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(Editor’s note: This is part of the Bracket Central Series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)
The Sweet 16 matchups in the NCAA Tournament didn’t disappoint. Six of the eight games were decided by single digits, and a pair of No. 1 seeds were knocked out. Oh, and a No. 11 seed that once stood 17-14 overall entering the ACC tournament is still standing.
All four Elite Eight matchups offer plenty of intrigue: UConn vs. Illinois, Alabama vs. Clemson, Duke vs. NC State and Purdue vs. Tennessee. The Duke-NC State, Alabama-Clemson and Purdue-Tennessee games are rematches of games from earlier this season.
With the regional finals upon us, here are our latest NCAA Tournament power rankings for all eight remaining national title contenders. We will update this ranking after every round and until the Final Four begins. If the Sweet 16 was any indication, the eight teams left should put on quite a show. Which teams are in the best position to make a run at the championship? Here’s a look at where things stand.
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UConn has been the most dominant team in the NCAA Tournament, winning its first four games by a combined 111 points. That’s the fourth-best mark for any team heading into the Final Four behind 1993 Kentucky, 1999 Duke and 1996 Kentucky. The latest blowout came in a 77-52 Elite Eight victory against Illinois. At one time, the score was tied at 23. Then came a preposterous 30-0 run that effectively ended the game. Donovan Clingan led five Huskies in double figures with 22 points and added 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals. Cam Spencer recorded his first double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. UConn, the defending national champion, will take on Alabama.
No. 5 San Diego State
82-52
Purdue had to live with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to a No. 16 seed for an entire year. But, just as Virginia did following a catastrophic loss to a 16 seed in 2018, the Boilermakers responded from that setback with a trip to the Final Four. That 2019 Virginia team won a national title. Can Purdue do the same? The team has all the pieces to pull it off, reaching its first Final Four since 1980 thanks to 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey’s career-high 40 points in a 72-66 Elite Eight victory against Tennessee. Purdue has played its best against the best competition. The Boilermakers are 10-0 this season against nationally ranked teams. Those 10 wins without a loss against AP top 25 teams are tied for the most in NCAA history with Kentucky’s 2011-12 team, which won a national title.
No. 16 Grambling State
78-50
Alabama is in the Final Four for the first time after defeating sixth-seeded Clemson 89-82 in the Elite Eight. Mark Sears, the West Region MVP, scored a team-high 23 points and buried seven 3-pointers. Nick Pringle tallied a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Alabama, which leads the nation in scoring offense, has generally imposed its will on teams in this tournament, which included an 89-87 victory against No. 1 seed North Carolina in the Sweet 16.
No. 1 North Carolina
89-87
NC State has defied the odds since it trailed Louisville 23-11 early in the first game of the ACC tournament. So the fact the Wolfpack are listed fourth here won’t make the slightest difference to them. NC State has now won nine consecutive games, the latest coming in a 76-64 Elite Eight victory against Duke, advancing the Wolfpack to their first Final Four since 1983. DJ Burns Jr. continued his outstanding run by scoring a season-high 29 points and earning the South Region MVP. NC State shot a ridiculous 73.1 percent in the second half to take over the game against Duke. A matchup with No. 1 seed Purdue is on tap.
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(Top photo of Grant Nelson: Kirby Lee / USA Today)
