NCAA Tournament: Power Ranking the Sweet 16 Teams

The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament has come and gone. The 2024 field has gone from 68 to just 16 teams remaining. Unlike last season, the 2024 NCAA Tournament did not feature many upsets advancing to the second weekend. All four No. 1 and No. 2 seeds made it through and NC State is the lone seed outside of the top six that made the cut.

With that, as we have seen all season, there is a lot of parity remaining in this NCAA Tournament. While you can move teams around when looking at the big picture, there are tiers that are forming. While looking at my power ranking, I would give UConn, Purdue, and North Carolina the best chances of winning this NCAA Tournament, and honestly, the three of them could go in any order.

On this power ranking, seeds four through thirteen each have an outside shot at making a run. As we all know, in the NCAA Tournament, things have to break right in each game to survive and advance. They all have players who can create offense with good size and length and they have an identity. While that is a rather large tier, as circumstances would dictate, the parity in this tournament is very real. Like the first tier, these ten schools could be placed in various orders.

Here are the Power Rankings of the remaining 2024 NCAA Tournament teams as we enter the Sweet 16.

1. UConn, Big East

The Buzz: UConn, a one-seed in the East Region, will face five-seed San Diego State on Thursday in Boston. The Huskies, 33-3 this season, come into this game with a 39-point win over Stetson in the first round and a 17-point win over Northwestern in the second round. The Big East Champions have four players averaging double figures in the tournament and have yet to see a team break 60 against them. 

The Huskies have been playing well all season. Coming off last year’s national championship run, they replaced their three draft picks seamlessly. Donovan Clingan has been great on the block in the tournament and Tristan Newton has made plays all season. They have shot-making, play physical defense, and solid depth who can give minutes.

2. Purdue, Big 10

The Buzz: Purdue, a one-seed in the Midwest Region, will face five-seed Gonzaga on Friday in Detroit. The Boilermakers, 31-4 on the season, come into this Sweet Sixteen appearance with a 39-point win over Utah State in the second round and a 28-point win over Grambling State in the first round. Purdue is led by 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey who averaged 24.6 points and 12.0 rebounds this season.

Everything with Purdue starts with Edey. He has been college basketball’s most dominating force for the past two seasons. While massive, he has also shown in this tournament that he can guard the pick and roll. Purdue added Lance Jones in the off-season, which provides another ball handler to take some pressure off Braden Smith, who can still get loose with it at times. They have eight players averaging ten or more minutes with two others playing nine.

3. North Carolina, ACC

The Buzz: North Carolina, a one-seed in the West Region, will face four-seed Alabama on Thursday in Los Angeles. The Tar Heels are coming off a 16-point second-round win over Michigan State and a 28-point win over Wagner in the first round. UNC is led by their senior duo, guard RJ Davis, and center Armando Bacot. Davis, the ACC Player of the Year, led the league with 21.3 points this season. Bacot is averaging 17.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in five ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament games. 

The depth of North Carolina has shined in this tournament, and their toughness on the defensive end has shown all season. Davis has had an All-American caliber year and Bacot has ended the season playing at a high level. Harrison Ingram has proven to be one of the best connectors in college basketball this season. Steady point guard play and consistent shot-making could go a long way for this Tar Heel team.

4. Houston, Big 12

The Buzz: Houston, a one-seed in the South Region, will face four-seed Duke on Friday in Dallas. The Cougars beat Longwood by 40 in the first round and Texas A&M by five in the second-round overtime win. Houston has made 21 threes as a team and put five players in double figures in this tournament. Emanuel Sharp, LJ Cryer, and Jamal Shead have led Houston in scoring through the first two rounds.

To play Houston you need to be ready for a physical matchup. Their bigs can move, they are strong, and they embrace contact. When the guards are hitting shots they are tough to beat. Shead is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country, he has done nothing but win since he has been at Houston. Cryer and Sharp can be streaky, but they can also carry an offense. They have a good bench and they will defend.

5. Creighton, Big East

The Buzz: Creighton, a three-seed in the Midwest Region, will face two-seed Tennessee on Friday in Detroit. The Bluejays got here by beating Akron by 17 points in the first round and Oregon by 13 points in the second round. Creighton is led by their big three of Baylor Scheierman, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Trey Alexander. Steven Ashworth has scored 31 points through the first two rounds. 

Creighton’s big three are as good as any in the field. Defensively, everything funnels to Kalkbrenner, who is one of the country’s best defensive bigs. Alexander can initiate offense with a slick handle and the ability to consistently touch the paint, and Scheierman fills in all the gaps with passing, rebounding, and deep range. The Bluejays do not have much depth as the four players mentioned all play 30 or more minutes.

6. Arizona, Pac 12 

The Buzz: Arizona, a two-seed in the West Region, will face 6-seed Clemson on Thursday in Los Angeles. The Wildcats got here by beating Long Beach State by 20 in the first round and Dayton by ten in the second round. Sophomore guard Kylan Boswell led the way with 20 points in round one and senior guard Caleb Love’s 19 set the pace in round two. 

Arizona plays as fast as any team in the country. They average 87.6 points and 64.4 shots per game. Caleb Love is the team’s leading shot-taker, he has an inconsistent history but plays with unwavering confidence. Oumar Ballo and Keshad Johnson get things done in the paint. The Wildcats have solid depth with Love being the wildcard

7. Marquette, Big East

The Buzz: Marquette, a two-seed in the South Region, will face 11-seed NC State on Friday in Dallas. The Golden Eagles got here by beating Western Kentucky by 18 in the first round and Colorado by four in the second round. Junior guard Kam Jones has scored 48 points through the first two rounds and senior guard Tyler Kolek has dished out 22 assists. 

Kolek came off injury and has been able to dictate the pace of both tournament games to this point. He can score and facilitate, making those around him better. Jones has averaged 20 points over his last five games. Oso Ighodaro is a unique and effective big. The Golden Eagles play eight players, can they get some big plays out of the next five?

8. Duke, ACC

The Buzz: Duke, a four-seed in the South Region, will face one-seed Houston on Friday in Dallas. The Blue Devils got here by beating Vermont by 17 in the first round and James Madison by 38 in the second round. Duke has had five different players score in double figures during this NCAA Tournament with two different leading scorers (Jared McCain and Mark Mitchell). They have held their two opponents to 47 and 55 points. 

Will the real Duke please stand up? Neither of their games have been close to this point. Duke has been better than both opponents at the guard spots and with their bigs. McCain’s shot-making is the big story early and Kyle Filipowski’s presence on the block has been unmatched. They have a defined five to start with a short bench. Their five are talented and able to attack from multiple spots on the floor. Can they get the stops they will need?

9. Gonzaga, WCC

The Buzz: Gonzaga, a five-seed in the Midwest Region, will face No. 1 seed Purdue on Friday in Detroit. The Bulldogs beat McNeese State by 21 in the first round and Kansas by 21 in the second round. Gonzaga has won 16 of their last 18 games. Senior forward Anton Watson had 18 and six against Kansas.

The season started off inconsistent, even having questions if Gonzaga would make the NCAA Tournament. The Zags have gone on a run and are playing very confidently winding up in another Sweet 16. Graham Ike has been able to establish his presence on the block. Watson has been as consistent as they come and Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard found their chemistry. The Bulldogs play seven players, they have a couple of specialists coming off the bench. Watson, Nembhard, and Hickman are all 30-plus minute players.

10. Tennessee, SEC

The Buzz: Tennessee, a two-seed in the Midwest Region, faces the three-seed Creighton on Thursday in Detroit. The Volunteers beat St. Peter’s by 34 in the first round and Texas by four in the second round. Senior wing Dalton Knecht has had 41 points through the first two rounds and junior center Jonas Aidoo has averaged 13.0 points and 2.5 blocks. 

Knecht has been the best player on most floors he has walked on this season. His presence has really opened the offense up for the Volunteers and enabled favorable matchups for his teammates down the line. The emergence of Aidoo has been big for Tennesssee as he gives them as good of a one-two punch as any team in the tournament. Will the supporting cast step up?

11. Illinois, Big 10

The Buzz: Illinois, a three-seed in the East Region, will face two-seed Iowa State on Thursday in Boston. The Fighting Illini got here by beating Morehead State by 16 in round one and Duquesne by 26 in the second round. Senior wing Terrence Shannon has scored 56 points through the first two rounds. Senior forward Marcus Domask has added 34.

Shannon has been as good as anyone in college basketball over the last month, scoring 25 or more in each of his last six games. Domask has been up and down throughout the season as has senior big Coleman Hawkins. When they are clicking and this floor is spread, it makes up for them not having a point guard on the roster. Shannon’s explosiveness could make for some fireworks.

12. Alabama, SEC

The Buzz: Alabama, a four seed in the West Region, will play one-seed UNC on Thursday in Los Angeles The Crimson Tide beat Charleston by 13 in the first round and Grand Canyon by 11 in the second round. Senior guard Mark Sears averaged 28.0 points and 5.5 assists through the first two rounds. As a team, has attempted 54 threes and 59 free throws.

Sears is a dynamic guard who is not afraid of the moment. He has consistently produced for this Alabama team in the season’s most crucial moments. They averaged 90.7 points and attempt 30.1 threes per game. Offensively, they have depth. Can they find the defensive stops necessary?

13. Iowa State, Big 12

The Buzz: Iowa State, a two-seed in the East Region, will play three-seed Illinois on Thursday in Boston. The Cyclones got here by beating South Dakota State by 17 points in the first round and Washington State by 11 in the second round. Sophomore guard Tamin Lipsey has scored 17 and 15 points in the first two rounds. Freshman forward Milan Momcilovic is averaging 14.5 and junior guard Keshon Gilbert averaged 12.5.

With Lipsey and Gilbert, Iowa State has two of the biggest point-of-attack ball hawks in the college game. The Cyclones have solid depth and they get a lot of their offense by turning the opposition over. With as talented as Lipsey and Gilber are, are they dynamic enough offensively to make noise? While their defense is switchable across the board, they lack rim protection and consistent rebounding.

14. NC State, ACC

The Buzz: NC State, an 11 seed in the South Region, will play two-seed Marquette on Thursday night in Dallas. The Wolfpack got here by beating Texas Tech by 13 in the first round and Oakland by six in the second round. NC State, who entered the ACC Tournament on the wrong side of the bubble, has won seven straight games to get to this point. Senior post DJ Burns has scored 40 points while junior forward Mohamed Diarra has recorded a pair of double-doubles. 

With DJ Burns, NC State has a matchup nightmare. They have done a good job running sets to get Burns in iso situations on the block. When he gets to his right shoulder, he finishes at a high rate. Diarra has been huge during the tournament runs, the same with the play of Ben Middlebrooks. Can they get enough offense playing through Burns? They shoot 45.1 percent as a team from the field and 34.7 percent from three.

15. Clemson, ACC

The Buzz: Clemson, the No. 6 seed in the West Region, will play No. 2 seed Arizona on Thursday in Los Angeles. The Tigers beat New Mexico in the first round by 21 and Baylor by eight in the second round. Senior guard Chase Hunter has scored 21 and 20 points through the first two rounds while junior forward Ian Shieffelin has averaged 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds. 

The defensive gameplan Clemson had scouted Baylor perfectly. The Bears were never comfortable at any point through the 40 minutes of play in the second round. Hunter has been dynamic throughout the tournament and Sehieffelin has been physical. Clemson has a depth of length and switchability but their top two players, PJ Hall and Joe Girard, have yet to get going in the tournament. The Tigers play eight or nine players in their rotation, can they maintain the scoring aspect?

16. San Diego State, Mountain West

The Buzz: San Diego State, a five seed in the East Region, will play No. 1 seed UConn on Thursday in Boston. The Aztecs got here by beating UAB by four in the first round and Yale by 28 in the second round. Senior forward Jaedon LeDee has scored 58 points through the first two rounds. 

Ledee has been one of college basketball’s best players this season. He has carried the load for this offense averaging 21.5 points. No other player for the Aztecs is in double figures. They play a physical brand of basketball and have a rotation of eight. They will rebound and they will defend, but can they generate enough offense?