Sweet 16 Viewing Guide

The tournament has been a wild ride so far, and there are definitely some interesting matchups shaping up for the Sweet 16. The theme for a lot of them are favored, big conference heavyweights against upstart teams from mid-major conferences. Here's the schedule for the next two days:

Thursday:

#1 Syracuse vs. #5 Butler (7:07 p.m.)
Syracuse looked very strong in the opening weekend, especially in its easy win over Gonzaga. It will still be without center Arinze Onuaku for this game. Butler did a good job in beating two mid-major opponents. I think Butler has the 3 point shooting to stay with Syracuse, but if the Orange gets a good game from Andy Rautins it could be another easy win.
#2 West Virginia vs. #11 Washington (7:27 p.m., WDBJ)
Washington's easy win over New Mexico didn't get much publicity, but it should have considering the seeds. The Huskies certainly aren't playing like an 11 seed, and have a lot of confidence. They have all the tools to give West Virginia a good game. The Mountaineers will be without guard Truck Bryant for the rest of the season.

#2 Kansas State vs. #6 Xavier (9:37 p.m.)
Kansas State played very well in the opening weekend, and seems to have a great combination of solid offense and defense. They will be tested by a Xavier squad that is consistently underrated, and is seemingly always in the Sweet 16. Should be a great matchup.
#1 Kentucky vs. #12 Cornell (9:57 p.m., WDBJ)
Ooh what a juicy game this is! Kentucky looked unstoppable in dismantling a good Wake Forest team. And no one even came close to 12 seed Cornell in its two games. So is Cornell the team that has the discipline and the offensive weapons to frustrate the young Wildcats? This upset is certainly possible.

Friday:

#2 Ohio State vs. #6 Tennessee (7:07 p.m., WDBJ)
These two teams must feel like they have a real chance to reach the Final Four. Tennessee got a bit of a break in getting Ohio instead of Georgetown, but they still took care of business. Ohio State did a nice job holding off a solid Georgia Tech team and has one of the best players in the country in Evan Turner. Expect a tight one.
#3 Baylor vs. #10 St. Mary's (7:27 p.m.)
With all the buzz around some of the upstart teams, the attention has been off the great job Scott Drew has done coaching this Baylor team. The Bears have strength, speed, size, athleticism, and can play with anyone. St. Mary's has Omar Samhan. If Baylor can't stop him, they could be in trouble.

#5 Michigan State vs. #9 Northern Iowa (9:37 p.m.)
Northern Iowa was the story of the first weekend, with a remarkable upset of Kansas. If they continue to play like they have been, there's no reason to think they can't make the Elite 8. All that stands in their way is Tom Izzo, who has done another masterful coaching job. Michigan State will be wounded without Kalin Lucas, but don't count them out.
#1 Duke vs. #4 Purdue (9:57 p.m., WDBJ)
Purdue has risen from the dead just at the right time. And earlier in the year they were a National Title contender. So there's no reason to believe they can't beat Duke. The Blue Devils haven't gotten past this round in a long time, but this is their best chance.