Re-seeding the Sweet 16 teams: Separating the contenders from pretenders
Re-seeding the Sweet 16 teams: Separating the contenders from pretenders
Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORKTue, March 24, 2026 at 9:07 AM UTC
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Re-seeding the Sweet 16 teams: Separating the contenders from pretenders
Over four action-packed days, a 64-team bracket was quartered.
And with it, we’ve got 16 men’s college basketball teams whose dreams of a national championship get to live for at least a few more days.
With the Final Four and national championship pictures now much clearer than they were a week ago, how do the remaining teams stack up?
Sweet 16 predictions: Experts pick who will advance in March Madness bracket
Here’s a ranking of the Sweet 16 teams:
Re-Ranking Sweet 16 teams16. Texas
The Longhorns fit the traditional mold of an underachieving power-conference team that gets some favorable matchups and starts to play up to its potential in the single-elimination crucible of the tournament. Their three wins in five days against NC State, BYU and Gonzaga may not be the end for them, either. Dailyn Swain is one of the best bucket-getters remaining in the field and seven-footer Matas Vokietaitis is averaging 18.3 points and 11 rebounds per game in the tournament.
Despite its placement on this list, this is the kind of team that could absolutely give Purdue problems.
1 / 0Iowa shocks Florida with statement NCAA tournament upsetIowa Hawkeyes forward Cooper Koch (8) celebrates after a play against the Florida Gators in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena.15. Iowa
Ben McCollum wins wherever he goes, whether it’s four national championships at Division II Northwest Missouri State or 31 wins and a second-round trip in his lone season at Drake. Now, in his first season at Iowa, the Hawkeyes are off to their first Sweet 16 since 1999 after a 73-72 upset of Florida on Sunday. The win came despite star guard Bennett Stirtz missing all nine of his 3-point attempts, but Iowa got it done closer to the basket, making 19 of its 27 2-pointers against one of the country’s tallest teams.
Their next foe is a familiar one — a Nebraska team it went 1-1 against during the regular season.
14. Tennessee
While the performance of Rick Barnes teams in the tournament makes for an easy punchline, the Volunteers’ losses in the Elite Eight each of the past two seasons came against the eventual national runner-up. With a win over No. 3 seed Virginia on Sunday, they’ve overperformed their seed and, because of it, Tennessee’s now off to the Sweet 16 for the fourth-consecutive season, the first time in program history that’s ever happened.
13. Nebraska
The Cornhuskers shed the historical ignominy of being the only power-conference program without an NCAA Tournament win by blowing out Troy in a 4-versus-13 matchup before doubling that all-time tournament victories count two days later after surviving Vanderbilt and Tyler Tanner’s nearly miraculous, in-and-out heave.
Now, instead of having to face No. 1 seed and reigning national champion Florida, Fred Hoiberg’s team gets a more manageable Sweet 16 matchup in No. 9 seed Iowa in a game that won’t lack any intensity.
12. St. John’s
The Red Storm gave away a 13-point lead with seven minutes remaining only to get it back thanks to Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beating heroics. The Johnnies have some of the same offensive concerns that led to a surprisingly early ouster from last year’s tournament — namely, a lack of consistent outside shooting — but they’re one of the most tenacious and reliable teams defensively in the country and, maybe more importantly, have one of the greatest coaches in the sport’s history leading the way.
If there’s a number to make St. John’s fans optimistic heading into its game against Duke, it’s this: Rick Pitino is 12-1 in his career in the Sweet 16.
In-depth: Inside the buzzer-beater that led St. John's to first Sweet 16 since 1999
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Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
11. Alabama
Aden Holloway’s arrest cast significant doubt over the Crimson Tide entering the tournament, but Nate Oats’ team wiped much of that away with wins over Hofstra and Texas Tech by a combined 45 points. Alabama looked as offensively potent as ever in those victories, scoring 90 points in each game. Though Latrell Wrightsell did an excellent job helping make up for Holloway’s absence, the Tide will probably need their embattled No. 2 scorer available to knock off No. 1 seed Michigan in the Sweet 16.
10. Arkansas
The Razorbacks had to sweat it out a bit in the second round, but as High Point showed against Wisconsin, a victory against the Panthers, even as a power-conference program, can’t be taken for granted. The biggest reason for optimism for a deep Arkansas run was on full display in the first two games, with freshman superstar Darius Acuff Jr. scoring 60 combined points in first- and second-round wins.
John Calipari has ridden talented freshman point guards on deep tournament runs, from Derrick Rose to John Wall to De'Aaron Fox. The Hogs have a tall task in the Sweet 16 against Arizona, but they just might have the top-line talent and athleticism to match up with the Wildcats.
9. Michigan State
It’s a familiar story for a Tom Izzo-coached team, with defense and rebounding helping push the Spartans into the Sweet 16 for the 17th time since 1998. Michigan State smoked North Dakota State by 25 and pulled away for an eight-point win against a shorthanded Louisville team in the second round. Jeremy Fears Jr. looked every bit like the All-American he is in those victories, dishing out a combined 27 assists, including 16 against the Cardinals to break a program NCAA Tournament single-game record previously held by Magic Johnson.
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8. UConn
Perhaps no player in the event had a more impressive opening week of the tournament than Tarris Reed Jr., who had 41 points and pulled down 40 rebounds in wins against Furman and UCLA. He’s the first player to go off for at least 40 points and 40 rebounds in the first week of the tournament since Tim Duncan all the way back in 1997.
We all know Dan Hurley’s program can get it done this time of year, even with a team the predictive metrics haven’t been quite as high on this season, at least compared to their fellow top-two seeds.
7. Purdue
The Boilermakers have been absolutely lethal in the second half of games so far in the tournament, outscoring No. 15 seed Queens 59-38 and No. 7 seed Miami 41-29 in the final 20 minutes of those matchups. While NCAA Division I career assists leader Braden Smith deservedly gets his fair share of attention, Trey Kaufman-Renn has been Matt Painter’s best player so far this tournament, with 44 combined points in his team’s opening two wins.
1 / 0Men's Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness
How sweet it is. Sixteen teams remain in the March Madness 2026 tournament. Here are some top players and matchups to watch.No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2 Purdue Texas: Matas Vokietaitis
6. Iowa State
Things could have very well gotten dicey for the Cyclones with All-American forward Joshua Jefferson out with a sprained ankle for a second-round game against Kentucky. Instead, Iowa State bombarded the Wildcats’ high-priced roster, overcoming an early 18-6 deficit to outscore them 76-45 the rest of the way in an 82-63 blowout.
This is as good of a defensive team as there is in the sport and this squad may have some of the offensive firepower that has prevented it from advancing further in past tournaments. The question is now how quickly Jefferson can get back and how effective he can be.
5. Illinois
The Fighting Illini didn’t just beat their opening two opponents, but snatched their souls. After a 35-point drubbing of Penn, Illinois turned around and won by 21 against a VCU team that had won 17 of its previous 18 games, including an overtime victory two days earlier against North Carolina.
Brad Underwood’s team is No. 2 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, and has the right combination of length, skill and shooting to get to the program’s first Final Four in 21 years.
4. Duke
Of all the remaining No. 1 seeds, the Blue Devils looked the shakiest in the tournament’s first week. They trailed No. 16 seed Siena by 13 early in the second half before gutting out a 71-65 win and were tied with No. 9 seed TCU with 14 minutes remaining before pulling away for a 23-point victory in the second round.
The tournament’s No. 1 overall seed will need to get through two hall-of-fame coaches (or, in Dan Hurley’s case, eventual hall-of-fame coaches) just to make the Final Four. For now, Duke’s biggest question is how it can continue to survive and advance with point guard Caleb Foster still sidelined.
3. Houston
The Cougars advanced to the Sweet 16 even more effortlessly than any of the No. 1 seeds, beating Idaho and Texas A&M by 31 points apiece while limiting those teams to 104 combined points.
Under Kelvin Sampson, Houston has annually been among the country’s best teams defensively, but with superstar freshman Kingston Flemings, this squad might just have that extra offensive jolt that could allow the Cougars to earn their long-awaited first national championship. And if that’s not enough, their path to the Final Four now goes through their hometown, with Sweet 16 and (potentially) Elite Eight games in Houston.
2. Michigan
The Wolverines’ typically stout defense looked surprisingly porous in the first round, giving up 80 points to No. 16 seed Howard, but they fared much better 48 hours later in a 23-point romp over a dynamic Saint Louis team in which college basketball cult hero Robbie Avila was effectively neutralized. Michigan has one of the country’s best players in Yaxel Lendeborg and a group of players surrounding him that would feel insulting to refer to as a supporting cast.
Even with guard L.J. Cason out for the season, Dusty May’s squad has everything you need to win a title.
1. Arizona
The Wildcats were one of the most dominant teams during the regular season and showed few, if any, signs of slowing down in their first two tournament games. They ensured LIU never got the chance to get their fins up in a 34-point beatdown in the first round before pulling away to win by 12 against a Utah State team that was woefully under-seeded as a No. 9 seed.
Until it actually happens, there will be lingering questions about whether Tommy Lloyd can get Arizona to a Final Four and a national championship, but this squad looks more than well-equipped to break through and reach those heights.
Sweet 16 schedule, tip times, dates
THURSDAY, MARCH 26
7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas (West), CBS
7:30 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa (South), TBS/truTV
9:45 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas (West), CBS
10:05 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois (South), TBS/truTV
FRIDAY, MARCH 27
7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's (East), CBS
7:35 p.m.: No 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Michigan (Midwest), TBS/truTV
9:45 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Michigan State (East), CBS
10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Midwest), TBS/truTV
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sweet 16 re-seed: Ranking the teams left in Men's March Madness
Source: “AOL Sports”
