USA TODAY Sports provides an in-depth look at Friday's Sweet 16 NCAA tournament games. All times Eastern.
1.) No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 4 Iowa State (7:10 p.m. on CBS)
► Why Virginia (26-7) will win: That the Cavaliers are one of the country’s best defensive teams is a given. They are coached by Tony Bennett, who learned at the hands of the master, dad and former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett. But Virginia is equally formidable at the other end of the floor. All-American Malcolm Brogdon has scored in double figures in all but the first game of the season, and three other players — Anthony Gill (19), Marial Shayok (11) and London Perrantes (10) — joined him the first two games of the NCAA tournament. The senior-laden team doesn’t get flustered, either, scoring better in the second half than it has in the first.
► Why Iowa State (23-11) will win: The Cyclones, forward Georges Niang in particular, have some unfinished business. Seeded third in the last two NCAA tournaments, Iowa State was expecting to reach the Elite Eight — or beyond — for the first time since 2000 only to make early exits. The Cyclones were upset by UAB in the first round last year. The year before, they lost to eventual national champ Connecticut in the Sweet 16, a game Niang missed after breaking his foot. With Niang a senior, this is his Cyclones team’s last chance to have the kind of tournament performance it knows it is capable of.
2.) No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Wisconsin (7:27 p.m. on TBS)
► Why Notre Dame (23-11) will win: The Irish face a formidable challenge; the style of play they’re up against is very different from that of their last opponent, Stephen F. Austin. But Mike Brey is a terrific coach who’s great at in-game adjustments. The core of Demetrius Jackson, Zach Auguste and Steve Vasturia is playing as well as any other group in the country right now.
► Why Wisconsin (22-12) will win: There’s just something about the Badgers and the NCAA tournament. This group seemed destined to miss the Big Dance for the first half of the season but was rejuvenated under new coach Greg Gard. The Badgers relied on Bronson Koenig’s heroics to knock off No. 2 seed Xavier on Sunday, and they know they can win another close one if need be. Team chemistry is at an all-time high, and that’s always an important ingredient for Wisconsin in March.
3.) No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 5 Indiana (9:57 p.m. on TBS)
► Why North Carolina (30-6) will win: The Tar Heels finally are playing the type of basketball they’re capable of. If Brice Johnson gets his double-doubles, Marcus Paige finally starts hitting threes and the rest of the team continues to play well on both ends, this is a championship-caliber squad. The key for UNC in this matchup will be containing Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell. If the Heels can do that, they’ll win.
► Why Indiana (27-7) will win: The Hoosiers have the best win of the tournament, a victory against red-hot and fourth-seeded Kentucky in the Round of 32. They have confidence — something they’ve gained throughout the season after early stumbles — and the talent to pull of this upset. In addition to Ferrell, Thomas Bryant is a major scoring threat and is coming off a big game against the Wildcats.
4.) No. 11 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 Syracuse (9:40 p.m. on CBS)
► Why Gonzaga (28-7) will win: Gonzaga got hot at the right time, winning its last seven games to ensure itself a spot in the NCAA tournament. During that span, four players — Kyle Wiltjer, Domantas Sabonis, Eric McClellan and Josh Perkins — have averaged in double figures. The Bulldogs might be the highest seed left, but the way they dismantled third-seeded Utah shows they can play with anyone.
► Why Syracuse (21-13) will win: Syracuse has been leading a charmed life since Selection Sunday, so what’s to say it won’t continue? The Orange weren’t even supposed to be here, losing five of six games, including a one-and-done appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. But they handled Dayton and routed Middle Tennessee. Deep runs in the NCAA tournament require some luck and, so far, all the breaks seem to be going Syracuse’s way.
Capsule breakdowns by Nicole Auerbach and Nancy Armour.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SWEET 16 GAMES
