While some people may decry the lack of upsets in the first two rounds of the men’s NCAA Tournament, the result is a Sweet 16 filled with the best teams in the country. All four No. 1 seeds are still alive, and there’s plenty of talent on the rosters who are trying to upset them en route to the Elite Eight.
Here’s a rundown of what’s to come in the tournament’s second weekend.
No. 6 BYU vs. No. 2 Alabama (7:09 p.m. ET Thursday)
This matchup figures to be a shootout between the top offense in the country (the Crimson Tide) and another that averages over 80 points per game (the Cougars). Alabama is in the Sweet 16 for the third straight season, and it has to be feeling confident after it cruised to victory in the second round despite a subpar performance by senior guard Mark Sears. BYU, meanwhile, sneaked past Wisconsin with a two-point win in the second round. Can the Cougars keep up with the Crimson Tide?
No. 4 Mland vs. No. 1 Florida (7:39 p.m. ET Thursday)
The Terrapins and the Gators are both coming off thrilling wins, with Mland needing a Derik Queen buzzer-beater to put away Colorado State, while Florida executed a late comeback to knock off defending champ Connecticut. The Terps are likely to have their hands full with Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr., who has been shooting lights out through two tournament games. Clayton has scored 23 in each of the first two rounds and has hit nine of his 17 3-point attempts.