So about the Sweet Sixteen…it was clearly chaos, almost every “professional” ranking of the remaining sixteen teams took massive hits at the hands of the Peacocks, Razorbacks and Cougars. After a quick regroup, and a few fun discussions, we reranked the Elite Eight.
It is hard to believe two double digit seeds are a win away from the final four but this is truly what March is about. While both still have a solid field ahead of them, the improbable is inching closer to possible. Three of the top four tournament favorites, by our standard, were knocked off in the last two days. This has opened the door for other programs, like Kansas, Arkansas and Houston to inch up the ladder on our list and to be taken more seriously going forward. As we mentioned in our Sweet Sixteen article, before you take our ranking to heart,, we aren’t saying it’s impossible any of the remaining teams win the whole thing but for most, it’s highly unlikely. This unlikely chance continues to shrink as the field dwindles. Below, we broke down where each remaining team stands within the scope of winning the championship.
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Ranking Before the Sweet 16 Tipped off
| 9. Kansas | |
| 3. Duke | |
| 12. Arkansas | |
| 13. Miami | |
| 6. Villanova | |
| 7. Houston | |
| 8. North Carolina | 16. St. Peters |
Our Elite Eight Ranking
| 1. Duke | 5. North Carolina |
| 6. Arkansas | |
| 3. Kansas | 7. Miami |
| 4. Villanova | 8. St. Peters |
We understand that many people won’t be happy with this list, as many people weren’t happy with our first Sweet Sixteen ranking so we might as well go through them quickly to understand why these teams are where they are. *Four of the top 16 teams in our list failed to make it out of the Sweet Sixteen so this may just be the kiss of death for your favorite program*
The Duke Blue Devils are #1, and while this may be a “hot take” it is where we stand for all the reasons they were ranked third. Duke has all the right parts on their roster and they have continued to put it together in the face of adversity. With at least five NBA level players in their rotation, it feels like they are hitting their stride at the right time. After both Arizona and Gonzaga falling on the same night, the Blue Devils should be the favorite by default. In their matchup tonight, Arkansas is going to push them, make them uncomfortable and rely on their starters to get them over the hump. The rim protection, length and size of Duke is going to frustrate the Razorbacks and that should be something Arkansas fans and Musselman prepare for. If the Razorbacks can shoot the ball well from outside they will always have a chance, but it just feels like the stars are beginning to align for the Coach K farewell tour.
Villanova and Houston square off in a elite eight battle to see who cuts down the net. Kelvin Sampson and Jay Wright are playing a short notice chess match and everyone is going to have to contribute if either team wants to come out victorious. Possessions are going to be tight, methodical and well executed. Villanova is looking to return to the Final Four and reclaim their title while Houston is trying to revive the days of Phi Slama Jama. In what could be his best coaching season ever, Kelvin Sampson has a program that can go the distance by winning on both sides of the ball. Either team can represent their region in the Final Four and while it is hard to bet against the pedigree established on the Main Line, it feels like Houston will find a way to win. Currently, a -2.5 point favorite expect Houston to keep fighting.
Kansas ends up at #3 because they seem to be inevitable at this point. Facing off against Miami who is going to appear in their first Elite Eight ever, the Jayhawks have a chance to write off some concerns from our previous article. Remy Martin was fantastic in the Sweet Sixteen and while the lid did come off for Providence in the second half, the Jayhawks were poised when closing out the game. While we still believe there is a chance that Kansas ends up on the bad side of a let down game, the matchups they have going forward give them a real chance to be the last team standing.
North Carolina and Arkansas are both teams that keep finding a way to beat the odds. The size of North Carolina has frustrated teams each round and the second half awakening of Caleb Love saved their season against UCLA. Winning the tournament as an 8 or 4 seed still feels like a it is a bit of a stretch but after the first three rounds it is certainly in the cards. If UNC can get past St. Peters and Arkansas moves by Duke, one of them will be guaranteed a spot in the championship game. Taking one game at a time will be important for both programs and they will have to remain sharp going forward.
Miami and St. Peters don’t deserve to be last on this list. In any scenario it is hard to imagine either team being in the Final Four or playing in the championship but at this point it would only be right. This ranking is not a reflection of our personal thoughts or feelings about each team. They have both caught lightning in a bottle and are two of the greatest stories in college basketball this season and beyond. Essentially counted out at the beginning of the tournament, nobody outside of Jersey City or Miami had the 15 seed Peacocks and/or 11 seed Hurricanes in their Elite Eight. With a chance to go to the Final Four on the same day they won’t have it easy against UNC or Kansas, but a chance is the only thing they need.
