The Athletic has live coverage of the NCAA Tournament.
(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.
Connecticut Huskies
The Huskies have been a freight train barreling through the NCAA Tournament. Again. The latest example came in the Sweet 16 when UConn hammered San Diego State 82-52 to advance to an Elite Eight matchup against Illinois. Cam Spencer scored 18 points as one of four players to score in double figures. The defending national champion has won its three NCAA Tournament games by an average of 28.7 points. UConn coach Dan Hurley has so much confidence in his team that he recently called the group “bulletproof.” So far, it’s hard to argue with that assessment.
Purdue Boilermakers
Matt Painter has Purdue on the brink of history following an 80-68 victory against Gonzaga. Purdue can reach its first Final Four since 1980 with a win against Tennessee in the Elite Eight. Purdue has spent all season trying to respond from losing its first-round NCAA Tournament game as a No. 1 seed a year ago, and the Boilermakers have met the challenge. Zach Edey tallied 27 points and 14 rebounds against Gonzaga, while Braden Smith added 14 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. Purdue beat both Gonzaga and Tennessee earlier this season in the Maui Invitational and will have to do it again with a whole lot more on the line.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois has played as well as any team in the country over the past month, winning 10 of its last 11 games, and showed its talent and grit by beating Iowa State 72-69 in the Sweet 16. Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a team-high 29 points and recorded his seventh consecutive game of at least 20 points. This marks the first time Illinois has made it to the Elite Eight since the Illini were the national runner-up 19 years ago. Illinois has some outstanding pieces. Shannon, Marcus Domask and Coleman Hawkins all average double figures in scoring. But the next test will be the toughest against top-seeded UConn.
Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee took out Creighton 82-75 to earn its second Elite Eight appearance and first since 2010. Dalton Knecht scored a game-high 26 points, while Zakai Zeigler scored 18 points and Josiah-Jordan James added 15 points. Tennessee plays Purdue for a spot in the Final Four. Purdue beat Tennessee 71-67 in the Maui Invitational after the Volunteers shot just 33.3 percent from the field.
Duke Blue Devils
Duke defeated No. 1 seed Houston 54-51, generating several critical defensive stops down the stretch to hold the Cougars 23 points below their season average. Kyle Filipowski (16 points) and Jeremy Roach (14 points) both scored in double figures for the Blue Devils. An Elite Eight matchup against fellow ACC foe NC State is up next.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The breakneck pace at which Alabama plays continues to pay dividends. Alabama upended No. 1 seed North Carolina 89-87 to advance to its second-ever Elite Eight (and first since 2004). Grant Nelson was the star of the show, scoring 19 of his 24 points in the second half and finishing with 12 rebounds and five blocks. Rylan Griffen and Aaron Estrade scored 19 points apiece, and Mark Sears added 18. Now comes a postseason matchup most fans are accustomed to seeing in football: Alabama vs. Clemson.
Clemson Tigers
Chase Hunter converted a three-point play with 25.7 seconds remaining to put away No. 2 seed Arizona during Clemson’s 77-72 Sweet 16 victory. The Tigers advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1980. Hunter led Clemson with 18 points, while PJ Hall scored 17 and Ian Schieffelin had 14. Clemson can reach its first-ever Final Four with a victory against Alabama.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
NC State’s magical March continued with a 67-58 victory against No. 2 seed Marquette, which moved the Wolfpack to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986. That marks eight consecutive victories for NC State, which won all five games it played in the ACC tournament to earn a spot in the big dance. DJ Horne scored a team-high 19 points, while Mohamed Diarra added 11 points and 15 rebounds. NC State plays a Duke team that the Wolfpack beat 74-69 during the ACC tournament, though Duke did win the regular season matchup between the teams.
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(Top photo of Grant Nelson: Kirby Lee / USA Today)
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