentucky team, when the Indiana Hoosiers sank a last second three-point shot to hand the Wildcats their only regular season loss.

Now, in the NCAA tournament, when the games matter most, Kentucky and its fans can finally claim the gold over Indiana. No longer will the ESPN marketing campaign detailing that fateful shot be the bane of the Wildcats’ existence.

In the end, Kentucky proved that it is the better team by easily outplaying the Hoosiers in one of the most anticipated rematches of the season.